The 30 Best Bruce Springsteen Songs, from Thunder Road to The Rising

What is Bruce Springsteen's most famous song?

"Born to Run", the title track of his 1975 breakthrough album, is Bruce Springsteen's most famous song, along with "Thunder Road", "Born in the U.S.A." and "Dancing in the Dark", his highest-charting single, which reached number two in 1984. "Streets of Philadelphia" won him an Oscar, and "Glory Days", "Hungry Heart" and "I'm on Fire" were all top ten hits.

Bruce Springsteen's greatest songs

1. "Born to Run", 1975: a wall-of-sound anthem of escape and the song that made him a star.
2. "Thunder Road", 1975: the opening song of Born to Run, a fan favorite above all others.
3. "Dancing in the Dark", 1984: his biggest hit, a number two single with a famous video.
4. "Born in the U.S.A.", 1984: a Vietnam veteran's story, often mistaken for a patriotic anthem.
5. "Glory Days", 1985: a singalong about looking back at the good old days.
6. "Hungry Heart", 1980: his first top ten hit, from The River.
7. "I'm on Fire", 1985: a quiet, smoldering top ten single.
8. "Streets of Philadelphia", 1994: the Oscar-winning song from the film Philadelphia.
9. "Jungleland", 1975: a nine-minute epic with Clarence Clemons' legendary sax solo.
10. "The River", 1980: a heartbreaking story of young love and hard times.

Songs from the 70s

11. "Blinded by the Light", 1973: his debut single, later a number one for Manfred Mann's Earth Band.
12. "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)", 1973: a long, joyous concert closer.
13. "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)", 1973: a wistful boardwalk love song.
14. "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out", 1975: a horn-driven song about the E Street Band itself.
15. "Badlands", 1978: the fierce opener of Darkness on the Edge of Town.
16. "The Promised Land", 1978: a song of hope and determination.
17. "Racing in the Street", 1978: a slow, sad song about cars and lost dreams.

Songs from the 80s

18. "Atlantic City", 1982: a dark, acoustic story from Nebraska.
19. "Cover Me", 1984: a top ten rocker from Born in the U.S.A.
20. "My Hometown", 1985: a reflective song about a changing town.
21. "I'm Goin' Down", 1985: the sixth top ten hit from Born in the U.S.A.
22. "Brilliant Disguise", 1987: a searching song about trust in a marriage.
23. "Tunnel of Love", 1987: the title track of his most personal album.
24. "Tougher Than the Rest", 1987: a slow, steady love song from Tunnel of Love.

Songs from the 90s to today

25. "Human Touch", 1992: the lead single from one of two albums released on the same day.
26. "Secret Garden", 1995: a ballad that found new life in the film Jerry Maguire.
27. "The Ghost of Tom Joad", 1995: an acoustic song inspired by The Grapes of Wrath.
28. "The Rising", 2002: the title song of his response to September 11.
29. "Land of Hope and Dreams", 2012: a gospel-rock anthem that became a concert closer.
30. "Letter to You", 2020: a reunion with the E Street Band about friendship and loss.

Who is Bruce Springsteen?

Bruce Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949, in Long Branch, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby Freehold. He came up through the bars and boardwalk clubs of the Jersey Shore, formed the E Street Band in the early 70s and became famous for epic, story-filled songs and marathon concerts. Nicknamed the Boss, he has sold more than 140 million records, won 20 Grammys, an Academy Award and a special Tony Award, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.

The story behind Born to Run

After two albums that sold modestly, Springsteen knew his third had to be a breakthrough. He spent months on the title song alone, layering guitars, saxophone, glockenspiel and strings into a huge wall of sound inspired by Phil Spector and Roy Orbison. Released in 1975, Born to Run put him on the covers of both Time and Newsweek in the same week, and its title song became one of the great anthems of rock.

Born in the U.S.A. and its seven hits

Born in the U.S.A., released in 1984, sold about 30 million copies and produced seven top ten singles, from "Dancing in the Dark" and "Cover Me" to "Glory Days", "I'm on Fire" and "My Hometown". Its title song is a bitter story about a Vietnam veteran who comes home to no work and no help, but its huge chorus led many listeners, including politicians, to hear it as a simple celebration. For more songs like it, see our anti-war songs.

Nebraska and Deliver Me from Nowhere

In 1982 Springsteen recorded a set of dark, quiet songs alone at home on a four-track cassette recorder, planning them as demos for the band. He decided the stark recordings were the album, and Nebraska became one of his most admired records. Its making is the subject of Deliver Me from Nowhere, a 2025 film starring Jeremy Allen White as Springsteen.

The E Street Band

The E Street Band, named after a street in Belmar, New Jersey, has backed Springsteen on most of his albums and tours, with members including Steven Van Zandt, Max Weinberg, Roy Bittan, Garry Tallent, Nils Lofgren and Patti Scialfa, Springsteen's wife. Saxophonist Clarence Clemons, the Big Man, was its heart until his death in 2011, and his nephew Jake Clemons now carries on his parts. For more, see our best saxophone songs.

Bruce Springsteen albums to start with

• Born to Run (1975): the breakthrough.
• Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978): tougher and leaner.
• Nebraska (1982): quiet, stark and haunting.
• Born in the U.S.A. (1984): the blockbuster.
• The Rising (2002): his powerful response to September 11.

Bruce Springsteen songs for a wedding

"If I Should Fall Behind" and "Tougher Than the Rest" are popular first dance choices for Springsteen fans, and "Tunnel of Love" and "Secret Garden" suit a romantic moment. For the reception, "Dancing in the Dark", "Glory Days", "Hungry Heart" and "Rosalita" pack the dance floor. For more, see our rock wedding songs and 80s wedding songs.

Bruce Springsteen songs for a road trip

Few artists wrote more songs about cars and the open road. For a drive, play "Born to Run", "Thunder Road", "Racing in the Street", "Drive All Night", "Cadillac Ranch" and "Ramrod", and save "Jungleland" for the last stretch at night. For more, see our road trip songs.

Bruce Springsteen songs for a memorial or for veterans

"The Rising", "My City of Ruins", "Land of Hope and Dreams" and "Terry's Song" are often chosen for memorials, and "Born in the U.S.A." and "Brothers Under the Bridge" honor Vietnam veterans. For more, see our Veterans Day songs.

A song as big as the Boss

Springsteen's songs turn ordinary lives into epics. A personalized song can do the same for someone you love: their name, their hometown, their first car and the moments that made them who they are, with a big rock or acoustic sound. It makes a great birthday, anniversary or Father's Day gift for a lifelong Springsteen fan.

How to create a personalized rock song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: rock, folk, acoustic and more.
2. Add their name.
3. Share three memories or details about them.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $35.99, or $40.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Give them an anthem of their own: create a song and hear four previews for free.