VI

VI is the sixth studio album by the Canadian rock band Loverboy, released in 1997 following a decade-long gap in studio output. Produced by the band themselves alongside Bryan Adams' longtime associate Bryan Way, the album marks a significant shift away from the synth-pop and new wave influences of their 80s heyday toward a more traditional hard rock and blues-rock sound. The recording features the classic lineup, including Mike Reno, Paul Dean, Doug Johnson, Scott Smith, and Matt Frenette. Lyrically, the album moves away from teenage rebellion and party anthems toward themes of social commentary, financial struggle, and personal reflection, as evidenced in tracks like 'Love of Money.' Despite the changing musical landscape of the late 90s, the album maintained the band's reputation for high-quality production and melodic sensibility, though it focused more on the adult contemporary and classic rock markets than the pop charts. It remains a notable entry for its darker, more mature tone and its status as the final studio album to feature bassist Scott Smith before his passing in 2000.