Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen is a rock ‘n’ roll legend from the state of New Jersey. Known as “The Boss,” he is famous for lively saxophone-driven anthems about the working-class journey through life. Accompanied by the E Street Band, he has sold over 120 million records, garnered numerous awards (including 20 Grammys and an Oscar), filled stadiums worldwide, and earned a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside the icons of his youth.

Despite being a living legend and a significant figure in rock history, Springsteen’s rise to fame wasn’t immediate. Around the release of his debut album, 1973’s Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., he was seen as simply another “new Dylan” — a scruffy folk singer with notable vocabulary striving to follow Bob’s path. Over the next decade, Springsteen showed he was much more.

His major break came with his third album, 1975’s Born to Run. This album reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and put him on the covers of both Time and Newsweek. He achieved his first No. 1 album five years later with The River, and in 1984, he gained international fame with Born in the U.S.A., a critical and commercial success that delivered seven Top 10 singles.

With its blend of uplifting rock ‘n’ roll and incisive lyrics on themes like unemployment, racism, and the decline of the American dream, Born in the U.S.A. exemplifies what makes Springsteen a distinctive artist. Over three decades later, he continues to be a voice for the baby boomer generation and an inspiration to young rock fans seeking a role model who has remained authentic. He challenges authority—then leaps onto the piano and cues the sax solo.

Even now, the Boss performs three-hour concerts that usually conclude with him bringing fans onstage to dance along to “Dancing In the Dark,” a favorite from the ‘80s. Many have urged him to run for president, but don’t expect him to leave his day job.