Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the

Jersey Shore The Jersey Shore (known by locals simply as the Shore) is the coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Geographically, the term encompasses about of oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy in the north to Cape May P ...

, he is an originator of

heartland rock Heartland rock is a genre of rock music characterized by a straightforward, often roots musical style, often with a focus on blue-collar workers, and a conviction that rock music has a social or communal purpose beyond just entertainment. The ge ...

, combining mainstream rock musical styles with narrative songs about working class American life. Nicknamed "The Boss", his career has spanned six decades. Springsteen is known for his poetic, socially conscious lyrics and energetic stage performances, sometimes lasting up to four hours. In 1973, Springsteen released his first two albums, ''

Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. ''Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.'' is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen. It was produced by Mike Appel and Jim Cretecos from June through October 1972 at the budget-priced 914 Sound Studios. The album was ...

'' and ''

The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle ''The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle'' is the second studio album by American rock singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen. It was recorded by Springsteen with the E Street Band at 914 Sound Studios, Blauvelt, New York, and released on N ...

'', neither of which earned him a large audience. He changed his style and reached worldwide popularity with '' Born to Run'' in 1975. It was followed by ''

Darkness on the Edge of Town ''Darkness on the Edge of Town'' is the fourth studio album by American rock singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on June 2, 1978, by Columbia Records. The album marked the end of a three-year gap between albums brought on by contract ...

'' (1978) and '' The River'' (1980), which topped the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart. After the solo recording, ''

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...

'' (1982), he reunited with the E Street Band for '' Born in the U.S.A.'' (1984), his most commercially successful album and one of the best-selling albums of all time. Seven of its singles reached the Top Ten of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, including the title track. Springsteen recorded his next three albums, '' Tunnel of Love'' (1987), '' Human Touch'' (1992), and '' Lucky Town'' (1992) using mostly session musicians. He reassembled the E Street Band for 1995's ''

Greatest Hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...

'', then recorded the sparse acoustic '' The Ghost of Tom Joad'', followed by the EP '' Blood Brothers'' (1996), his last release of the decade. Springsteen dedicated his 2002 album '' The Rising'' to the victims of the

September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...

. He released two more folk albums, '' Devils & Dust'' (2005) and '' We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions'' (2006), followed by two more albums with the E Street Band: '' Magic'' (2007) and '' Working on a Dream'' (2009). The next two, '' Wrecking Ball'' (2012) and '' High Hopes'' (2014), topped album charts worldwide. His latest releases include the solo ''

Western Stars ''Western Stars'' is the nineteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on June 14, 2019, by Columbia Records. It was produced by Ron Aniello, who worked with Springsteen on his two previous albums: ''Wrecking ...

'' (2019), the E Street Band-featuring ''

Letter to You ''Letter to You'' is the twentieth studio album by Bruce Springsteen. Released in October 2020, it was Springsteen's first new studio album with the E Street Band to be released since 2014's '' High Hopes''. ''Letter to You'' was met with ...

'' (2020) and a solo

cover album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records c ...

'' Only the Strong Survive'' (2022). When ''Letter to You'' went to No.2 in the US, Springsteen became the first artist to score a Top Five hit across six consecutive decades. Among the

album era The album era was a period in English-language popular music from the mid-1960s to the mid-2000s in which the album was the dominant form of recorded music expression and consumption. It was primarily driven by three successive music recording ...

's prominent acts, Springsteen has sold more than 140 million records worldwide and more than 71 million in the United States, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists. He has earned numerous awards for his work, including 20

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

s, two

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...

s, an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

, and a Special Tony Award (for '' Springsteen on Broadway''). Springsteen was inducted into both the

Songwriters Hall of Fame The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work, represent, and maintain, the her ...

and the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...

in 1999, received the

Kennedy Center Honors The Kennedy Center Honors are annual honors given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. They have been presented annually since 1978, culminating each December in a gala celebrating five hono ...

in 2009, named MusiCares person of the year in 2013, and awarded the

Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, along with the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by the president of the United States to recognize people who have made "an especially merit ...

by President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

in 2016. He ranked 23rd on ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

''s list of the Greatest Artists of All Time, which described him as being "the embodiment of rock & roll".

Early life

Springsteen was born at

Monmouth Medical Center Monmouth Medical Center, in Long Branch, Monmouth County, New Jersey, is one of New Jersey's largest community academic medical centers and is an academic affiliate of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of Rutgers University, and is a part o ...

Long Branch, New Jersey Long Branch is a beachside city in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the city's population was 30,719,Freehold, where he lived on South Street. His father, Douglas Frederick "Dutch" Springsteen (1924–1998), worked as a bus driver and held other jobs. Throughout his life Douglas Springsteen had mental health problems, which worsened in his later years. Springsteen's mother, Adele Ann (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

Zerilli) (born 1925), was originally from the Bay Ridge neighborhood in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, worked as a legal secretary, and was the main breadwinner in Springsteen's family. Springsteen has two younger sisters, Virginia and Pamela. The latter had a brief acting career, but left to pursue photography full time; she later took photos for his albums '' Human Touch'', '' Lucky Town'', and '' The Ghost of Tom Joad''. Springsteen's Italian maternal grandfather was born in

Vico Equense Vico Equense is a coastal town and '' comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Naples, in southern Italy. Geography Vico Equense is part of the greater Bay of Naples metropolitan area and is a tourist destination. Located on a tuff cliff, it ...

. He emigrated through

Ellis Island Ellis Island is a federally owned island in New York Harbor, situated within the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, that was the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United States. From 1892 to 1954, nearly 12 mil ...

and could not read or write when he arrived. He eventually became a lawyer and impressed the young Springsteen as being larger than life. The name Springsteen is

topographic Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps. Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary scie ...

and of Dutch origin, literally translated as "jump stone" but more generally a stepping stone used on unpaved streets or between two houses. The Springsteens, originally from the province of

Groningen Groningen (; gos, Grunn or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen (province), Groningen province in the Netherlands. The ''capital of the north'', Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of t ...

, were among the early Dutch families who settled in the colony of

New Netherland New Netherland ( nl, Nieuw Nederland; la, Novum Belgium or ) was a 17th-century colonial province of the Dutch Republic that was located on the east coast of what is now the United States. The claimed territories extended from the Delmarva ...

in the 1600s, in the person of Joost Springsteen. Raised as a

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, Springsteen attended the St. Rose of Lima Catholic school in Freehold, where he was at odds with the nuns and rebelled against the strictures imposed upon him, even though some of his later music reflects a Catholic ethos and includes a few rock-influenced, traditional Irish-Catholic hymns. In a 2012 interview, he explained that it was his Catholic upbringing rather than political ideology that most influenced his music. He remarked that his faith had given him a "very active spiritual life" but joked that this "made it very difficult sexually". He added, "Once a Catholic, always a Catholic." He grew up hearing fellow New Jersey singer

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...

on the radio and became interested in being a musician himself when, in 1956 and 1957, at the age of seven, he saw

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the " King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His ener ...

on ''

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...

''. Soon after, his mother rented him a guitar from Mike Diehl's Music in Freehold for $6 a week, but it failed to provide him with the instant gratification he desired. In ninth grade, Springsteen began attending the public Freehold High School, but did not fit in there either. A former teacher said he was a "loner who wanted nothing more than to play his guitar". He graduated in 1967, but felt so alienated that he skipped his graduation ceremony. He briefly attended Ocean County College, but dropped out. Called for

the draft Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...

when he was 19, Springsteen failed the physical examination and avoided service in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

. The concussion he suffered in a motorcycle accident when he was 17 and his behavior at induction reportedly made him unacceptable for service. The Springsteen family moved to

San Mateo, California San Mateo ( ; ) is a city in San Mateo County, California, on the San Francisco Peninsula. About 20 miles (32 km) south of San Francisco, the city borders Burlingame to the north, Hillsborough to the west, San Francisco Bay and Foster ...

, in 1969, but Bruce, 20, and his sister, Virginia, who was married and pregnant, stayed behind.

Career

1964–1972: Early career

In 1964, Springsteen saw

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

' televised appearances on ''

''. Inspired, he bought his first guitar for $18.95 at the

Western Auto Western Auto Supply Company—known more widely as Western Auto—was a specialty retail chain of stores that supplied automobile parts and accessories. It operated approximately 1200 stores across the United States. It was started in ...

Appliance Store. Thereafter, he started playing for audiences with a band called the Rogues at local venues, including

Elks Lodge The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE; also often known as the Elks Lodge or simply The Elks) is an American fraternal order founded in 1868, originally as a social club in New York City. History The Elks began in 1868 as a so ...

in Freehold. In late 1964, Springsteen's mother took out a loan to buy him a $60

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

guitar. Springsteen later memorialized this act in his song "The Wish". The following year, he went to the house of Tex and Marion Vinyard, who sponsored young bands in town. They helped him become the lead guitarist and subsequently one of the lead singers of the Castiles. The Castiles recorded two original songs at a public recording studio in Brick Township and played a variety of venues, including Cafe Wha? in

Greenwich Village Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...

. Marion Vinyard said that she believed the young Springsteen when he promised he would make it big. In the late 1960s, Springsteen performed briefly in a

power trio A power trio is a rock and roll band format having a lineup of electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit (drums and cymbals), leaving out a second rhythm guitar or keyboard instrument that are often used in other rock music bands that are quart ...

known as Earth, playing in clubs in New Jersey, with one major show at the Hotel Diplomat in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. From 1969 through early 1971, Springsteen performed with

Steel Mill A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel. It may be an integrated steel works carrying out all steps of steelmaking from smelting iron ore to rolled product, but may also be a plant where steel semi-fini ...

(originally called Child), which included Danny Federici, Vini Lopez, Vinnie Roslin, and later Steve Van Zandt and

Robbin Thompson Robert Wickens "Robbin" Thompson (June 16, 1949 – October 10, 2015) was an American singer-songwriter based in Richmond, Virginia. Since 1976 he recorded several albums which included guest appearances by Melissa Manchester, Steve Cropper, Wa ...

. During this time, they performed regularly at venues on the

, especially The Stone Pony. They also played in

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and ...

, and

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

, quickly gathering a cult following. A ''

San Francisco Examiner The ''San Francisco Examiner'' is a newspaper distributed in and around San Francisco, California, and published since 1863. Once self-dubbed the "Monarch of the Dailies" by then-owner William Randolph Hearst, and flagship of the Hearst Corporat ...

'' review of their show at The Matrix by music critic Philip Elwood gave Springsteen early credibility. In his glowing assessment of Steel Mill, Elwood wrote: "I have never been so overwhelmed by a totally unknown talent," ..."the first big thing that's happened to Asbury Park since the good ship

Morro Castle Morro Castle may refer to: Fortress * Morro Castle (Havana), a fortress guarding Havana Bay, Cuba * Castillo San Felipe del Morro Castillo San Felipe del Morro, also known as El Morro, is a citadel built between 16th and 18th centuries in San Ju ...

burned to the waterline of that Jersey beach in '34". Elwood went on to praise their "cohesive musicality" and, in particular, singled out Springsteen as "a most impressive composer". In San Mateo, Steel Mill recorded three original Springsteen songs at ''Pacific Recording''. Over the next two years, as Springsteen sought to shape a unique and genuine musical and lyrical style, he performed with Dr. Zoom & the Sonic Boom (early- to mid-1971), the ''Sundance Blues Band'' (mid-1971), and the ''Bruce Springsteen Band'' (mid-1971 to mid-1972). Springsteen's prolific songwriting ability included "more words in some individual songs than other artists had in whole albums", as his future record label would describe it in early publicity campaigns. He brought his skills to the attention of several people who went on to prove influential to his career development, including new managers

Mike Appel Mike Appel (born October 27, 1942)Eliot and Appel, ''Down Thunder Road'', p. 45. is an American music industry manager and record producer, best known for his role in both capacities in the early career of Bruce Springsteen. Appel was born in ...

and Jim Cretecos, who in turn brought him to the attention of

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. It was founded on January 15, 1889, evolving from the A ...

talent scout John Hammond. Hammond auditioned Springsteen in May 1972. In October 1972, Springsteen formed a new band for the recording of his debut album, ''

'' The band eventually became known as the E Street Band, although the name was not used until September 1974. Springsteen acquired the nickname "the Boss" during this period, since he took on the task of collecting his band's nightly pay and distributing it amongst his bandmates. The nickname also reportedly sprang from games of

Monopoly A monopoly (from Greek language, Greek el, μόνος, mónos, single, alone, label=none and el, πωλεῖν, pōleîn, to sell, label=none), as described by Irving Fisher, is a market with the "absence of competition", creating a situati ...

that Springsteen would play with other Jersey Shore musicians.

1972–1974: Initial struggle

Springsteen was signed to

in 1972 by

Clive Davis Clive Jay Davis (born April 4, 1932) is an American record producer, A&R executive, record executive, and lawyer. He has won five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer, in 2000. From 1967 to 19 ...

after having piqued the interest of John Hammond, who had signed

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

to the same label a decade earlier. Despite the expectations of Columbia Records' executives that Springsteen would record an acoustic album, he brought many of his New Jersey-based colleagues into the studio with him, and formed the E Street Band (although the band would not be formally named for several months). His debut album ''

'', released in January 1973, established him as a critical favorite, though sales were slow. Because of Springsteen's lyrical poeticism and

folk rock Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers s ...

-rooted music exemplified on tracks like " Blinded by the Light""Blinded by the Light" would later be a hit for Manfred Mann's Earth Band and reach No. 1, the only time Springsteen had a No. 1 single as a songwriter. and " For You", as well as the Columbia and Hammond connections, critics initially compared Springsteen to Dylan. "He sings with a freshness and urgency I haven't heard since I was rocked by '

Like a Rolling Stone "Like a Rolling Stone" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on July 20, 1965, by Columbia Records. Its confrontational lyrics originated in an extended piece of verse Dylan wrote in June 1965, when he returned exhausted fro ...

'" wrote '' Crawdaddy'' magazine editor

Peter Knobler Peter Knobler (born 1946) is an American writer living in New York City. He has collaborated on fifteen books, ten of them best sellers and was the editor-in-chief of ''Crawdaddy'' magazine from 1972 to 1979.Ed Gallucci Ed Gallucci (born 1947) is an American photographer currently living in South Dakota. He is the first magazine photographer to photograph Bruce Springsteen and 40 covers of Newsweek in the 1970’s thru 1990’s. Biography Ed Gallucci was born ...

. ''Crawdaddy'' discovered Springsteen in the rock press and was his earliest champion. Knobler profiled him in ''Crawdaddy'' three times, in 1973, 1975 and 1978. (Springsteen and the E Street Band acknowledged the magazine's support by giving a private performance at the ''Crawdaddy'' 10th Anniversary Party in New York City in June 1976.) Music critic Lester Bangs wrote in '' Creem'' in 1975 that when Springsteen's first album was released "...many of us dismissed it: he wrote like Bob Dylan and

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards. As a teenager in t ...

, sang like Van Morrison and

Robbie Robertson Jaime Royal "Robbie" Robertson, OC (born July 5, 1943), is a Canadian musician. He is best known for his work as lead guitarist and songwriter for the Band, and for his career as a solo recording artist. With the deaths of Richard Manuel i ...

, and led a band that sounded like Van Morrison's". In September 1973, Springsteen's second album, ''

'', was released. Like ''Greetings from Asbury Park'', it was met with critical acclaim but limited commercial success. Springsteen's songs became grander in form and scope with the E Street Band providing a less folksy, more

rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...

vibe, and the lyrics often romanticized teenage street life. " 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" and "Incident on 57th Street" became fan favorites, and the long, rousing " Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" continues to rank among Springsteen's most beloved concert numbers. "Rosalita" is the ninth most played song in his catalog; as of June 2020, it has been played by Springsteen 809 times. After seeing Springsteen's performance at the Harvard Square Theater, music critic

Jon Landau Jon Landau (born May 14, 1947) is an American music critic, manager, and record producer. He has worked with Bruce Springsteen in all three capacities. He is the head of the nominating committee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and rec ...

wrote in the May 22, 1974 issue of Boston's '' The Real Paper'': "I saw rock and roll future, and its name is Bruce Springsteen. And on a night when I needed to feel young, he made me feel like I was hearing music for the very first time." Landau helped to finish the epic new album '' Born to Run'' and subsequently became Springsteen's

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activitie ...

and producer. Given an enormous budget in a last-ditch effort at a commercially viable record, Springsteen became bogged down in the recording process while striving for a "

Wall of Sound The Wall of Sound (also called the Spector Sound) is a music production formula developed by American record producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios, in the 1960s, with assistance from engineer Larry Levine and the conglomerate of sessio ...

" production. But when his manager, Mike Appel, orchestrated the release of an early mix of " Born to Run" to nearly a dozen radio stations, anticipation built toward the album's release. The album took more than 14 months to record with six months alone spent on developing the song "Born to Run". During this time, Springsteen battled with anger and frustration over the album, saying he heard "sounds in ishead" that he could not explain to the others in the studio. It was during a recording session of " Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out", on July 13, 1975, that Steve Van Zandt was asked by Springsteen and Jon Landau to take charge and instruct the horn players. They both knew he was playing guitar and managing Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, who had the sound they were seeking. Van Zandt "sang each horn player his part, with the lines, the timing and the inflection all perfect. The musicians played their parts, and the horns were recorded. When they finished, Springsteen turned to Mike Appel and said, "Okay. It's time to put the boy on the payroll. I've been meaning to tell you, he's the new guitar player." Van Zandt joined the E Street Band a week later on July 20, the opening night of the Born to Run tour. He also helped Springsteen perfect "Born to Run" by adding its memorable guitar line. In the 2005 documentary ''Wings for Wheels'', Springsteen called his friend's input on the track's main riff "arguably Steve's greatest contribution to my music." The album was completed on July 25. But at the end of the grueling recording sessions, Springsteen was still unsatisfied. Upon first hearing the finished album, he threw it into the alley; another master was so bad that Springsteen flung it out of his hotel room window and into a river. He was going to scrap half of it, he told Appel, and substitute live recordings for upcoming show dates at The Bottom Line in

, a venue where he often played.

1975–1983: ''Born to Run'' and breakthrough success

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band 1977

On August 13, 1975, Springsteen and the E Street Band began a five-night, 10-show stand at New York's The Bottom Line club. The 10-show stand attracted media attention and was broadcast live on WNEW-FM. Decades later, ''

'' magazine named the stand one of the "50 Moments That Changed Rock and Roll". '' Born to Run'' was released on August 25, 1975. It proved to be a breakthrough album that catapulted Springsteen to worldwide fame. The album peaked at No. 3 on the ''Billboard'' 200, and while reception at US top 40 radio outlets for the album's two singles was not overwhelming ("Born to Run" reached a modest No. 23 on the ''Billboard'' charts, and "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" peaked at No. 83), almost every track on the album received

album-oriented rock Album-oriented rock (AOR, originally called album-oriented radio) is an FM radio format created in the United States in the 1970s that focuses on the full repertoire of rock albums and is currently associated with classic rock. Album-orien ...

airplay, especially "Born to Run", " Thunder Road", "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out", and "

Jungleland "Jungleland" is the closing song on Bruce Springsteen's 1975 album ''Born to Run''. It contains one of E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons' most recognizable solos. It also features short-time E Streeter Suki Lahav, who performs the delic ...

", all of which remain perennial favorites on many

classic rock Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, prim ...

stations. In October 1975, Springsteen appeared on the covers of both ''

Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis (businessman), Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print m ...

'' and ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...

'' in the same week. So great did the wave of publicity become that he eventually rebelled against it during his first venture overseas, tearing down promotional posters before a concert appearance in London. A legal battle with former manager

kept Springsteen out of the studio for nearly a year, during which time he kept the E Street Band together through extensive touring across the U.S. Despite the optimistic fervor with which he often performed, Springsteen's new songs sounded more somber than much of his previous work. Reaching settlement with Appel in 1977, Springsteen returned to the studio, and the subsequent sessions produced ''

'' (1978). Musically, this album was a turning point in Springsteen's career. Gone were the raw, rapid-fire lyrics, outsized characters, and long, multi-part musical compositions of the first three albums; the songs were leaner and more carefully drawn and began to reflect Springsteen's growing intellectual and political awareness. The cross-country 1978 tour to promote the album would become legendary for the intensity and length of its shows. By the late 1970s, Springsteen earned a reputation as a songwriter whose material could provide hits for other bands. Manfred Mann's Earth Band had achieved a U.S. No. 1 pop hit with a heavily rearranged version of ''Greetings'' "Blinded by the Light" in early 1977.

Patti Smith Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter and author who became an influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album ''Horses''. Called the "punk poet ...

reached No. 13 with her version of Springsteen's unreleased "

Because the Night "Because the Night" is a rock song written by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith that was first released in 1978 as a single from the Patti Smith Group album, ''Easter''. This version rose to No. 13 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, as we ...

" with revised lyrics by Smith in 1978.

The Pointer Sisters The Pointer Sisters are an American pop and R&B singing group from Oakland, California, that achieved mainstream success during the 1970s and 1980s. Their repertoire has included such diverse genres as pop, jazz, electronic music, bebop, bl ...

hit No. 2 in 1979 with Springsteen's then unreleased "

Fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames ...

". Between 1976 and 1978, Springsteen provided four compositions to Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, including " The Fever" and "Hearts of Stone", and collaborated on four more with Steven Van Zandt, producer of their first three albums. In September 1979, Springsteen and the E Street Band joined the Musicians United for Safe Energy anti-nuclear power collective at

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylv ...

for two nights, playing an abbreviated set while premiering two songs from his upcoming album. The subsequent ''

No Nukes Musicians United for Safe Energy, or MUSE, is an activist group founded in 1979 by Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, Bonnie Raitt, Harvey Wasserman and John Hall. The group advocates against the use of nuclear energy, forming shortly after the Th ...

'' live album, as well as the following summer's ''

'' documentary film, represented the first official recordings and footage of Springsteen's fabled live act and Springsteen's first tentative dip into political involvement. Springsteen continued to focus on working class life with the 20-song double album '' The River'' in 1980, which included an intentionally paradoxical range of material from good time party rockers to emotionally intense ballads, and finally yielded his first hit top ten single as a performer, " Hungry Heart". The album sold well, becoming his first No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Pop Albums chart. ''The River'' was released in 1982 followed by the stark solo acoustic ''

''. According to the

Dave Marsh Dave Marsh (born March 1, 1950) is an American music critic, and radio talk show host. He was an early editor of '' Creem'' magazine, has written for various publications such as '' Newsday'', ''The Village Voice'', and ''Rolling Stone'', and has ...

's biographies, Springsteen was depressed when he wrote this material, resulting in a brutal depiction of American life. While ''Nebraska'' did not sell as well as Springsteen's three previous albums, it garnered widespread critical praise, including being named "Album of the Year" by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's critics, and influenced later works by other major artists.

1984–1986: ''Born in the U.S.A.'' and cultural phenomenon

Springsteen is probably best known for his album '' Born in the U.S.A.'' (1984), which sold 15 million copies in the U.S., 30 million worldwide, and became one of the best-selling albums of all time with seven singles hitting the Top 10. The title track was a bitter commentary on the treatment of

Vietnam veteran A Vietnam veteran is a person who served in the armed forces of participating countries during the Vietnam War. The term has been used to describe veterans who served in the armed forces of South Vietnam, the United States Armed Forces, and ot ...

s, some of whom were Springsteen's friends. The lyrics in the verses were entirely unambiguous when listened to, but the anthemic music and the title of the song made it hard for many, from politicians to the common person, to get the lyrics—except those in the chorus, which could be read many ways. The song made a huge political impact, as he was advocating for the rights of the common working-class man. The song was widely misinterpreted as

jingoistic Jingoism is nationalism in the form of aggressive and proactive foreign policy, such as a country's advocacy for the use of threats or actual force, as opposed to peaceful relations, in efforts to safeguard what it perceives as its national int ...

, and in connection with the 1984 presidential campaign became the subject of considerable folklore. In 1984, conservative columnist George Will attended a Springsteen concert and then wrote a column praising Springsteen's work ethic. Six days after the column was printed, in a campaign rally in Hammonton, New Jersey, President

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

said, "America's future rests in a thousand dreams inside your hearts. It rests in the message of hope in the songs of a man so many young Americans admire—New Jersey's own, Bruce Springsteen." Two nights later, at a concert in Pittsburgh, Springsteen told the crowd, "Well, the president was mentioning my name in his speech the other day and I kind of got to wondering what his favorite album of mine must've been, you know? I don't think it was the ''Nebraska'' album. I don't think he's been listening to this one." He then began playing "Johnny 99", with its allusions to closing factories and criminals. " Dancing in the Dark" was the biggest of seven hit singles from ''Born in the U.S.A.'', peaking at No. 2 on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...

'' singles chart. The video for the song showed a young

Courteney Cox Courteney Bass Cox (previously Courteney Cox Arquette; born June 15, 1964) is an American actress and filmmaker. She gained international recognition for her starring role as Monica Geller on the NBC sitcom ''Friends'', which aired from 1994 ...

dancing on stage with Springsteen, which helped start the actress's career. The song " Cover Me" was written by Springsteen for

Donna Summer LaDonna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the " Queen of Disco", while her musi ...

, but his record company persuaded him to keep it for the new album. A big fan of Summer's work, Springsteen wrote another song for her, " Protection". Videos for the album were directed by

Brian De Palma Brian Russell De Palma (born September 11, 1940) is an American film director and screenwriter. With a career spanning over 50 years, he is best known for his work in the suspense, crime and psychological thriller genres. De Palma was a leading ...

and John Sayles. Springsteen played on the " We Are the World" song and

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records c ...

in 1985. His live track "Trapped" from that album received moderate airplay on US Top 40 stations as well as reaching No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Top Rock Tracks chart. Bruce Springsteen 1988

The ''Born in the U.S.A.'' period represented the height of Springsteen's visibility in popular culture and the broadest audience he would ever reach (aided by the release of Arthur Baker's dance mixes of three of the singles). From June 15 to August 10, 1985, all seven of his albums appeared on the

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...

: the first time an artist had charted their entire back catalogue simultaneously. '' Live/1975–85'', a five-record box set (also on three cassettes or three CDs), was released near the end of 1986 and became the first box set to debut at No. 1 on the U.S. album charts. It is one of the most commercially successful live albums of all time, ultimately selling 13 million units in the U.S. During the 1980s, several Springsteen fanzines were launched, including ''

Backstreets "Backstreets" is a song by Bruce Springsteen from the album ''Born to Run'', which was released in 1975. In the original vinyl release, it concludes side one of the record. Structure "Backstreets" begins with a minute-long instrumental introdu ...

'' magazine.

1987–1991: ''Tunnel of Love'' and activism

Springsteen released the much more sedate and contemplative '' Tunnel of Love'' album in 1987. The album is a mature reflection on the many faces of love found, lost and squandered, which only selectively used the E Street Band. Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1988-0719-38, Bruce Springsteen, Konzert in der DDR

Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1988-0719-38, Bruce Springsteen, Konzert in der DDR

On July 19, 1988, Springsteen's concert in East Germany attracted 300,000 spectators. Journalist Erik Kirschbaum called the concert "the most important rock concert ever, anywhere" in his 2013 book ''Rocking the Wall. Bruce Springsteen: The Berlin Concert That Changed the World''. The concert had been conceived by the Socialist Unity Party's youth wing in an attempt to placate the youth of

East Germany East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In t ...

, who were hungry for more freedom and the popular music of the West. However, it is Kirschbaum's opinion that the success of the concert catalyzed opposition to the regime in East Germany, and helped contribute to the

fall of the Berlin Wall The fall of the Berlin Wall (german: Mauerfall) on 9 November 1989, during the Peaceful Revolution, was a pivotal event in world history which marked the destruction of the Berlin Wall and the figurative Iron Curtain and one of the series of eve ...

the following year. Later in 1988, Springsteen headlined the worldwide Human Rights Now! tour for

Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and s ...

. In late 1989, he dissolved the E Street Band.

1992–1998: Academy award, ''Greatest Hits'', and soundtracks

In 1992, after risking fan accusations of "going Hollywood" by moving to Los Angeles and working with

session musician Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a ...

s, Springsteen released two albums at once: '' Human Touch'' and '' Lucky Town''. An electric band appearance on the acoustic ''

MTV Unplugged ''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV showcasing musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999 and less frequently from 2000 to 2009, when it was usually billed as ''MTV Un ...

'' television program (later released as '' In Concert/MTV Plugged'') was poorly received and cemented fan dissatisfaction. Springsteen seemed to realize this a few years hence when he spoke humorously of his late father during his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acceptance speech: Springsteen won an

in 1994 for his song " Streets of Philadelphia", which appeared on the soundtrack to the film ''

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

''. The video for the song shows Springsteen's actual vocal performance, recorded using a hidden microphone, to a prerecorded instrumental track. This technique was developed on the " Brilliant Disguise" video. In 1995, after temporarily re-organizing the E Street Band for a few new songs recorded for his first ''

'' album (a recording session that was chronicled in the documentary '' Blood Brothers''), and also one show at Tramps in New York City, he released his second folk album, '' The Ghost of Tom Joad''. The album was inspired by

John Steinbeck John Ernst Steinbeck Jr. (; February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was an American writer and the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature winner "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social ...

's ''

The Grapes of Wrath ''The Grapes of Wrath'' is an American realist novel written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939. The book won the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and it was cited prominently when Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Priz ...

'' and by ''Journey to Nowhere: The Saga of the New Underclass'', a book by Pulitzer Prize-winning author

Dale Maharidge Dale Maharidge (born 24 October 1956) is an American author, journalist and academic best known for his collaborations with photographer Michael Williamson. Maharidge and Williamson's book '' And Their Children After Them'' won the Pulitzer Priz ...

and photographer Michael Williamson. The album was generally less well-received than the similar ''Nebraska'' due to the minimal

melody A melody (from Greek μελῳδία, ''melōidía'', "singing, chanting"), also tune, voice or line, is a linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most literal sense, a melody is a combina ...

, twangy vocals, and political nature of most of the songs; however, some praised it for giving voice to immigrants and others who rarely have one in American culture. The lengthy, worldwide, small-venue solo acoustic

Ghost of Tom Joad Tour The Ghost of Tom Joad Tour was a worldwide concert tour featuring Bruce Springsteen performing alone on stage in small halls and theatres, that ran off and on from late 1995 through the middle of 1997.Santelli, ''Greetings From E Street'', pp ...

that followed successfully presented many of his older songs in drastically reshaped acoustic form, although Springsteen had to explicitly remind his audiences to "shut the fuck up" and not to clap during the performances. Following the tour, Springsteen moved from California back to New Jersey with his family. In 1998, he released the sprawling, four-disc

box set A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists and bands ...

of outtakes, '' Tracks''. Later, he would acknowledge that the 1990s were a "lost period" for him: "I didn't do a lot of work. Some people would say I didn't do my best work."

1999–2007: ''The Rising'', ''Devils & Dust'', and other releases

Springsteen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 by

Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Born and raised in Dublin, he attended ...

(the lead singer of U2), a favor he returned in 2005. In 1999, Springsteen and the E Street Band reunited and began their extensive Reunion Tour, which lasted over a year. Highlights included a record sold-out, 15-show run at

Continental Airlines Arena Meadowlands Arena (formerly Brendan Byrne Arena, Continental Airlines Arena and Izod Center) is a closed indoor arena facility located in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States. The arena is located on ...

East Rutherford, New Jersey East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the borough's population was 10,022, reflecting an increase of 1,109 (+12.4%) from the 8,913 counted in the 2010 census.

and a ten-night, sold-out engagement at New York City's Madison Square Garden. A new song, " American Skin (41 Shots)", about the police shooting of

Amadou Diallo In the early hours of February 4, 1999, an unarmed 23-year-old Guinean student named Amadou Diallo (born September 2, 1975) was fired upon with 41 rounds and shot a total of 19 times by four New York City Police Department plainclothes offi ...

, which was played at these shows proved controversial. In 2002, Springsteen released his first studio effort with the full band in 18 years, '' The Rising'', produced by Brendan O'Brien. The album, mostly a reflection on the

, was a critical and popular success. The title track gained airplay in several radio formats, and the record became Springsteen's best-selling album of new material in 15 years. Kicked off by an early-morning Asbury Park appearance on ''

The Today Show ''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It ...

'', The Rising Tour commenced; the band barnstormed through a series of single-night arena stands in the U.S. and Europe. Springsteen played an unprecedented 10 nights in Giants Stadium in New Jersey. At the 45th Annual Grammy Awards, ''The Rising'' won the Grammy for Best Rock Album and was nominated for the Grammy for Album of the Year. In addition, "The Rising" won the Grammy for Best Rock Song and for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. It was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. ''Rolling Stone'' later named "The Rising" the 35th best song of the decade. VH1 placed it 81st on its list of the "100 Greatest Songs of the '00s". At the

Grammy Awards of 2003 The 45th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 23, 2003 at Madison Square Garden in New York City honoring the best in music for the recording of the year beginning from October 1, 2001 through September 30, 2002. Musicians accomplishments ...

, Springsteen performed

the Clash The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the w ...

's "

London Calling ''London Calling'' is the third studio album by English rock band the Clash. It was originally released as a double album in the United Kingdom on 14 December 1979 by CBS Records, and in the United States in January 1980 by Epic Records. Th ...

" along with

Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in 2020, and has twice been nom ...

Dave Grohl David Eric Grohl (born January 14, 1969) is an American musician. He is the founder of the rock band Foo Fighters, in which he is the lead singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter. Prior to forming Foo Fighters, he was the drummer of gru ...

, and E Street Band member Steven Van Zandt and

No Doubt No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California, formed in 1986. For most of their career, the band has consisted of vocalist Gwen Stefani, guitarist Tom Dumont, bassist Tony Kanal, and drummer Adrian Young. Since the mid-1990s, ...

's bassist, Tony Kanal, in tribute to

Joe Strummer John Graham Mellor (21 August 1952 – 22 December 2002), known professionally as Joe Strummer, was a British singer, musician and songwriter. He was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and co-lead vocalist of punk rock band the Clash, f ...

. In 2004, Springsteen and the E Street Band participated in the Vote for Change tour, along with

John Mellencamp John J. Mellencamp (born October 7, 1951), previously known as Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for his catchy brand of heartland rock, which emphasizes traditional instrumen ...

John Fogerty John Cameron Fogerty (born May 28, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. Together with Doug Clifford, Stu Cook, and his brother Tom Fogerty, he founded the band Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR), for which he was the lead s ...

, the

Dixie Chicks The Chicks (previously known as Dixie Chicks) are an American country music band from Dallas, Texas. Since 1995, the band has consisted of Natalie Maines (lead vocals, guitar) and sisters Martie Maguire (vocals, fiddle, mandolin, guitar) an ...

Pearl Jam Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band's lineup consists of founding members Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, g ...

, R.E.M., Bright Eyes, the Dave Matthews Band,

Jackson Browne Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 18 million albums in the United States. Emerging as a precocious teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he h ...

, and other musicians. Bruce Springsteen 2005

'' Devils & Dust'' was released on April 26, 2005, and was recorded without the E Street Band. It is a low-key, mostly acoustic album, in the same vein as ''Nebraska'' and ''The Ghost of Tom Joad''. Some of the material was written almost 10 years earlier during, or shortly after, the Ghost of Tom Joad Tour, with a few having been performed then but not released. The title track concerns an ordinary soldier's feelings and fears during the

Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...

. The album entered the charts at No. 1 in 10 countries. Springsteen began the solo Devils & Dust Tour at the same time as the album's release, playing both small and large venues. Attendance was disappointing in a few regions, and everywhere (other than in Europe) tickets were easier to get than in the past. Bruce Springsteen Milan 2006 05 12

In April 2006, Springsteen released '' We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions'', an American roots music project focused around a big folk sound treatment of 15 songs popularized by the radical musical activism of

Pete Seeger Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American folk singer and social activist. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, Seeger also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of the Weavers, notabl ...

. A tour began the same month, with the 18-strong ensemble of musicians dubbed the Seeger Sessions Band (and later shortened to the Sessions Band). The tour proved very popular in Europe, selling out everywhere and receiving some excellent reviews, but newspapers reported that a number of U.S. shows suffered from sparse attendance. Springsteen's next album, entitled '' Magic'', was released on October 2, 2007. Recorded with the E Street Band, it had 10 new Springsteen songs plus " Long Walk Home", performed once with the Sessions band, and a hidden track (the first included on a Springsteen studio release), " Terry's Song", a tribute to Springsteen's long-time assistant Terry Magovern, who died on July 30, 2007."Terry Magovern, Rest in Peace"
, Backstreets.com, August 1, 2007. Retrieved August 28, 2007. ''Magic'' debuted at No. 1 in Ireland and the UK. It was announced on November 21, 2007, that Springsteen's longtime friend and founding E Street Band member, Danny Federici, would be taking a leave of absence from the ''Magic Tour'' to pursue treatment for

melanoma Melanoma, also redundantly known as malignant melanoma, is a type of skin cancer that develops from the pigment-producing cells known as melanocytes. Melanomas typically occur in the skin, but may rarely occur in the mouth, intestines, or eye ( ...

Charles Giordano Charles Giordano (born October 13, 1954) is an American keyboardist and accordionist. Giordano is known primarily for his work with Bruce Springsteen as a member of the E Street Band, replacing Danny Federici as the band's organist following th ...

filled in as Federici's replacement.

2008–2011: Political involvement, Super Bowl XLIII, and Kennedy Center Honors

Federici returned to the stage on March 20, 2008, for a Springsteen and E Street Band performance in

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

. On April 17, 2008, Federici died of cancer. Springsteen supported

Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign The 2008 presidential campaign of Barack Obama began on February 10, 2007, when Barack Obama, then junior United States senator from Illinois, announced his candidacy for President of the United States in Springfield, Illinois. After winning a ma ...

. He gave solo acoustic performances in support of Obama's campaign throughout 2008, culminating with a November 2 rally at which he debuted the song " Working on a Dream" in a duet with Scialfa. Following Obama's electoral victory on November 4, Springsteen's song "The Rising" was the first song played over the loudspeakers after Obama's victory speech in Chicago's Grant Park. Springsteen was the musical opener for the Obama Inaugural Celebration on January 18, 2009, which was attended by over 400,000 people. He performed "The Rising" with an all-female choir. Later he performed

Woody Guthrie Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer-songwriter, one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American socialism and anti-fascism. He has inspire ...

's " This Land Is Your Land" with Pete Seeger. On January 11, 2009, Springsteen won the Golden Globe Award for Best Song for " The Wrestler", from the

Darren Aronofsky Darren Aronofsky (born February 12, 1969) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. His films are noted for their surrealistic, melodramatic, and sometimes disturbing elements, often in the form of psychological fiction. Arono ...

film by the same name. Archived from the original on January 5, 2011. After receiving a heartfelt letter from lead actor Mickey Rourke, Springsteen supplied the song for the film for free. Super bowl half time show (3976043491) (cropped1)

Super bowl half time show (3976043491) (cropped1)

Springsteen performed at the

halftime show A halftime show is a performance given during the brief period between the first and second halves, or the second and third quarters, of a sporting event. Halftime shows are not given for sports with an irregular or indeterminate number of div ...

at Super Bowl XLIII on February 1, 2009, agreeing to perform after having declined on prior occasions. A few days before the game, Springsteen gave a rare press conference at which he promised a "twelve-minute party." It has been reported that this press conference was Springsteen's first press conference in more than 25 years. His 12-minute 45-second set, with the E Street Band and the Miami Horns, included abbreviated renditions of "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out", "Born to Run", "Working on a Dream", and "Glory Days", the latter complete with football references in place of the original baseball-themed lyrics. The set of appearances and promotional activities led Springsteen to say, "This has probably been the busiest month of my life." Springsteen's '' Working on a Dream'' album, dedicated to the memory of Danny Federici, was released in late January 2009. The supporting

Working on a Dream Tour The Working on a Dream Tour was a concert tour by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, which began in April 2009 and ended in November 2009. It followed the late January 2009 release of the album '' Working on a Dream''. This was the first ...

ran from April 2009 until November 2009. The band performed five final shows at Giants Stadium, opening with a new song highlighting the historic stadium, and Springsteen's Jersey roots, named "Wrecking Ball". A DVD from the Working on a Dream Tour entitled '' London Calling: Live in Hyde Park'' was released in 2010. American Land ESB Fireworks Giants 100309

American Land ESB Fireworks Giants 100309

Springsteen received the

on December 6, 2009. President Obama gave a speech in which he asserted that Springsteen had incorporated the lives of regular Americans into his expansive palette of songs. Obama added that Springsteen's concerts were not just rock-and-roll concerts, but "communions". The event included musical tributes from Melissa Etheridge,

Ben Harper Benjamin Chase Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae, and rock music and is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, live perfo ...

, John Mellencamp, Jennifer Nettles,

Sting Sting may refer to: * Stinger or sting, a structure of an animal to inject venom, or the injury produced by a stinger * Irritating hairs or prickles of a stinging plant, or the plant itself Fictional characters and entities * Sting (Middle-earth ...

, and

Eddie Vedder Eddie Jerome Vedder (born Edward Louis Severson III; December 23, 1964) is an American singer, musician, and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and one of four guitarists of the rock band Pearl Jam. He also appeared as a guest vocalist i ...

. The 2000s ended with Springsteen named one of eight Artists of the Decade by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine and with Springsteen's tours ranking him fourth among artists in total concert grosses for the decade.

Clarence Clemons Clarence Anicholas Clemons Jr. (January 11, 1942 – June 18, 2011), also known as The Big Man, was an American musician and actor. From 1972 until his death in 2011, he was the saxophonist for The E Street Band. Clemons released several ...

, the E Street Band's saxophonist and founding member, died on June 18, 2011, of complications from a stroke.

2012–2018: Autobiography and Broadway show

Springsteen's 17th studio album, '' Wrecking Ball'', was released on March 6, 2012. The album consists of eleven tracks plus two bonus tracks. Three songs previously only available as live versions—"Wrecking Ball", " Land of Hope and Dreams", and "American Land"—appear on the album. ''Wrecking Ball'' became Springsteen's tenth No. 1 album in the United States, tying him with Elvis Presley for third most No. 1 albums of all time. Only the Beatles (19) and

Jay Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one o ...

(12) have more No. 1 albums. Following the release of the album, Springsteen and the E Street Band announced plans for the Wrecking Ball Tour, which began on March 18, 2012. On July 31, 2012, in

Helsinki Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the Capital city, capital, primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Finland, most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of U ...

, Finland, Springsteen performed his longest concert ever at 4 hours and 6 minutes and 33 songs. Springsteen campaigned for President Barack Obama's re-election in

Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...

Iowa Iowa () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wiscon ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

, and

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

. At the rallies, he briefly spoke to the audience and performed a short acoustic set that included a newly written song titled "Forward". At year's end, the Wrecking Ball Tour was named ''Top Draw'' for having the top attendance out of any tour by the ''Billboard'' Touring Awards. The tour finished second to

Roger Waters George Roger Waters (born 6 September 1943) is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. In 1965, he co-founded the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. Waters initially served as the bassist, but following the departure of singer-s ...

, who had the top-grossing tour of 2012. Springsteen finished second only to

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

as the top money maker of 2012 with $33.44 million. The ''Wrecking Ball'' album, along with the single "We Take Care of Our Own", was nominated for three

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

, including

Best Rock Performance The Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. According to the 54th Grammy Awards description guide it is designed for s ...

and Best Rock Song for "We Take Care of Our Own" and Best Rock Album. ''Rolling Stone'' named ''Wrecking Ball'' the number one album of 2012 on their Top 50 albums of 2012 list. In late July 2013, the documentary '' Springsteen & I'', directed by Baillie Walsh and produced by

Ridley Scott Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is a British film director and producer. Directing, among others, science fiction films, his work is known for its atmospheric and highly concentrated visual style. Scott has received many accolades th ...

, was released simultaneously via a worldwide cinema broadcast in over 50 countries and in over 2000 movie theaters. Springsteen released his eighteenth studio album, '' High Hopes'', on January 14, 2014. The first single and video were of a newly recorded version of the song " High Hopes", which Springsteen had previously recorded in 1995. The album was the first by Springsteen in which all songs are either cover songs, newly recorded outtakes from previous records, or newly recorded versions of songs previously released. The 2014 E Street Band touring lineup, along with deceased E Street Band members Clarence Clemons and Danny Federici, appear on the album. ''High Hopes'' became Springsteen's eleventh No. 1 album in the US. It was his tenth No. 1 in the UK, tying him for fifth all-time with

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically dr ...

and U2. ''Rolling Stone'' named ''High Hopes'' the second best album of the year (behind only U2's '' Songs of Innocence'') on their Top 50 Albums of 2014 list. Springsteen made his acting debut in the final episode of season three of Van Zandt's show '' Lilyhammer'', which was named "Loose Ends" after a Springsteen song on the ''Tracks'' album. On August 6, 2015, Springsteen performed "Land of Hope and Dreams" and "Born to Run" on the final episode of '' The Daily Show with Jon Stewart'', as Stewart's final 'Moment of Zen'. On October 16, to celebrate the 35th anniversary of ''The River'', Springsteen announced '' The Ties That Bind: The River Collection'' box set. Released on December 4, it contains four CDs (including many previously unreleased songs) and three DVDs (or Blu-ray) along with a 148-page coffee table book. In November 2015, "American Skin (41 Shots)" was performed with

John Legend John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer. He began his musical career by working behind the scenes, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Eve ...

at '' Shining a Light: A Concert for Progress on Race in America''. Springsteen made his first appearance on ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...

'' since 2002 on December 19, 2015, performing "Meet Me in the City", " The Ties That Bind", and " Santa Claus Is Coming to Town".

The River Tour 2016 The River Tour was a concert tour by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in support of Springsteen's 2015 '' The Ties That Bind: The River Collection'' box set and in celebration of the 35th anniversary of Springsteen's 1980 album, '' The ...

began in January 2016 in support of ''The Ties That Bind: The River Collection'' box set. All first-leg shows in North America included an in-sequence performance of the entire ''The River'' album along with other songs from Springsteen's catalog, and all dates were recorded and made available for purchase. In April 2016, Springsteen was one of the first artists to boycott North Carolina's anti-transgender bathroom bill. More dates were eventually announced expanding the original three-month tour into a seven-month tour with shows in Europe in May 2016 and another North American leg starting in August 2016 and ending the following month. On September 23, 2016, '' Chapter and Verse'', a compilation from throughout Springsteen's career dating back to 1966, was released. On September 27, 2016, Simon & Schuster published his 500-page autobiography, '' Born to Run''. The book rose quickly to the top of the ''NY Times'' Best Sellers List. Bruce Springsteen Presidential Medal of Freedom

Bruce Springsteen Presidential Medal of Freedom

On September 7, 2016, at Citizens Bank Park in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, Springsteen performed for 4 hours and 4 minutes. This show, which was part of ''The River 2016 Tour'', stands as his longest-ever show in the United States. ''The River 2016 Tour'' was the top-grossing worldwide tour of 2016; it pulled in $268.3 million globally and was the highest-grossing tour since 2014 for any artist topping

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...

's 2015 tour which grossed $250.1 million. Springsteen supported Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign by performing an acoustic set of "Thunder Road", "Long Walk Home" and "Dancing in the Dark" at a rally in Philadelphia on November 7, 2016. On November 22, 2016, Springsteen was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom award by

. On January 12, 2017, Springsteen and Patti Scialfa performed a special 15-song acoustic set for

President Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...

and

Michelle Obama Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She was the first African-American woman to serve in this position. She is married t ...

at the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...

's East Room two days before the president gave his farewell address to the nation. '' Springsteen on Broadway'', an eight-week run at the

Walter Kerr Theatre The Walter Kerr Theatre, previously the Ritz Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 219 West 48th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was constructed for the Shub ...

on Broadway in New York City in fall 2017, was announced in June 2017. The show included Springsteen reading excerpts from his 2016 autobiography ''Born to Run'' and performing other spoken reminiscences. Originally scheduled to run from October 12 through November 26, the show was extended three times; the last performance occurred on December 15, 2018. For Springsteen's production of ''Springsteen on Broadway'', he was honored with a Special Tony Award at the

72nd Tony Awards The 72nd Annual Tony Awards were held on June 10, 2018, to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2017–18 season. The ceremony was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and was broadcast live by CBS. Sara Bareilles an ...

in 2018. On December 14, 2018, the live album ''Springsteen on Broadway'' was released. The album reached the top 10 in more than 10 countries and no. 11 in the United States.

2019–present

Springsteen's nineteenth studio album, ''

'', was released on June 14, 2019. It was announced on July 23, 2019, that Springsteen would premiere his film, ''Western Stars'', at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2019. He co-directed the film along with longtime collaborator Thom Zimny. The film features Springsteen and his backing band performing the music from ''Western Stars'' to a live audience. The film was released in theaters on October 25, 2019, and the film's soundtrack, '' Western Stars – Songs from the Film'', was also released that day. Kennedy Center honorees 2009 WhiteHouse Photo

Kennedy Center honorees 2009 WhiteHouse Photo

On May 29, 2020, Springsteen appeared remotely during a livestream, no-audience concert by the

Dropkick Murphys Dropkick Murphys are an American Celtic punk band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. Singer and bassist Ken Casey has been the band's only constant member. Other current members include drummer Matt Kelly (1997– ), singer Al Barr (19 ...

Fenway Park Fenway Park is a baseball stadium located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, near Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it has been the home of the Boston Red Sox, the city's American League baseball team, and Boston Braves (baseball), since 1953, i ...

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

. Springsteen performed the Dropkick Murphys song " Rose Tattoo" and his song "American Land", sharing co-vocals with Ken Casey on both songs. The event marked the first music performance without an in-person audience at a major U.S. arena, stadium or ballpark during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

. During the livestream, viewers were encouraged to make charitable donations. The livestream attracted over 9 million viewers and raised over $700,000. On September 10, 2020, Springsteen released the single "Letter to You". The single "Ghosts" was released on September 24, 2020. ''

'', Springsteen's twentieth studio album, was released on October 23, 2020. Springsteen also released a documentary entitled ''Letter to You'' on October 23. The documentary was shot exclusively in black and white and was directed by Thom Zimny. The album ''Letter to You'' features 12 songs and runs just under one hour. On November 16, 2020, Springsteen was featured as a guest singer for

Bleachers Bleachers (North American English), or stands, are raised, tiered rows of benches found at sports fields and other spectator events. Stairways provide access to the horizontal rows of seats, often with every other step gaining access to a row ...

' newest single, "

Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Aust ...

", for their 3rd studio album ''

Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night ''Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night'' is the third studio album by American indie pop act Bleachers, released on July 30, 2021, by RCA Records. Background Jack Antonoff began recording the album in late 2019, while the band embarked on a th ...

''. Springsteen and the E Street Band were musical guests on the December 12, 2020, episode of ''Saturday Night Live'', where they performed "Ghosts" and "I'll See You in My Dreams". This marked the band's first performance since 2017 and their first to promote ''Letter to You''. Garry Tallent and

Soozie Tyrell Soozie Tyrell (born May 4, 1957), formerly known as Soozie Kirschner, is an American violinist, guitarist, and vocalist, most known for her work with Bruce Springsteen in the E Street Band and formerly The Sessions Band. Biography Tyrell was ...

opted to remain at home due to

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...

concerns; this was the first time Tallent had ever missed a performance with the band, and Jack Daley of the Disciples of Soul filled in for him. On February 22, 2021, it was announced that Springsteen was releasing an eight-part

podcast A podcast is a program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. For example, an episodic series of digital audio or video files that a user can download to a personal device to listen to at a time of their choosin ...

Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active use ...

titled '' Renegades: Born in the USA'' that would feature himself in conversation with Barack Obama discussing a wide range of topics including family, race, marriage, fatherhood, and the state of the U.S. On May 16, 2021, John Mellencamp announced that Springsteen would appear on his next album. On September 29, 2021, Mellencamp released the single and music video for "Wasted Days", which features Springsteen on co-lead vocals and guitar. On June 7, 2021, Springsteen announced that his ''Springsteen on Broadway'' shows would return for a limited run at Jujamcyn's St. James Theatre beginning on June 26, 2021. In an interview with

E Street Radio E Street Radio is a Sirius XM Radio channel broadcasting on Sirius 20 as well as on Dish Network channel 6020. Its format concentrates on Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, including interviews, guest disc jockey sessions, studio outtakes, ...

's Jim Rotolo on June 10, 2021, Springsteen said that he did not plan on playing any shows in 2021 but was talked into the Broadway shows by a "friend". During the same interview, Springsteen also announced an upcoming collaboration with

the Killers The Killers are an American rock band formed in Las Vegas in 2001 by Brandon Flowers (lead vocals, keyboards, bass) and Dave Keuning (lead guitar, backing vocals). After going through a number of short-term bass players and drummers in t ...

. Later that day the Killers' social media announced the title of the song "Dustland" after a series of teases by the band throughout the day. On September 11, 2021, Springsteen performed " I'll See You in My Dreams" in tribute to the victims of the September 11 attacks. On December 13, 2021, Springsteen gave a surprise four song performance at the John Henry's Friends benefit concert for children diagnosed with

Autism The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) characterized by difficulti ...

where he was joined by

Steve Earle and the Dukes Stephen Fain Earle (; born January 17, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, author, and actor. Earle began his career as a songwriter in Nashville and released his first EP in 1982. Initially working in the country music ...

as his backing band. On December 14, 2021, Max Weinberg indicated that he felt a tour with Springsteen and the E Street Band was very likely in 2022 saying "Until the bus pulls up at my house, figuratively speaking, I'm not quite sure but I'm pretty convinced ... (that) myself, my colleagues and the people who are interested are going to be very pleasantly surprised in 2022. I don't make plans for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band but I feel very good about the next 18, 24 months." On December 16, 2021, Springsteen sold the masters of his entire catalog and the coinciding music publishing rights to

Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainmen ...

for $500 million. This topped what

and

received for their catalogs by $200 million. This sale, along with his Broadway shows and projects with Obama, helped him top the ''Rolling Stone'' list of the highest-paid musicians of 2021. On May 24, 2022, it was announced that he would be launching an international tour with the E Street Band in 2023, the first such since 2017. On September 26, 2022, it was announced that Springsteen and his wife Patti Scialfa would perform at the inaugural Albie Awards at the New York Public Library on September 29, 2022. On September 29, 2022, Springsteen announced that his twenty-first studio album, '' Only the Strong Survive'', would be released on November 11, 2022. The album features fifteen covers of classic

soul music Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became ...

songs from the 60s and 70s and was preceded by the singles " Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)", " Nightshift", " Don't Play That Song" and "

Turn Back the Hands of Time "Turn Back the Hands of Time" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Tyrone Davis. It was co-written by Jack Daniels and Bonnie Thompson and produced by Willie Henderson. "Turn Back the Hands of Time" was released as a single in February 1 ...

". To promote the album, Springsteen performed on ''

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon that airs on NBC. The show premiered on February 17, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. It is the seventh incar ...

'' on November 14, 15, and 16, 2022, along with a special

Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden ...

episode on November 24, 2022.

Artistry and legacy

Widely regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Springsteen has been called a "rock 'n' roll poet" who " adiatesworking-class authenticity". His work "epitomizes rock's deepest values: desire, the need for freedom and the search to find yourself." Often described as cinematic in their scope, Springsteen's lyrics frequently explore highly personal themes such as individual commitment, dissatisfaction and dismay with life in a context of everyday situations. Springsteen's themes include social and political commentary and are rooted in the struggles faced by his own family of origin. In 2003, ''Rolling Stone''s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list included '' Born to Run'' (18), '' Born in the U.S.A.'' (85), ''

'' (132), ''

'' (151), ''

'' (224), '' The River'' (250), ''

'' (379), and '' Tunnel of Love'' (475). In 2004, on their

500 Greatest Songs of All Time "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring survey compiled by the American magazine '' Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2004 i ...

list, ''Rolling Stone'' included " Born to Run" (21), " Thunder Road" (86), and " Born in the U.S.A." (275). ''

Acclaimed Music Acclaimed Music is a website created by Henrik Franzon, a statistician from Stockholm, Sweden in September 2001. Franzon has statistically aggregated hundreds of published lists that rank songs and albums into aggregated rankings by year, decade ...

'' ranks him as the fifth most celebrated artist in popular music history. A shift in Springsteen's lyrical approach began with the album ''Darkness on the Edge of Town'', in which he focused on the emotional struggles of working class life, alongside more typical rock and roll themes. Reviewing ''Born in the U.S.A.'', ''Rolling Stone'' critic Debby Miller noted that "Springsteen ignored the

British Invasion The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of British culture became popular in the United States and significant to the rising "counterculture" o ...

and embraced instead the legacy of Phil Spector’s releases, the sort of soul that was coming from

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most im ...

, and especially the garage bands that had anomalous radio hits. He’s always chased the utopian feeling of that music".

Jon Pareles Jon Pareles (born October 25, 1953) is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of ''The New York Times''.album era The album era was a period in English-language popular music from the mid-1960s to the mid-2000s in which the album was the dominant form of recorded music expression and consumption. It was primarily driven by three successive music recording ...

. "Springsteen is the quintessential album-era rock star", writes Ann Powers, who argues that while other acts like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo ar ...

probably made better individual works, "none adused the long-player form itself more powerfully over the arc of a career, not only to establish a world through song, but to inhabit an enduring persona". He used it to lyricize "America's slide from industrial-era swagger into service-economy

anomie In sociology, anomie () is a social condition defined by an uprooting or breakdown of any moral values, standards or guidance for individuals to follow. Anomie is believed to possibly evolve from conflict of belief systems and causes breakdow ...

". In her mind, Springsteen needed the "track-by-track architecture of albums to flesh out characters, relate each to the other, extend metaphors and build a palpable, detail-strewn landscape through which they could travel". He simultaneously grew musically "both with his stalwart E Street Band (a metaphor itself for the family connections and community spirit his songs celebrate or lament) and in more minimalist projects." Concert goers are often confused by the fact that Springsteen appears to be booed by his fans when he appears on stage. In fact his fans are calling his name in an exaggerated way as "Bruuuce", which sounds like boos.

Personal life

Springsteen playing in Sunderland, June 2012

While rejecting religion in his earlier years, Springsteen stated in his autobiography ''Born to Run'', "I have a personal relationship with Jesus. I believe in his power to save, love ..but not to damn." In terms of his lapsed Catholicism, he has stated that he "came to ruefully and bemusedly understand that once you're a Catholic you're always a Catholic". He elaborated, "I don't participate in my religion but I know somewhere... deep inside... I'm still on the team." Springsteen has spoken openly about his struggles with depression, which he accepted and began to face in his 30s. Around this time, frustrated with being an underweight "fast food junkie" who would have to be helped off the stage after a show due to poor health, he began running up to six miles on a treadmill and lifting weights three times a week; in September 2019, an article celebrating his 70th birthday revealed that he has maintained this same workout routine since he began following it. He has also reportedly followed a mostly

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetariani ...

diet since around the same time, and has avoided hard drugs all of his life. In a June 2017 interview with

Tom Hanks Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...

, Springsteen admitted to having been a tax evader early in his career.

Relationships

Springsteen dated actress

Joyce Hyser Joyce Hyser (born December 20, 1957) is an American former actress. She is best known for her role in the 1985 cult classic ''Just One of the Guys'' and for her recurring role in ''L.A. Law''. In 2012 Hyser turned her focus to writing and produc ...

for four years in the early 1980s. Previously, he had dated photographer Lynn Goldsmith and model Karen Darvin. In the early 1980s, he met

Patti Scialfa Vivienne Patricia Scialfa ( ; born July 29, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Scialfa has been a member of the E Street Band since 1984 and has been married to Bruce Springsteen since 1991. In 2014, Scialfa was inducted into ...

at The Stone Pony bar in New Jersey, the evening she was performing alongside his friend

Bobby Bandiera Robert "Bobby" Bandiera (born October 19, 1953) is an American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter from New Jersey. Bandiera played rhythm guitar for Bon Jovi in live performances from 2005 until 2015 and for nearly two decades was lead guit ...

, with whom she had written "At Least We Got Shoes" for Southside Johnny. Springsteen liked her voice, and after the performance he introduced himself to her. They soon started spending time together and became friends. Early in 1984 Springsteen asked Scialfa to join the E Street Band for the upcoming Born in the U.S.A. Tour. According to the book ''Bruce'' by Peter Ames Carlin, they seemed about to become a couple through the first leg of the tour; however, Springsteen was introduced to actress and married her shortly after midnight on , at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Opposites in background, the two had an age difference, and Springsteen's traveling took its toll on their relationship. Many of the songs on ''Tunnel of Love'' described the unhappiness he felt in his relationship with Phillips. The Tunnel of Love Express Tour began in late February 1988 and Springsteen convinced Scialfa to rejoin the tour. She expressed reluctance at first because she wanted to start recording her first solo album, but when he told her the tour would be short, she agreed to postpone her own solo record and join the tour. Phillips and Springsteen separated in the spring of 1988, but the separation was not made public. Springsteen and Scialfa fell in love during the Tunnel of Love Express Tour and started living together soon after his separation from Phillips. Citing irreconcilable differences, Phillips filed for divorce in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

on , and a settlement was reached in December and finalized on They had no children. Springsteen received press criticism for the apparent haste in which he and Scialfa started their relationship. In a 1995 interview with ''The Advocate'', he told Judy Wieder about the negative publicity the couple subsequently received: "It's a strange society that assumes it has the right to tell people whom they should love and whom they shouldn't. But the truth is, I basically ignored the entire thing as much as I could. I said, 'Well, all I know is, this feels real, and maybe I have got a mess going here in some fashion, but that's life.'" Years later, he reflected, "'I didn't protect Juli... some sort of public announcement would have been fair, but I felt overly concerned about my own privacy. I handled it badly, and I still feel badly about it. It was cruel for people to find out the way they did.'" Springsteen and Scialfa lived in New Jersey before moving to Los Angeles, where they decided to start a family. On July 25, 1990, Scialfa gave birth to the couple's first child, Evan James Springsteen. On June 8, 1991, Springsteen and Scialfa married at their Los Angeles home in a private ceremony, only attended by family and close friends. Their second child, Jessica Rae Springsteen, was born on December 30, 1991. Their third child, Samuel Ryan Springsteen, was born on January 5, 1994. In a 1995 interview, Springsteen said, "I went through a divorce, and it was really difficult and painful and I was very frightened about getting married again. So part of me said, 'Hey, what does it matter?' But it does matter. It's very different than just living together. First of all, stepping up publicly—which is what you do: You get your license, you do all the social rituals—is a part of your place in society and in some way part of society's acceptance of you ... Patti and I both found that it did mean something." When their children reached school age in the 1990s, Springsteen and Scialfa moved back to New Jersey to raise them away from

paparazzi Paparazzi (, ; ; singular: masculine paparazzo or feminine paparazza) are independent photographers who take pictures of high-profile people; such as actors, musicians, athletes, politicians, and other celebrities, typically while subjects ...

. The family owns and lives on a horse farm in Colts Neck Township and has a home in Rumson; they also own homes in Los Angeles and

Wellington, Florida Wellington is a village just west of West Palm Beach in Palm Beach County and north of Miami. As of 2019, the city had a population of 65,398 according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, making it the most populous village in the state. It is th ...

. Evan graduated from

Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classified ...

; he writes and performs his own songs and won the 2012 Singer/Songwriter Competition held during the Boston College's Arts Festival. Jessica graduated from

Duke University Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist Jam ...

and is a nationally ranked champion

equestrian The word equestrian is a reference to equestrianism, or horseback riding, derived from Latin ' and ', "horse". Horseback riding (or Riding in British English) Examples of this are: *Equestrian sports *Equestrian order, one of the upper classes in ...

. She made her show-jumping debut with the Team USA in August 2014. She won a silver medal as part of the U.S. equestrian team at the

2020 Summer Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the ...

, held in Tokyo in 2021 due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Sam is a

Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark. Springsteen supported

's 2008 presidential campaign, announcing his endorsement in April 2008. He appeared at several rallies in support of Obama's campaign throughout 2008. At an Ohio rally, Springsteen discussed the importance of "truth, transparency and integrity in government, the right of every American to have a job, a living wage, to be educated in a decent school, and a life filled with the

dignity of work The dignity of labour is the philosophy that all types of jobs are respected equally, and no occupation is considered superior and none of the jobs should be discriminated on any basis. Regardless of whether one's occupation involves physical wor ...

, the promise and the sanctity of home". The

Topps The Topps Company, Inc. is an American company that manufactures chewing gum, candy, and collectibles. Formerly based in New York City, Topps is best known as a leading producer of American football, baseball, basketball, ice hockey, soccer, a ...

company marked the support in a commemorative trading card set, in which Springsteen makes an appearance on card #59, "the 'O' Street Band." Despite saying that he would sit out the 2012 presidential election, Springsteen campaigned for Obama's re-election in Ohio, Iowa, Virginia, Pittsburgh, and Wisconsin. Springsteen is an activist for

LGBT rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ( LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Notably, ...

and has spoken out many times as a strong supporter of

gay marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being Mexico, constitutin ...

. In an April 1996 interview with '' The Advocate'' he spoke of the importance of gay marriage: "You get your license, you do all the social rituals. It's part of your place in society, and in some way part of society's acceptance of you." In 2009, he posted the following statement on his website: "I've long believed in and have always spoken out for the rights of same sex couples and fully agree with Governor Corzine when he writes that 'The marriage-equality issue should be recognized for what it truly is—a civil rights issue that must be approved to assure that every citizen is treated equally under the law. In 2012, he lent his support to an ad campaign for gay marriage called "The Four 2012". Springsteen noted in the ad, "I couldn't agree more with that statement and urge those who support equal treatment for our gay and

lesbian A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...

brothers and sisters to let their voices be heard now." In April 2016, Springsteen cancelled a show in

Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte, North Car ...

, days before it was to take place to protest the state's newly passed Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, also referred to as the " bathroom law", which dictates which restrooms

transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through ...

people are permitted to use and prevents

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term ...

citizens from suing over human rights violations in the workplace. Springsteen released an official statement on his website. The

Human Rights Campaign The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is an American LGBTQ advocacy group. It is the largest LGBTQ political lobbying organization within the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., the organization focuses on protecting and expanding rights for ...

celebrated Springsteen's statement, and he has received much praise and gratitude from the

LGBT community The LGBT community (also known as the LGBTQ+ community, GLBT community, gay community, or queer community) is a loosely defined grouping of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other queer individuals united by a common culture and so ...

. During a 2017 show in Perth, Springsteen made a statement celebrating the post-inauguration Women's March against the incoming

Trump administration Donald Trump's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 45th president of the United States began with Inauguration of Donald Trump, his inauguration on January 20, 2017, and ended on January 20, 2021. Trump, a Republican Party ...

in cities worldwide: "We're a long way from home, and our hearts and spirits are with the hundreds of thousands of women and men that marched yesterday in every city in America, and in Melbourne ...

hey Hey or Hey! may refer to: Music * Hey (band), a Polish rock band Albums * ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014 * ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980 * ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title ...

rallied against hate and division and in support of tolerance, inclusion,

reproductive rights Reproductive rights are legal rights and freedoms relating to reproduction and reproductive health that vary amongst countries around the world. The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights as follows: Reproductive rights rest o ...

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life ...

racial justice Anti-racism encompasses a range of ideas and political actions which are meant to counter racial prejudice, systemic racism, and the oppression of specific racial groups. Anti-racism is usually structured around conscious efforts and deliberate ...

, LGBTQ rights, the environment, wage equality,

gender equality Gender equality, also known as sexual equality or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making; and the state of valuing d ...

, healthcare, and immigrant rights. We stand with you. We are the new American resistance." Springsteen was a staunch critic of

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...

throughout his presidency. In October 2019, he said Trump "doesn't have a grasp of the deep meaning of what it means to be an American," and in June 2020 called him a "threat to our democracy". Springsteen's song "The Rising" was featured prominently in the 2020 Democratic National Convention in support of Joe Biden, accompanied with a new video and campaign slogan, #TheRising. On October 13, 2020, author

Don Winslow Don Winslow (born October 31, 1953) is an American retired author best known for his award-winning and internationally bestselling crime novels, including '' Savages'', ''The Force'' and the Cartel Trilogy. Early life Winslow was born on Oct ...

released a video critical of Trump prior to his campaign event in Pennsylvania. The video features Springsteen's song "Streets of Philadelphia". A few days prior to the

2020 United States presidential election The 2020 United States presidential election was the 59th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. The Democratic ticket of former vice president Joe Biden and the junior U.S. senator from California Kamala H ...

, Springsteen provided narration for a campaign ad that spotlights Biden's upbringing in

Scranton, Pennsylvania Scranton is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Lackawanna County. With a population of 76,328 as of the 2020 U.S. census, Scranton is the largest city in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Wyoming V ...

with "My Hometown" playing throughout the ad. Biden used "We Take Care of Our Own" as one of his theme songs, as Obama had before him in 2012.

Discography

Studio albums * ''

'' (1973) * ''

'' (1973) * '' Born to Run'' (1975) * ''

'' (1978) * '' The River'' (1980) * ''

'' (1982) * '' Born in the U.S.A.'' (1984) * '' Tunnel of Love'' (1987) * '' Human Touch'' (1992) * '' Lucky Town'' (1992) * '' The Ghost of Tom Joad'' (1995) * '' The Rising'' (2002) * '' Devils & Dust'' (2005) * '' We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions'' (2006) * '' Magic'' (2007) * '' Working on a Dream'' (2009) * '' Wrecking Ball'' (2012) * '' High Hopes'' (2014) * ''

'' (2019) * ''

'' (2020) * '' Only the Strong Survive'' (2022)

Concert tours

Springsteen has developed a reputation for energetic and long-lasting live performances.

Headlining tours

* Born to Run tours (1974–1977) * Darkness Tour (1978–1979) * The River Tour (1980–1981) * Born in the U.S.A. Tour (1984–1985) * Tunnel of Love Express Tour (1988) * Bruce Springsteen 1992–1993 World Tour (1992–1993) *

(1995–1997) * Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour (1999–2000) *

The Rising Tour The Rising Tour was a lengthy, worldwide, top-grossing concert tour featuring Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band that took place in arenas and stadiums over 2002 and 2003. It followed the release of their 2002 album '' The Rising''. Itine ...

(2002–2003) * Devils & Dust Tour (2005) * Bruce Springsteen with the Seeger Sessions Band Tour (2006) * Magic Tour (2007–2008) *

(2009) *

Wrecking Ball World Tour The Wrecking Ball World Tour was a concert tour by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band to promote Springsteen's seventeenth studio album, ''Wrecking Ball'', which was released on March 5, 2012. It was the first tour for the E Street Band wit ...

(2012–2013) * High Hopes Tour (2014) * The River Tour (2016–2017) * Springsteen on Broadway (2017–2018, 2021) * 2023 Tour (2023)

Co-headlining tours

* Human Rights Now! (1988) * Vote for Change (2004)

Achievements, awards, and nominations

Springsteen has sold more than 140 million records worldwide and more than 71 million records in the United States, making him one of the world's best-selling artists. He has earned numerous awards for his work, including 20

s, two

s, an Academy Award, and a Special Tony Award (for ''Springsteen on Broadway''). Springsteen was inducted into both the

and the

in 1999, received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2009, was named MusiCares person of the year in 2013, and was awarded the

by President Barack Obama in 2016. In May 2021, Springsteen became the eighth recipient of the Woody Guthrie Prize, a prize that honors an artist who speaks out for

social justice Social justice is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has often referred to the process of ensuring that individuals ...

and carries on the spirit of the folk singer.

Notes

References

Sources

* Alterman, Eric. ''It Ain't No Sin To Be Glad You're Alive: The Promise of Bruce Springsteen''. Little Brown, 1999. . * Coles, Robert. ''Bruce Springsteen's America: The People Listening, a Poet Singing''. Random House, 2005. . * Cullen, Jim. ''Born in the U.S.A.: Bruce Springsteen and the American Tradition''. 1997; Middletown, Connecticut: Wesleyan University Press, 2005. New edition of 1997 study book places Springsteen's work in the broader context of American history and culture. * Eliot, Marc with Appel, Mike. ''Down Thunder Road''. Simon & Schuster, 1992. . * Graff, Gary. ''The Ties That Bind: Bruce Springsteen A to E to Z''. Visible Ink, 2005. . * Guterman, Jimmy. ''Runaway American Dream: Listening to Bruce Springsteen''. Da Capo, 2005. . * * Hilburn, Robert. ''Springsteen''. Rolling Stone Press, 1985. . * Knobler, Peter with special assistance from Greg Mitchell. "Who Is Bruce Springsteen and Why Are We Saying All These Wonderful Things About Him?", '' Crawdaddy'', March 1973. * Marsh, Dave
''Bruce Springsteen: Two Hearts: The Definitive Biography, 1972–2003''
. Routledge, 2003. . (Consolidation of two previous Marsh biographies, ''Born to Run'' (1981) and ''Glory Days'' (1987).) * Wolff, Daniel. ''July 4, Asbury Park: A History of the Promised Land''. Bloomsbury, 2005.

External links

*
Bruce Springsteen Archives
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Springsteen, Bruce 1949 births 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American singers 21st-century American guitarists 21st-century American male singers 21st-century American male writers 21st-century American singers Activists from New Jersey American country rock singers American folk guitarists American folk rock musicians American folk singers American harmonica players American humanitarians American male guitarists American male pianists American male pop singers American male singer-songwriters American multi-instrumentalists American people of Dutch descent American people of Irish descent American people of Italian descent American philanthropists American pop guitarists American rock guitarists American rock pianists American rock singers American rock songwriters American soft rock musicians Best Original Song Academy Award-winning songwriters Brit Award winners Catholics from New Jersey Columbia Records artists E Street Band members Freehold High School alumni Golden Globe Award-winning musicians Grammy Award winners Guitarists from New Jersey Jersey Shore musicians Juno Award for International Album of the Year winners Kennedy Center honorees Lead guitarists American LGBT rights activists Living people New Jersey culture New Jersey Democrats New Jersey Hall of Fame inductees Ocean County College alumni People from Bradley Beach, New Jersey People from Colts Neck Township, New Jersey People from Freehold Borough, New Jersey People from Long Branch, New Jersey People from Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey People from Rumson, New Jersey Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Rock and roll musicians Singer-songwriters from New Jersey Sony Music Publishing artists Special Tony Award recipients The Sessions Band members Writers from New Jersey Steel Mill members

Early life

Career

1964–1972: Early career

1972–1974: Initial struggle

1975–1983: ''Born to Run'' and breakthrough success

1984–1986: ''Born in the U.S.A.'' and cultural phenomenon

1987–1991: ''Tunnel of Love'' and activism

1992–1998: Academy award, ''Greatest Hits'', and soundtracks

1999–2007: ''The Rising'', ''Devils & Dust'', and other releases

2008–2011: Political involvement, Super Bowl XLIII, and Kennedy Center Honors

2012–2018: Autobiography and Broadway show

2019–present

Artistry and legacy

Personal life

Relationships

Discography

Concert tours

Headlining tours

Co-headlining tours

Achievements, awards, and nominations

See also

Notes

References

Sources

External links