"American IV: The Man Comes Around" is the sixty-seventh and final non-posthumous studio album by Johnny Cash, released on November 5, 2002, by American Recordings and Universal Records. This album is the fourth installment in Cash's "American" series and is regarded as one of his finest works in the later stages of his life. It is also featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
The majority of the tracks are covers, showcasing Cash's distinctive sparse style, with production by Rick Rubin. For the song "Personal Jesus," Rubin enlisted John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers to create an acoustic version that reinterpreted the song in a blues style. Cash received backing vocals from notable artists such as Fiona Apple, Nick Cave, and Don Henley.
This album marks Cash's last release during his lifetime, although the Unearthed box set was compiled before his death, with Cash selecting the tracks and writing liner notes. American IV was the first non-compilation album of Cash's to achieve gold status in thirty years, winning the "Album of the Year" award at the 2003 CMA Awards. It was certified gold on March 24, 2003, and platinum on November 21, 2003, making it the first non-compilation album of Cash's to reach these milestones since the early 1970s.
The music video for "Hurt," a song originally written by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails and released in 1994, received seven nominations at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, winning for Best Cinematography. Just days before his 71st birthday, Cash won a Grammy for "Give My Love to Rose," a song he had originally recorded in the late 1950s, and was also nominated for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for his cover of "Bridge over Troubled Water" with Fiona Apple. The music video for "Hurt" later won the award for Best Short Form Video in 2004.
Trent Reznor expressed initial concern about the idea of Cash covering "Hurt," fearing it might seem gimmicky, but after seeing the video, he felt deeply moved and considered Cash's rendition beautiful and meaningful, stating that the song "isn't mine anymore."
Graeme Thomson, in his book The Resurrection of Johnny Cash: Hurt, Redemption, and American Recordings, highlighted worries about Cash's health during the recording process. Cash was battling multiple health issues and had lost much of his vision, with recording sessions frequently interrupted by hospital visits. Thomson quoted singer Will Oldham, emphasizing the importance of supporting a living songwriter during this time.
