“Hard to Say I’m Sorry” is from Chicago’s 1982 album Chicago 16. The power ballad written by Peter Cetera and David Foster became the band’s biggest hit in years, spending two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also topping the Adult Contemporary chart. It reached No. 1 in Canada and Ireland, No. 4 in the UK and Australia, and No. 13 in New Zealand. It was Chicago’s first number-one single in six years (since 1976’s “If You Leave Me Now”) and marked a successful commercial comeback after a quieter period for the group. The song was featured as the ending theme of the 1982 film Summer Lovers. On the album the track seamlessly transitions into an upbeat instrumental piece called “Get Away,” though radio edits usually omitted this second half. The song’s success was helped by producer David Foster, whose polished production and emphasis on synthesizers and melodic pop-rock played a key role in reinventing Chicago’s sound, steering the band away from the brass-heavy rock style that had defined much of their early career.