Bruce Springsteen's 20 Greatest Songs
"It's an old song that makes you feel young again. Glory Days into Dancing In The Dark might be the most joyful back-to-back across his discography to date."
One of the world's best-selling artists, with 21 studio albums, 121 live albums, 77 singles and 66 music videos, 20 Grammy awards, two Golden Globes, BRITs accolades, and an Academy Award to his name. It's no wonder the much-loved American singer-songwriter is aptly nicknamed 'The Boss'. An electric live performer and pioneer of heartland rock, Bruce Springsteen has a sincerity at his core which continues to resonate with today's generation. Songs of triumph versus the world's shortcomings. To many, Springsteen represents the essence of rock and roll - music packed with enough romance and emotion to shape the culture.
Rumoured to have started filming in October 2024, Springsteen fans eagerly await the first-ever biopic of the New Jersey-born icon, Deliver Me from Nowhere. The forthcoming film depicts the making of the musician’s 1982 album Nebraska, starring The Bear's Jeremy Allen White. Ahead of this milestone moment, Bruce reunites with The E Street Band (his primary backing group since 1972), returning to the UK for The Land of Hope and Dreams Tour in May.
And so it was about time we dug into the coveted Springsteen discography, to embrace passionate debate with other die-hards, or offer a point of entry for would-be fans. From real-life struggles to love songs, sad ballads to sing-your-heart-out at karaoke, or simply sentimental storytelling - Rough Trade Vintage Manager and Springsteen obsessive Jamie Sadur selects The Boss' greatest hits.
"I've been into The Boss for as long as I can remember, stemming from my dad's massive fandom and him passing that down to me. Back in the day, my dad would sit outside the venues if he couldn't go in and listen to the gig from outside the venue with the other remaining stragglers. That to me is what it's all about with Springsteen. Obsessive, addictive and chasing the next live show like your life depended on it.
I didn't think I'd grow up to be this obsessive over Bruce and The E Street Band, but here we are. I've now seen The Boss over 10 times and I will not stop until he does. I genuinely struggled to choose what would make this list and I'm sorry if your favourite album, deep cut or hit single hasn't been shown any love. There are just too many bangers!"
Jungleland
One of the few songs that, if it comes on, I'm stopping everything else in my life to experience it in all its glory. Definitely Springsteen at his most over the top and theatrical but in such a caring way. A song that has such a beautiful, peaceful and light strings and piano intro, contradicted by the most powerful saxophone solo of all time. Clarence Clemons famously spent 16 straight hours recording the saxophone solo until Bruce was satisfied with its sound. It had to be perfect, and it is. Jungleland is 9 minutes and 36 seconds of storytelling and raw emotion. Nothing really hits like this song live, which you'll find to be quite a rare occurrence to be able to see nowadays. RIP The Big Man.
Racing In The Street
I'm torn between this and Jungleland as my personal favourite Boss track. I thought for years that Jungleland could never be topped as the powerful song that hits you in the face every time you hear it...and then I heard Racing In The Street performed live, and there was no turning back. No one can romanticise racing cars and feeling emotionally beaten down quite like The Boss does on this track.
Born To Run
It wouldn't be a true Springsteen top songs list without this belter of a track on here. Being quite a big fan when I was younger, it used to annoy me that this song was the only one to really get radio play out of all the songs from the album of the same title. Now that I'm older, I understand why it's the one that captivated everyone from the start. It's the perfect gateway into any Springsteen fandom spiralling into an addiction.
The River
An incredibly sad ballad that paints such a morbid story of having nothing given to you in life - a song based on Bruce's sister's real-life experiences of becoming pregnant by her high school boyfriend and life staying stagnant from there on out. I haven't even mentioned the harmonica intro, but do I even need to?
Blinded By The Light
Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ
Some brimstone, baritone, anticyclone, rolling stone preacher from the east says, "Dethrone the dictaphone, hit it in its funny bone. That's where they expect it least". Any song that has lyrics like these will make my top 20. Bonkers, nuts and downright crazy. A belter of a track to open your discography with, and even better when these whimsical lyrics are based around exaggerated versions of real people and moments that have passed Bruce by, while writing this song.
Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
The Wild, The Innocent And The E Street Shuffle
Pure joy, one to dance to and one that brings the E Street Band out in full force. Rosie, you're the one!
Darkness On The Edge Of Town
Easily the best title track from any Springsteen record (and yes, I know the other ones are also great). Big shoutout to Max Weinberg on this track - the powerful, yet still graceful, drums carry the song.
Candy's Room
Another shoutout to Max Weinberg here - the whole of the Darkness album has incredible production and drums throughout - a fast-paced song that comes out of nowhere on quite a solemn album overall. Another great underdog story from The Boss about a girl who is definitely out of his league.
Hungry Heart
Not the most well-written song, and by no means the best Springsteen song, but this is an ANTHEM and there is no stopping the fun that this song brings at a live show. Bruce originally wrote this for the Ramones but decided to keep it for himself. As much as I love The Boss, I'd still like to have heard that version at least once.
Secret Garden
Not officially on any album other than the Greatest Hits tracklist, you'd have to grab this from the single back in the day or from the depths of an 80s-90s box set. I had the single from when I was younger, but I never had appreciation for the song until a year or two ago, thanks to another Rough Trade colleague of mine. It's now made the top 20 for me. It's not too flashy, it's nothing like the powerful tracks of the 70s and 80s - it sits in its own field of very romantic and minimal Springsteen tracks.
Atlantic City
A song with such sad storytelling of the struggles of becoming a gambling addict, and then the troubles that come with it, in a crime-heavy place like Atlantic City. Nebraska hasn't had enough love on this list, but there was absolutely no way this song wouldn't make my top 20.
Glory Days
I'm going down to the well tonight
And I'm gonna drink till I get my fill
And I hope when I get old I don't sit around thinking about it
But I probably will
So much fun with Glory Days, but also some underlying sadness to it too. It's an old song that makes you feel young again. Glory Days into Dancing In The Dark might be the most joyful back-to-back across The Boss' discography to date.
Bobby Jean
I'm just calling one last time
Not to change your mind
But just to say I miss you, baby
Good luck, goodbye
Bobby Jean
Knowing that something is coming to an end can suck, but when The Boss sings about it, it definitely sucks less. Another one from Born In The USA that has grown on me over the years - a beautiful upbeat song that's also surprisingly sad. I think this song should be a staple in the live setlist, albeit there are 00s of songs he should be playing. Bobby Jean just brings out the best in everyone when it's played live.
Brilliant Disguise
A heavily vulnerable Springsteen track, tackling his real-life struggles and doubts on what is real and what isn't with his closest personal connections. Coming from a somewhat underrated late 80s album in Tunnel Of Love. It was between this or Tougher Than the Rest from the same record, but Brilliant Disguise just nabs that spot.
Thunder Road
It's a town full of losers
I'm pulling out of here to win
I don't think much even needs to be said about Thunder Road, just listen to it. A steamer of an opener to a flawless album. As I said with Born To Run being a gateway to Springsteen's catalogue, this is very much the same.
She's The One
With her long hair falling
And her eyes that shine like a midnight sun
Oh-o she’s the one, she’s the one
My all-time favourite Springsteen love song and one that fits perfectly into the Born To Run album. It's got an unusually fun, swaying blues-type rhythm to it and is a completely different energy when it's played live. It hits you like a slap in the face.
Born In The USA
An ironic take on the state of the USA, but built with so much power behind it that no one even cared or noticed when it came out. Musically, this song has no place on the top 20 list of Springsteen tracks, but I think in the grand scheme of his discography, it is such an important song, and one that propelled him even further into the mainstream than he already was - from an accomplished musician to an icon.
Dancing In The Dark
Pure fun, joy and absolute shenanigans when this song comes on! The most accessible Boss tune to come out and one that will have people of all ages doing their best Courtney Cox and Bruce dances. If you see me doing this at the top of my lungs at karaoke...no you didn't.
The E Street Shuffle
The Wild, The Innocent And The E Street Shuffle
I haven't given the greatest backing band of all time enough love with my comments on this list so far - enter The E Street Shuffle. It's joyful, charismatic, and so chaotic. It's everything The E Street Band is and always will be. The sparks fly on E-Street when this one is played!
Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
Funky, happy and an ode to the Big Man joining the band. That was a pivotal moment for The Boss, and you can feel it coming through on this track. Not only an ode to Clarence, but also an ode to the heart-stopping, pants-dropping, earth-shocking, hard rocking, booty-shaking, earth-quaking, love-making, Viagra-taking, history-making, legendary E! Street! Band!
Honourable Mentions
Johnny 99, Because The Night, Badlands, Spirit In The Night, New York City Serenade, Prove It All Night, Ramrod, Tougher Than The Rest, Out In The Street, Girls In Their Summer Clothes, Wrecking Ball and any song with the mention of 'Mary'.