In a few weeks, Bruce Springsteen would be 75 years old. But you wouldn’t be able to guess that if you ever managed to watch one of his shows. Springsteen is still selling out shows and making thousands of people groove with him. And now, he is a billionaire.
But it’s not just strings and style with the rock legend. The former e street singer is a rare breed of artists who only get stronger with age. Going from his humble blue-collar origins to becoming one of the all-time greats took a few key ingredients: impeccable work ethic, connection to his roots, and spreading love to everyone.
The Making of a Legend
Born in New Jersey in 1949, Bruce Springsteen grew up with a father who worked as a bus driver and a mother who was the actual breadwinner of the house. He saw up close the struggles and perils of a blue-collar worker. When he was just 15, he saw the Beatles perform at the Ed Sullivan Show – a moment that inspired him to buy a guitar of his own and changed the course of his life. Since then, Springsteen – who was always described as a loner during his teen years – had his stringed instrument as his only companion. Like most of his contemporaries, Bruce spent his early career years playing small gigs and teaming up with random musicians to form bands that lived short lives.
Eventually, in 1973, Springsteen released his first album: ‘Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.‘ Though praised by critics, the album went under the public radar. The same went on for his future albums as well. But not everyone failed to recognize the star in the making; John Landau, the legendary music critic, said in 1974: “I saw rock and roll future, and its name is Bruce Springsteen.” The two began a friendship that lasted a lifetime – including when Springsteen indicted Landau in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.
In 1975, Landau’s words came true when ‘Born to Run‘ gave Springsteen the breakthrough success he needed. This was followed by ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town‘ (1978) and ‘The River‘ (1980). In 1984, he cemented his position as a rock legend with ‘Born in the U.S.A.‘, which proved to be his most commercially successful album to date. The ‘future of rock’ was shaping the future of rock, one beat at a time.
The Voice of the American Dream
What truly made Bruce Springsteen iconic was his connection with his American roots. Right from his debut album, Bruce spoke of the life experiences of an average, blue-collar American. His voice connected with the aspirations and feelings of millions of people who came from similar roots. All through his life, he tried to stay true to those roots. So much so that when he moved back to New Jersey to raise his kids, he felt the clear disconnect between his posh residence and the people he sang about, just a few blocks away.
As Springsteen grew in status, he also came to symbolize the American Dream. A regular boy from New Jersey, from humble background, rose to become one of the greatest artists of all time. He was not just a friend to share a tune with, but also an inspiration to look up to. That’s how people view his music today as well.
Love for All
It was not just his voice and talent that has made Bruce Springsteen the heartthrob he is. As early as the 90s, he has been an outspoken supporter of LGBT+ rights. He was one of the most fervent supporters of gay marriage rights. He also supported trans people against discrimination in using public bathrooms. Springsteen has also supported women’s rights on numerous occasions. His songs, like “We Take Care Of Our Own”, have been featured as theme songs of various human rights campaigns.
A Legacy for Ages
After a career that spanned over half a century, it is not easy to define the legacy of an artist. One could try to quantify their accomplishments, however. His 21 studio albums, 7 live albums, and 5 EPs have collectively sold over 140 million copies across the world – making him the 27th best-selling artist of all time. Springsteen has won 20 Grammy awards, two Golden Globes, an Academy Award as well as a special Tony award. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2009, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016. In 2010, Rolling Stone ranked him as the 23rd greatest artist of all time.
But numbers alone couldn’t completely explain the impact Bruce Springsteen has had on the music industry as well as the world. He became the embodiment of the American Dream; the voice of the American blue-collar workers. Springsteen was perhaps the most influential force in shaping Heartland Rock – an alternative rock genre that combined rock with poetic lyrics focused on the social realities of the working class. Though not considered as relevant today anymore, Heartland Rock was the voice of the fears and hopes of the American workers – and it was Springsteen who lent his voice to them. Called the “rock ‘n roll poet”, he was considered one of the greatest songwriters of all time. It’s no surprise that he was the recipient of the Woodie Guthrie Award in 2021 – an award given to artists who exceptionally work towards social justice.
Going Strong, Now and Forever
This is 2024 – more than 50 years since ‘Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.’ was released. Bruce Springsteen is still touring, still selling out concerts, and it does not seem like he is likely to halt. In 2021, he sold the rights to his entire music catalog to Sony Music for $500 million. In 2024, Forbes estimated his net worth to be $1.1 billion. A biopic on his life is reportedly in the works.
There is no stopping Bruce Springsteen. The king of heartland rock continues to rule over us all.