8. The Rising (2002)

After 9/11, the art world found itself in limbo, unsure of how to react: senses were raw from relentless coverage of burning buildings and hobbled families, and many in entertainment were still treading lightly, unsure of how to proceed. Springsteen took it all in, did his research (in some cases, calling the family members of victims) and went to work. The Rising tells the stories of the event from different perspectives and on different scales, from the firefighter featured in the title track to the individual who finds himself being touted as a hero ("Nothing Man"). In "Mary's Place," a victim's family member tries to find comfort by having a party. The character struggles to move past the tragedy and asks, "How do we get this thing started?" but when Bruce belts out "Meet me at Mary's place, we're gonna have a party!" in the chorus, you can't help but wipe away the tears and smile.

Listen: "Mary's Place"

 

7. Magic (2007)

Easily the best album of the "Springsteen 2.0" era (anything post-1992, when he originally broke with the E Street Band), this collection finds Springsteen re-energized by his collaboration with producer Brendan O'Brien. Musically, he's genre-hopping, laying on a thick, poppy guitar hook on "Radio Nowhere," delivering his take on a Roy Orbison vocal on "Girls In Their Summer Clothes," and even referencing his own sax-laden cuts on "Living In the Future." Many of the songs direct some bitterness at the Bush administration, but most still manage to sound playful and inventive. "I'll Work For Your Love" is a real standout, built on joy, admiration, and a healthy dose of the spiritual.

Listen: "I'll Work For Your Love"

 

6. Tunnel of Love (1987)

This collection of songs about Springsteen's failed marriage to actress Julianne Phillips gave the world a close look at his fears, desires, and heartbreak. Springsteen had always been open about his personal struggles with his father, but he always kept personal romantic matters quiet, until now. Songs like "One Step Up" and "Brilliant Disguise" sound simple, but they have lyrical depth revealed with every play. "Walk Like a Man" is a bit of a curveball here ― it focuses less on the breakup and more on Springsteen's personal growth, but it's still as powerful and nuanced as anything else on the record.

Listen: "Brilliant Disguise"

 

5. Born in the U.S.A. (1984)

I know how many copies this album sold (over fifteen million) and its number of Top Ten singles (seven, tying Michael Jackson for the most ever from a single album), but this record never fully grabbed me. The goal with the record was to reach as big an audience possible — mission accomplished! — but the glossy production sucked out some of the urgency found on Bruce's previous records. The angry lyrics of the title track get lost in the made-for-stadium-sing-alongs synths, and "Dancing In The Dark" never felt like a real Bruce song to me until the keyboards were hushed a bit and it became a staple encore years later in his live show. Still, "Glory Days" and "I'm Going Down" are pure fun, and "I'm On Fire" and "Cover Me" introduced Bruce as a serious sex symbol. That album cover didn't hurt either.

Listen: "I'm Goin' Down"

 

4. Nebraska (1982)

In 1982, MTV was beginning to take shape as a powerful music tastemaker, and musicians, for the most part, responded accordingly. Michael Jackson delivered Thriller, with all of its cinematic glory. Prince made sure he was TV-ready with his glammed up 1999. Bruce Springsteen? He put out a collection of sparse songs recorded on a simple four-track machine in his house, accompanied by a stark, black-and-white video that he didn't appear in. The story goes that Steve Van Zandt convinced Springsteen to put the demos out "as is," which at the time was unheard-of for an artist of his stature. There's a strong Dylan influence in the storytelling style, but the delivery is more personal and isolated. You feel like you may be the only one who knows that these people exist, as you listen to their quietly desperate tales.

Listen: "Atlantic City"

 

3. Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)

After Born To Run, Springsteen was tied up in a legal battle with former manager Mike Appel. During that time, he recorded tons of music, much of it up-tempo and playful (like "Because the Night," which he gave to Patti Smith, and "Fire," which he gave to the Pointer Sisters). But for his next release, Springsteen wanted to put out a record that was "a reckoning with the adult world." Darkness is a bleak, driving sequel to the optimistic Born To Run. These are the characters who ran off with their girlfriends on a high of giddy rebellion, only to have to face the crushing low that followed. The songs range in style from the defiant guitar attack of "Badlands" to the tear-wrenching piano plinking on "Racing in the Streets," but the message is the same: "You're down and out and you're not going anywhere." Thankfully, The Boss injects two searing blasts of optimism in "Promised Land" and "Prove It All Night."

Listen: "Badlands"

 

2. The River  (1980)

You've read countless tales of Bruce showing up at The Stone Pony, Wonder Bar or some other local club and wowing the crowd for hours (and, if you believe Ben Stiller, refilling the ketchup bottles while he's at it). I know if I saw Bruce in a club, I'd want to see him perform the barnburning songs from this album. Straightforward rockers like "The Ties That Bind," "Two Hearts," "Out in the Street" and "You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)" are relentless barrages, glued together with clanging guitars and some of Bruce's best vocal performances. But there's a "downer" side to this record ― downtempo songs that force your to drop your beer and bear witness to lean times, cracked relationships, and desperate loners. Check out "Stolen Car," which Springsteen has identified as a turning point in the development of his writing style.

Listen: "The Ties That Bind"

 

1. Born to Run (1975)

The definitive album about "getting out" has been written about to death, but that's for good reason. Born to Run's street stories and enormous arrangements are energizing, heartbreaking, and most of all, honest. Springsteen was at a make-or-break point in his career, so he doubled down and delivered an album so ambitious that I'm not sure even he's capable of matching its scope and emotion again. Bruce's lower-register vocals can sound a bit too serious at times, but that's a minor flaw on what is otherwise a flawless work. From the dusky beauty of "Thunder Road" to the defiant roar of "Born to Run" all the way through to the haunting worldless vocals of "Jungleland," the album is a snapshot of a day in the life of any twenty-something trying to get somewhere better than where they are now. 

Listen: "Thunder Road"

 

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Randy Abramson was lucky enough to be removed from his own birthday party at the age of ten to see Bruce open what was then the Brendan Byrne Arena in NJ. Since then, he created the New Jersey Online Springsteen Celebrity Shrine and has written about Bruce for Newsweek.com and MSNBC.com. He now runs Rocktorch.com, a site dedicated to publishing music recommendations from people who know music best ― the artists themselves.