Darkness on the Edge of Town

Never really listened to Bruce Springsteen, I wonder why - I pretty much like his music. “Adam Raised A Caine” had good rhythm and I can really imagine how star struck couples romantically danced to “Something In The Night” back when.

3.5

this was certainly something I experienced

Enjoyed it very much.

Thoughts before listening: This is my favorite Springsteen album. Review: There's not much else to say about this. I love this album. The hits are popular for a reason, but I love the deep cuts on this...Adam Raised a Cain, Candy's Room, Prove It All Night, etc. All great songs that remained heavy hitters in Bruce's live shows.

4++

Really enjoyed this album, more so than I was expecting to! I went in thinking, "OK, The Boss is an American institution, but I never really jived with his big hits! Born in the USA (song) kind of sucks." Listening to one of his albums start to finish really helped understand the appeal. It's well paced, diverse, and carries an overall common vibe.

First listen Saved 2/10 Top track: Adam Raised A Cain

good listen

Baffling how you can have a song as good as Adam raised a Cain on the same album with some absolute rubbish

It just feels like every song is the same and Bruce is straining his vocal chords on every one of them. Not a fan

I just don't get Bruce Springsteen. I feel like must be missing something. Maybe I'll have a damascene moment at some point and love his work.

I like: Badlands Racing In The Street

Typical Springsteen album

Not super familiar with the works, it was okay.

First song was ok, classic dad rock stuff, but then all the songs felt like they were the exact same. None of them were particularly bad, but it got boring and repetitive after a while. 3/5

This sounds like the Bruce Springsteen you would expect, except for the most well known songs. It is amusing and pleasant to listen to, but as I am not a huge Springsteen fan, it doesnt get better than amusing and pleasant.

It’s not my favorite Springsteen, but at the same time there’s nothing to really complain about. I am a true son of NJ, four stars.

So I came into this thinking it’s not one of my favorite Bruce outings, but man does it hit a sweet spot for me right now. When Bruce’s songwriting hits for me, it REALLY hits. From the opening track Badlands (maybe my favorite song of his) I just was rocked to my core. Such evocative and vibrant lyricism on every song. I don’t think I’ll be revisiting a lot of the slower storytelling songs out of context of the record, but listening as a whole they flow and vibe very nicely. It certainly feels like a very complete and deliberate album experience. Side note, ridiculous that Because The Night was written for these sessions and Bruce is such a good songwriter he could give it to Patti Smith because he already had enough love songs. Anyway, final verdict? VERY strong 4, almost a 5 but I dock it a little because I didn’t really connect with some of the album cuts. Top tracks: Badlands, Adam Raised A Cain, Something In The Night, Candy’s Room, The Promised Land, Prove It All Night, Darkness On The Edge Of Town

Really great album, a couple tracks left me wanting more, but this can be a 5 depending on my mood. Either way, this is a great driving in the middle of the night when your sad about your cashiering job

Damn, young Bruce looking like brooding and enigmatic snack on this cover! He’s at his highest growling and raspy peak here. The songwriting is phenomenal, the lyricism is endlessly intriguing, and it’s paced perfectly. This is an album you can sit with for several rotations before it’s full and impressive impact is felt. I love this one, the Boss is a powerfully talented dude. Respect.

Classic boss. Okay songs

bruce springstee

I never really liked this Bruce album or even the popular songs on it. Although it's good songwriting from Bruce, the album just doesn't sound good, especially compared to a lot of his other albums. Not a fan

Bruce is dog shit. We all know this. Why does he have so many albums on this damn list. That one song ab Atlantic City is pretty good tho.

‘murica! The Promised Badlands are anthems.

snoozefest :(

Meh

It's a milder sound than the Boss I love most, but not in a very bad way. Just different.

{{{{{{{{{{ Can't believe I'm about to willingly listening to an entire Springsteen album. Oh god here we go. Only a few seconds and .... Ok let's actually try this. Oh no. Hold. Hold. This is so fake-up-beat it makes me UGGGGGGGGhhh this stupid mumbly voice. Skip. I made it 45 seconds. How can you make piano annoying? Is this a sheep trying to sing? Skip. I made it 30 seconds. Now you're not singing at all? You're talking? How is that almost worse? What is this inflection singing? This is.. feels like knives. Holy fuck even the drumming is sloppy. Is this a ballad? Christ. Skip. I made it 1.5 minutes. Is that a record? This is torture. 20 seconds into racing in the street. Skip. Harmonica? Skip. Skip. Skip. Is everything in the key of C with the worse drumming and the worst vocals and worse lyrics and fucking church organ? Is this album a total joke? It's like I'm stuck in a casino listening to those god damned slot machines and they're all groaning together on the carpeted floor in a sloppy rhythm, all trying to sound happy and someone decided to drunkenly mumble over this total trash. SKIP. This could be used to get secrets from ear prisoners. SKIP. Can I not rate zero stars? My ears hurt.

Ugh. Not the worst but not something I would actively seek out.

Verdict: 3 stars

its odd hearing albums you heard for ever growing yup and thought they were IT - with ears 40+ years older. Some hits became/are American Rock classics.. but overall, I have to drop it down a peg. 3/5. Boss is still The Boss

This album feels bang average - I've heard Bruce Springsteen's most famous songs, which sounded the same, but just not as good. I'm not sure if it's controversial, but I don't understand how he is so popular. I won't be listening again.

Haven’t really listened to Bruce Springsteen and I don’t think I will. Pretty sure he sold his entire music catalogue though for a bunch of money so really he’s never gonna know/care lol

Not it.

Never liked him

Really feels like a complete album. I liked this way more than I would've thought. Storytelling was great, tons of musicality and variation in instruments, some excellent solo music sections. Thoroughly enjoyable, even with a few slow spots for me. Fav tracks: Adam Raised a Cain, Badlands, Streets of Fire

Why didn't I like this? I couldn't really concentrate on it. There were some good songs on it, but overall pretty forgettable for me. I like his other albums more. + Something In The Night + Candy's Room

Every Bruce Springsteen album gets an automatic 5, but this one would have been 5 anyway. I have a commemorative anniversary edition of this album! That’s significant because I offload all my music purchasing to Jo except for this one

buena voz buen guitarreo buenas melodías

Never really been into springers, this album was ok

I'd say in reality it's a 4-4.5 so am being positive with the rating. Springsteen holds a lot of nostalgia for me and his song writing and expression strikes a chord that elevates his music a great deal. Racing in the Street is a particular highlight but not a bad song on the album.

3/5 - All songs are likeable if not a bit similar. Racing in the Street was my highlight

Great album, really enjoyed the more complicated lyrical content in comparison to his other albums that I've heard, particularly liked songs like Racing in the Street. My only complaint is the production on some songs sound off, almost like the song was recorded for another album, I found this most particularly with Adam Raised A Cain.

If you only ever hear Bruce Springsteen on the radio you might think his Americana energy is good old boy music for blind patriots. There is patriotism there, but it's the sort of self-reflective, introspective patriotism that fuels the fires of change. It's a battle cry to overcome the grim beat of the paranoid streets, rise up from this broken system, reclaim what is rightfully ours. He echos the cognitive dissonance of the American ideals with the American reality. It's about freedom, truth, beauty and love. America is Bohemia if you want it to be, and Springsteen's words and music make me think it's still possible.

I feel like this is an album where it would grow on me with many repeat listens. Since I'm doing this 1001 thing I'm not really able to do that in the same way (although I will come back to it) I'm giving it 4 stars. I could see a future me giving it 5.

It's good, but I just can't get into his mumbly voice.

I'm told there are five Springsteen albums on this list an this is likely the best of them? Well being my first I've got nothing to compare it to so here we go. Badlands stands out for me so much that I feel like this album needs a few more listens to get more out of the other songs. Certainly Adam Raised a Cain, Racing in the Street, and The Promised Land piqued my interest. Certainly the album deserves another listen.

This is my fifth and, I think, final Springsteen album from the list. I liked it! The infusion of old timey religion definitely adds something - gives it a Tom Waits/Nick Cave murder ballad kinda vibe in places. Fave track - "Adam Raised a Cain" is my immediate stand out fave. "Streets of Fire" was another standout... I think this album is my fave of the five on the list!

It was fun, felt good

He’s a blast he’s a beauty he’s the boss. Awesome album a lot of fun he just fuking crushes it. I love how much emotion he puts into his music it’s contagious. Not much to say other than thought it was great would fuck it up again. Would love to see him live. -B Street Band

This album actually made a believer out of me. I’m not super high on this style of singing but eventually it won me over. Enjoyed Adam Raised a Cain, Something in the Night. Makes me feel like I’m in a high school movie in the 70s and I’m about to go to college and break up with my girlfriend and I’m smoking weed after the dance on Something in the Night. I’m listening to this shit right now WELL NOTHING IS FORGOTTEN OR FORGIVENNN

This guy sounds old but looks young. Don’t really like his voice. I think if he had a different voice I would like it more. Arrangement and instrumentation is all great. I liked something in the night and prove it all night the most

God! What an album! This album is so dynamic, you could listen to this passively to study or chill out, or you can listen to it actively and rock out if you want. Springsteen is highly unique and doesn’t really fall into a specific genre or generation. I listened to this album back-to-back 5 times today. It felt like the right album in every situation I was in. It is both energetic and fun while also being relaxing and somber. My family loves Springsteen but I’ve never really given him much of a thoughtful listen until now. Definitely changed my perspective and I can see myself listening to this album for the rest of my life.

Most of my knowledge of Springsteen comes from comedy sketches and parodies - and this album felt like that. Dark, rambling, nothing to groove to. Of my limited exposure to Springsteen, the only song I like is “Dancing in the dark”

Sagde mig ikke det helt store. Skal nok gennemlyttes mere fokuseret. Hørte det også pp arbejde hvilket nok ikke var helt optimalt .

Bueno

Didn’t listen

Love Bruce. I'm having a hard time listening through all the way to these albums, though. Maybe it's just my short attention span. Not sure.

Never really gave ol Bruce a listen before but it wasn’t bad. It’s overly simply music for me (he rhymes home with tone) and other single word and predictable rhymes makes it feel like he’s singing the lyrics of a children’s book….but I could see why someone says “they used to make music you could sing to in my day”

Was a decent album 4/5

This was ok. I liked Born in the USA more, but still pretty enjoyable. 3/5

Not my favorite Springsteen album but he’s still The Boss.

Classic, young, everyman Springsteen.

It was okay. Not my favorite type of music

Not my thing but nicely mixed.

I bought this album for $1 at a swap meet back when everyone was switching to CD's and used records were cheap. It's a solid album. The good songs are really good and the ok songs are still pretty good. 70's Bruce was awesome.

2.5, it was okay, it was really cheesy feeling though

herkkä mies HERKKÄ sanon minä....kauniita lauluja se on selvä. working-class mumbles... työllisväen muminoita, MITÄ PAREMPAA VOI OLLA? ei paljoon mikään...tehdaskello soi... prrr.. sisu tehdas.. prrr täydelliset, palkat sekä työolosuhteet EI OLE VALITTAMISEEN VARAA,,, KOSKA ON KÖYHÄ... aikaa sellasiin...töihinn siitä the promised land

I thought I would hate it but I kinda loved it at the end

springsteen wailing into the microphone on "something in the night" is more enjoyable than it feels it should be. the guitar on "the promised land" goes pretty hard but otherwise i had hoped for better.

Not the best Springsteen album I've heard. Overall, good, not great. 3/5

No waste

Não ouvi algo muito diferente do que já escutei desse estilo de música. Vale um 2 porque algumas são bacanas.

Pretty, pretty, pretty good

Great band, I don’t like the singer.

Maybe I don't hate Bruce Springsteen music as much as I thought I did.

meh

Quality songwriting from an authentic US voice. Yet somehow less rewarding than it should be.

Not a big fan of Springsteen - I don't "own" a single album of his and almost never ever purposefully listen to any of his songs, but he does make some quality music even if it doesn't resonate with me. But for what this is, it's good stuff. Bruce turning into a political liberal is a bit of a disappointment given his working class roots (?), but that's what the luxury of financial success can buy you.

Great musicianship, performed with great conviction, but I found this album a bit dull

This is a great album! A bit more rocking than some of his other material

Bruce is Bruce. Need I say more.

Not for me thanks.

Excellent, engaging, enjoyable. Great collection of stories that feel really relatable. Loved it!

Love Springsteen!

didn't finish.

Familiar with Bruce Springsteen but not heard this album. I quite liked Badlands, Racing in the Street and Streets of Fire.

Decent enough but never a massive fan of The Boss

I've tried this record a number of times. It's a classic for sure. Just not one for me.

topically heavy.

Don't listen to a lot of Springsteen but from what I heard here, great powerful voice. I like the arraignment of the music. But there was something that didn't really grab me in this album. I'd probably give it a strong 7 to a light 8.

Not the worst

I’m definitely biased because this is my favourite Springsteen album, and as such one of my favourite albums of all time. In many ways, Darkness is a less perfect album than Born to Run. Born to Run is perfectly structured, follows a story in an interesting way, and rises and falls in mood and tempo. It is structured like a great tragic drama. Darkness on the Edge of Town is Noir through and through. It is darker, it is bleaker, it is more desperate. The instances where light does break through are still tinged with darkness. Because it seems less structured than Born to Run it weirdly seems to tell a more cohesive story. We get more of a view of the characters, more detail regarding their situation and their surrounding. And as such, the stories of these ground down losers are all the more heartbreaking than Born to Run’s hopeful losers. Anyone who doesn’t like this album has no soul.

OK.

Boring

Boss album. 5 stars.

Great album. Springsteen really doesn't miss, in over 50 years of professional music. Great listen! Might be biased because I already like Springsteen, but solid album. Would listen again, 4 stars.

One of the most boring voices mixed with good instrumentals.

So far every 49th album is Bruce Spingsteen. If this keeps up we'll get 20 Spingsteen albums on this list - which could be funny if it wasn't for the fact that he's already released even more than that

Pure 70s. I think I'd have to be in the right mood to really enjoy this. Mellow and sad?

This album is the definition of American rock. A bit more stripped down then previous releases this album definitely has a more raw edge.

Oh wow. Bruce has ALWAYS had the old man voice. This is the sound I associate with classic rock. I never realized it was just Bruce. Whenever someone mentioned him I always wondered if I had ever even heard him. Yes. He's everywhere, I just didn't know. This feels like discovering the heart of classic rock. The Thing is, I cannot tell the difference between any of the songs. I feel like this album is one amazing song twelve times.

I cannot understand half the things he's saying. It's the kinda music you'd listen to with wind at the your face, American hardships.

Interesting mix. Not many thoughts on it but would probably listen again.

More fine-ness

Thoughtful. Made me feel like I had to listen to each word and sentence with thought

Once you get past the weird style of singing he has some pretty good songs

Good with a couple of songs that are almost great. Favorite song: Candy's room

I will admit that before even listening to this album that I am not super fond of Bruce Springsteen. The instrumental to his songs are nice but his voice, idk there’s something about it. “bruce springsteen can’t even sing good fr he’s just a good musician” - alex smith is the realest statement ever about this man. Ok “Candy’s Room” isn’t that bad. Like she’s tolerable. His voice and the song vibe are matching unlike a lot of his other songs. He’s giving country singer went rock and bad. “Prove It All Night” is fun, I like. “Darkness on the Edge of Town” is nice, a very good closer. Hoping and praying this is the only Bruce Springsteen album on this list please and thank you.

I'm sure it's good it's just not for me

not bad

Bra rock. Favorit: Streets of fire

Väldigt bra album Favorit: The promised land

This is Angry Bruce!! Enjoyable, but geez, this guy deserves his own genre. Not something I’d listen to for relaxation. Maybe for reflective times.

Snorefest. I really don't get Springsteen.

What a boring listen. Not a Springsteen fan, but this sounds like a dull Bob Seger album (not a fan of his, either). Not offensive to the ears, just not inspiring, amazing, or original in any way.

Bleak but optimistic like a lot of his Springsteen’s work, this is a grower and I ended up enjoying it quite a lot in the end.

Another great one by the Boss! It features a lot of his staple songs which greatly benefitted his popularity. Sometimes it seems, with each listen, it's gaining a lout of momentum and I could see this one growing to become my favorite. record of him. But his discography is wild and just too much good albums to pick from! But this is a nearly perfect album and I love it very much! 9 out of 10

New Jersey blue collar rock at its best. I've never had a huge draw to "The Boss" but I always enjoyed his radio hits. This album had a nice bluesy-sounding rock feel to it. "Racing in the Street" is probably my favorite track. I enjoyed the album quite a bit.

I've never understood why Springsteen is so revered by people. After listening to this album, I still don't.

I like this more than Born In the U.S.A. It feels warmer, more consistent and personal. A good progression from Born To Run as well. Overall, not too big on Springsteen but I like hearing his music occasionally and I enjoyed this. One thing for sure...Max Weinberg is seriously great. https://youtu.be/0fTs5o9UjMI?si=2NOfzt7kigUQxt8H

I'll never be a diehard Boss fan but I do like this music.

pas vraiment remarquable

After having only listened to “Nebraska”, it’s great to hear what everyone means when they mention “The Boss”.

Decent album, just over the Boss.

Bruce - Darkness on the Edge of Town Over het algemeen prima album, soms een beetje veel van hetzelfde, daarom drie sterren. 1. Lekkere piano, beetje jungletown vibes. Ook wel iets van no surrender. 7,3 2. Lekker uptempo 7 3. Mooi met die piano erdoor 6,8 4. Vind die temp wisselingen nice 7,2 5. Lekker maar beetje saai, einde wel weer heel mooi 7,3 6. Harmonica koning Bruce 7,2 7. Kort en een beetje saai 6,8 8. Ook wel oké, 6,8 9. Simpel liedje, maar wel lekker catchy 6,9 10. Mooie lyrics wel 7,1

Bruce blijft altijd een legend. Vet album, kende niet veel. Zijn stijl blijft altijd legendarisch

Darkness on the Edge of Town is more than just a great album. It is a cultural touchstone that has inspired generations of musicians and fans alike. The album's themes of hope, determination, and resilience continue to resonate today, making it a timeless classic.

If you don't like Springsteen, listen to musicians like Justin Vernon, Steve Earle and Eddie Vedder talk about his influence on them. Go listen to Arcade Fire's Neon Bible and Suburbs. Or listen to the wordy, dark and complex lyrics of The National. Watch how similar the Foo Fighters live performances are to Bruce's live shows. His impact on music is undeniable, and it's possible you love his music and don't even know it. I'll admit this isn't my favorite album of his, but DAMN it's good!

Man. Bruce Springsteen is yet another dude that people just love, while I am sitting here feeling left out. I dont hear it. I dont get it. It's just okay.

Pretty good better than others.

Bit plain and boring, but doesn’t hurt to blend in background.

Bored me a little bit, but still ok.

Very high 4! 4.5/5

Boring, annoying, cliche (maybe not when it was made? idc don't have to hear this again)

Takes you to a different world. It has you believe you can overcome a life you've never experienced in the first place.

A lot of Springsteen sounds the same to me

Seen him multiple times but never listened to this album. Good but not as great as I’d hoped

Einde van het album is zeker beter dan het begin. Begin is matig, rommelig en hij lijkt af en toe te veel andere artiesten na te willen doen.

This took a few listens but it's a strong album. Standouts include Badlands, Adam Raised A Cain, Something In The Night, Prove It All Night, and Darkness On The Edge Of Town.

Absolute classic

As always with Springsteen and the E-street band there is a solid core of singer-song rock n roll. Several more anonymous tracks here. So, quite good, but not amongst the best

Brilliant. I see this album as a sort of 'electric Nebraska'.

Honestly, this was great! Receiving it after all the 1 star albums lately was a massive relief, and almost made me rate it 5 stars. I would still say it's not quite 5 stars as there were several songs that didn't particularly interest me, and I'm not sure if I can see myself listening to it regularly. It's a very high 4, however- probably a 4.5. I've just got to say that, although I found some songs less interesting, the songwriting on here is solid. Everything on here is very well written. The instrumentation is tasteful, and the lyrics are so beautifully haunting and evocative. They delve into the trials of life in a way I'm not sure I've heard anyone do before. The metaphors are unique and intriguing, each song clearly has a lot to dissect and the emotion he describes feels utterly palpable. This is an album about longing, about suffering, about heartbreak, about the struggles that everyday people go through. It's an album about that existential yearning for something greater. About the feelings we try to ignore and push aside because they're too painful to acknowledge. These feelings are the "darkness on the edge of town" referred to in the album title. There were four songs on this album I particularly liked. One of them, "Factory," struck me as particularly resonant about halfway through the song. I was already enjoying it, then I suddenly realised how the whole thing was a metaphor for the lives of everyday people as part of the establishment. And then I loved it even more. Favourite tracks: Something in the Night, Racing in the Street, The Promised Land, Factory

Great album, my favourite. Grittier, more mature reflections on urban/small town America backed up with some marvellous musicianship

I just don't really like Bruce Springsteen's voice or songwriting all that much. Many of the songs sound very similar to me. I'm especially not a fan of the upper harmony over dubbing that he uses on almost all of his choruses. All that said, I don't know that I would ever be upset to hear his music, it's just that I don't particularly like it. All in all, I would listen to it again.

Interesting, capturing working life. kinda depressing.

This isn't my favorite Springsteen album. I feel like the record starts with a zig and a zag: Badlands is a little too happy with its piano romp and sax solo. While the throaty yowl of Adam Raised a Cain plants its pathos more firmly in the Darkness one might find on the Edge of Town. The record takes awhile to find itself and once it does it *can* be satisfying. Still, it's no Nebraska.

A subtle classic, this is probably my favorite Springsteen record because of its melancholic undertones. Any upbeat moments carry anger more than anything else, and demand answers from an unrelenting world. Springsteen is true Americana and he shows a side like no one else really could. Stand out track: The Promised Land

Springsteen = Vinilo.

En la película Pretty Woman aparece una versión de Racing in the Street, sólo en piano.

Album 126 of 1001 Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town Rating : 5 / 5 Favorite Track : The Promised Land I have always given Bruce Springsteen props for being a masterful performer. Everyone always talked about how great his live shows were and when I finally had a chance to see him, I fully agreed. Lately, I've found that he is owed the respect as a great artist, overall. I wasn't expecting this to hit as hard as Born to Run - I'm still not sure if it did - but, in its own right, it is just as good. Once you become familiar with him as an artist, you see that all of his songwriting is so unique to itself. So low key and simple yet so powerful. He seems to have a real reason for writing each song and seems to give the same care to them all. Maybe I overdo it, but I've often heard him being written off as some untalented hack and its likely that I listened to that too much. Top notch album.

Classic Bruce Springsteen right here. Very cool.

Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Not really, feels a bit weaker than what I love about him Favourite song: didn’t have one

5/5 One of my favourite albums of all time. Classic from start to finish Best song is Racing In The Street, probably a top 5 Bruce song. Something in the Night is another low key highlight No negatives, all good. Great album

Much better than expected! I really enjoyed this listen and will definitely be listening again 7/10

4/5

good album. can never go wrong with a bruce springsteen record.

3.5

I do not like Bruce

Oh no I hate this too (sorry Chris)

I hate it

Badlands Adam Raised a Cain The Promised Land Streets of Fire Prove it All Night Darkness on the Edge of Town

# 27 : Bruce Springsteen's one of those guys I don't see what all the hype is about. Some nice epic and emotional stuff, but I found it a little boring.

I want to listen to this more I think - I liked the start and end but it blurred together in the middle. But some of these tracks really evoke a whole world.

The vocals are almost unintelligible, his voice is really not that great. That really would not be MUCH of an issue if the songs were not so unbearably tiresome. It isn't bad, it's boring, which is worse. Favorite: Adam Raised a Cain

Decent 3, the classic Bruce songwriting is in there and I like it

When the going gets tough, the tough get fucked and when the tough gets fucked, all that is left is some tall tales about the very people that just so happens to be around us and amongst us and that's who Bruce Springsteen best caters to. On Darkness on the Edge of Town, Ashbury Park's greatest weaves together songs that don't have a connective tissue yet are all apart of the same universe that can only house those particular maladies. Perhaps more rugged than what came before, this album proves that there is more to Bruce's mettle than meets the eye and that he can absolutely hang with the changing of the guards.

Bruce ain’t for me

There are better Springsteen albums

not a fan, but alright tracks

Moody, space and direct, Darkness... is the ideal sequel to an album of such blockbuster proportions as Born to Run.

More gritty and stripped down album of underdogs. I actually kinda liked most of the songs.

I understand the reason why Springsteen attracts such devotion, I just can't get into it myself. Yes he has some great songs but broadly the music to me all kind of mushes into one on albums like this. I get it, I just don't get it.

Light on the edge of genius. Wow.

Very somber album. It's great to have singers like Bruce Springsteen because he sings with very frank and direct lyrics usually and it's always obvious what the themes of his songs are.

Amazing album by Bruce.

Another stone cold classic.

I just don’t like Springsteen. I respect him and his music, but I don’t like it.

a few standout tracks, but mostly standard bruce thoroughfare (which is still very good!!!) Favorite Tracks: Badlands, Streets of Fire, Darkness On the Edge of Town 4/5

Super solid album from The Boss.

Badlands- 3.6/5 Adam Raised a Cain- 3.8/5 Something in the Night- 2.8/5 Candy's Room- 4.2/5 Racing in the Street- 3.6/5 The Promised Land- 2/5 Factory- 2.5/5 Streets of Fire- 3.3/5 Prove It All Night-3/5 Darkness on the Edge of Town- 3.5/5 Total- 3.2/5

9/10. Good stuff, likely something I'll come to like even better as I listen to it more.

Oh yeah bud. 9/10

Not bad not uuh

Bruce is the man!!!

Some moments but Bruce’s wobbly howling doesn’t grab me like it should

Big Springsteen fan so I've listened to this album many times. It was great to revisit it since I haven't done a full listen to it in a while. Fantastic record and a good follow up to Born to Run.

4.75

Не прошло проверку временем

I think I don’t like Springsteen

More sommer and disillusioned where "Born to Run" was still full of dreams and looking to be free, Bruder clearly processes his experiences of the Prior three years here. Still excellent, just as the Prior record and as the following would turn out to be.

Solid, if unspectacular. Somehow sounds more like The Killers than The Killers do! A worthy inclusion, but not one I'll be rushing back to. Very hard to settle on a score, but I guess it's better to be generous

Listening to his voice gets tiring after half an hour. Didn't enjoy most of the slow songs, but that's the case with many singer-songwriter albums for me. Would give it a 2.5/5 Highlights: Badlands, Streets Of Fire, Prove It All Night

The Rumor Come Out: Does Bruce Springsteen is Overrated? I like a good ballad, but an entire album of ballads about Americana is boring and out-played. Maybe I'll enjoy the other Springsteen album(s) on this list more. It started strong with "Badlands" but nothing really caught my ear otherwise. I'm also not a huge fan of Springsteen's voice-- an opinion which might get my crucified in certain circles. All in all, this is about as mid as mid gets.

#94 all time artist Never heard this album somehow - loved it though

-something about bruce springsteens vocie….. so comforting -a lot of his songs and lyrics are So rejuvenating -guitar in second half of badlands is GREAT -adam raised a cain is SO GOOD -like the yelling and intensity of it WORKS -favorites: adam raised a cain -something in the night feels holy -overall loved this album and tbh it almost got 5 stars……

Dang I love Bruce. This album is like a vanilla milkshake. It’s just classic Bruce drinkable and every bit tasty. Badlands and Darkness on the Edge of town cap the milkshake, whip cream on top, cherry in the bottom

It's really good Bruce, but not elite Bruce.

When the night's quiet and you don't care anymore And your eyes are tired and there's someone at your door And you realize you want to let go And the weak lies in cold walls you embrace you At your insides and baby I ain't no liar I walk Streets of fire Incredible. Love is the force that conquers all the bad shit in America. 5/5

Own on Vinyl

I've felt for a long time that I didn't have enough Bruce in my life, but I never got motivated to seek it out. I was kinda excited when this came up on the generator. Just the motivation I needed. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this as much as I'd hoped. All very overdramatic. I know there's a version of Bruce for me out there. This wasn't it.

Easy 5er. The reason he's called the boss is because his lyrics are incredible, his band is tight, and his music makes me feel like I'm on my first road trip

Starts out strong and fades

Loved him and saw live often. Think I just got tired of him. Fun but not really great.

I do like some Bruce Springsteen stuff, but he moans to much and too loudly on this and his dialogue is purposefully slurry and I don't get it. Bit shit.

Glimpses of future greatness infuse this first album.

This album doesn't have as much of the anthemtic, fist-pumping quality of his music before or after this, and that benefits Darkness... greatly; allowing for Springsteen's lyrical and storytelling ability to shine through. Springsteen doesn't mince words or bother with parables and similes, which makes his words all the more relatable to the middling blue-collar worker like you or me. Personal highlight: Something in the Night.

Happy 45th Birthday I love a Bruce sax solo more than life itself

Interesting Bruce record. Exists at a crossroads between Born to Run and The River and stylistically feels like an appropriate inflection point. I'm docking it a little bit because it feels a little worse than both of those records; it lacks the ambition and urgency of Born to Run and the sheer scale and personal reckoning that I feel characterizes the River, but it's obviously still a great batch of songs. Standouts: Badlands, Candy's Room, Racing in the Street, Darkness On the Edge of Town

Never been a huge fan

1. born to run 2. the wild the innocent 3. born in usa 4. the river 5. darkness 6. nebraska 7. greetings 8. magic 9. rising 10. wrecking ball fight me

Good, but I thought I'd enjoy it more than I did

Wonderful album

It's quite alright. Not something I'd listen to in my spare time, but it's nice.

Man i'm a sucker for springsteen. Maybe a boomer. I enjoyed this.

Too slow. Too Bruce Springsteen.

Eh it was okay I guess. Bruce isn't my thing.

One of the best if not his best works. Combines the spirit of his earlier work with the production and single songwriting of his later era. Strong musicianship, his voice is strong, the piano underrated, many great Bruce songs here with the everyday man having a voice in the lyrics.

Bruce never disappoints, another all full of catchy, good spirited and energetic songs. What's not to love?

There was one song that I enjoyed. Otherwise Tom Waits does the sad working class schtick better and all I could think about was listening to him.

this bruce was better than the last brice i listened to. give me some darkness on the edge of town. i bet he was a hard working man before his fame, cause if not he loves cosplay. almost got that squealy yelp i like n this album. good americana rock in the suburbs. good job brucey boy.

Not slay

I just don’t like it

A powerful, raw and earnest record. Ranging from the gritty Adam Raised a Cain, to desperation on Something in the Night - a personal highlight.

This was okay, but nothing really grabbed my attention here.

Much better than the last album we rated. I enjoyed this.

For a Bruce Springsteen album, this was way too downbeat for me. I like the explosive big sound of the E Street Band backing him. The first track started the album off great, with high energy. Sadly the rest of the album just fell flat for me.

meh

I understand this appeals to some- smalltown aspirations and dreams, Americana and 70's stadium rock but it sounds samey to me. It's not that I dislike it only that it does nothing for me. Having said that he deserves his niche. He's very good at what he does.

Thought I hated Bruce Springsteen but there were actually a lot of good songs on here. Sorry Bruce.

Did I just become a Bruce fan? It’s such a crazy mix of melancholy sadness with Americana rock. Then it throws in some sax and keys. Need to give it a couple more listens to confirm, but I’m looking forward to them!

Pretty good

Bruce is Bruce, you live him or you don’t… I don’t

This was just fine. Maybe I don’t have as much appreciation for this genre or my mood wasn’t as into it because I know Springsteen is such an influential artist.

This is now the fourth Bruce Springsteen album I've heard, but if you pointed a gun at me and told me to sing any song by this guy I'd tell you to shoot me in the head. Not being from the Anglosphere comes with the perk of never being forced to listen to Bruce Springsteen. Boring white boy noodling with a bunch of thingamajigs. Get outta my face.

Enjoyable, but some of the songs were a little too "middle America" for me. I think I preferred the more upbeat songs, especially with the sax. Least favorite was "Adam Raised a Cain"

I have this CD in my car

Hated it. I think there was one song where instrumentation was okay, but it was ruined by Bruce’s voice. It’s not bad, just boring and not for me.

I was on a Springsteen kick about 15 years ago and had really been enjoying his first three albums. But when I got to Darkness, it was like the proverbial needle scratch on the vinyl moment for me. It's one of my absolute favorites now, but Darkness was so different from anything I had heard from him and I didn't connect with it at first. It's tense and unsettling, equal parts raging, soaring and mournful. It's an album full of sharp edges and seething with raw emotion. His characters are wounded, struggling, hopeful, the one thing they want just out of reach. It's wrenching, compelling songwriting that's somehow never overwrought. Musically, the songs are spare, resonant and intense. This is a band at the height of their powers and vocally, Bruce has probably never sounded better. He's made a lot of great albums in his career, but this is arguably his best. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): The Promised Land, Prove It All Night, Racing in the Street, Badlands, Streets of Fire, Something in the Night, Adam Raised a Cain, Candy's Room, Darkness on the Edge of Town, Factory

Strong 7

its OK and very distinctly Bruce

better than i thought it would be, for sure enjoyed it more than most springsteen I've heard before. This is all that the midwest emo kids used to have

не понимаю для кого эта музыка) простая как полено

Top Springsteen.

Man this was a brilliant album. It was incredibly upbeat when it wanted to be while also having this air of darkness and despair over it, and pulled off that dichotomy to perfection on tracks like Adam Raised a Cain. However, the album's absolute masterpiece came with Racing in the Street. It reminded me so much of River for being a crushing song written around an interpolation of what's usually a happy, upbeat song, and executed it just as well as Joni did. I was absolutely floored by it. Every Springsteen album I've heard so far has wowed me, and this one the most of all. An easy five stars. Listen to Racing in the Streets, Candy's Room, Adam Raised a Cain, the whole album honestly.

After wading through a bunch of garbage, finally something good to listen to. Good story telling and music.

Some real heat. Great story teller and great tunes

Snoooooooore. I will never get the appeal of Springsteen. Jerking off about heartland America. Boring and lame.

This put me in mind of a slightly less pompous Meat Loaf. I have tried to like Brooce, but it's not for me. This is a lot of what punk was against at the time, as far as I am concerned. Over-blown rock ballads with too much piano.

There's not a lot of fun happening here. The album title explains it all. Bruce is best when he's being Bruce - pumping the air and living the American Dream. He's down on his luck on Darkness. Badlands and Promised Land stand out. But elsewhere and it's tough going.

America

Not his best album, but a good one.

No notes

Excellent album. Probably more of a 4.5 for me but I’ll round up in honor of all the Bruce heads in this group.

The summer of 78. I wore out multiple copies of this album (that was a thing back then). I was 17 and travelled around the northeast going to Bruce shows (the '78 tour was the best in my opinion). This may be his best set of songs overall. All three singles flopped (Prove It All Night, Promised Land and Badlands). Yet, all three were in the set list last month when I saw him. 20,000 people sang along and knew every word. Not enough stars.

I remember the anticipation leading up to the release of this album and then listening to it over and over and over. One of Bruce's best efforts. Some of the songs are a little more downbeat, but the lyrics are great and the band is at it's best. Badlands, Prove It and Promised Land get all the glory, but Candy's Room, Darkness and Adam Raised a Cain are outstanding tracks. I especially love the guitar on Adam Raised a Cain. I think this counts as the band's first "grown up" record. All in all this is a fantastic record and easily deserves a 5!

Probably in my personal top 10 albums of all time so I’m torn between keeping this super short or writing 9 paragraphs. Just excellent and sincere songwriting, singing, and musicianship all around. This is an extremely serious rock and roll record without any of the pretension that alienated me from prog rock. “Prove It All Night” is one of my favorite songs ever but honestly every single song on here is good and is a great illustration on why keeping albums shorter is a good idea. Some of my favorite moments are the opening wail of “something in the night”, the band kicking in on the title track, the pre-chorus in “The Promised Land” and the bridge of “Badlands”. Easy 5.

A couple of great tracks but for me the rest is struggling to meet Bruce’s high standards - better before and better to come.

Great album, not as many catchy riffs as born in the USA, but some great singing and songwriting on this track.

I'm one of those people who, in the on-going debate of which is the best Springteen album (at least of the pre-2000 years), is the best: Born in the USA or Darkness on the Edge of Town? Whenever I lead to one, the other ones let me discover something new. Right now, while listening to this classic again, I think Darkness has a small lead. While not all the songs are as iconic as on the later follow up they do have bit more variety in style to them. Darkness shows how Springteen's Roy Bittan pianist placed the keys so central compared to other rock music at the time, especially as punk was on the rise. That really helps to stand out and makes every track a great story of their own. 'Adam Raised A Cain' and the title track might be my favourite ones on this grandiose journey through the American heartland. The 'worst' track might be 'Streets of Fire' because it is just an example of the forceful albeit by now standard, even somewhat parody-ish Springsteen style. But other than that? A great classic.

love some of the songs here, standouts with the title track and prove it all night.

Some good stuff on this. Never been a big fan of Springsteen so this is my first time listening to one of his full albums. Still not a big fan but didnt hate this one.

First time listening to the boss. Good solos and very listenable.

boring springsteen

Some seriously good tracks on here. I found most of it quite self-indulgent, it worked for me on some tracks like 'Something in the Night', but 'Street of fire' i found super grating. Enjoyed the listen tho

Composition is nice but lyrics are not my cup of tea

I’m not completely sure on this five.But it’s a really nice sounding album with lots of hooks.I don’t know if I’ll ever go out of my way to listen to it again but I can see why propel would really love it.Really liked that song about the promised land.

3.5/5

"Mister I ain't a boy, no, I'm a man." If I could summarize this album with one line, that would be it. Bruce Springsteen's follow up to 'Born to Run' expands on his themes of disillusionment and unfulfilled promises with added maturity. Bruce Springsteen is one of my favorite artists, but this was my first time listening to this album in its entirety. Where 'Born to Run' has a title track that speaks of an optimistic love, 'Darkness on the Edge of Town' has "Prove It All Night," where the narrator and his love have to make things work between them, just to survive. Springsteen sings with the emotions of a man who had optimism, but now just has himself to rely on, in a world where the down-on-their-luck are left behind, unable to reap the benefits of a society whose collective wealth grows. The lyrics on this album are great, and the instrumentation and stripped down production gives it a much more raw feel than its predecessor.

First time listening to a full Bruce record. I know he was a great performer and songwriter but didn’t realize what a great singer he is. I like his dynamic vocal performances on Streets of Fire and Something in the Night. Not a big fan of the songs about old cars… 3.5

Good rock n roll. Badlands is a good song. This isn’t my favorite Bruce record but it’s still good. Clarence Clemons is great even if he does only have one lick 😂

I really tried to keep an open ming. His singing is just so mumbly. I would like to hear someone else sing Badlands.

Given that I have given five stars to *Born To Run*, I can only give five stars for this one as well: *Darkness In The Edge Of Town*, released three years after Springsteen's magnum opus, is a welcome evolution of the man's artistry and overall sound after all, and the stellar "Badlands", "The Promised Land", "Streets Of Fire", "Prove It All Night" and the title track are enough evidence that you can't seriously talk about the Boss without mentioning this LP. Other cuts on the record are pretty impressive too, by the way: "Candy's Room" is for instance a criminally underrated gem, its infectious glockenspiel riff being one of the top best arrangements ever penned by the Boss in my book, and its overall instrumentation being also grittier and harder than your usual Springsteen song. And so is the instrumentation and performance on "Abel Raised A Cain"... You can sense that in 1978 the advent of punk rock did have a relative influence on the sort of epic blue-collar songcraft displayed by Bruce. Which makes total sense. Here is the sort of subtle ingredient that made this record age like fine wine, contrary to other LPs with Springsteen's name on it. And it's what makes it an "essential" album, along with *Born To Run* and *Nebraska*. Number of albums left to review: 592 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 195 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 91 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 122

A hard listen

Oh man, I have never cared about The Boss and have found him somewhat insufferable but that might be more from his fans being pretty insufferable. However, I have never given him a fair shake, and wanted to keep an open mind and see what all the fuss is about. And this album sucks, it's unbearable and laughably bad. Very rough getting through the whole thing.

Not my cup of tea, but a truly beautiful album

My favorite album from my favorite artists. One of the best albums of all time. Perfection.

medio zzz 6.5/10

Good album, I liked the ballads on it and surprisingly I like Springsteen’s voice on the album.

Niet mijn smaak

Very solid album! The only flaw really is the vocals, he kind of just mumbles his way through everything, but the instrumentals throughout the whole album is fantastic. 7/10

Maybe I just don’t like Bruce Springsteen. To this album’s credit, its production isn’t as unbearable as “Born in the USA”, but it still suffers from quite a few pitfalls that plague the aforementioned album. To be honest, I feel like Springsteen is at his best without the E Street Band. If “Nebraska” has taught us anything, it’s that Springsteen’s social commentary regains its razor-sharp edge through just Folk instrumentation, and it becomes greatly dulled with the addition of other superfluous instruments (As a progressive rock fanatic I love me some electronic keyboard instruments, but they do NOT fit here). With these complaints aside, this album is definitely better than “Born in the USA”, at least music-wise. Worth the listen, but unless you can look past the embellishments, not worth coming back to. Standout Songs: “Badlands” “Candy’s Room” “Racing in the Street”

Meh. Jersey guy mumbles over slowed-down yakity sax music.

Catchy hooks and an overall solid rock album.

Pretty good 70’s rock. The only Bruce Springsteen album I’ve ever completely loved is Nebraska, but this is good. ‘Adam Raised a Cain’ can be a bit grating, though.

It's good but it just sounds very generic to be. I guess that's a testament to his success. Not something i would revisit.

4.5/5. Not my favourite record from the Boss but it's part of his fantastic canon from the late 70s to mid 80s, undeniably a classic.

Classic and perfect.

Too slow for me

Man, I hate Bruce Springsteen. I wish I could understand a word he was saying. Still more listenable than at least one album on here that I've heard

Bruce Springsteen the champion of New York, New Jersy, and the Jews. This album is ok. Not very good, not very bad. Yet another 3/5 for the books. A low 3/5

Couldn't possibly say anything negative about the boss. Thoroughly enjoyed this album - hadn't heard much of it before.

Springsteen is always the same -- the really famous stuff is hot trash, but when you listen to the albums they're loaded with unheralded great tunes. This one is a famous album without many famous songs -- most played track on Tidal is his #23 highest. Sure enough, this is a REAL pleasant surprise. I only knew Badlands and the title track. Abel Raised a Cain and Streets of Fire are kickass hard rock.

Fucking hell this is awesome

Relatively uninteresting, unmemorable and overdrawn - voice is also a bit inarticulate and makes it a bit more annoying to get through. Couldn't get through all of it if I'm being honest

Harder, gritter, darker and better (well in my opinion) than Born to Run, this is Springsteens best album, brilliant. His second masterpiece.

I’m sure the actual musical compositions were good but unfortunately I couldn’t tell because Bruce-y’s awful droning voice ruined it all. The only song I actively thought “this is ok” was Racing in the Street. Factory was eh too I guess. ‘Something in the Night’ just sounded like someone writhing in pain, and I’m pretty sure ‘The Promised Land’ was made up on the spot because it was just a series of loosely correlated noises.