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On May 9, Josh Groban will kick off Gems, a five-night run in Las Vegas at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.  One week earlier, the superstar actor-singer will commemorate the concert stand with a companion album of the same name.  Arriving on Reprise Records, Gems features 16 classics from Groban’s discography alongside two new songs, “Be Alright” and “Open Hands.”

The Los Angeles native was just sixteen years old when he was introduced by his vocal coach to David Foster.  Foster enlisted him to stand in for Andrea Bocelli to rehearse his duet of “The Prayer” with Celine Dion for the 1999 Grammy Awards telecast.  He was soon thrust into fame when Grammy host Rosie O’Donnell was so impressed that she invited him onto her popular talk show; that appearance, in turn, led to a spot on television’s Ally McBeal.  His 2001 self-titled debut LP boasted productions from Foster, Walter Afanasieff, Jeremy Lubbock, Humberto Gatica, and others, and established Groban as a crossover star for the 21st century.  Its single “To Where You Are” became Groban’s first AC chart-topper; the album would be the first of four consecutive multi-platinum albums.  More hits followed including 2003’s Foster-helmed smash “You Raise Me Up,” and in 2007, Groban was crowned the U.S.’ best-selling artist.  He released his ninth and most recent studio album, Harmony, in 2020.

The non-chronologically sequenced Gems features songs from highlights of Groban’s nine studio albums.  (No tracks are included from 2010’s Rick Rubin-produced Illuminations, 2013’s Rob Cavallo-helmed All That Echoes, or the 2007 Christmas album Noel.)  While Alan Menken and Tim Rice’s “Evermore” has been included from the soundtrack of Disney’s live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast, Gems doesn’t make room for any selections from Groban’s cast recordings of Chess; Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812; or Sweeney Todd.  Many of Groban’s non-Christmas top 20 AC singles are here (“To Where You Are,” “You Raise Me Up,” “You Are Loved (Don’t Give Up),” “February Song,” “Awake”), as well.  Show music and movie songs are represented (“All I Ask of You” with Kelly Clarkson, “The Impossible Dream,” “Over the Rainbow,” “Pure Imagination”) alongside the crossover pop on which Groban made his name.

The Grammy-, Tony-, and Emmy-nominated vocalist shares in the press release, “I’m so excited to release this collection of songs that have played such an important role in my life and career so far. These ‘gems’ have been there for me when I’ve needed them most, and to share them on one album fills me with gratitude for all they have given to amazing listeners across the world.”

Not long after the CD and digital release, on June 13, a double-vinyl edition will appear with two exclusive bonus tracks: “Broken Vow” and “Remember When It Rained,” both from 2003’s Closer.  In addition to the Las Vegas shows, Groban will perform songs from Gems over two nights at the Hollywood Bowl, on September 5 and 6 accompanied by Thomas Wilkins and The Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Look for Gems from Reprise Records on May 2.  You’ll find the track listing and pre-order links below; the Amazon editions on CD and LP features exclusive cover artwork.  As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Josh Groban, Gems (Reprise, 2025)

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.  / Amazon Canada

1. Be Alright
2. Alla Luce del Sole
3. You Are Loved (Don’t Give Up)
4. You Raise Me Up
5. To Where You Are
6. Awake
7. Granted
8. Pure Imagination (from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
9. You’re Still You
10. Evermore
11. Open Hands
12. February Song
13. Over The Rainbow (from The Wizard of Oz)
14. When You Say You Love Me
15. All I Ask Of You (from The Phantom of the Opera) [with Kelly Clarkson]
16. Bridge over Troubled Water
17. Per Te
18. The Impossible Dream

Tracks 1 & 11 previously unreleased
Tracks 2, 5 & 9 from Josh Groban, Warner Bros./143 48154-2, 2001
Tracks 3, 6 & 12 from Awake, Reprise/143 43258-2, 2006
Tracks 4, 14 & 17 from Closer, Reprise/143 48450-2, 2003
Tracks 7 & 16 from Bridges, Reprise 571178-2, 2018
Tracks 8, 13 & 15 from Stages, Reprise 548281-2, 2015
Track 10 from Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Walt Disney Records D002524802, 2017
Track 18 from Harmony, Reprise 093624884156, 2020