#139 Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen

The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time

2025 Album Rank

139

2011 Album Rank

99

Total Points

455

Year Released

1984

Genre

Rock

Billboard 200 Chart Peak

1

Weeks at #1

7

RIAA Sales Certification

17,000,000 (Multi-Platinum)

Buy Album

Apple Music Amazon

Born in the U.S.A. Album Details

Released on June 4, 1984, Born in the U.S.A. catapulted Bruce Springsteen to worldwide superstardom, combining anthemic rock sounds with sharply observed, often somber lyrical themes. While the booming choruses and synth-driven production created a feeling of triumph, the album's stories dealt heavily with disillusionment, working-class struggles, and the costs of the American Dream. It became a defining cultural moment of the 1980s, blending commercial accessibility with deep social commentary.

Featuring hits like "Dancing in the Dark", "Glory Days", and the title track "Born in the U.S.A.", the album produced seven Top 10 singles and established Springsteen as both a pop icon and a voice of the everyman. Its success helped solidify his reputation as one of America's most important and enduring songwriters.

Other Bruce Springsteen albums on the chart: Born to Run.

Interesting Facts About Born in the U.S.A.

• The title track, "Born in the U.S.A.", was often misunderstood as a patriotic anthem, but it is actually a bitter critique of America's treatment of Vietnam veterans.
• Many of the songs were originally written for a darker, acoustic album called Nebraska, but Springsteen reworked them with the E Street Band into a more electric, radio-friendly form.
• "Dancing in the Dark" was written under pressure from his manager Jon Landau, who told Springsteen the album needed a hit single to ensure broader success.
• The famous music video for "Dancing in the Dark" was directed by Brian De Palma and features a young Courteney Cox being pulled onstage to dance with Springsteen.
• The album was recorded using a variety of studios, including The Power Station and The Hit Factory in New York.
• Springsteen recorded over 80 songs during the sessions for Born in the U.S.A., more than enough for several albums.
• The bright synthesizer sound on the album was heavily influenced by Roy Bittan's playing and helped bridge the gap between classic rock and the emerging pop trends of the 1980s.
• Despite its huge success, Springsteen later expressed complicated feelings about the album's commercialism, feeling that its bombastic production sometimes obscured the dark messages within the lyrics.
• Born in the U.S.A., Michael Jackson's Thriller, and Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 are the only three albums in the pre-streaming era to have seven songs released as singles reach the top ten on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.
• The album spent a record 84 consecutive weeks in the top ten on Billboard's album chart.
• "Dancing in the Dark" is Bruce's biggest hit single. It reached #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, held out of the top spot by "When Dove's Cry" from Prince's Purple Rain album.
• In 1984 Bruce won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male for the song "Dancing in the Dark".

Born in the U.S.A. Track List

1. Born in the U.S.A. - Reached #9 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
2. Cover Me - Reached #7 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
3. Darlington County
4. Working on the Highway
5. Downbound Train
6. I'm on Fire - Reached #6 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
7. No Surrender
8. Bobby Jean
9. I'm Goin' Down - Reached #9 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
10. Glory Days - Reached #5 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
11. Dancing in the Dark - Reached #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
12. My Hometown - Reached #6 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart

Dancing in the Dark Music Video