The Rising

This was a beautiful album. I could definitely listen to it again.

This makes the feel the same way as post-2000 U2. It’s technically good and I won’t complain listening to it, but there’s just not enough bite here for me to want to listen to a 70 minute album mostly about 9/11. Favorite songs were Waitin On A Sunny Day and The Rising.

This album sort of sounds like if Bruce Springsteen made an album about 9/11, and it's half an hour too long. I don't know who asked for this, but it certainly wasn't me.

-wow alright MORE Bruce Springsteen… uhh i wasn’t too blown away by this in comparison to some of his other stuff. went on a bit long and got downright corny at parts -still not terrible though, there were some good songs on here, love the Hindustani music -also i think this is my 365th album!!! can’t believe i’ve been doing this for a YEAR yaay -Favorites are Nothing Man and Worlds Apart

Not sure what people (and this list) see in Bruce

Some great songs…very emotional…don’t love every track

It’s good but less from what I would expect from Springsteen. I wasn’t overly impressed.

Never heard this one before but it's my new favorite of his.

Liked a couple of songs but nothing special overall.

The music is decent enough but the neo-liberal flag hugging has always come off so corny to me that I can’t get into the boss. If America’s political spectrum wasn’t a complete abomination *this* would be the music of the conservatives.

Not a fan of his music or OUTSPOKEN Political BS RANTS!

i keep trying to listen to this album and i just cannot find the motivation or time to finish it. it’s So long and somewhat boring and uninteresting. it’s probably good background music.

alveg fínt brúsa-rokk. efast um að ég hafi áhuga á annarri umferð, annað efni hans er bara betra.

= the Beatles I like Springsteen but the albums on this list so far are his least interesting in my opinion

Really enjoyed this and I am not a Bruce Springsteen fan. (Although it sounded nothing like Bruce Springsteen so that follows)

Waiting on a sunny day= good! Nothing man = very good Worlds Apart = very good! African rhythms actually work and the guitar rips. Some songs generic and overproduced

None of the Springsteen albums have really connected with me, and this may have been the one I liked the least. With a few exceptions, most tracks ranged from boring to annoying. (While listening, it didn’t occur to me at all that this was a “post-9/11” album - I don’t think that changes my opinion of it, though.) Not bad: “Worlds Apart,” “Further On (Up the Road),” “Paradise” 2.5

i had a feeling this would be another instance of this album being a little too long for my liking, and boy was i right. i didn't really bother to rate this one in depth like i did others cuz most of these tracks are a 2 at best (hence my 2-star rating). i got sick of this by the 3rd track (which was probably one of the most excruciating tracks here) and completely gave up by the 5th. the fact that this album is 15 tracks long is crazy parts of the album were boring, others were corny and hyper-patriotic. maybe this tone is due to a post-9/11 America, idk. i just didn't like this very much. so far i've only listened to Born To Run prior to this, and i thought it was alright. i'm hoping i've gotten past the worst of Springsteen and that it'll all be uphill from here

rather dull, meat and potatoes stadium rock

Ahh the 9/11 album. It goes about like you would think. Some songs are sad but have a tinge of hope, others are hopeful with a tinge of sadness. They all kind of sound similar as it's album number 12. If you like Springsteen it fills that niche nicely. If you don't, then you probably won't like it. I'm a fan of his Nebraska album so this seems over produced to me but it's not obnoxiously so. Keep in mind Nebraska was him his guitar and a tape recorder, it's a glorified demo. Overall he has better albums but this isn't bad. I doubt I will replay this one though.

Worlds Apart is pretty interesting

Bruce is sad about what just happened but hopeful for the future. That’s great but not sure he needed to communicate that exact emotion over and over for 15 songs. Best song: Into the Fire

Underwhelmed by this one. I preferred the previous album of his we had. Lots of songs here that are perfectly pleasant to listen to but it just didn’t hold my attention. Some of the songs were a bit too repetitive for me and it occasionally felt a little cheesy. It was a surprisingly nuanced 9/11 response album, but then, from what I know of his politics it maybe isn’t all that surprising. Unfortunately still not an album I think I’ll listen to again. Fav song: Further On (Up the Road) Least fav: Nothing Man

I hate Bruce Springsteen and I hate country music, and this is apparently Bruce Springsteen's more country-leaning 9/11 album. What the fuck were people smoking at the time that this has such universally good reviews? It's pure dog shit.

It's The Boss. End of story.

3/5

Meh, avec un à côté de bof, même pas assez plate pour mériter un deux étoiles

Originally gave this a 3 but it's not good enough for that. Springsteen has never really been my thing and he continues this trend here. I just don't find anything here particularly interesting. It's wild to me that some of these songs were considered experimental, when all they do is deviate slightly from Springsteen's usual fare. It's not terrible but not great either. I know this is a post-9/11 album, and maybe it was felt that it was indicative enough of that point in time that it is historically relevant and should be included on this list for that reason, but I think it's also possible it mainly was added as it was a recent, good-ish album by a classic artist, as unfortunately some of the newer additions on this list fit the bill for this. For 9/11 albums I'd rather listen to American Idiot. Sorry.

My favorite era of Springsteen is from his debut through "The River". This is my third Springsteen album and nothing from that era has shown up yet which is regrettable since three albums from that era are widely considered to be among his all-time classics. (Yet further evidence that the author's musical taste and judgement often suck.) This album was pretty decent. I enjoyed listening to it and it was worth while but I doubt I'll revisit it.

Okay how many Bruce albums are on here? This is the fifth I've listened to and I've only listened to 1/4th of the list. This is not one I would have thought to include on this list.

I Love Springsteen and this album, while it doesn't have any of my favorite songs, is great. Exactly what I expect and want from him.

kinda slayling.

Bruce really *is* a controversial artist for me. This one was much better than the last. But how many more are there, I wonder?

I didn’t really enjoy this album listen. I can see why people might like this album but it was not for me. I wouldn’t listen to this again but I’m glad that I tried something new and gave it a listen!

Not my favorite from the Boss

oof. I love the Boss but this one is boring AF. Also a little country? ugh. make it stop.

What in the world is "important" about this album? Mostly feels like a knockoff of the better stuff he made 20+ years before. (apparently it's important because the E-Street Band reunited to respond to 9/11, which means this mediocre album probably sold a billion copies.

I’ve never really got Springsteen, but his big tracks are usually good - Lonesome Road in this case.

One of my personal favorite Springsteen albums.

I know The Rising meant a lot to many people when it came out, but when I think of music reckoning with 9/11, it's Sleater-Kinney's "Far Away" on One Beat that rings the loudest and most true. But this record feels unfocused, like it's caught in the middle of too many emotions. I tried to give it an open-hearted listen, but from the first plodding beat and the cliché chord progressions my expectations were set low. The "let's uplift with anthems" track selections kept pulling me out of the emotional places that songs like "You're Missing" manage to reach — and in the end, it's just not working for me as a whole. Maybe Springsteen was aiming to capture all the facets of his feelings and make something sweeping. Or maybe no one wanted to get in the Boss's way and tell him to hone in on a more focused perspective. If the album had been pared down to the more introspective songs like "Nothing Man" and "Paradise," and fewer full-band tracks like "Let's Be Friends," then songs like "The Rising", "Worlds Apart" and "Into the Fire" might've hit even harder. If I had the patience to trim this down to ten tracks—say, around 48 minutes of just a few strong feelings — I might appreciate it the way I appreciate Nebraska (which is to say, I'd *want* to listen to it from time to time).

Surprisingly good. Strong 3/5.

Didn’t recognise any songs, but some seemed pretty good

Why is Springsteen iconic? I don’t understand it. And why and album from 2002? Wasn’t that a couple decades past his heyday? Anyway, yuck. It's bad.

Feels like I should be in a pickup flying a flag.

My first 9/11 album in this list, and it's got it's cheesy moments for sure. But it's a lot more reflective than vindictive, and patriotic without being a jingoistic caricature. Still, this is mostly bland 2000s rock without anything particularly standout from a musical perspective. I like the 80s Springsteen more, and I wasn't even really a fan of that. Best song is Worlds Apart or Lonesome Day.

Ugh. The first half of this had me thinking "get me out of here". But the album got somewhat better with a good run of songs towards the end. I liked World apart, Further On and the Fuse. Coming into this, even though I haven't listened to a lot of Springsteen, I thought I was more of a fan and looked forward to hearing some of his music that I hadn't heard. Two albums down and I'm not overly impressed so far. 4.5/10

Appreciated the concept and sentiment but the songs didn’t match. Kinda middle of the road bland rock

да вроде норм) ничего от Брюса не ожидаю, всё поняла уже)) посмотрела клип на денсинг ин зе дарк, это кто тут уайт секси бой

No thank you

I like the opening track, Waiting on a Sunny Day and Further on (Up the Road). But they are only three songs on a seemingly endless album filled with boring.

This felt a little too...clean for a Springsteen album. Not in lyrical content (he's never been particularly dirty as far as I can tell), but in production. Springsteen has grit, power, energy and a clean production value doesn't really convey that very well if you ask me. It softens him. Maybe that's just the phase of life he was in - no longer the gritty, working class rocker but instead something more mature. Sometimes more mature means boring, and the loss of edge. I think that's partially what happened here. That doesn't mean what he's produced isn't meaningful, or that there aren't moments that really shine. That definitely wouldn't be true. But man are some of these songs on this 72-minute album snoozers. And the snoozers all sound a little too similar to each other. I know this was a reaction to 9/11, and I know that probably explains a lot of the songs sounding a little dour. But I dunno...a lot of it just starts to feel kind of generic after a while. It feels like very safe radio rock, the stuff you'd hear on the soft rock stations. And that's a bummer, but it does make me wonder if my perception of Springsteen has been wrong this entire time. Ask me again later. Two stars. Standout Tracks: Lonesome Day, Worlds Apart, Further On (Up the Road), The Fuse, Mary's Place

Good call here. I own this, and love it. Contains none of his iconic tracks, but as a total work, one of his best albums.

The loss of the World Trade Center on September 11 was terrible. But so is this album, for the most part. It almost just sounds like he's trying to stay relevant well into his career by doing a tribute album to the tragedy. Worlds Apart is pretty decent. But even at that point, I'm feeling like do I really have to listen to 8 more tracks? I just don't get the argument for including this album on this list--especially as I'm sure the list lacks of ton of great stuff 100% more deserving from anybody who isn't an absolute die-hard Springsteen fan. Seems like they included it out of a feeling of guilt--like "It's about 9/11 so we better include it." Anyway, there's a difference between dated and classic. He has older stuff that doesn't sound dated, but classic. This 2002 album sounds super dated. 1/5 not because it's as bad as some of the other art rock albums on this list, but because I see absolutely no reason it's relevant on any level.

gave me a migraine

a comeback album after several years, some great songs, some ok

Top tier divorced dad music. Goes the whole journey really with the rock music underlined by sadness into sadder songs into full depression confession. Love it. Also because this is a directly post 9/11 I like to imagine an alternate universe where the 9/11 butterfly effect leads to a country version of twilight. Specific rating -4.4 Fav song- waitin’ on a sunny day Least fav- paradise

Gotta love a bit of Springsteen! (Not to be American but...)

Not too bad to work to, but not very memorable.

Is this the most boring Bruce Springsteen album or what?

Barely a 3

bad inclusion. album popped up and i saw the release year, the artist, the album name - and i had a hunch. a worry that was pretty quickly founded. heroically going "Into the Fire," mourning a big "Empty Sky" - this is bruce doing a 9/11 album. i know it could be worse - at least it's not toby keith "shock'n y'all" jingoistic crap - but it's an off-putting theme for me, or at least it is with this kind of approach. setting that aside: songs are okay at best, a little boring to me.

This was so painful. It is long, repetitive, tedious, with nothing interesting to offer, just ordinary rock and country. My head hurt very bad after listening to this because this album sucked all of my energies and left me stressed-out.

Niet zijn beste album, maar wel goed. Paar bangers, paar nummers die iets minder zijn, maar overall gewoon een solide 4

Vaikka pomoa rakastan niin tästä levystä mulle jää päälimmäisenä mieleen se että tää on hieman epätasainen. Muutamia tosi hyviä biisejä ja muutama aika kehno. 3/5

Parempaa modernia Springsteeniä. Hallittu kokonaisuus Pomolta.

Very pleasant to listen to.

Perfection.

i forgor

I enjoyed that this album was focused around the event of 9/11, however his singing style was not my favorite.

2002. Rock. 7/10 Lonesome Day / Into the Fire / Waitin' on a Sunny Day / Nothing Man Countin' on a Miracle / Empty Sky / Worlds Apart / Let's Be Friends (Skin to Skin) / Further On (Up the Road) / The Fuse / Mary's Place / You're Missing / The Rising / Paradise / My City of Ruins

I forgot about this album. It's that underrated. When I listented yesterday i was suprised how many songs I knew! Great stuff Boss

Springsteen, aber nicht „at his best“.

Der Boss liefert. Auch hier wieder.

I remember buying this on release day and listening to it thoroughly. It’s a mostly forgettable effort by The Boss, but it’s important for its timing and stories surrounding 9/11. Personally I think his subsequent albums, Magic & Working On A Dream are superior.

Yikes. The songs on here ranged from mostly forgettable to downright cringe. I've enjoyed the other albums by the Boss on this list, but I really feel like this one should have stayed off of it. Will not seek out again. 2/5

This album is decent. I thought I didn't like the Boss, but actually he's got quite a few things that are decent to good. I think I just don't like his "Born in the USA" period. 3.25/5

You know its bad when you get the album generated and you're already dreading it. I'm one song in and wishing it was over..... I'm trying to see this through the lens of a post 9/11 America, but sitting here in 2025 it's giving a lot of ick. I don't want to hear about how great the US is because at this point its not. It's very slow and very depressing. Lots of songs about loss and grieving. Maybe if I was looking for something like this I'd enjoy it, but man this album is a downer.

ook al kan ik hier weinig slechts aan vinden, om één of andere reden doet muziek van The Boss mij niet zoveel... ik kan er de vinger niet opleggen waarom niet...

Mature classic

Two songs in: It sounds like standard rocky singer-songwriter. Like your dad's singer-songwriter. Springsteen has always sounded like he's singing through being constipated to me. Halfway Thru: (Right after Empty Sky) This is such bland tripe. There's a reason I stopped listening to Bruce. Just because he's Bruce Springsteen doesn't mean we need to worship everything he does. I got to "Let's Be Friends" and I'm tapping out. I can't do it any more. This is mid-tier dad rock at best. My Rating: 1/5.

"The Rising" is the 12th studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen. For the most part, the songs are Springsteen's reflections of the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks. It was his first album with the E Street Band since "Born in the USA" and first with producer Brendan O'Brian, who would go on to produce several more with Bruce. The album had wide-spread critical acclaim and, commercially, hit #1 in both the UK and US. "Lonesome Day" opens big with a very loud E Street Band. Strong and emotional vocals by Springsteen. A violin and synth ringing melody. High production, nice mix and anthemic. Springsteen tells the story of a firefighter going up the World Trade Center as survivors flee, rising up like angels with a "dream of life." "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" cranks up the Americana with driving drums and a violin. A nice happy melody and a sax solo. This is a song written in the 1990's. He's wanting to be happy again. Another song written before 9/11, is the subdued "Nothing Man." Ticking drums, an organ/synth and softer vocals. Gospel-like backing vocals. It's about surviving but not knowing how to do it since so many friends did not make it. One of the best songs on the album. Another great song is "Worlds Apart." Qawwali women singers and Middle Eastern music are fused with the music of the E Street Band. And it really works. A condemnation on stereotyping Muslims. A searing guitar solo. The album ends strong. The lead single "The Rising" opens with Springsteen lyrically struggling. The band kicks in and we get the "la la la" anthemic vocal chorus. A grand finish. A song of everyone dealing with struggles and, maybe, more specifically, firefighters going into the World Trade Center. "Paradise" slows it down as Springsteen takes the position of a suicide bomber. Acoustic guitar, soft vocals and strings. The bomber realizes the paradise promised is empty and false. What better way to end an album like this than to go soulful; "My City of Ruins" does just that with an organ and gospel-like backing vocals. Horns are added as the song crests to an end with Springsteen and the backing vocals. A song, he originally wrote for his native Ashbury Park but worked pretty well for the current situation. I don't know why I had never listened to this album before; it's a very good album. Of course, it's emotional and uplifting. I don't think the songs have lost anything since the near post-9/11 time-frame. The band and vocals sound great. I liked the use of different lead instruments. The production and mix are strong, loud and well-executed; impressive how he got the songs to not sound busy with all those instruments. Sure, there's the typical Bruce anthemic songs as noted but there are surprises: the subdued "Nothing Man," Middle Eastern fusion in "World's Apart" and fun songs like "Let's Be Friends." There's a lot to like here and it's a strong Springsteen album.

F tier bruce springsteen. He was washed at this point just putting out an album to stay relevant. Moderately good song writing but full of tropes and that old americana theme that bruce can't get over. Production value is really high, sounds fit for the time. Like a Nickleback legacy album.

4+/5

Bruce's most diverse and intriguing album

1. lonezome - 1.5 2. fire - 1 3. zunny - 1 4. man - 1.5 5. miracle - 1.5 6. zky - 1.5 7. apart - 1.5 8. friendz - 1 9. further - 1.5 10. fuze - 1 11. maryz - 1 12. mizzing - 1 13. rizing - 1.5 14. paradize - 2 15. city - 1.5

Stupid go to bed old man

I think this is a good album, but unlike his best work which doesn't waste a single second, this is too long to it's detriment. Cut off a few of the weaker tracks and this does stand with his 70's and 80's work. Favourite tracks were probably Lonesome Day, Waitin on a Sunny day, Let's Be Friends and The Rising. My City of Ruins is excellent as well. This is a good 4.

Oof, way too much Boss for me. It's tapping directly into the post-9/11 mass-hysterical patriotism, and it's reeking of early 00's commercial rock. Nice pipes though.

Had this not been released when it was, it would have made little to no impact. There’s plenty of great Springsteen albums on this list. No need for The Rising to appear as well.

Woah. Not good Boss.

It's about freakin' time! I can't believe I didn't get a single Springsteen album within my first half of the project, especially considering the man's got 5 of them on this list! That makes it all the funnier that I'm now getting my first album of his as album 555. Ha. Anyway, this album makes a pretty good first impression! I would've liked to start with an earlier album in the Boss's career, but what are you gonna do? The Rising is not an album I see discussed as a real contender for his best album. That discussion tends to lean more towards albums like Born to Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town. However, that's not to say that The Rising doesn't have an important place in Springsteen's career. This album marked a revival of sorts for the guy. For all the Bob Dylan fans out there, this is kind of his Time Out of Mind. But you know what? I think I actually like this album more than Time Out of Mind. This album does have one of the big issues I had with that album though, that being the fact that it just kind of goes on for a bit too long. I don't think this needed to be 72 minutes. Whatever. At least it's 72 minutes of good music. I've said quite a few numbers in this review so far, so how about I say another? 9/11. Yeah, that's the other thing that really makes The Rising stand out. This is Springsteen's 9/11 album. Many of the songs here were written in the aftermath of the attacks and deal with emotions that I'm sure tons of Americans felt around that time. Fortunately, this songs manage to stand out from each other and not feel samey. This isn't an album of 15 variations of the same song. The songwriting is a large part of this. Springsteen's songwriting is pretty good! It's cool to know that, even after 20+ years of making music, the boss still has a talent for the craft. The instrumentation also does wonders for making this album feel fresh. Apparently this was the first album he had made in quite some time featuring his iconic E Street Band. It's good that they managed to get back together again. The sound is great. There's some solid variety here, with songs like "Worlds Apart" and "The Fuse" being pretty experimental for the guy. Of course, you still have some more standard heartland rock affairs, including some of the album's highlights like "Waitin' On A Sunny Day" and the title track. Overall, while I'm sure this isn't Springsteen's best album, it's still a strong showing of some serious talent. Also Springsteen is based as hell. 4/5.

Really average American dad rock which otherwise would have got a 3 if it wasn't for the length of the album

Not sure what the Boss was doing musically during that 7 year hiatus, but it feels like Nothing Man. I have not heard The Rising before, so must be déjà vu or it’s so similar to another one of his albums that it just seems like I’ve heard this one before. He mailed it in and made the 1001 List because of his reuniting with the E Street boys and tied the album to 9/11. A shameful (but smart) act of patriotism. (2.2*s) which is -.2 for lack of originality.

Classic rock acts that want to stay relevant eventually have to get with the times and popify their work. It is tough to do and few bands have successfully made the transition. It worked for U2 (not a fan). John Mellencamp pulled it off with "Dance Naked" but really hit the sweet spot with "Mr. Happy Go Lucky" and "Human Wheels." The Boss attempts it here and almost pulls it off. He had the right timing with 9/11 so it was obviously a hit with his following and the subject matter. However, "The Rising" is overproduced and weak. Bruce goes country and preachy and tries to cross those music genre boundaries to sound fresh. The first half of the album is a bag of skippers. It hits its peak with "Let's be Friend" and has some other good ones on the 2nd half with "The Fuse" and "You're Missing." The title track is listenable but my finger hovers over the skip button as it borders on the Mason Dixon line. "Paradise" is for sure a rip off of S&G's "Sound of Silence." I bet this album works with classic rock and Springsteen fans (even openmindz) for its updated rock feel. For me though, a valid attempt but tries too hard and ends up pretty meh...2.07 stars.

It's better than most of Springsteen's discography post 1987 which for the most part over the last 35+ years is barely listenable bullshit. That isn't saying much because the majority of The Rising is a bunch of mediocre rock songs. Unfortunately The Rising is also 70+ minutes so its even more of a commitment than some of his other garbage. I've tried to give him a chance and have established that I'm just not a fan of Bruce beyond his first couple E Street albums, and even those are just OK. I give him credit as he somehow managed to carve out an enormous fanbase. He ended up branded as the king of workingman's rock so he was give full license to spoon feed his fans a bunch of obnoxious bullshit which they somehow take inspiration from. Props to The Boss for riding the wave I guess. I, myself, will pass on 95% of what he offers. Not looking forward to more from Springsteen but I suspect there are at least 2 more albums coming. 1.56 stars

I had to write a friend to ask why we thought "The Rising" as a song was so funny. Because we did. I remember laughing at it every time it was played, but I didn't recall the reason. As it turns out, it was because we related it to "rise and grind", and by grind we meant weed. After listening to the whole record today. I feel a bit ashamed of this. The Rising, as an album is pretty wonderful. It's like a series of contemporary hymns, songs that address a longing for community, for safety. Given that it came out only months after 9/11, the context for this seems particularly significant. From the perspective of 2025, my flippant dismissal of this record seems to be an example of the ironic resistance to earnest emotion that plagued most of my 20s. There are, perhaps, reasons for this, but the effect is that now, listening to Springsteen, I understand why people love him so much.

5/10

It's like Bruce's style found 1993 in 2002. Better than most but still bland milk toast

I love the Boss. But I'm less aware of his later output than his earlier. I knew this was his 9/11 comeback album. And listening to it now, I can understand why it made such a mark. Just beautiful, soulful rock and roll. So much hope. Into the Fire is one of the most beautiful songs I've heard in a long time. I appreciate that where other artists took an opportunity to get vengeful after 9/11, Springsteen sought unity and hope.

As a big time Brucer, this album is being rated on a separate Bruce scale. In the pantheon of Bruce, this is his best post-Tunnel of Love album by a country mile (only competitor really is Letter To You) Downsides are it’s about 20-30 minutes too long, there are too many slow songs, and the production feels just a little too slick.

Bruce's albums have always been hit or miss for me. This one is huge miss It's over produced, mixed and arranged like a pop album while Bruce does his usual yell sing vocals over music that does not work with those vocals

Despite the reputation, this comes off as a rather flat album, sonically. And I say that as a longtime Bruce fan

The Rising was the standout track on this album. Rock with undertones of blues and country. It’s got a good sound, but the lyrics felt a little lacking on the album? Fine, but didn’t wow me

Intimate, sentimental, and occasionally quite beautiful! This is only the second Bruce Springsteen album I’ve listened to all the way through. The standout tracks are: “Nothing Man” and “Worlds Apart”. Bruce needs to do more vague, mystical, Sting-esque world music.

I actually don’t remember this album when it came out other than recognizing the title song from the radio - lots going on in my life when this came out I guess! I found it a very good recording - but not Bruce’s top album for me though. Standouts for me were "Further On (Up the Road)", "Worlds Apart" and "The Rising” .

It’s not a bad album, but I don’t think I’ll listen again.

My music algorithm already thinks I love Springsteen because of this project. This is ok, kinda whiny IMO. Maybe just on here because of the artist vs. the merits of the album itself. 2*

Not a huge Bruce guy, not feeling this one

In my review of Darkness on the Edge of Town, I talked about how Bruce Springsteen is more or less omnipotent here in New Jersey and that I never really paid him too much attention because of that. Well, four Springsteen records in on this list, I’m no longer ambivalent. In fact, I’m on the verge of becoming an evangelist for the Boss. The Rising is great. It’s surprisingly rocking for a record that is about 9/11. It doesn’t necessarily work for me 100%, but I’m planning on revisiting it soon to dig a little deeper.

I respect what Bruce brings. Not a huge fan. I'll check out a track or two. I do know how much of a legend he is in his own right. This first track is actually pretty good. Crazy this album is inspired by the 9/11 attacks.

THERE IS NO NEED FOR SO MANY BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN RECORDS. CALM DOWN ALREADY. No but, really, why? At least this one, why? It's not that bad, but it's the same generic shit, nothing different than what he did in the 80s.

Phenomenal originals, remasters, and mixes.

Oh, Bruce. You were trying way too hard with this one. There were some good songs. "Lonesome Day," "Mary's Place," "The Rising," and "My City of Ruins" were all fantastic, but that was about it. Most of the songs, even the good ones, were way too long, and a lot of them sounded vaguely religious, which I don't think Bruce was going for at all. But there were times when I was listening to this that I wondered if I had somehow put on a contemporary Christian album instead (and one song where I thought I was listening to Sting), which I think is a direct consequence of him trying too hard to say something profound post-9/11. It almost seemed like he was trying to make such a huge statement while writing this that he ended up almost becoming a parody of himself. Lots of parts of this were boring and there were so many filler songs. Even some of the songs I liked on the album I could tell were filler. There were moments of typical Springsteen brilliance on here, but they were very few and far between. I'm struggling to rate this because there are parts of the album I really enjoyed, but the rest was a huge mess. I'm probably also being more generous because it's Bruce Springsteen than I would have been for other artists. Still, there were things to like, I was just bored.

Fine. Not more, not less

Not great, not terrible

Was not really hooked by this album.

The boss was bossin’…. BIG JERSEY!!!

i really just can't do rock

I found this pedestrian, earnest, and overlong. I'm quite partial to a bit of Bruce and this record is not terrible; but it has no place anywhere near a must-hear list

I was bored

Co

The Boss' first album with The E Street Band for a long time (just when they thought they were out...) and his first since the WTC attacks. A big, bold and often tender record, the signature Springsteen longing is mature and assured here. Lacks edge but not heart. Or length. Probably a great road album! Favourite tracks: Into The Fire, Nothing Man, Empty Sky, Worlds Apart, The Fuse, Paradise

Not a Springsteen fan, but I have to give props. This is good.

Not a great listen for me. The heavy production and big gospel-ish background singer sound and the slow plodding melodies and clunky lyrics really turned me off. I would like to give points for being a Bruce Springsteen record. The book blurb says this was 'intensely moving stuff' but it didn't come across to me in this listen. Maybe I'm just a dummy.

Ok, so this is a tough one for me. I am a Bruce fan but have not kept up with him religiously. I think listened to one post-2000 Bruce album and it was pretty average. That's where this one falls for me. Add in the context that this was written as a post-9/11 tribute and I feel like this was definitely a cash grab. Some of these songs were written in 90s and just re-recorded for this album. My City Of Ruins was originally written about Asbury Park and repurposing it here feels inauthentic. Countin' On A Miracle sounds like a song they'd play one of those celebrity telethons (when those were a thing). Average + inauthentic cash grab makes this a lower than expected score I thought I'd ever give on a Bruce album. 2 stars.

Oh boy! Not only Bruce, but late career Bruce! We're really in for it today! Two songs in and I'm already cashed out. Absolutely no way I'm making it 72 minutes, but I'll give it 5 tracks at a time to make the call. Drifted into the background and actually didn't mind a few of the songs along the path. Worlds Apart is pretty cool. Let's Be Friends is okay too. Well I'll be damned I actually made it through that whole album. I guess being focused elsewhere didn't hurt. This was a bit of a slow start, but it grew on me a bit over its playtime. Not something I'll be back for in any haste, but really this wasn't a bad entry. Did I need this in my life? Absolutely not. But I didn't suffer for it. Lowish 3 for me.

Thanks Bruce. Little too close to pop country for me, but no real complaints.

Pretty disappointing album that I didn't know existed and wish it stayed that way. Every song was so incredibly generic. This sounded like it was just a cash grab of an album for Bruce. The music wasn't terrible and would probably be good to have on in the background if you were at a barbeque or something outside. But not an album that I should have been required to listen to.

Never really been a huge fan of the Bo$$, and another long album at that... This is really not great. I do not like this. I get the emotionality behind it, but it's just not my cup of tea at this moment. Maybe on a different day this gets a 3 but I'm leaning more towards a 1 than a 3 at this point.

Een album van Bruce Springsteen zonder herkenbare hits. Daar gaat iets mis zou je zeggen. Weinig nummers op dit album springen er uit. Het is oerdegelijk, misschien zelfs net iets te degelijk. Ik heb een beetje wat ik bij U2 ook wel eens heb gehad, het Knorr Wereldgerecht-principe: De meeste mensen lusten het - haast niemand wordt er écht enthousiast van. Bruce en de band doen echt wel hun best en ik ga dit ook zeker geen onvoldoende geven, maar toch bekruipt me een licht gevoel van mehheid. Bruce staat 5 keer in deze lijst zie ik en wat mij betreft is dit één van de albums waarop bezuinigd mag worden. Nogmaals: Dit album is lang niet slecht, maar in deze lijst voelt hij wat overbodig. 72 minuten is een lange zit, ondanks de kwaliteit.

It’s alright. Not his best. The strange thing for me is that most songs started with me disliking them, then enjoying them by the end. At times it sounds like someone parodying Springsteen. Lyrics are a bit dodgy at times too. But overall I think it’s a decent pop rock record without ever being remarkable. Canny. Running out of ways to say it’s bang on a 3

Didn't do much for me, not a huge fan of Bruce in general but if this is indicative if his 'newer' stuff then I like it less than his classic albums Wiki says the main themes are reflections on 9/11, which I completely missed. I remember a couple of songs with very dodgy style changes and a lot of bland generic rock. If Springsteen is the genius he's lauded as it's not because of this. That said it was basically fine.

Didn't land at all for me, Bruce. Too samey, a bit on the miserable side, and the musicianship was pretty rote. Not a bad album, by any stretch, but nothing remarkable. An absolutely markable album. Lovely voice, as per. I do like the man - The River, and Wrecking Ball are my two favourite albums, but this did absolutely nothing for me, and it is hard to reconcile giving it a 3 when I would not come back. So, a 2 it is.

I said this about the last Springsteen album we had, but applies even more to this one.... It's so middle of the road. Really didn't do much for me at all, which is a shame as I want to like him. I don't really like the female background vocals. I also read the wiki about this being released in the wake of 9/11 and some of the songs really felt like he was milking it..... I do appreciate that in 2002 to Americans, especially in new York, this would probably have meant a lot more than it does to a Brit in 2025. Sure it did mean a lot to Bruce at the time. Anyway, really nowt special for me. 2

blah

The music is not bad, comparable to an easy pasta; something everyone is okay with but it will not get any Michelin stars. I do feel like these songs are outdated for 2002, but okay, give the boomers something to jam to. Stand out song for me is "Worlds Apart" 3/5

Better than I expected, which equals to okay. Paradise is incredible

way too long but I kinda get why people liked bruce springsteen, even if only for one song (The Fuse)

This is a bit tough to write, but I'm not going to pull any punches. This isn't a bad record, but it's only on here because of how topical it was after 9/11. It's not nearly as interesting musically or lyrically as other classic Springsteen albums.

Bruce Springsteen had always been kind of mid. Album also pretty mid.

Never listened to this album before today. At some point Springsteen's music just did not move me like it once did. This was an okay listen. Nothing really stood out to me.

Periaatteessa tylsä (yli tunnin mitta! Ois ollu karsimisen varaa, väitän), mutta tunnelmassa on jotain, joka vetoaa muhun tosi paljon. Nostalgiaa ja sellaista ruotsalaistyyppistä melankoliaa eli ei aivan masentunutta.

Levyllä on vuosikymmenensä tavan mukaisesti "bulkkia" - sanan jokaisessa mielessä. Brucen soundi säilyttää nautinnollisuutensa. Aloitus ja muutama viimeinen biisi tyydyttävät. Niiden välissä on paljon tavaraa. 2,5

Decent not fully my thing

If you asked me what my opinion on the Boss is, I'd say I don't really have one. Some of the hits are fine, but not my cup of tea. After listening to this, nah this isnt even fine. This is soft rock for moms or something. I'm not sure if there's a whole lot of substance here, just feels preachy. Also I couldn't believe this came out in the early 2000s, so much of this felt very mid 90s to me. There was a glimpse of something interesting with World's Apart, but I'm not even sure if Bruce is that involved in this song or not. It wouldn't bother me to never hear another Bruce song again.

Bailed about half way through. I hear this guy is The Boss. The Boss of what exactly? Generic Wuss Rock? And when did he start mumble singing like he’s Eddie Vedder? I bet people who chose VH1 over MTV probably love this shit. It’s not unlistenable. Just pretty lame 😒

Seems like a middling Boss album that is only lauded because of 9/11? Tracks 3 and 4: 'Waiting on a Sunny Day' and 'Nothing Man' gave me some hope that there might be some classic throwback sound here....but the rest is just meh. 2.5 stars - rounding down because I don't think it had to be 72 minutes.

Fantastic stuff. Lonesome Day and The Rising are my definite standout tracks, both very powerful and stirring, but the album as a whole has a lot of strength. It's a step above Darkness on the Edge of Town which I had earlier. I'm a big Springsteen fan primarily due to his output from around this era.

That's certainly a Bruce Springsteen album but there are better ones.

This left me flat. I'm a bit bored. I enjoy the first maybe 5 albums of his, and little to nothing that came afterward. Perhaps I never grew up to appreciate maturation in his music?

Справжня американська музика

The Rising My City of Ruins

Sorry Bruce, not your finest.

1st time listening to an album from the Boss and i was pleasantly surprised by how much i liked this at first. couple songs in and the melodies were catchy, the themes were interesting. i was eager to listen to the rest. then the other songs came ; same melodies, some style of orchestration, same themes. i thought it would never end. like it was on repeat. way too long for something that could have been an EP.

Not too bad even if it wasn't particularly for me.

Sorry, this album is a long and tedious drag.

Never been a fan. The portions of this I was willing to listen to didn't change my mind any.

Never been a big Bruce fan. Found this one a little repetitive but not bad overall.

The Boss

Ok, it's pretty clear that this isn't Springsteen's best album. He'd been away for 7 years and more than a decade past his most popular era. And frankly, there probably wasn't much pressure on him here. Much like the president's approval ratings immediately after those terrorist attacks, people were looking for comfort in an uncertain time. Springsteen ticked loads of boxes here as both a hero of the working class and a patroitic symbol of America (particularly among those who didn't attempt to understand his often critical lyrics). He could have released just about anything as his post-9/11 album and it would have sold in droves. All that being said, this is still a powerful album that really recalls a specific place and time. I could be biased here because I lived in New Jersey during those attacks, close enough to see the smoke from the World Trade Center out my window. My town was full of fliers for missing people who were all commuters working in the twin towers. There was an intense feeling of the shattered illusion of safety in America, the previously untouchable country and we suddenly realized how other parts of the world must feel when their cities came under attack. So I really do feel the context of that place and time when I listen to this album. It's somber and uncertain but often hopeful, as we all tried to be during that time. Springsteen has always been a gifted story teller and there were loads of stories from that time that deserved to be told. "My City in Ruins" is the emotional climax to this album about tragedy and has since been used to mark a sense of hope following other disasters as well.

at times it sounded kind of like tom petty, pearl jam, or bob dylan… depending on the song. also, in a couple of songs there was middle eastern style sounds and even hip hop beats. a pretty intense album, considering that it was released in response to the events of september 11, 2001. the emotional songs didn’t come across as being merely performative. in the song “paradise”, it actually sounds like he’s crying while singing the song, but it sounds genuine and heartfelt. ladies and gentlemen, it seems as if i have finally found a springsteen album that i like. this one is a keeper, folks.

No one song in particular was a standout but the whole thing was a great listen.

AI could maje this today

He may be the boss but he's not MY boss. This was ass.

🎧The Rising is fine but, man, there are definitely other Bruce albums left out of the book that are more deserving of inclusion—The River, Tunnel of Love, Ghost of Tom Joad.

I was ready to hate on this, and say that it's one Springsteen album too many, but I guess this was recorded just after 9/11 and the people of America were looking to one of their folk heroes for reassurance. And Bruce delivered. But it's also far too long.

5th Springsteen album. This list really has a hard on for Bruce. I like him alright but come on. Some album he released well after the prime of his career that doesn't contain any of his top hits and certainly wasn't influential to the genre. Why is this on here outside of the 1001 editors being huge fans? Enjoyed a few songs but felt pretty much like generic Bruce Springsteen. 2.5 rounding up

Springsteen's post 9/11 album, written and recorded, with the E Street Band, in the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. The album is a tribute to those who died, those who tried to save them, an attempt to make sense of what happened. The lyrics are a mixture of hope, doubt, fear; they never become maudlin and the songs are among the best and most emotional of Springsteen's career, certainly since the late '70s or early '80s. It retains the power to move the listener after almost a quarter century, rooted as it is in the human experience rather than the political world. Would that some of the war-mongers had similarly concentrated on the people.

I liked this better than I thought I would. Tracks 2 & 3 stood out a little. That said, it’s not among his best work. Although some of it starts to sound similar, the songwriting in general allows it to flow and carry well enough for a road time play through.

I’ve always appreciated the love, hope, strength feel of Bruce’s stuff. I’ve just never really been a huge fan. This album has some nice surprises on it and his songwriting stands out. And I can also see how it became an unintended rallying cry for many folks right after 9/11. But much of it does sound alike. Shave off 3-4 songs and it might rise higher.

If you asked me what an early 2000s Bruce album would sound like…this is exactly it. It’s good. The boss will always deliver quality. But it just doesn’t seem to deliver the high points you know he can bring with some of his song writing. Don’t get me wrong, I like it. Just expectations higher with someone like this I suppose.

I like the IDEA of Bruce but I'm just not a huge fan. I find some of his songs kinda corny. And that Dessert Rose sounding song is just bad. The album is totally fine, not great. 2.75/5

Bruce's typical western-tinged rock

No me seduce para nada The Boss, es un fenómeno muy yankee. Aunque este disco es el que más me ha gustado de él, tiene unos arreglos muy buenos. Sobre todo los vientos.

I love Springsteen but this is boring :((( missing the special springsteen sauce or whatever, not bad but just v generic

6/10 - Not as good as Born to Run, which I should give a higher rating. I like his voice but it sounds a little bit older. I loved Mary's Place as a song. Other songs were decent.

Don’t really understand this pick. Feels like Springsteen is well past his prime and this is a pretty unnecessary addition to the list

After a topsy-turvy 90s that saw minimal success compared with preceding decades, The Boss roared back into public consciousness with The Rising, a musical balm that saw Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band mend fences and heal wounds alongside a hurting country in the wake of the September 11th attacks. While containing some of the indulgences of the time that dates the material, the fact of the matter was that Bruce had returned to fine form and that was as much of a needed win as anything. Favorites: Lonesome Day, Into the Fire, Waitin' on a Sunny Day, Countin' on a Miracle, Empty Sky, Further On (Up the Road), The Fuse, Mary's Place, You're Missing, The Rising.

Despite considering myself a fan of Springsteen, The Rising was a disappointment. Felt like a pale imitation of his better work. I do appreciate that maybe at the time this was a record that a lot of people needed, but I can't help but find it lyrically quite inert and musically dull.

I know the album, but was surprised to see it on the Top 1001 list. It's good, but the songs are wordy, a bit mellow and maybe not the top of catalog for Bruce. It has a few minor hit songs with "Lonesome Day", "Waitin' On A Sunny Day", "Mary's Place" & the title track. The album is enjoyable, there are no bad songs, it's just not anything earth shattering or influential that would justify being on this list. Far fewer listens than most of his popular albums. There are some really good glue songs like "Nothing Man", "Countin' On a Miracle", "Further On (Up The Road)" & "My City Of Ruin" that increase the value of this album. You do get a lot of bang for your buck with 15 songs and 72 minutes of music. I am glad I got reintroduced to this disc, if you're a fan it hits all the right buttons. After a full listen I can see the merit to having this on the list because there are no stinker songs, it's really a solid album, but it didn't reinvent or influence rock in any way.

Good anthems, catchy tunes, an overall melancholic but hopeful tone to the album in wake of one of our greatest disasters and eventual triumphs.

Slightly more than halfway through the Bruce Springsteen corner of this collection, and this one is definitely not as compelling as either the classic "Born to Run" or the much more interesting "Nebraska". I appreciate how he developed this album as an inspirational and positive response to the 9/11 attack, and in many ways it accomplishes that goal without seeming stuck in a particular moment (and even "Worlds apart" largely avoids a sort of world music othering, sort of). But overall it's just not that interesting to me either musically or lyrically; it just sounds like another bunch of Springsteen/E Street Band songs. There are a few highlights, though--"Nothing Man" (sadly not as great as Pearl Jam's "Nothingman"), "The fuse", the Mark Knopfler-style "Paradise" and "My City of Ruins"--and these definitely elevate the album.

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would but just not a huge Springsteen fan.

2000s Springsteen. Good rock album in wake of 9/11. Very middle of the road, very easy to listen to.

Always a mixed bag with dear old Brucey, love his more melancholy darker tunes and themes, the more upbeat stuff not so much (especially the songs with the 'rock sax' which instantly starts up 'Santa's Coming to Town' my head and is an instant turnoff). Landed at ⭐⭐⭐⭐, would seek a physical copy.

Mediocre. Long. Offensive amount of pandering to an American audience during a very sensitive time in their history. Overall, this album just did not belong on the list in my opinion.

Montage American pap

Sgliich wie mit em Willie au hüt mit em Bruce. Au da nur eis chlöpferli uf die lingi fuddibagge

Bruzy baby first time a dem cypher, Bruzy baby alli werded heiser. dem ami bruzer aka bruce springsteen gad bi mir au id kategorie vo müsst mir eigentlich besser kenne, aber nie was mitbecho oder dri inetaucht, abgseh vo eis zwei radio oder party songs. Also hani ich mir die ziit gnah und de bruce summersteen geh, aber es isch ez nöd es highlight, au nöd nervig, aber nix speziels halt. Vu dem her wür ich ihn glaubs eher bruce autumsteen nenne. Und will ich hüt id berge go toure gang für es langsweekend, rrdpektiv 4 bruce wintersdays.

ehm sorry isch das amerikanischi propaganda uf steroide? würklich hard to listen to gsi, hans au nume 3 songs ine gschafft und denn de 9/11 song ischmer eifach too much gsi... schlimm wirds das de typ probably namal es album da drinne hett wo "born in the u.s.a" heisst guet nacht

Sehr gut

This is my definition of brown rock, guitar chords and words that rhyme - pretty inoffensive stuff on the ears. Not bad by any means but just hard to feel any connection to in my opinion. Fav song: Lonesome Day?

Pretty good.

Album 680 of 1001 Bruce Springsteen - The Rising (2002) Rating : 4 / 5 Widely regarded as a powerful and moving response to the events of September 11, 2001. this was his first album with the E Street Band in 2 decades. Praised for its emotional depth and its ability to address the grief and resilience of those affected by the tragedy, this blend of rock, gospel, and soul elements, along with Springsteen's evocative storytelling, makes it a standout in his discography

I'm afraid I find Bruce Springsteen's albums pretty dull stuff, and this is no exception.

10000x worse than dusty

I'm not going to pretend I don't sometimes find Springsteen songs boring, or lacking in inspiration. The music on this album in particular might the most middle-of-the-road Americana I've heard from him (despite a couple of rare dalliances with syncopated drum rhythms), and it probably features his broadest, most on-the-nose lyrics too. Still, I find myself rooting for the guy and searching for something to like, and invariably I find it. In this case simplicity is probably the album's greatest strength, giving more power to the earnest, uplifting refrains. The slower numbers work too, for me. I ended up listening to this a few times and found it to be both quite enjoyable and gently moving in the end. 3.5

Aight

cheesy and long

First half was a 5 star!! Then he got all sad and I didn't like it as much. Still probably the best one so far?

Honestly not a fan. If I was at a cookout on the 4th of July, this might carry more weight.

A minute and a half in and I was Googling "cliffs near me". Somehow I survived all 75 minutes of this cookie cutter, country-tinged, pre-packaged garbage, although it took me several hours to get through it.

Surprisingly very nice. Won't be sharing this too widely, but one that mightI listen to privately.

Even at the time all the circlejerking about 9/11 made me wary and in the intervening decades I feel like I've only been proven more and more right about how manipulative our government was and how much it utilized it to abuse us. Not interested in media glorifying that.

BRUUUUUUUUUUUUUCE!!! (Ok, now that I have gotten THAT out of the way...) "Born To Run" is probably my favorite album of his (seems to be a lot of people's). There is a poetry in those lyrics... that is just not here in "The Rising". I felt the lyrics (and songs) were ... repetitive. And by the way, "Empty Sky"... "I want a kiss from your lips," that seems kinda... obvious. "I want to kiss your lips" is one syllable less. Is that why he wrote it that way? It just seems... dumb. I did like the collaboration on "Worlds Apart". I thought that worked really well. "Let's Be Friends"... what the heck? So, there were a few bright spots, but I just didn't think that this was a great album, not even a really good album. This just felt... kinda 'meh'. Top tracks: "Worlds Apart," "My City of Ruins"

Every great artist has their time when they pass from monster hit maker to nostalgic music generator. The Boss was only in his mid-50's when this album came out but he had been at the game for a long time. And he sounds a little off his game. He still does a good job but this is the man and his band in the back half of their career and it shows. I enjoyed it but I didn't love it. His voice is more strained and the arrangements are a little too adult contemporary. U2 was going through the same transition at the time despite not having been in the game as long and I couldn't stand that new watered-down U2. This album is better than that. On multiple listens, I found the latter half of the album to be pretty strong - particularly You're Missing, the title track, and Paradise. The Fuse and My City of Ruins were in a solid second tier of songs. On the first half of the album, Nothing Man was top notch while Lonesome Day was second tier. The message and timing of the album is key. I think if this hadn't been a September 11 response album it might not make the list. But I say it's worthy for that reason - what a great thing music can be and do for us in times of sorrow. I thought long and hard about whether that reason warrants a bump to a 4 but couldn't quite get there. This album feels like a 3 even given its context.

I definitely like everything I've heard so far from Bruce (and I saw him live a couple of years ago thanks to some free tix from a friend - The Boss puts on quite a show). This is a really good album, but I find myself questioning whether they needed this along with 4 other Bruce albums. Doesn't change the fact that I really enjoyed this album. Lots of cool moments and stirring lyrics, interspersed with some basic rock tracks (probably the biggest "negative" - but even then all the songs are good). Favorite tracks: Into the Fire, Nothing Man, Empty Sky, Worlds Apart, The Fuse, You're Missing, The Rising.

Previously rated: Born to Run (4/5) Darkness on the Edge of Town (3/5) *************************************** The title track is good, and Mary's Place had it's moments sounding like Born to Run era Springsteen. Otherwise, it's just sort of there.

Did we really need a Springsteen album from the 2000s on this list? It's pretty mediocre and doesn't do anything that notable.

Buen disco, pero lejos de sus mejores trabajos.

This is vanilla, boring, and overly long Springsteen. It's self indulgent and completely uninteresting. There's nothing really wrong with it, but it sounds like it was produced as a committee. So many earlier albums to highlight for this list. This is a no for me dog.

Not worthy of this list. Bland and boring (and too long).

Ok wow. So this is the first album I’ve gotten, after 34 straight albums, where I actually hated it. The songwriting is so boring and cliched, the production is clearly well done but his voice is not mindblowing and it’s not horrible, it’s just completely unremarkable. Honestly I had alittle hope a few songs in cause I like the instrumentation of “worlds apart” but that quickly falls apart cause once you get to the self-righteous lyrics and boring vocals the song just fades away into the repetitive mess that the rest of the album contains. I’m just so disappointed by this album. It’s also super long with 15 songs that make for a nearly hour and a half snore-fest. Honestly if you remember how bad radio music/rock was in the early 2000s, this is just more of that. Just skip this album, it’ll save you an hour of your life.

"May this song be all done". Dad rock that should not have been around in the 2000s. I firmly believe that this album does not really belong on this list. It's fine for what it is, but yeah, does not need to be here.

I HATE THIS MANS VOICE I STG IF I GET ANOTHER ONE IM GONNA LOSE IT

good country, well paced for a trudge through a muddy park

This album was one of my proper introductions to Bruce's discography. I always liked it, but sometimes I find the first half a bit... conventional? Not hitting the right spot? Then it gets better and I still think that this album is pretty good. It's all about 9/11 but also universal enough to connect to other themes of hope and how to deal with a catastrophe. Further up on the road, The Fuse and My City In Ruins are the best track. If you like those, you can use this album indeed for a proper introduction into Bruce Springsteen and the E street band.

Day 28: The Rising - Bruce Springsteen. Bruce Springsteen Album 1/5. Given The Rising's inclusion in "1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die", along with four other Bruce Springsteen albums, Robert Dimery is likely a huge fan of Bruce Springsteen. I won't lie, I really loved listening to this album. However, compared to Bruce Springsteen's other albums, I don't really see the purpose of this album being included in the list. Born to Run and Born in the U.S.A. are very significant albums. Darkness on the Edge of Town and Nebraska are also great albums whose status on a list of must-listen albums could also be debated. However, this album is a weak inclusion. Don't even get me started with how many excessive Elvis Costello and Morrissey albums are in the list. Let me give you an example: I'm a huge fan of Dream Theater. I would absolutely consider their albums "Metropolis, Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory", "Images and Words", and "Octavarium" to be must-listens. However, when it comes to albums like "The Astonishing" and "A Dramatic Turn of Events", while I do absolutely love those albums, they aren't must-listens, and they probably wouldn't impact anybody who doesn't love progressive metal music. Anyway, about the actual music itself, Bruce Springsteen is a really talented songwriter. The instrumentation of the album is really nice. It has a feel that would probably resonate with a lot of people. The album gives me an idea on being American, despite being from Canada. Personal Enjoyment: 5/5. How Much It Belongs Here: 2/5.

Lonesome Day Waitin' on a Sunny Day The Rising

The Boss has done better this one's not list worth

At first I didn’t think this was too bad, but that was only a few tracks in. The deeper I got the more I found myself just waiting and wishing for it to be over. This album is great example of one that makes people think things like “oh he should’ve hung it up years ago”. It’s a downer both lyrically and musically, it’s rarely upbeat musically, it’s totally stylistically different than everything I love about Bruce Springsteen. This album is a turd, and I say that as a fan.

The album that enshrined Springsteen as the secular saint of the American liberal. It's politically patriotic, drawing on the big story of American strength in diversity, exceptional goodness, and progressive inclusivity to call for unity in suppressing the base desire for revenge and instead being our best selves. Everything is going to be ok, he keeps reassuring us, as long as we call on our better angels: strength, faith, love, hope - America is the miracle he's waiting for. Musically it reflects this message by combining his 80s heartland rock sound with lush modern 90s production, extra americana twang paired with Putumayo world-music Arab singing, epic classic rock guitars, RnB jams, and an even heavier than normal gospel sound, sanctifying the liberal patriotic message with the rich sounds of the black church and the post-civil rights story of national redemption through the moral arch of history bending toward justice. In stark contrast to the reactionary music of the time - thin one-dimensional pop country cynically weeping into the flag and joyously baying for blood - this is somber sophisticated and reflective - if vague and cliched- desperately charting a path rising through the end of the good times. "Come on, let's be friends," he begs over a smooth jazzy RnB Jam. The problem is that it's incredibly boring, bloated, and uninspired - it feels like 72 minutes of homework. No wonder this is what made him the homework-loving Ivy League liberal's heroic voice of the everyman. No wonder he has a podcast and coffee table book with Obama trying to sell this same story of American greatness in the Trump era. No wonder this ultimately vacuous patriotic message falls flat in the face of deteriorating material conditions fraying the flag he's waving. Better than Toby Keith, but a dead end, politically and aesthetically.

Э... Это не плохо, но зачем в этом списке - вообще не понятно. Лучшая песня - The Rising.

This album was entirely mediocre. It all blended together, relatively predictable lyrical choices, nothing jumped out at me as a hit. It was all fine and tolerable, but not great.

74% Best: Lonesome Day; Empty Sky; Let’s Be Friends (Skin to Skin); Mary’s Place Must-Hear? Nah

A reunion of the E-Street band with the Boss way overdue. And on an album made in the aftermath of tragedy. Music and lyrics much needed at the time.

Great album!

This album reminds me of my Dad. It feels like Bruce is putting a reassuring arm around you and telling you everything is going to be alright. It's a bit flawed and not very nuanced but has some great highs (Empty Sky, Further on up the Road, Paradise).

If you asked an AI to make a Bruce Springsteen album fine tuned for mass appeal in the wake of 9/11 this is exactly what it would produce Which is not to say it’s bad (It’s the Boss!) but it is a bit flat and exactly what you’d expect With the one glorious exception of the title track which is bursting with energy and verve that is missing from the rest of the album

The Boss sounds so similar across all of these tracks. It's an easily enjoyable and lovely listen but it also didn't drive me crazy. 4.5

Really the best album post Tunnel of Love he ever released.

Exactly what we needed when this was released. Peace and comfort and courage.

nothing against bruce its just not for me personally

my first interaction with this album was being asked to analyse Paradise at the age of about ten in school. looking back the themes of suicide, loss, and terrorism may have been a little intense for a class of 9-10 year olds. love bruce though xxx

Quite a good album. Very soothing. A bit generic, but overall pleasant.

I've never been a big fan of Bruce Springsteen. I appreciate that he's supposed to be great live, but for me his albums all sound the same.

It's been a long while since I listened to The Rising, and probably for good reason, I only bother with the hits because this is quite hit and miss, though when it's good it's still good because Springsteen is music's greatest storyteller. Nothing Man, Further On Up The Road and Paradise are nice deep cuts but this is about The Rising, Waitin' On a Sunny Day and Lonesome Day for the most part. Merely good Springsteen is still better than most, but I think this could've been 20 minutes and 4 songs shorter and been better off for it. Also, and something I appreciate in many acts, the maturing sound of artists who are still going 30-40 years after their emergence reflecting the world they live in now rather than way back when is always a sign of good writing, not so much thematically or in the lyrical content, but the actual compositions are more understated, even when they're celebratory or optimistic. You can't be young and full of anger or energy forever, but you can still have those emotions present themselves through the prism of your experience and knowledge. A high 3, it has a lot of filler, and isn't a patch on his best work.

Not convinced that this needed to be on the list - I don't think it adds a huge amount in comparison to some of the other Springsteen albums that we've had. I like the end more than the beginning, and both much more than the middle - could definitely do with losing that section from Countin' On a Miracle to Let's be Friends. I think it's a comfortable 3, it still tells an interesting story, but doesn't do enough to be considered as a really good album.

This is fine. It's a late career album from an artist far from their prime. I would say Springsteen has at least 5 albums better than this. Again, it's not bad, but probably not deserving of a list like this.

pretty nice tune

Surprisingly good

3.5★. Enjoyed this a lot in sections but it's probably a bit too long.

not bruces best but not bad

CD

Huge Springsteen fan, for me his work in the 70s and 80s are the best. This album is good and probably the best since that era but not as good as his first 7-8 records. Having said that there are some excellent tracks on this record, could probably be a bit shorter overall.

Some of these tracks are next world amazing. A few drag it down it back to earth.

Solid album.

Pas eu le temps de tout écouter, mais je pense déjà pouvoir avoir un avis sur cet album. Je changerai la note si nécessaire. Un album assez inégal pour moi, qui alterne entre quelques chansons que j'aime beaucoup (en particulier Worlds Apart) et d'autres qui me laissent plus indifférent. 3.5 arrondi en pas pour l'instant.

awful

If a late career album is on the list it should really serve to prove something that the artist hasn’t proven already or be one of the absolute best of that artist’s discography, you can’t tell me that the rising by Bruce Springsteen fits that criteria. 3/5

There is not a single doubt in my mind that Springsteen's heart was in the right place when he was making this record, the lyricism definitely reflects that. The historical context makes that aspect of the album even stronger. However, the music feels very tired and overdone, full of cliches, repetitions, and unsubtleties. Sometimes I felt like I was listening to Creed or Bryan Adams or a new U2 album which bored me to death. Factor in that this album is over and hour long and that results in an overall bad time for me. I can't even remember how a single song sounded minutes after listening to it except Paradise, which is a definite album highlight. Best: Nothing Man, Empty Sky, Paradise Worst: Waitin' On A Sunny Day, Let's Be Friends (Skin To Skin), Mary's Place 2.2/5

Mid

I’ve loved Bruce Springsteen since I was a kid, but aside from “Streets of Philadelphia,” I haven’t listened to anything of his that came out after Born In The USA. When it comes to artists that I loved as a kid, I’m always hesitant about their later work, and I typically shy away from it. I think there’s a part of me that’s afraid that their new work might replace my love for the music that’s been a part of my life for so long, and I don’t want to risk losing those memories that I associate with that music. My childhood was pretty rough, but music always made me happy, and I think that clinging to Born In The USA is how I cling to those few moments of innocence that my childhood had. But enough trauma dumping. I know this album is supposed to be really good, so I’m excited to listen to it today! This was a great album, and it definitely exceeded my expectations. There’s just something about listening to Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band that I really love. I love Springsteen’s vocals, and The E Street Band just brings his lyrics to life in a beautiful and incredibly enjoyable way. This album was true to the sound that I expected, but the songwriting was wonderfully representative of a post 9/11 America. We were all full of fear and devastation after 9/11, and this album captures that feeling really well. Additionally, there’s a lot of reflection and optimism present in these lyrics, which is a thousand times better than the jingoistic garbage that was pumped out of Nashville at the same time. Springsteen’s music has always had a ‘heartland’ feel to it, and The Rising was no different. The arrangements were outstanding, and there was a great blend of instruments used, which the E Street Band played to perfection. As far as the individual songs go, I really loved the first five songs. “Lonesome Day” really grabbed my attention from the start, and it made me really excited for the rest of the album. The guitars, keyboards, mellotron, and synthesizers were all fantastic. “Nothing Man” was really beautiful too, and I loved the horn and string arrangements (I think they were done with synthesizers, or maybe they weren’t horns and strings at all, who knows, but I loved what I heard). This was just a very enjoyable and beautiful album to listen to, and listening to this has made me want to check out more of Springsteen’s later albums.

good but not the kind of good i would listen again

So, the biggest on land attack has happened on the U.S. mainland. (Let’s just put aside that it was less than a daily occurrence in the Middle East or Africa. Still pretty horrific.) How does the biggest rock star out of New Jersey deal with it? With this. It’s actually really good and Springsteen’s eye for imagery and his lyrical strengths shine through on this album. The image of the boots by the door is powerful and shows Springsteen affinity for working people. As he’s aged he’s moved to the personal and more abstract - it’s hard for someone worth 300 million to relate to working people but Springsteen knows the limits. He hasn’t forgotten his roots and his heart is with those who lost everything. One of the three or four essential Springsteen albums.

Bruce Springsteen and the world's highest-paid bar band respond to 9/11 with an album of blandly inspirational songs of patriotism, loss and resilience. Bruce pulls all his classic songwriting and production tricks which we have heard a bazillion times before. I am sure this was meaningful to many US fans in the confusion and hurt post 9/11, but I feel like history has pulled back the curtain to reveal that these were hollow platitudes. Bruce wants America to rise up from its hurt resiliently, but we saw anger and violence instead. We have seen America charge into a forever-war overseas and increasing division and bloodshed domestically. To summarize, Bruce produced a musically rote album full of empty and ineffectual platitudes. Wildly inessential.

Soothing

lunatic

I think the main reason why this album is still important and enjoyable is because even though it was a response to the terrorist attacks, the lyrics are not overtly political or even specifically addressing any of the events of the attacks or the aftermath. The songs are about individuals and are spiritual forming a kind of wall between them and the events and politics of the day. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-the-rising-by-bruce?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Very bad. Horrible production and dull songs.

I still can't stomach his voice.

Pretty fine. The more optimistic songs are probably the highlights since I think a Good Times Bruce is way better than a Aww I'm Sad Bruce. 4/10

Some decent songs but it felt way too long for what it was.

The songs kind of droned on and were redundant in sound and verbiage - boring. I could not wait for this album to be over.

I like so much about this album. Lyrically it's fantastic, I love a lot of the music, I love the production from BO'B. The negative is, it's too long. I'd cut 20 mins, but at the same time, I would find it hard because I legitimately love so many of the songs. You have the obvious; lonesome day, waiting on a sunny day, city of ruins, the rising. But then you have these underrated tracks like Into the Fire, You're missing, Nothing Man, Mary's Place, paradise. I am so on the fence on pulling the trigger on a 5... we will see

Brucey tried mixing genres with this one but fell flat on his face. Post 9/11 patriotic album does not go hard.

I’m he’s got far better albums than this

I swear that I try. Every time another Springsteen album comes up I do listen to it in earnest, with fresh ears. But I can't. No more. Please I'm begging you

uuh post 9/11 springsteen (anschinend mega post 9/11). jo de erst songfindi sehr cool lieb de chor. into the fire halt en langsame bruce. aber isch schön, slide giti und so. ok isch sehr basic rock aber ich checks schoo. waitin on a sunny day hübschi glöggli, aber macht etz nöd soo viel mit mir. countin on a miracle isch etz au ehner on the nose. empty sky au uf ehner de simole siite. aber het schochli power mueni zuegeh. isch da uhuere vezerrti schnurregiige?? worlds apart macht tabla stuff und so findi okay aber s will glaub so chli world music sii. jäääh weisnich bruce. skin to skin isch wieder meh happy lovesong glaub. lieb s chörli. find the fuse seeeeehr geil. rieeesigi instrumentierig bgv gebed allles. meet me at marys place isch wieder sehr new jersey rootsy. bruce halt. und jaaa sax solo passt findi geil mach wiiter alles gueti. you're missing isch okaaay. the rising halt title track hetmer meh erwartige isch afoch e wand aber no nice. coole sound bim giti solo. paradise nervt mi etz chli. cute aber er singt scho nöd sooo geil. my city of ruins isch cool wieder meeega viel chor halt easy chrizzo glaub aber halt ultra 9/11 rise up ruins und so.

lonesome day langwiiiliiig! ui find d strings bi into the fire sehr tacky find de refrain sehr apathisch iwie ok neue tag neues glück! hans gester echt arsch gfunde aber de weg uf wmbrach erlüchtet mich ja vlt lalalalalalalalala DANKE BRUCE aber s lied ah sich isch ok (iwie en weirde mix uus nöd-westlichem backgroundgsang und so mega westliche rock?), d mundharmonika findi recht schön und passend let's be friends findi bis jz SCHRECKLICH DU DURU DU DU DURUDU???? vlt hetti das kied mitme andere artist/stimm besser gfunde aber so hanis würkli sehr schlimm gfunde und absolut unpassend the fuse isch easy ahhh ich han sini stimm eifach nöd gern ich weiss nöd was mich so ah dene songs stört AHHH HÖR UF MIT DIM DUDUDUDUDUDUDUDUDUDUDU anyway, isches wills iwie so schnulzig isch? ich weiss nöd aber mary's place findi au schrecklich you're missing isch na cute the rising findi zwar immerno chli langwilig, find die art passt vill besser zum bruce! paradise isch uuhuere schön gsi hahaha ich han anstatt "I pray for the strength, lord" I pray for the straight lord verstande?? hey han echt die aller meist ziit KEI gueti ziit gha. paradise isch schön gsi, es paar sind easy gsi und einiges isch mier aktiv uf de sack gange

Great iconic album, even 40 years after his first album he still makes great and relevant music in 2002, amazing.

Sounds Springsteenish. Waitin'on a Sunny Day is my favorite

Overall really enjoyed this. I think I like it more than Born in the USA (a previous listen on this list). It’s possible that exposure is giving me a deeper appreciation for the artist. Worlds apart is a song I really liked.

I had heard about this album for a while but never listened to it; I always wrote it off as the Bruce Springsteen 9/11 album. It is pretty long and the energy flagged toward the end; there were a couple of pretty cheesy songs too. But there were a lot of good ideas and a consistent theme unifying them.

Favorite tracks: Let's Be Friends, The Fuse, You're Missing I thought this was really pretty! And weirder than I expected (in a good way). 3.5 stars, bumping up to 4.

Not what I'd typically associate with Bruce Springsteen, a decent album but a change of pace and not something I really felt I got along with.

Perhaps not the best of the best of Bruce Springsteen, but still a very worthy album. One cannot doubt his sincerity and depiction of Americana in this post-9/11 album.

This sounded like a really bad idea of an album until I listened to it. There are some pretty good songs here, actually. Pretty damn cheesy though.

sounds like what you'd think a bruce springsteen 9/11 album sounds like

Sorry to my NJ relatives, but I've never really listened to The Boss. Its an interesting album, which seems to be mostly about grief and death? But a lot of it kind of runs together for me - I think its just his voice. I did not like Into the Fire, so repetitive. Waitin on a Sunny Day is a much better take on the theme of loss. I also really like the Fuse.

stopped at "meet at mary's place, we're gonna have a party"

The gritty, American songwriter motif is really not for me; Bruce might be talented but I think it is lost on me. The songs on the album feel kind of formulaic and nothing in the first half of the tracklist really made me take notice. I didn't end up finishing the album.

Boomer music, probably will get a lot of hate but man was this album boring, I can imagine it playing in an old folks home. 1.5

Very hard to judge this independent from my history with it (formative album, one of my first concerts). Felt a tad bloated this run through so I’ll leave it at four.

This was way too long, but they can never make me hate you, Bruce Springsteen.

I found out today that I dont like Bruce Springsteen. Or is it just this album, i dont know and i dont care to find out.

Bruce is fine. Some songs rock, most are fine. Just too much material all the time.

79/100. The first three-quarters of this album are a standout, offering a surprisingly chill and enjoyable vibe that exceeds expectations. However, the final quarter sees a noticeable drop in quality.

This may be heretical, but I think this may be Bruce’s best album.

Ok, it's the Boss. The songs are not bad, it's basically the same stuff Bruce & the E-Street band did for years. 2 tracks are somewhat new, for him at least, but nothing you haven't heard elsewhere. So, it's not bad, but a bit outdated.

I don’t get the love.

Not bad. I really like the music but not all the lyrics. But I can jam for sure.

Not one of his best, but it’s Bruce!

..

so long and boring. i struggled to bring myself to listen to this more than once and never even managed to make it the whole way through.

The Bruce!

I can sing along almost every song. Some strong numbers like the titletrack or "Waiting On A Sunny Day". A few weaker numbers cost him the ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars for me🤷‍♂️.

Putting a Springsteen album from 2002 on here is... a choice.

Bruce rules but he was washed by this point in his career. RIP to everyone that died on 9/11 and much love to their families and friends.

As an irrational Bruce non-enjoyer who put this off for a while it was actually good