Editing Neil Diamond (section)

===2000s===

A more severely stripped-down-to-basics album, ''[[12 Songs (Neil Diamond album)|12 Songs]]'', produced by [[Rick Rubin]], was released on November 8, 2005, in two editions: a standard 12-song release, and a special edition with two bonus tracks, including one featuring backing vocals by [[Brian Wilson]]. The album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard chart, and received generally positive reviews; Erlewine describes the album as "inarguably Neil Diamond's best set of songs in a long, long time."<ref>{{cite web|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r805249 |title=12 Songs – Neil Diamond &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |website=[[AllMusic]] |date=November 8, 2005 |access-date=April 17, 2014}}</ref> ''12 Songs'' also became noteworthy as one of the last albums to be pressed and released by [[Sony BMG]] with the [[Extended Copy Protection]] software embedded in the disc. (See the [[2005 Sony BMG CD copy protection scandal]].)

In 2007, Diamond was inducted into the [[Long Island Music Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.limusichalloffame.org/inductees/07inductees.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070217232729/http://www.limusichalloffame.org/inductees/07inductees.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 17, 2007|title=LIMHOF - 2007 Inductees|date=February 17, 2007|access-date=August 18, 2018}}</ref>

On March 19, 2008, it was announced on the television show ''[[American Idol]]'' that Diamond would be a guest mentor to the remaining ''Idol'' contestants, who would sing Diamond songs for the broadcasts of April 29 and 30, 2008. On the April 30 broadcast, Diamond premiered a new song, "Pretty Amazing Grace", from his then recently released album ''[[Home Before Dark]]''.<ref>{{cite web |author= |url=http://www.spinner.com/2008/04/29/neil-diamond-goes-home-before-dark/ |title=AOL Radio – Listen to Free Online Radio – Free Internet Radio Stations and Music Playlists |website=Spinner |date= |access-date=April 17, 2014 |archive-date=September 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910031620/http://www.spinner.com/2008/04/29/neil-diamond-goes-home-before-dark/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> On May 2, 2008, Sirius Satellite Radio started Neil Diamond Radio. On April 8, 2008, Diamond made a surprise announcement in a big-screen broadcast at Fenway Park that he would be appearing there "live in concert" on August 23, 2008, as part of his world tour. The announcement, which marked the first official confirmation of any 2008 concert dates in the US, came during the traditional eighth-inning singalong of "Sweet Caroline", which had by that time become an anthem for Boston fans.

On April 28, 2008, Diamond appeared on the roof of the [[Jimmy Kimmel]] building to sing "Sweet Caroline" after Kimmel, who had been singing the song dressed as Diamond, was "arrested" for impersonating the singer.

[[File:Neil Diamond- in 2010.jpg|thumb|upright|Diamond performing at [[The Roundhouse]], London on October 30, 2010.]]
''Home Before Dark'' was released May 6, 2008, and topped the album charts in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7402651.stm |title=Entertainment &#124; Diamond tops chart for first time |work=[[BBC News]] |date=May 15, 2008 |access-date=April 17, 2014}}</ref>

On June 29, 2008, Diamond played to an estimated 108,000 fans at the [[Glastonbury Festival]] in Somerset, England on the Concert of a Lifetime Tour; technical problems, including the sound cutting out, marred the concert.<ref>{{cite web |title=Neil Diamond overcomes technical problems to wow Glastonbury |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/neil-diamond-6-1323806 |website=NME |access-date=April 7, 2022 |date=June 29, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_8gQMUYnXlxOW7Syx-FN8g|title=Neildi|website=YouTube|access-date=August 18, 2018}}</ref> In August, Diamond allowed cameras to record his entire four-night run at New York's Madison Square Garden; he released the resulting DVD in the US in 2009, one year to the day of the first concert.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-daijUbwBs| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170628072557/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-daijUbwBs&gl=US&hl=en| archive-date=June 28, 2017 | url-status=dead|title=YouTube|via=[[YouTube]]|access-date=August 18, 2018}}</ref> ''[[Hot August Night/NYC: Live from Madison Square Garden|Hot August Night/NYC]]'' debuted at No. 2 on the charts. On the same day the DVD was released, CBS aired an edited version, which won the ratings hour with 13 million viewers. The next day, the sales of the DVD surged, prompting Sony to order more copies to meet the high demand.

On August 25, 2008, Diamond performed at The Ohio State University while suffering from laryngitis. The result disappointed him as well as his fans, and on August 26, he offered refunds to anyone who applied by September 5.<ref>{{cite web |title=Neil Diamond offers concert audience a refund |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-diamond/neil-diamond-offers-concert-audience-a-refund-idUSN2743510520080827 |website=Reuters |access-date=April 7, 2022 |date=August 27, 2008}}</ref>

Diamond was honored as the [[MusiCares Person of the Year]] on February 6, 2009, two nights before the 51st Annual [[Grammy Awards]].

Long loved in Boston, Diamond was invited to sing at the July 4, 2009, Independence Day celebration.

On October 13, 2009, he released ''[[A Cherry Cherry Christmas]]'', his third album of holiday music.