Ryan Adams has debuted "To Be Without You," the second single from his upcoming Prisoner LP.

Adams shared the single, which you can stream above, to Twitter followers with a note explaining that the Prisoner album — his 16th studio effort — "saved my life," saying it "matters to me more than any record I ever made." Of "To Be Without You" specifically, he added that it "broke my soul in a zillion pieces writing this."

Those comments are part of a lengthy Instagram post in which Adams describes himself as "broken" in the period leading up to Prisoner and insists, "My life depended on making it. I would have died inside if I hadn't. ... I know I had to write it and I know I have to sing these songs so I can live and keep living and breathing."

Describing the album as "a map for anybody who got lost like I get lost," Adams continues, "It's hope for anybody who's forgotten what that is. These songs are part of me but they're now part of anyone who needs them. Records should matter. They do when people need them most. This was my way through total f---ing darkness and things nobody can plan for. I'll never come as close as this to that place. I won't have to."

Adams feels like music has saved his life before, but with Prisoner, he believes "it saved me from devastation so my life could be worth living for." Ultimately, he's delivering the LP in the hopes that it affects others emotionally the way his favorite music did when he was growing up: "Songs and Records were my best friend before I could play guitar. I hope these find their way to good homes and people who need them."

Prisoner is scheduled for a Feb. 17 release. Pre-order your copy here.

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