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Top Ten Bruce Springsteen Songs

Bruce Springsteen is an icon of classic rock music. Throughout his career, he’s had a lot of amazing numbers, but his peak was in the seventies and early eighties. This was an era where he produced most of his greatest songs. Whether they are on the fun or the more serious side, Springsteen has always had a knack of delivering a memorable, powerful tune. Here are ten of his best songs with some honorable mentions.

10. Atlantic City

Coming in at number ten is Atlantic City, a song about the subject that Springsteen superbly made use continuously throughout his career – the plight of the worker. The song is very depressing, that’s for sure. But it’s also very well sung, it paints a clear picture and its lyrics are particularly outstanding.

9. Backstreets

Probably one of his most critically acclaimed numbers is Backstreets. Although it gets only the ninth spot on my list due to me personally not loving the narrative-driven songs, I still highly appreciate this number for actually including a truly beautiful tale about friendship. It’s a very moving, nostalgic song powered by Springsteen’s impressive vocals.

8. Tougher Than the Rest

Quite possibly the most underrated song on my list, Tougher Than the Rest is shamelessly underappreciated as most people don’t care about the more romantic Springsteen songs. But I love them and this is among his best ones in that area. The lyrics are terrific and the refrain is particularly striking. It’s a calmer, but still pleasant and wonderful song.

7. Tunnel of Love

The seventh placement belongs to also another underrated effort. Tunnel of Love is this late eighties charmer that benefits from some of the catchiest and most memorable beats in Springsteen’s entire oeuvre. It’s a great reminder that a lot of his songs are actually more iconic for the sound than the lyrics, which just shows how incredible he is as he does both so well.

6. Trapped

I guess that this one is also underrated, which signifies the importance of highlighting some less famous songs by artists, which was my main intention here. But I also genuinely like these songs the most for myself, which is why I picked them. Trapped was a song that was in existence before, but Bruce took it and improved upon it, especially by making the refrain powerful and very catchy.

5. Better Days

The first of the two songs in my top five with the word “days” in their title and refrain, Better Days is such a fun song that has some of the better, more memorable beats and it’s just a lot of fun to sing along to. This is another number that receives more recognition among the larger audiences.

4. Glory Days

The second of the two “days” songs, Glory Days takes the edge for me simply on one virtue alone – the beat. Breezy, fun, exciting and downright incredible in its central beat, Glory Days is one of those highly energetic numbers that honestly made me wish that Bruce made more of in his career. The eighties beat here is particularly awesome.

3. Born to Run

Although superbly sung as usual by Springsteen, nothing beats the main beat in Born to Run, one of the most iconic songs that defined his artist and deservedly so. A beautiful ode to the power of youth, it is full of energy, but also wonderfully descriptive and extremely well written. Only two songs are more iconic than this one.

2. Born in the U.S.A.

And one of those two is Born in the U.S.A. This is a song that still divides fans due to its heavily political bent, but I personally find it to be a great indictment on the wrong pro-war US policies of the past. With that being said, the song also benefits from an incredible chorus and truly one of the most energetic and best performances from the artist. It’s a great plea for peace, but an undeniably spectacular piece of pop culture music that still manages to get people on their feet after all these years.

1. Dancing in the Dark

Easily the best Bruce Springsteen song of all time is Dancing in the Dark, a 1984 hit number that was widely popular, but somehow not really respected by the critics. It deserves more respect because it’s staggeringly heartbreaking in its incredible, universal lyrics. Everybody can find themselves in these words that he sings with so much passion and heart. The fact that he made this song upbeat and fun despite the admittedly depressing lyrics just goes to show how energetic he is as a performer and how magnetic his singing is. Instantly catchy, fun and so powerful, Dancing in the Dark is an absolute rock classic.

Honorable Mentions:

Streets of Philadelphia – Though I find this song a bit overrated, Streets of Philadelphia benefits from memorable, descriptive lyrics and a very melancholic tone to it.

Working on the Highway – Explosive and very memorable in its central beat, Working on the Highway is so underrated and just a lot of fun.

Darlington County – By far one of the most underappreciated songs in Springsteen’s discography, Darlington County is charming, fun and pleasingly old-fashioned.