Bruce Springsteen Biography

Birth of Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen, later known as a songwriter and rock performer from New Jersey.

Joins The Castiles, an early rock band that gives him important teenage stage and recording experience.

Records early material with The Castiles at Mr. Music in New Jersey.

Performs around Asbury Park with Child, one of his early post-Castiles groups.

Ends the Steel Mill period after building a strong regional following in New Jersey and Virginia.

Signs with Columbia Records after auditioning for John Hammond.

Writes Blinded by the Light, later a major hit for Manfred Mann's Earth Band.

Releases Greetings from Asbury Park NJ, his debut album on Columbia Records.

Releases The Wild the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle, deepening his Asbury Park storytelling style.

Releases Born to Run, the album that brings his first major commercial breakthrough.

Appears on the covers of Time and Newsweek in the same week during the Born to Run breakthrough.

Settles legal disputes with Mike Appel, allowing him to resume recording with the E Street Band.

Releases Badlands, a defining anthem from Darkness on the Edge of Town.

Releases Darkness on the Edge of Town, a tougher album shaped by work, struggle and responsibility.

Performs at the No Nukes concerts at Madison Square Garden with the E Street Band.

Releases Hungry Heart, giving him his first United States top ten single.

Releases The River, a double album mixing party songs, working-class stories and darker adult themes.

Tours extensively behind The River, strengthening his reputation as a marathon live performer.

Releases Nebraska, a stark solo album recorded largely on a home cassette recorder.

Releases Dancing in the Dark, one of his biggest hit singles.

Releases Born in the USA, the album that turns him into a global pop and rock superstar.

Completes a major world tour that confirms his stadium-level popularity.

Records with USA for Africa on We Are the World, the famine relief charity single.

Releases Live 1975-85, a large concert box set documenting his stage career.

Releases Tunnel of Love, an introspective album focused on love, doubt and marriage.

Tours for Amnesty International on the Human Rights Now! benefit tour.

Releases Human Touch, one of two albums issued on the same day after the E Street Band period pauses.

Releases Lucky Town, a more spontaneous companion album to Human Touch.

Releases In Concert MTV Plugged after performing with his early-1990s touring band.

Releases Streets of Philadelphia for the film Philadelphia, winning major awards for the song.

Releases Greatest Hits with several new songs recorded with the E Street Band.

Releases The Ghost of Tom Joad, returning to sparse storytelling about migration, poverty and displacement.

Is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist.

Releases The Rising, responding to the September 11 attacks with the reunited E Street Band.

Releases Devils and Dust, a solo-oriented album focused on war, faith and private moral conflict.

Releases We Shall Overcome The Seeger Sessions, interpreting songs associated with Pete Seeger.

Releases Magic with the E Street Band, combining bright rock arrangements with darker political themes.

Performs the halftime show at Super Bowl XLIII with the E Street Band.

Releases Wrecking Ball, an album shaped by economic anger and social protest.

Publishes Born to Run, a memoir about his life, music and struggles with depression.

Releases Western Stars, drawing on orchestral pop and American western imagery.

Releases Letter to You, recorded live in the studio with the E Street Band.

Releases Tracks II The Lost Albums, collecting seven previously unreleased full-length records.