Bruce Springsteen (otherwise known as “The Boss”) is back and better than ever. Following his incredible stint on Broadway, he released a brand new album “Western Stars,” had his music featured in the film “Blinded by the Light,” has his own film, also titled “Western Stars,” coming out this year and is rumored to be back on tour in 2020. So to familiarize yourself with arguably one of the best musicians of all time, here’s a brief background on Bruce Springsteen.
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Springsteen forged his unique sound in the late 60s with that gravelly baritone voice for which he would later become famous. A trivia fact: his nickname “The Boss” comes from his habit of collecting money earned during shows and then distributing it evenly among his band mates. His first two studio albums, “Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ” and “The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle,” both released in 1972, received good reviews but slow sales.
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Many compared him to Bob Dylan for his introspective lyrics and poetic style. Finally, in 1975, Springsteen released a third album, “Born to Run,” which peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 and skyrocketed him to fame. Drawing heavily on Springsteen’s New Jersey roots, the album offered soaring guitars, larger-than-life characters, urban romance and a rebellious spirit that captured the essence of the American Dream and connected with audiences of all ages. Springsteen’s next album, “Darkness on the Edge of Town” (1978) emphasized themes of lost love, depression and existential suffering. Springsteen and the E Street Band embarked on a cross-country tour to promote the album, making them famous for their energetic 3 to 4 hours concerts. His next two albums, “The River” (1980) and “Nebraska” (1982) both explored themes about working-class Americans, especially “Nebraska” as a raw, solo acoustic effort that has been lauded by music fans for its provocative sound.
Springsteen’s explosion into rock superstardom came in 1984 when he released “Born in the U.S.A” from which 7 singles hit the top of the Billboard Charts, including “Glory Days,” “Dancing in the Dark,” “Born in the U.S.A.” and “Cover Me” — the album would become one of the best-selling records of all time and spark a successful world tour. “Tunnel of Love” (1987) was an album that examined themes of love, loss, confusion and heartbreak, tracing the extreme highs and lows of relationships.
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Springsteen dissolved the E Street Band in 1989 and moved to California in the early 1990s but continued recording and producing. In 1994 he also recorded an Oscar-winning song, “The Streets of Philadelphia,” for the movie “Philadelphia” starring Tom Hanks. In 1999 Springsteen reunited the E Street Band to tour in support of a new “Greatest Hits” album, selling out stadiums around the world despite his long absence from the limelight. It was the same year in which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. With dozens of awards under his belt, including 20 Grammys, and selling more than 65 million albums in the U.S. alone, Springsteen is one of the bestselling and popular artists of all-time. Honoring Springsteen as a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2009, then-President Obama said, “I may be the President, but he is ‘The Boss.'”