Top 10 Bruce Springsteen Songs

He's the Boss. Join WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Bruce Springsteen songs. Special thanks to our users "aldqbigsquare", "Sam Isett", "Harry Capper-Duffin" and "dbzrulesok" for submitting the idea for this video at our WatchMojo.com/suggest page!

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He’s the Boss. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Bruce Springsteen songs.

For this list, we’ve chosen our entries based on a combination of the artist’s fan favorites and their most commercially successful songs.

Opening with a memorable violin and piano intro, this fan and critic favorite is the 9-and-a-half minute closer to Bruce Springsteen’s third effort. Featuring an unforgettable Clarence Clemons’ sax solo and one of the finest examples of the singer-songwriter’s narrative technique, “Jungleland” takes us on a musical and emotional journey that’s truly epic.

While it might be the track that’s least representative of his extremely varied work, “Dancing in the Dark” is still The Boss’ biggest hit. With its lively synthesizer riffs and off-beat rhythm, this power pop and rock number hit the Billboard Hot 100’s second spot and helped its parent album become his best-selling record ever. Who can forget his smooth dance moves in the accompanying music video?

Though the jury’s still out on the meaning of this song’s title, what is known is that the second track off Born to Run is the musical equivalent to a biography of the E Street Band. Led by Clemons on the sax, “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” combines horns and a piano-driven rhythm to tell us the tale of Springsteen as Big Scooter “searching for his groove.” The rocking number is also often played live.

Thanks to its rousing chorus, the title track to Born in the U.S.A. was Springsteen’s third top ten American single from his seventh studio album. With its memorable synthesizer riff and blasting drums, it’s also one of the artist’s most well-known tracks. But it’s “Born in the U.S.A.”’s heartland rock style and socio-political lyrics that deal with the downside of the Vietnam War that really make it a Springsteen classic.

The first minute of this 6-and-a-half minute number off Born to Run is made up of an instrumental piano and organ section. It’s the perfect introduction to this song of “love so hard and filled with defeat,” which Springsteen makes all the more poignant with his passionate vocals and storytelling prowess. But nothing makes “Backstreets” truly come alive more than experiencing it in concert with the extra piano and vocal solo called the “Sad Eyes” interlude.

Inspired by his sister and her husband’s economic difficulties as a young couple, Springsteen crafted this sad but powerful song that appeared on the album of the same name. While it wasn’t released as single in the U.S., “The River” quickly found a home on rock radio. With its folk rock flavors and Springsteen’s harmonica playing, this moving tune about dreams versus reality is often modified or extended while played live.

This folk rock track off Nebraska follows the same dark vein as the rest of the album: in just four short minutes, Springsteen brings us into the world of a young couple tackling issues of human mortality and organized crime in the New Jersey city. The honest and thought-provoking tune is another live stunner and has been covered by multiple artists.

With its unforgettable drum intro and anthemic nature, “Badlands” is a hard rocking tune that’s simply meant to be played in concert. Featuring a piano-and-electric guitar riff borrowed from The Animals, Max Weinberg’s energetic drumming and so much more, the track showcases Springsteen and the E Street Band at their finest. Despite only charting within the Billboard top fifty, it continues to be a fan and band favorite.

This first-person love letter and title cut to Springsteen’s third record epitomized heartland rock to a tee. Its big sound, layered guitars and inspiring message helped it reach the Billboard top 40, which in turn, helped launch the singer to mainstream success. Today, the beloved underdog anthem is a Springsteen signature tune and a live staple. Just take a listen for yourself to see why.

Honorable Mentions

“The Promised Land”
“Wrecking Ball”
“Glory Days”
“Darkness on the Edge of Town”
“Racing in the Street”

They couldn’t have chosen a better track to be the opener of The Boss’s breakthrough record. Mixing folk and rock with blue-collar themes, “Thunder Road” slowly brings you in with piano and harmonica. But it’s Springsteen’s vocals, the song’s mounting pace, and masterful blending of multiple instruments that makes it one of his most performed tunes. To top things off, it’s also often considered one of the greatest rock songs ever.

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite Bruce Springsteen song? With more entertaining top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com