Darkness on the Edge of Town

I thought it would be worse, still it is totally fine

buen pop

I’ve tried to listen to Bruce Springsteen twice now and this is the only album where I’ve wanted to skip every song

Si me gusto

4/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/bruce-springsteen/darkness-on-the-edge-of-town/ Don't think I will ever be the biggest Bruce fan, even though I'm not sure why not. It sounds like stuff I should like quite a lot, but something's holding me back. Anyway, still a good album. Nice emotional Bruce.

I am starting to understand why they call him the boss

I appreciate this is probably blasphemous but I am struggling to differentiate this from Meatloaf.

Before this list id never listened to a full Bruce so was interested to hear why so many people o knew with diffeeent musical backgrounds loved him so much. Five album im none the wiser. It just doesn’t seem to all gel together for me and some of them have been .trudges to get through. This one wasn’t a complete bore but it’s just not for me. East coast/west coast style - Agree to disagree

Decent album

I have not heard this before. I know a couple of these songs. These are all good songs but none of them are all that great, there aren’t any that really stand out like on Born to Run so if you’re listening to this while doing any type of activity that involves any concentration it fades into the background and then all of a sudden the album is over. Maybe I need to listen to it again a few times to get it, maybe not.

Not his best work, hard to get through

It was ok.

(light 8/10) In some ways this is better than Born to Run but overall what it excels in Songwriting chops, it falters a bit in consistency. This album is sad. It's pretty similar to The Killers' Pressure Machine album where it explores small town living. Unlike Born to Run or Mellencamp-type Heartland Rock where they sort of celebrate the small town lifestyle, this album tears it apart. This record is full of regret and missed opportunities. Being trapped in a cycle of poverty and exploitation of the working class, no song better illustrates this than the insanely powerful ballad "Racing In The Street". It took a second listen to truly feel the weight of those lyrics. It's these epic songs like the aforementioned "Racing In The Street", the title track that closes out the album, and "Something In The Night" where the lyrics and the arrangements really shine bright. The mix is fantastic, the instruments are lush and full of life, and a tired and shaken Springsteen moans and belts out powerful vocals atop these wonderful songs. The album's inconsistency appears with the more hard-rock oriented songs. The instrumental to "Raised a Cain" is fiery and exciting, but the lyrics and especially the hook to the song don't really do it for me. "Candy's Room" felt like it could have been explored a bit more, and "Factory" just felt like a leftover, even though the lyrical themes do add a lot to the narrative. It's just so short it could have been left on the cutting room floor. The song "Prove it All Night" is the best of the more hard rock flavored tracks with an incredible guitar and saxophone solo to help bring it on home, before the wonderful closer that is "Darkness on The Edge of Town". Overall I do really like this record, I think over time I'll come to like this a lot better, the high points are REALLY high, and the overall vibe and thematic exploration of the album is superb. Just wish some of the deeper cuts went harder.

Why does he sing every single song the exact same way

Springsteen has a very distinct voice. Great opening song. Solid album. A few songs I may revisit. Others were very repetitive

Rockowy album późnych lat 70-tych zaczynający z grubej rury utworem Badlands, dobre gitarowe brzmienie okraszone w dodatku saksofonowym solo przed ostatnią zwrotką. Jednak mi najbardziej w pamięć zapadł utwór nr 2 "Adam Raised a Cain", biblijne nawiązanie w treści utworu plus historia o tym, jaki stosunek miał do swojego ojca sam Bruce Springsteen a także porównianie dziedziczenia traumy pokoleniowej jako grzechu, którym obarcza nas wiara Kościoła Katolckiego (każdy rodzący się jako grzeszny). Trzeci utwór Something in the Night po zagłębieniu się w szczegóły ukazuje problem, który autor miał tworząc ten album. Bruce chcąc uniezależnić się od swojego menagera Mike'a Appela wytoczył mu proces, który trwał prawie rok. Całe to wydarzenie uznaje się za punkt zwrotny w karierze Springsteena zmieniając charatker jego muzyki z młodzieńczych marzeń i ucieczki od problemów w bardziej dojrzałe i faktyczne mierzenie się z przeciwnoścaimi. Co doskonale słychać idąc dalej przez album na przykład w utworze "The Promised Land", do tego okraszone przejściamy z popisem solo na harmonicje przez Bruce'a. Cały album kończy utwór zatytułowany tak samo jako cały album Darkness on the Edge of Town, podsumowujący sytuację Springsteena, chociaż śpiewa tutaj, że utracił dobra materialne oraz swoją żonę, to jednak dla niego nie ma żadnego znaczenia, ponieważ osiągnął w życiu stan, w którym te rzeczy już nie dają mu satysfakcji. Podsumowując, pierwsze słuchanie albumu aż tak nie porwało, wtedy tylko mocno w pamięci utkwił mi kawałek Adam Raised a Cain. Jednak po zagłębieniu się w szczegóły powstawania tego projektu, problemy z jakimi mierzył sie Bruce Springsteen w swoim życiu oraz ewolucja jaką przeszedł jako artysta sprawia, że odbiór tego albumu przeze mnie jako słuchacza staje się mocniejszy.

Favorite track(s): Adam Raised a Cain, Something in the Night, Racing in the Street, Darkness on the Edge of Town Heard before Previous rating: 7/10

So many like the Boss so much, I don't happen to be one of them. Sorry, Bruce.

cooool

A lot of never experienced tracks on here, enjoyable but somewhat indistinguishable on initial listen. Will have to give this one some more spins (but I gotta catchup on 5 missed albums!), Listen to Candy's Room if you like hypnotic hi-hat intros!

Some good songs writing but a bit samey

7.5/10

After a bright start this just withered away .

This album taugh me many things. It's like the epitome of music of my parents' generation, but sadly I don't think they got to listened too much at their time since we are not from USA, and even though this is a central element, in that time it actually was a dream. And it's all it is now. That's what I learned, about a very proeminent american singer, that when I saw how many albums has presented here, more than artists that got even to our plains in the generations I mentioned, I wondered what's on him. But this music is more than that, I really love the old school rock, the poetics, everything. Well, his music reached out to me here, now. And this is exactly what this site has to deliver. Because I'm waiting for new gems, even though I also wait to support the ones I already know. 5 stars certified songs: Adam Raised a Cain, The Promised Land, Streets of Fire (which also taught me not to rely on the most played, since this was the least streamed on the platform I listened to) and the eponymous song.

yeah thats the MFing boss!!!

Amazing Springsteen album with his iconic musical style. 1. Badlands 2. Darkness On the Edge of Town 3. Prove It All Night

Fav song: Adam Raised a Cain

I was originally irked to have another Springsteen album, since I had 2 already in the recent past, but I think this was my favorite of the three. Having grown up listening to the Killers and Brandon Flowers, I can really hear how Bruce’s songwriting influenced them. It is a little hard to listen to his singing voice for such a long time, but the overall experience is good.

8/10

Couple of decent ish tracks but mainly dross as far as I’m concerned. Probably won’t listen to it again.

I completely understand why Bruce Springsteen is so popular. I just don't enjoy his work.

Friday, 12 June, 2026 No classic hits, but it is a really good album. Side 1 shines. Side two is solid as well.

Didn’t hate it; didn’t love it. So,

I know this guy is an international superstar, but I really don't get it. It took me 3 tries to get through this album. his voice is bad, the harmonies are just barely on key, and the guitar solos were sloppy. I like what Bruce Springsteen represents as a public figure, but i do not like his music.

It was interesting to get to know more of Springsteen's catalogue, until now I'd only listened to one of his albums, but I really like his style

Darkness on the Edge of Town Great album overall; for a "rocker" Springsteen really does have a knack for pretty melodies. That run of Something in the Night, Candy's Room, Racing in the Street and The Promised Land is just fantastic.

Gritty, Rocking and Fierce. Really liked the album. Great lyrics

Album 222. Darkness On the Edge of Town (https://open.spotify.com/album/4KT6G8fj8EEIfsyr75hbgc?si=Fi4CxnrDRMCwfCseoR4GWw) — Bruce Springsteen (1978) I have a feeling of being working-class because of this album. At some point I got a strong desire to buy a six pack. A little later I got an urgent yearning to vote for the republicans. But unfortunately, when the album ended, these feelings ended too, 'cause I have no job. Thank you Bruce Springsteen — it was a dark and beautiful nightmare. I think it'll be better on the second and the third spin. 4/5 Liked: — Badlands — The Promised Land — Factory — Prove It All Night

A few good songs on here but I'm really learning through this that Bruce Springsteen is a country singer. Not my thing at all. I don't like his vocal performance or most of the songs. It's better than the other one I've gotten on here.

Bruce's music feels like a cold breeze in the late summer afternoons

It was a good album to listen to in order to understand the roots of his sound.

Springsteen is the gold standard when it comes to telling stories of Americana. His songs instantly transport you to a depressed mill town, the rust belt, real blue collar Jersey… Anytown USA. He sings with such conviction and heart. While this isn’t necessarily his best album top to bottom, it’s quintessential Bruce.

A very personal album. Not for cooking, for parties, or to jam out to. But it’s good, really good. Simple lyrics that are able to paint a picture of broken dreams, escaping mundane life, growing older, and all the emotions that come with it. It’s good to listen to something like this every now and again.

Album 93 Top 3 "favorites" off the album: The Promised Land, Racing in the Street, Darkness on the Edge of Town I haven't listened to Springsteen extensively. Quite honestly, I could keep it that way after this. I'd hoped my parents were right when they said his old stuff was better. My first chosen encounter with him was listening to Streets of Minneapolis, which I thought was straight ass. My opinion of his music overall remains largely unaffected after this listen. I don't know if it's just me, but I had a hard time understanding what he was singing. Physically. I maybe laughed about it at the very beginning. Am I having a stroke? In other news, I think Adam raised a Cain. Might need to check up on that again one more time to be sure. I liked most of the instrumentation. It was a good range of sound qualities, good layering, all that. I liked coming out of Adam Raised a Cain into Something in the Night; there was still a weight to the latter but not because of a gritty quality of sound. The slower songs went on too long (looking at you, Racing in the Street), which is a shame because they were the easiest for me to understand vocally/verbally. 

Something about being an American working class underdog, with added harmonica etc Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ ★★★☆☆ (5/10) Total reviewed : 344 Already owned : 77 Purchased : 16 To buy : 3 Nope : 248

Classic

I liked this a lot more than "Born in the U.S.A.". It seemed more raw and less artificial. It was nice that there were some lyrically intense songs, and then some more primal songs.

really nice vocal-forward tracks on this, and there's a huge variety of instrumentation. i was expecting mostly guitars again but there's a lot of nice piano and stuff too

Made me feel like in an american movie where you get the girl in the final and go with her at the graduation party

Adam Raised A Cain

7/10 Lovely songs

Its okish for me

Springsteen don't do it for me. Same arrangements as ever, same vocal cadence... as generic as it gets, folks.

after listening to 4 Bruce Springsteen albums finally found the first song i liked. Adam Raised A Cain saved this from a 1 star.

Forgettable

I just don't like this bloke. The music is very poor and his voice and everything else is poor as well. Please don't choose any more of his recordings.

Samtlige sange på det her album har et af Bruce's gigantiske stadion anthem omkvæd, 10/10 rammer plet hver gang. Hans bedste album tror jeg

Stor 4er, en ting det her projekt har (gen)lært mig er hvor mange vildt fede Springsteen plader der er

Buenardooo amé

Never cared for his vocals, but respect his dedication to his craft and also his political stances. On this album, Prove It All Night & Badlands stand out as winners, but his voice isn’t my cup of tea!

This one is an automatic 5 stars for me. Bruce is my favorite artist and I have more songs liked by him on Spotify (137) than anyone else currently. It's hard to pick my favorite Springsteen album. For me he has five perfect albums: Greetings from Asbury Park ('73), Born to Run ('75), Darkness (this album, '78), Nebraska ('82), Tunnel of Love ('87) and one "almost perfect" album: The Ghost of Tom Joad ('95). Which one is my favorite often depends on which one I last sat down and listened to all the way through - so I guess it's this one for today! He also has 2 others which are VERY good - The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle ('73) and The Rising (2002). You might have noticed I skipped The River and Born in the USA albums. I'll have to explain those omissions when I review those. Bruce's stuff, in general, just connects with me - the lyrics, the music, the loud AND quiet intensity, the contemplative introspection and the perceptive observations of life. Some of the songs make you want to sing out loud at the top of your lungs, while others make you want to just sit quietly and think. This album is basically Bruce's "Wow, I'm an adult now and can't keep running away from things I don't like. I gotta figure out answers to my questions about how to get through this life without going crazy" album. He's angry and sad at the way things are and wants to get better. See as follows... Side 1 ------- * how can I keep on going in a generally cold world that doesn't seem to actually care about me? Badlands * how can I keep my dysfunctional relationship with my dad from ruining me? Adam Raised a Cain * haw can I forget about all of the stuff that is troubling me? Something in the Night * how can I find a girl that wants only me, and doesn't constantly need the attention of everyone else? Candy's Room * how can I do the things that interest me and make life worth living, without pushing away my loved ones? Racing in the Street Side 2 ------- * how can I figure out where I belong in this world? The Promised Land * how can I get through each day on a job that dehumanizes me, like my father did? Factory * how can I maintain my sanity in a world full of people that are trying to use me? Streets of Fire * how can me and my girl survive together as a married couple, when the fantasy of a romantic life fades? Prove It All Night * how can I continue living the life I want and be my true self even after I have pushed away my wife? Darkness on the Edge of Town You'll notice the theme progression on Side 1 and Side 2 are very similar. This album is bursting full of so many great lyrics. It's definitely some of Bruce's best stuff lyrically all packed on 1 album. Many of these lyrics often just pop into my head at random times when I am experiencing or witnessing something like is happening in these songs. Highlights for me: Badlands: * But there's one thing I know for sure I don't give a damn For the same old played out scenes I don't give a damn For just the in-betweens honey I want the heart I want the soul I want control right now * talk about a dream Try to make it real you wake up in the night With a fear so real spend your life waiting For a moment that just don't come Well don't waste your time waiting * Poor man wanna be rich, rich man wanna be king And a king ain't satisfied till he rules everything * it ain't no sin to be glad you're alive I wanna find one face that ain't looking through me I wanna find one place, I wanna spit in the face of these Badlands Adam Raised A Cain: * You're born into this life paying for the sins of somebody else's past * You inherit the sins you inherit the flames Something in the Night: * You're born with nothing and better off that way, as soon as you got something they send someone to try and take it away * Nothing is forgotten or forgiven, when it's your last time around, I got stuff running 'round my head That I just can't live down * When we found the things we loved, They were crushed and dying in the dirt. We tried to pick up the pieces, And get away without getting hurt Candy's Room: * There's a sadness hidden in that pretty face A sadness all her own from which no man can keep Candy safe * She has fancy clothes and diamond rings She has men who give her anything she wants but they don't see That what she wants is me Racing in the Street: * She sits on the porch of her daddy's house But all her pretty dreams are torn She stares off alone into the night With the eyes of one who hates for just being born * Tonight my baby and me we're gonna ride to the sea And wash these sins off our hands Promised Land: * If I could take one moment into my hands Mister I ain't a boy, no I'm a man And I believe in a promised land * I've done my best to live the right way I get up every morning and go to work each day But your eyes go blind and your blood runs cold Sometimes I feel so weak I just wanna explode * Blow away, the lies that leave you nothing but lost and broken hearted Factory: * Factory takes his hearing, factory gives him life * End of the day, factory whistle cries, Men walk through these gates with death in their eyes. Streets of Fire: * And when you realize how they tricked you this time And it's all lies Prove It All Night: * There's so much that you want, you deserve much more than this, But if dreams came true, oh, wouldn't that be nice, But this ain't no dream we're living through tonight * they'll never know, What it means to steal, to cheat, to lie, What it's like to live and die Darkness on the Edge of Town: * Everybody's got a secret Sonny Something that they just can't face Some folks spend their whole lives trying to keep it They carry it with them every step that they take Till some day they just cut it loose Cut it loose or let it drag 'em down * Some folks are born into a good life Other folks get it anyway anyhow I lost my money and I lost my wife Them things don't seem to matter much to me now Bruce was 27-28 when this was written and released - and had never been married. But it sounds wise beyond his years. I've written too much already and haven't even mentioned the music. But - too keep it short - I'll just say it sets the mood for the themes and stories very well. Genius stuff, that's good for my soul :) Liked songs on Spotify: 10/10 (perfect album) Rating: 5/5

don't think I have the springsteen gene

Buen álbum, clásico de Springsteen. Mucha calle y nostalgia.

It's funny to me that everywhere I read about this album says something about how this is supposed to be a more stripped down album compared to Born To Run, and I just don't hear that. There are a couple of low-key songs here, but most are just as bombastic as BTR. And as fun as that song is in isolation, I don't really want to hear 8 different versions of it back to back. The songs that stick out to me here are the very quiet, restrained ones; I think this means I'm more a Nebraska guy, and that's fine. I'm assuming that album is on this list somewhere. THREE STARS

Love me some badlands

Another decent listen, good guitar work. Nothing out of this world though.

You go through these with a bunch of 3-4 star albums, and then you hit something like this that blows them away.

Badlands by far the fave. This album needs more sax and harmonica, but still enjoyable.

Unpopular opinion, but not my jam

It kinda feels like a lesser Born To Run, but it's still a great record.

Mr Mumbles mumbles through a whole bunch of songs about cars and factories. Or at least I think he does. Hard to tell with all the slurring. This music means precisely nothing to me. Maybe if I lived in the hellhole of suburban USA with its endless, ugly, nature-free concrete deserts designed specifically for cars, I could relate to some of the lyrics (whatever they are). I'm absolutely sure that Bruce is on the side of the angels, but flipping heck, his albums are a chore to listen to! Plinky plonky mumble mumble, etc, repeat for 40 minutes until the sweet relief of silence... This would be a one star album by anyone else, but like the vast majority of the world outside the MAGA cult, he's vehemently anti-Orange-Moron-in-Chief, so gets an extra star for being a decent human being.

buenaza voz, me corro ahhh

meh, no me pegó ninguna pero malo no estaba. 2.5

gran álbum en conjunto, a mi parecer no destaca ninguna

I’m a Boss fan so of course I like this album, puts me in the mood to undertake some working class struggle in New Jersey. The track Factory, in hindsight sight, does sound like Bruce Springsteen doing a satire of Bruce Springsteen but it’s not really the lyrics for me on this album it’s the epic dirge ballads and bombastic pop sensibilities …. I dig them 4.1

Unspectacular but absolutely fine.

Liked it in the beginning and loved it after a few listens. Just damn good rock, a lot of variety and some great guitar solo's. What's not to love?

Boringgg. Sound mixing was lwk shit too but what do I know (other than that could barely hear his voice over the instrumentals).

10

Best use of piano rock I’ve heard the whole album maybe sounded slightly too country for me but some of the songs sounded great and I can hear where other bands got their influence from 8/10

I'm learning a bit about Springsteen through this project, ready to give this album a whirl. It's very dramatic. Much of the singing is extremely dramatic, even overwrought (eg Streets of Fire) - there's so much inflection of the voice that it blocks my understanding of the lyrics. Fortunately I can access transcriptions. (Even listening while looking at the words, I wonder why he mangles them so much - reminds me of Dylan...) Anyway, the moods of the music (apart from lyrics) are still strong - passionate, with a hefty slug of melancholy, not bombastic. But the rock style (heartland rock?) is not really my happy place. So I am listening judgingly, waiting to be impressed by story-telling - which I just don't find easy to follow. I can tell the singer is overwrought, but not what it's about - maybe the first-time listener just interprets the angst in light of their own preoccupations and takes some comfort, or shakes a fist at the fates? I listen/read closely to title track, but it doesn't convince me. So I'm thinking it's respectable, but I doubt that I'll want to play it through again. So I'll say it's Okay, 6/10.

I think there are 5 Springsteen albums on the list, which is excessive (and I like Springsteen). This one could surely be dropped to make room for something else. The Promised Land is a classic, and Prove it All Night is good.

The boss at his best. This might be my Dad’s rock, but man do I love everything about it. 5/5

Bruce au sommet de son art (il n'est pas descendu depuis)

Oui c’est bien mais à mon avis ça manque d’un single vraiment fort Playlist pick : Darkness on the Edge of Town

BUCE!!!!

eh, it was fine. just some middle-of-the-road-ass americana rock n roll favorites: badlands, candy's room, prove it all night

Outstanding.

Great album, 4.5. Rating a four because I think about half the album is just ok and the other half is all time greats.

it was fine

Not my thing

Prove it All Night and Badlands are all timers. Great album

Very solid album that basically picks up where Born to Run left off. Misses some of the Wall of Sound production quality that makes me love Born to Run more, but still some great moments from the E Street Band. The two "side openers" are probably my favorites here. Definitely up there with my favorite Springsteen albums.

This is a solid album. Probably my favourite of his that I’ve heard. It’s got a good feel to it throughout. I’ve yet to hear a Springsteen album that blew me away. His advocates seem to gush hard and hear things that I just don’t hear. That said, this is a good record.

Old marble mouth back again. Nothing special about this, an unimpressive follow up to born to run which itself was not that great. Beginning to think Springsteen is highly overrated.

not my type of music but good.

I listened to this twice yesterday and nothing - not a thought or feeling, not a hook that I remembered after the fact. But, knowing instinctively that there is some value in Bruce Springsteen and certain that I'd given him short shrift with the two previous albums generated, I listened again this morning. Springsteen's schtick is an obvious one, part-way being working band and gospel revival. It's Van Morrison's schtick. And his themes are limited: cars and girls. The Beach Boys' themes. There's more depth than that, of course. A grapple for the soul of the working man and all that. Honour and integrity, as principles, if rarely illustrated in story. And, even if he displays a discrimination of low expectation against the working man in his tiny grab bag of end rhymes - so many faces and places; "In the darkness of your room/Your mother calls you by your true name/You remember the faces, the places, the names/You know it's never over, it's relentless as the rain"; upsettingly, he rhymes states with interstate - but, even if that is the case, there is no doubt that his efforts are sincere. Also admirable. If Factory is a true portrait of his father's working life, then it is appropriately uninspired and directionless. Slightly more invigorating are the recreational songs - the cars and girls stuff. And to that we can add righteous rock'n'roll. This is never feels like more than romanticisation. And romanticism of suffering, which makes me uncomfortable. Van and Brian Wilson both managed to elevate themselves beyond romanticism into the mystic. Songs that see - through girls, through cars, through streets and roads - something more, something unifying. Maybe god. Maybe something else. I'm neither a theologian nor a gnostic. I'm not necessarily into god, but I like the feeling. But while there are many biblical references on Darkness on the Edge of Town, they are there largely to remind us of the distance from god. This is the dark end of the street, far from the bright side of the road. And, thus, to find any unifying, universal force, Bruce must do it himself, in simplistic, anthemic choruses. Where Van Morrison enters an incantatory state, Bruce begins sloganeering. And this is where the album lets me down personally. Where the choruses should explode and lift up (as one character threatens to explode), they fall flat. Not duds, but mundanities. The teetering on the edge reverie that typifies the verses of Candy's Room dissipates into nothing. The twinkling introduction of Something in the Night is cruelly deadened by the grim reality of its third verse. The glittering, seismic hope on much of Born To Run (and the showiness of The E Street Shuffle and Greetings from Ashbury Park) is ground down in its follow-up and we are left choruses that, like most of the characters, fail to take off or break free. Too few words in Adam Raised a Cain and Streets of Fire. Too many in the title track. None of them quite enough for me. But isn't that the heart of Springsteen? Making peace with enough. 3 Where have all my Bruce Springsteen CDs gone? We have been in the house six months and I thought I had all CDs accounted for. I noted early on that I was missing The Smashing Pumpkins’ Machina and R.E.M’s Out of Time. Eventually they turned up in a random box. But today I learn that the only BS CDs accounted for are Nebraska and Magic?! What? There are certainly a few missing - including Darkness and Born to Run, both of which should have been present in my top ranks. Did Fiona opportunistically toss them in the bin as we were packing up? Did the movers have a hoke while we were waiting on the keys? Did the plumbers who were in a few weeks back help themselves? All plausible. Fiona does not care for the Boss and he is like crack to working men. Well it’s been six months and I haven’t noticed. I suppose that tells a story about how inessential Springsteen’s music is to me. In fact, I really like Springsteen - more than enough to never use that ‘BS’ abbreviation again. His records were not heard in our house growing up; my father is a Dylan fanatic and from early on took against Springsteen as an imitator. Poor judgement indeed, but not the worst musical lacuna in my early life - the Beatles (‘Too English’) were absent also. I loved Dancing in the Dark early in my life - it holds a special place along with Walk of Life as a track that just lit up my brain every time I heard it played at my uncle Vincent’s DJ sets. I stopped writing there for a few minutes to return to my top ranks in disbelief. What sensible explanation can account for multiple works by one artist vanishing from a big collection of CDs? Did I attend some kind of Springsteen party intending to show off my CDs and I’ve forgotten? Have I attempted to convert someone to the Boss in recent months? Someone who isn’t already familiar but owns a CD player? I have a couple of Springsteen albums on vinyl - The River and Born in the USA. As of this evening both still, bafflingly, unstolen. My real introduction to Springsteen was the double CD ‘The Essential Bruce Springsteen’ which I found absolutely brilliant, but at the same time entirely sufficient. I didn’t get into the albums until my thirties. Darkness on the Edge of Town was, before I started with the album, my favourite Springsteen song and it still is but the album took a few listens, I found. In between the instantly appealing Badlands and the closing title track, there are some odd things going on. The E Street Band are wonderful of course and they add considerable subtlety behind Springsteen’s two-tone approach here - heroic bellowing and outright yelling. They sound a bit small all the same; about as small as they’ll ever sound. Perhaps ‘contained’ is a better word. They are also, presumably in solidarity with American families going through a time of difficult household economy in the mid-70s recession, getting the most value they can by reusing the same music for multiple songs. The big off-beat followed by a piano figure defines Streets of Fire only two tracks before exactly the same thing in the title track. Similarly simple, plaintive, gospelly chord progressions and melodic ideas are present on most tracks. Springsteen, likewise, repeats forms and ideas. The ‘some guys’ verse in Racing in the Street is almost interchangeable with the ‘some men’ verse in Darkness. Several songs, beginning with Badlands and ending with Darkness… reference a ‘cost’ or a ‘price’ that has to be paid. More than any other Springsteen album this one weighs relentlessly on desperate life in a small town bit. Fiona was not altogether unjust when, upon her first listen to this album, she told me that it was the same song over and over again. Well that’s all probably as negative as I would feel I needed to be if I was giving Darkness 1/5. Actually I think it’s better than that - Bruce Springsteen’s best album in fact. His exploration of directionless male desperation here is for me his keenest, and his most successfully poetic. It is very irksome when a (already very successful) pop star presumes to speak about the oppression of being a ‘working man’. Stuff like ‘workin’ in the fields/ that’ll get your back burned’ from most songwriters would send me racing to their Wikipedia page to find out what private school they attended. But Springsteen sounds convincing, partly because of the conviction of his dramatic delivery which assures suspension of disbelief, but mainly because he is actually a careful, thoughtful writer. That line comes from an absolutely brilliant verse in Badlands and like many of the lyrics on this album, it is powerful because it has no unfolding logic. Springsteen articulates the nebulous frustrations of young men better than anyone else. The key antagonist is inexact - his characters are plagued by insecurity, nameless fear, irrational passions, memories of their fathers, loneliness or just as bad - finding a partner. It is vivid melodrama but never ridiculous because crucially it all rings true. ‘Mister I ain’t a boy, no I’m a man…/ Sometimes I feel so weak I just wanna explode’ (The Promised Land) He captures the force and anonymity of male frustrations - the tyranny of testosterone - potently there and everywhere on this album. There is a sense of crescendo to the title track - the final, definitive iteration of a theme (which I find forgives all the close repetition) and its final verse is the best on the album. Again - it makes perfect sense by not really making sense. You want to get on ‘that hill’ (I dunno) with everything you’ve got alongside Springsteen’s desperate, uncomprehending protagonist - however that might or might not avail you. Well I do anyway. And so do undoubtedly a couple of generations of American men for whom Springsteen is something like a surrogate father; a trusted priest; a sympathetic friend; a mentor. Springsteen concerts are probably the only time, outside of family funerals, a lot of these men allow themselves to weep openly. His work is certainly the most poetry that many of them have ever allowed into their lives. Part of Springsteen’s success in that regard is that he has never cultivated an image of himself as a poet - as Dylan did openly. He’s just a working joe, or, as in the cover of this album, just some punk visiting his ma (the wallpaper) before he goes out racing with his mates. The truth is Springsteen is a gifted and hard-working writer - not literary or learned but blessed with a very sharp ear for sound in language and an instinct for finding the most efficiently powerful dramatic images. That he is also a good man and still, with all the energy he has left, out on the road battling for the American male soul makes me all the more grateful for him and thankful to him. A quote from the Boss, between songs at a recent Brooklyn concert: ‘Honesty, honor, humility, character, truth, compassion, humanity, thoughtfulness, morality, true strength and decency – don’t let anybody tell you that these things don’t matter any more – they do.’ I am with him on all that, for sure. I hope that message is heeded by whatever motherfucker stole my Springsteen CDs. 4/5

.

Obviously have heard of Springsteen, never this album though. He’s got an odd voice. Almost like Dylan. Badlands is really well written. Awesome sax solo and catchy chorus. Adam raised a Cain is a banger. Awesome guitar and piano. Another awesome piano on something in the night. This one is very emotional. Very well written again. Didn’t love the outro. Candy’s room is forgettable. Kind bullshit lyrics. Back in track with racing in the street. So well written and emotional again. The songs with a piano are awesome. And it just keeps going. What a song. Really nice change of pace with promised land. This is the Springsteen that I was introduced to at a young age. Great production on this one. Factory was ok but again not really anything special. Pretty generic 80s rock. Streets of fire is better. Love the organ in the background. Better vocals on this one. Prove it all might is another banger. Think I’ve heard this one before. Great guitar and piano combo again. Springsteen is a great writer. Sax solo is so cool too. Def it key have heard darkness too. These songs are just so damn catchy. Not the most complicated background track but it works really well. I like the outro on this one a lot. Great way to wrap up this album. Extremly enjoyable listen. 3.9/5 stars.

Maybe this is more of a grower from Springsteen, but I just didn't connect with it in the same way as some of his other material.

Quality straight ahead rock and roll album. I enjoy the Boss in moderation. His lower vocals are usually muffled and feel forced as always, but that is his style. I have this feeling most of these songs start off on an acoustic and get adapted to electric. Quality album even if it does come across as a bit soft around the edges.

I don’t reLly get Springsteen, he always seems to be trying too hard, not much on here for me

Springsteeeeen! Yeah, I love this album. Is anyone surprised at this point? I've become a bit of a Springsteen fan over the course of this project, and I'm happy to say that Darkness on the Edge of Town is one of his best albums. This was the followup to Born to Run, and you've got to be really talented to follow up an album that's that good with an album on its level, but here we are. I don't think I could call this better than Born to Run myself, but it's decently close. I can see why this is many people's favorite Springsteen album. Musically, the album is quite similar to its predecessor, though there is a bit more edge on Darkness. This rougher tone is complimented by lyrics that focus more on struggle and adversity rather than the romanticism of Born to Run. The two albums paint two very different pictures of America that are, ultimately, two sides of the same coin. I think that's neat. Of course, one thing that the two albums have in common is that they both have some amazing songs on them. "Badlands" might genuinely be Springsteen's best album opener. The energy on this song is wonderful, and the songwriting has some of the Boss's most thought-provoking lines. Lines like "Poor man wanna be rich, rich man wanna be king, and a king ain't satisfies 'til he rules everything" hit harder now than they did when the album released. Crazy. "Racing in the Street" might be the best ballad on the whole album. It's incredibly lovely, and the piano is just the best. "The Promised Land" has some really cool instrumentation and the title track perfectly wraps up everything that the album has to say. Overall, while I do prefer Born to Run myself, one could absolutely argue for Darkness being Springsteen's musical peak. Between the killer instrumentation and some of the best songwriting in his entire discography, Bruce Springsteen managed to follow up an all-time classic album with something just as timeless and outstanding. Darkness on the Edge of Town is excellent. 5/5.

🧐

Decent Springsteen

Sounded a bit off key on one of the songs. Put me off listening to the rest of the album.

Very average

Pretty easy to listen to and there’s some nice moments but I’m not crazy about it

Not as immediately engaging as Born to Run or Born in the USA, but this one seems to reveal itself more over repeated listens. I could see this becoming a 5 over time as I digest the lyrics more.

Classic album - cover to cover - throws me back in time when you listened to albums instead of songs!

I like The Promised Land.

Вокали, барабани, гітари, басс, саксофон, клавішні, гармоніка. Неочікував такого різноманіття (гармоніки з саксом точно). Коли це працює це прям працює, коли не працює, то просто норм. Не можу сказати, що мені запам'яталась якась конкретна пісня, альбом в цьому плані досить однорідний. Можу виділити вокали, вони класні. А так навіть написати нема чого. Хороший альбом. Оцінка: висока 7/низька 8

Nothing against this album, and I know a lot of people really love Bruce's early storytelling phase, but this one has never grabbed me. Badlands is good, but not as good as Thunder Road, Racing in the Street is good, but not as good as the songs on The River will be, etc. Don't get me wrong, this is good stuff, but I always find myself putting on Born to Run instead.

Another straight white male music.

It’s some decent rock music but nowhere near as good as some of his other albums, and there were some not great songs.

Boring

It was nice, I liked most of the songs

Bruce. I love all his albums. This one is not my top 3 but still a great album!

It's Bruce. He's a little angsty. It's great.

Love the album, another soundtrack of my childhood

My hot take is that this is the most solid and best Boss record. Sure Born to Run has the great American rock and roll song - but it can be up and down. Now Darkness is legit banger after banger. Not a missable track on it. And in the year of our Lord and Personal Cheeto Donald Trump 2026, Badlands has never been so relevant.

The songs carry a strong sense of working-class reality and emotional fatigue, which sometimes made me hesitant to romanticize them too casually. Adam Raised a Cain and Streets of Fire stood out to me the most, especially for their rough and emotionally charged guitar work.

Overrated, boring. Like walking through quicksand.

Call me unAmerican but I’m not a Springsteen fan. And this album in particular bores me to death.

bem sólido, não sei o que acrescentar. Gosto da voz dele.

Deus abençoe a América

Bruce springsteen faz sua melhor imitação de Elvis por 42 min consecutivos

Good stuff

Solid throughout. A few big hits in here. In between the two Bruce albums we have had so far.

Brucey just isn't very interesting

I’m going to be very generous and give this a 4. I don’t quite get the fuss about Springsteen.

The Boss! Powerful as usual

I can never hate him. It wasn't my favourite but he's just too good

I can see the appeal behind it, but just not for me.

It’s just a fraction below his masterpieces. Very much feels like the lesser sequel to one of the greatest albums ever made.

A quality album. The music is great, it’s performed so well and with such great variety. The main drawback is that the singing sounds like he’s mid bite of food the entire time. Still, it’s well performed. I’m not a huge fan of Bruce Springsteen, but, by god, is he talented. And this was a good first album of his to experience on this list.

Good vibes, horrible voice. Pleasant enough piano plunkin' and americana rockin

A darker, angrier, and ultimately more interesting side of Springsteen. This is among my favorite records from the Boss., although I’ve only taken a deeper dive into their music since starting this project. As always, the E Street band delivers a big sound, tailor-made for arenas. Springsteen belts out songs with thoughtful lyrics. Where this album really excels is in its production. Springsteen still isn’t my jam, but he does have my respect. 3.5*

i owe you an apology i wasnt familiar with your game great storytelling, really painting pictures with the lyrics about characters on the edge in dark landscapes (getitgetit?), ig i connect with your shi if it is about working every day, very emotional vocal performances also the band walks the line between blues and introspective ballads pretty damn good, the minimalistic production plays in their favor, every element provides the energy the tracks need

First half bad, a few songs near end I don’t mind

I honestly don't have a really good opinion of this album. I don't really like Bruce's singing voice, and the music is quite forgettable. The content of the songs are pretty generic U.S. nostalgia and no particular song stood out as being good or bad. It's just unflavored oatmeal. I'll give it a 4/10

Not been much of a Springsteen fan, but its fine. I should give him a second chance

okay

I wonder what people who hate this like, and if I'd hate the music they like. Probably.

Quite enjoyed this one as I do with most Springsteen but as people have noted there is a lot of car chat which can get a we bit old.

bruce springfield

No. 185 This was better than I expected. Varied melodies and tempos plus good lyrics make it easy to listen.

I have never seen him perform live. Probably like this more if I had.

It feels like there are good songs hiding under Bruce Springsteen’s music. The lyrics are pretty decent. The music itself is usually solid. But he just kind of ruins it with his singing. He mumbles everything. The best song on this album is Adam Raised a Cain because he’s almost getting angry with it and he’s putting actual emotion in the singing. Otherwise it’s this halfhearted mouth-full-of-marbles singing that feels like nothing

Honestamente me gustó más Born to Run, pero me parece que justo después de este álbum tiró el más emblemático de sus álbumes así que es interesante ir viendo esa evolución y para cuando llegue el momento de ese álbum poder cerrar el ciclo de evolución de Bruce

Great lyrics and songs

Gonna be honest, had no idea his voice sounded like that

I get that he's the boss, but I really don't like his voice at all. The E Street Band carries. 2

"I've been working real hard tryin' to get my ass clean." - Bruce Springsteen in Prove it All Night as heard by me Turns out he's actually trying to get his HANDS clean. Good, because I was like it shouldn't be that hard, man.

There’s something about this album that reminds me of a bar band. I could imagine having a great night drinking and singing their songs and buying their cd to support. The next day you put the cd on and it’s just not as fun as the live experience.

The following album to "Born to Run" seems to be keeping things in the same line. This record is basically very passionate Heartland and Piano rock, with vibrant and grand instrumentation. It has beautiful piano melodies, fast drumming, saxophone solos, nice guitars and many more elements to contribute to its ambition. It starts with a lot of energy and charisma, with the epic song "Badlands" and the energetic "Adam Raised a Cain", but then it starts to progressively getting slower, with more songs feeling like ballads. While still decent songs, I do really prefer when they go for those grandiose moments, as I think they are when his great attitude and powerful voice delivery truly shine. I'll clarify that some of those big parts are present in the slow songs, like in "Darkness on the Edge of Town", but the dramatic verses I think hold the overall power of the tracks back. Speaking of his voice, as his previous record, I am not a fan of his mumbling tone, but the dude sings with so much confidence I don't even mind it. In conclusion, if the album didn't tend so much to the slow side I would like it way more, as there are some really powerful moments in here.

Bruce do you need a strepsil? I actually liked this more than I thought I would. It was kinda funky and fun but I find his voice quite jarring at times. I can sort of hear how Sam fender is inspired by him in this album.

Liked this more than I thought I would. Enjoyed the depth of feeling and the emotional weigh, but it still felt very accessible. 3.5

Strongest opening song on any Springsteen records on this so far! The was unfortunately the high-point of the album, but it managed to hold a quite even bar still. There are quite a lot of decent tracks in 'Adam Raised a Cain' and 'The Promised Land' for example. But the album suffered from the same problem that Springsteen always does: it fails to get away from the sound of being the most dad-rock and bread n butter thing you could possibly imagine. Which makes it dull. Still. if I gave this another spin I think it could really have grown into me more, but for now it will have to be a strong 3.

Spotify gave me a significant burn when it said my listening age was 70. I tried to reason with myself by saying that, because of this list, I listen to a lot of older music. I don’t think that’s entirely honest, though. I think I need to come to terms with my boomer music taste, because I really like this album. The overall feel of the album is really good. I really enjoy the incorporation of piano in many of the songs, the backing vocals and saxophone are also excellent. The rock songs like Badlands and Streets of Fire are great, but where the album really shines, in my opinion, is in its ballads. “Streets of Fire” is a catchy one. However, Racing in the Street is one of my favourite Bruce Springsteen songs. The lyrics are especially poignant to me: “Now some guys they just give up living And start dying little by little, piece by piece Some guys come home from work and wash up And go racin' in the street” Something about it just resonates with me, how one must not just succumb to the mundane of working life but push yourself to do things you enjoy even though you might be tired or it may be out of your comfort zone. There are some lulls, but in the end it falls into strong 4 / weak 5 territory. I gave Born to Run a 4, so this gets a 5.

I just can't stand his voice. The musical arrangements are good. But he ruins it.

Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Near Perfect - The Boss at his rocking, snarling best. Badlands is energetic, Adam Raised A Cain is roaring and the emotional depth first comes to the fore on Something In The Night. I find Candy's Room only good until the guitar solo which blows it wide open and elevates the song significantly. Racing In The Street is the emotional core of the album and just an incredible song. The Promised Land looks forward to his next album in my opinion. Streets Of Fire might be my favourite track and has one of the best refrains ever. The title track is amazing.

Classic Springsteen, I really loved the niche tracks as well as the hits. 7/10

He is called the Boss for a reason. I am actually not a big fan of his music but enjoy listening to it. Soul of Americana heartland rock.

Eu, com toda a minha ignorância, sempre pensei que o Bruce Springsteen fosse algum tipo de herói americano com músicas medíocres e álbuns genéricos aclamados apenas por aqueles que vivenciaram o seu auge. Por conta disso, as minhas expectativas para esse disco eram mínimas, e recebê-lo como álbum do dia foi extremamente desanimador. Entretanto, eu me surpreendi de forma absurdamente positiva, porque esse álbum foi o meu favorito até agora. As letras maduras e inteligentes me deixaram chocado e o rock é sensacional. É uma referência a ter e um projeto no qual se inspirar. Quero ouvir tudo do Bruce.

Muy countryesco

It was alright. I loved Badlands already and that was definitely the highlight of the album. I know Bruce has some better music and so I think I'll give that a listen because this album didn't hit hit for me, y'know?

The Promised Land could be the greatest song about the American experience. Classic

Yeah I think this is probably top 3 Bruce Springsteen for me? I've never been the hugest fan and probably like Nebraska the best. But his earnestness and longevity are impressive and the praise is justified

review concisa en el día de la fecha, ya que no conozco tanto a the boss y su trabajo como para opinar con juicio de valor. me gusto el disco, no me pareció denso ni molesto, pero no me interpeló para nada. en mis libros, aprueba con 7.

I'm not really a fan of Bruce's proto-Bon Jovi stuff, and the first track is very much in that style, so my hopes were low...but... After a few listens, this definitely has something. Adam raised a Cain is much more biting and aggressive, Candy's room takes a very different approach, almost VU like in parts, and the title track is beautifully put together. I can't bring myself to give it a 5, it's still pretty meat and potatoes rock, but it's definitely one of the better examples and rewards extra listens. A strong 4.

album bastante disruptivo para la epoca

eh

okay

exactly what I expect from Bruce Springsteen. sounds of a summer road trip.

I really tried and while I respect Bruce tremendously as an artist, I do not enjoy his music.

Kinda OK, kinda meh. Bruce was not really my thing but I get the appeal.

Favorite Tracks: Badlands / Something in the Night / The Promised Land / Streets of Fire / Prove It All Night Rating: 3.8 I'm no stranger to the Boss, but don't think I've ever actually listened to a full album front to back other than maybe Born in the USA. I enjoyed this for sure. Musically, the band is incredibly tight and locked in. The production is really balanced - it's raw and energetic, but every instrument sounds great without being too commercial & perfect. Apparently Little Steven Van Zandt thought the production sucked, though, so what do I know.

- Hell no 😅

Usually I can understand why a musical artist is so widely renown, this is not one of those times. Some of the songs had potential, but if only they were sung by someone else.

Having only really heard songs from Born In the USA, and recently travelling to the States, I was excited to hear more from Springsteen. This album encapsulates the iconic voice and sound of his music. Prove It All Night and Candy's Room were the standouts for me in a great album. Badlands 7 Adam Raised a Cain 7 Something in the Night 8 Candy's Room 9 Racing in the Street 5 The Promised Land 6 Factory 6 Streets of Fire 8 Prove It All Night 9 Darkness on the Edge of Town 6

Outstanding

A young Bruce. Good songs. Good album.

Man I was just listening to some of Bruce’s music the other day Emily’s pretty crazy about this one and I concur that it’s a pretty great album. It really feels like Bruce transcends genres and makes great music no matter what your tastes are. Vocals are great, E Street Band’s going crazy the whole way through (I will always love when bands use wind instruments in their music), and those lyrics are something else I don’t think there were any massive standouts for me, though I’d consider every song good. I think it’s more knowing how may other great songs Bruce has in his catalogue that it makes this one feel just a tad underwhelming as a whole Still though, the Boss is undefeated and it’s very easy to give the guy his flowers considering what a stand up guy he is off the stage. Honestly shocked the famously British biased 1001 list picked not one but FIVE albums from this American guy.

Thank goodness my Dad's tickets to the Bruce concert at Wrigley didn't sell and he forced me to go because I now love Darkness on the Edge of Town. Each song is a cutting reflection combined with absolutely fantastic riffs and music. I've listened to it a lot,(the Chevy only had this album and an ACDC concert for the CD player) so I know these songs very well. I love the guitar and sax solos. I appreciate how the band gets to shine a lot and it's not all a one-man show. To me, the wow-factor of this album is the passion. Each song very clearly had a lot of thought and effort behind them. Each one has something to say. Each one isn't shy to sound the way they need to sound. Except for Factory. Sorry, that's the one stinker on the album.

Sandwiched in-between Born To Run and The River, Darkness stands defiantly. Strong tracks, some with anthem qualities, and a banger of a title track to close the album out. From the strong Opening Track of Badlands to the final notes of Darkness On The Edge Of Town, Springsteen weaves his tales and takes the listener on a true journey. A couple slower ones like Racing In The Streets and Factory, but good songs at their heart. Great and truthful writing, always one of his strengths. Born To Run cemented him in American Rock, Darkness continued that. This was one of his best eras. Dunno if I can go 5 stars, probably more like 4 1/2. So... 4.

I don't know how I feel about this album, I liked it, but I didn't like it at the same time. It could be that I just have a natural dislike of Bruce Springsteen, but I just didn't really vibe with this album.

Springsteen is yet another in the long list of artists I’ve never really listened to. I didn't miss him entirely, though, so I'm somewhat familiar with some of these tracks (probably because of dad). I had never listened to this album all the way through before, not by a long shot, and I really like it. It's a bit more raw and gritty rock sounding than I expected. I like the lyrics a lot. I have noted before in my mind that I've liked the lyrics on the handful of Springsteen songs with which I'm familiar. He's an excellent writer. I had worried his voice might annoy me, and sometimes when he's screaming it comes close, but it fits so well with what's going on in the song that it's not too much. And, dang, this whole band plays fantastically well. I never saw them perform live in concert and I have a feeling I would've really enjoyed the shows they did in support of this album.

The first Springsteen album I got was Born to Run, which I loved. 5/5. I declared a newfound love of The Boss. The second was Nebraska, which got a 2. I wasn't a fan, and more importantly; I wasn't sure which of those two albums would be the outlier. Until today. Apparently I just really liked Born to Run, because this album didn't do it for me. It wasn't as bad as Nebraska, but only worth the most neutral of threes.

Instantly bored.

Sin más.

Is Bruce the godfather of the marbles in the mouth 90's singing style? I like it, don't love it. Sometimes it hits. I think its the man of the people projection. The over the top nature of the vocals. Its very performative, which is fair, as he is a performer. That said, no one is getting mad at you for playing Bruce.

No artist fills me with such a strange combination of admiration and disdain as Bruce. Badlands, Adam raised a Cain and Promised Land are not only great rocking songs, but so distinctive and fresh. But on either side of Promised Land is Racing in the Street and Factory, two songs that make me want to puke. Halfway through Racing in the street, when he starts talking about meeting a girl while street racing a camaro, I said aloud 'shut up' and changed the song. And factory is pure bruce slop, romanticizing the working man, pandering to an embarrassing degree. On the whole, the album drags a little because the songs all sound alike and are all basically about the same thing. Bruce has never been afraid to repeat himself. Still, he did invent a whole new sound within the limited palette of rock, so to some degree he's earned that right. Anyway this made me think we need a roots rock singer for the professional class. I want a song about a guy writing emails all day. Instead of a '69 Chevy, I want to hear about the engine on a 2022 Nissan Rogue. There's a darkness at the end of the cul-de-sac. Don't we too yearn?

Wow. A little blown away here! Some really hard rockers on here. Maybe my favorite Bruce album. I liked it as much as Born In The USA even with its absence of mega hits Favorites: Adam Raised A Cain, Something In The Night, Darkness on the edge of town

The song Darkness on the Edge of Town is probably my favorite Bruce songs, probably the Bruce song I've listened to the most over the years. Love the slow simple rolling piano + drums start, and then the big down beat. Strong contender for best Bruce album for sure.

Incredible. You have to love The Boss. The arena (now stadium) size rock, but the spirit of bands like The Eagles with the sentiment of Bob Dylan. Does he land the plane every time? No. Is it cheesy at points? Absolutely. ("on a rattlesnack speedway in the Utah desert"). But when it cuts through, its cuts deep and makes you feel things. He's taking all of his influences and throwing all of his chips in, and it comes through. Its brilliant.

I'll start this out by saying I've never been much into Bruce Springsteen. I know a lot of people love him, but I've just never gotten into his stuff. So, I was not really familiar with any of the songs on this album, as this album wasn't as much of a commercial success for him as other albums. And, after listening to this album, I realized that I just really am not a fan of Bruce's voice. To the point that it was a struggle for me to get through the album. I like Bruce in small bits and don't mind listening to any of his songs. But a whole album of Bruce is just too much for me. While I liked that a few of the songs on this album were a little harder rock than some of his more commercial stuff, there were a lot of songs that I just found boring. It seems like most of Bruce songs are just a variation on one theme and the songs on this album were, frankly, kind of depressing to listen to. I appreciate Bruce and the guys in the E Street Band for their talent, but won't listen to this one again.

Each of Springsteen's first seven albums are better than at least a third of the albums on this list. That said, this isn't a list of the 1001 BEST albums; it's a list of albums everyone should hear. It's hard to argue that EVERYONE SHOULD hear all seven of them. Pick a few; people who love those will find the rest. Of these seven, from a purely musical perspective, Darkness is the hardest one to make a case for. (Disclaimer - when I listen to albums I hear the music. Even when I try to focus on lyrics, my brain just automatically drifts back to the musical elements - the melody, the harmonic structure, the instrumentation, the performances, the engineering, the mixing. I just can't help it. So my opinions differ wildly from the "consensus" created by writers who seem, unsurprisingly, overawed by lyrics.) Greetings from Asbury Park is historic and, even though it's clear that he’s trying to figure out what he’s supposed to sound like, it offers three or four glorious songs. The Wild, the Innocent, etc. is the most musically interesting of the seven and it has an irreverence and joie-de-vivre (Little Steven's Asbury Park sound?) that is a perfect balance for Bruce's (often over-) earnest and somber troubadour delivery. Born to Run is an absolute classic - belonging on any list of albums, period. Nebraska is in a class by itself and is also an absolute classic. Born in the U.S.A. features as strong a lineup of songs as Born to Run, AND reintroduces a joy that disappeared after Born to Run. So we're left with this and the River. There is clearly no joy in Jersey at this point in his career. Musically, both albums are kind of tedious; just regurgitations of the Born to Run sound. The River features more memorable songs (although it takes twice as many swings to land them.) And here Bruce's voice - never one to be compared with Freddie's or Roger's - is in particularly bad shape. All in all, this is one that fans and poets love. But as a musical album? It's not among his best. (I fucking LOVE the album cover though.)

Yeah, I think this is a better album than Born to Run. The Boss and I don’t always connect, but I am never sad I listened to him. 4 stars. Boolean rating: Yes, I needed to hear this before I die.

this guy tells stories

Simplemente no puedo conectar con Bruce Springsteen. No me gusta su voz, ni me parece tan espectacular su música. Este álbum capaz me gustó un poco más, pero de todas formas se me hizo largo y tedioso.

C'EST de la COUNTRY encore (je m'y attendais) et il a l'air fatigué quand il chante fais des efforts gars

Some good songs on here but man is this album depressing. The E Streeters get to shine a little more but that gloominrss pervades throughout the album.

Badlands - 5/5 Adam Raised a Cain - 4/5 Something in the Night - 3/5 Candy's Room - 4/5 Racing in the Street - 5/5 The Promised Land - 5/5 Factory - 3/5 Streets of Fire - 4/5 Prove It All Night - 4/5 Darkness on the Edge of Town - 5/5 Average score: 4.2/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

oh fuck yeah. now we are talking. this sounds like something i would have listened to as a kid in a car with my dad if my dad wasn't so hard headed about certain muscians (see bowie, prince, various queer adjacent guys. Not sure what he was picking up on with Springsteen. Maybe NJ was gay back then). This rocks.

God, I love his voice.

Rv

It's catchy and an interesting new listen.

Ну я не кайфанул и уже забыл.

I just don't find this interesting. Every song is like something you would hear at an older couples wedding or at the end of your high school dance. I liked "Adam Raised a Cain" and "Streets of Fire". There were some points were Bruce started singing like a madman. But those moments were brief and soon forgotten sadly.

GOAT

Class from the big man

It's Bruce, it's dark, it's moody and it soars (at times). Is there a more distinctive sound than Clarence Clemons' saxophone?? As soon as I hear that, I know it has to be a Springsteen song. No bona fide hits here, but plenty of interesting stuff with Bruce showing his more angry side.

Did nobody in America work until Brucie left school

I don’t love Bruce but I appreciate him. I find this album to be a bit boring. The story telling is good and Prive It All Night is Bruce at his best. I can take or leave the rest of the album 6.5/10

2 - just not into bruce

cool album. Not my taste fully, but some tracks were worth a listen

Amazing songs. His best.

Notables: - Streets of Fire

Nah Bruce. I've had enough. 2/5.

Real nice easy listening.

Okay, I've been a fool. For years now I've written off Springsteen as kind of boring normie rock, but this albums was phenomenal. Raw, powerful, and lyrically evocative. And who can deny the power of a well placed sax solo? Looking forward to getting to know more of his discography, I really only know the radio hits. 4.5/5 for me.

When Springsteen hits, it's peak classic rock. "Prove It All Night Long", "Adam Raised a Cain", "Racing in the Street", "The Promised Land", and "Something in the Night" are all great. Unfortunately, I was never a big "Badlands" guy, and stuff like the title track and "Candy's Room" and "The Factory" just kinda come and go, stopping the album from being a true classic.

This guy has *five* albums on the list? Dear lord I'm gonna have to get imaginative to describe bland music.

As soon as I hit play I started wondering what the fuck was going on with his voice. Are we playing off those Elvis-style vocal chord appropriation techniques? You keep listening and it varies, but it constantly suffers from that type of theatrical vocal expression that's trying to be something else. I don't appreciate that, at least not on my first listen. A little digging and I think I'm just not into the idea of heartland rock. It doesn't feel personally culturally significant or interesting. I truly wasn't in need of a second listen, it just feels like an early '80s hard rock sound for the masses. Annoyingly commercial, and not something I 'must' listen to. I'm surprised I'm turning into such a Springsteen hater, I thought I'd be more appreciative of such an iconic name. I was hoping for something less polished, especially with that album art. 2.4/5

Another great record by Springsteen. He is an incredible songwriter and himself an icon of Americana. Don't have to add more. 5/5

Nothing special

I really want to like Springsteen but just can't get on with his voice. But still listenable.

First Bruce album, and first time listen to this one ever. I'm not too well acquainted with Bruce Springsteen's music, only really familiar with some top songs and the Nebraska album, but wasn't too much of a fan of his voice on this album. Just can't seem to dig it. The album it starts out fairly aggressive which lead me to think this was going to be straight ferocious, (thought all songs would be in the style of "Adam Raised a Cain") but no, it starts to mellow out after the first couple songs. It has good production overall, but "Racing in the Street" manages to shine through production-wise when it comes to specific tracks. Conclusion is that I believe this is a miss from me, it's not necessarily bad but there is a lack of memorable songs, and is a bit boring. Though I'm not completely put off just yet, might just have to let it set in. Highlight Song/s: "Adam Raised a Cain" and "Darkness on the Edge of Town"

A truly great Springsteen record.

I don't understand why people like the Boss. It's boring, it's repetitive, he doesn't so much sing as mumble.

Buenisimo solo de guitarra en Adam raised a cain. Suena muy rockero y muy buena voz del vocalista, re contra sentida y con mucha intensidad. Viene muy bien, no logro destacar grandes cosas pero es un buen disco

Great album by The Boss

Bruce has one song, and he's been singing it 14 times per album for 5 decades now. The songwriting is fine, if you grew up in Nebraska in the 60s, but dull otherwise. The music is solid, although I didn't much care for the mix.

I have never understood the adoration for this guy. The music is fairly standard, the singing is below average. I have heard about his lyrics so this tune I made a point to read them. Is the answer. He writes snapshots from the angry working man’s point of view. Which is a good description of millions of people in America. So his fans are identifying with his protagonists. I get it now! Do I personally love his music? Still no. But now I get why he appeals.

Grungy voice over some lukewarm rock.

This album has a few hits, not sure I’d have to revisit the whole project. Prove it all night is my favorite track, I also enjoyed promised lands and badlands

I can say for a fact that the album cover perfectly captures the atmosphere of the album. As a matter of fact, I would imagine that this was Bruce Springsteen’s face throughout the recording sessions. It's a tightly consistent album with some high moments. I would really like to explore it again sometime in the near future to see if I would connect with it more. Some songs didn’t stick with me the first time around, but overall the powerful vocal performance made it worthwhile. I liked "Adam Raised a Cane" and "Darkness on the Edge of Town".

Papa Bruce outdoes himself. One of the greatest of his kind.

Pretty good.

I'm tempted to abandon this list. There's SO much other music I'd rather be listening to than shit like this which gets hailed by idiot critics and internet music elitists as the best thing ever.

Not my favorite

Pretty fantastic album that reflects the essence of Bruce Springsteen.

meh

Remarkably uncaptivating, fine for a casual listen and nothing more

Pretty solid record. Seemed to be pretty popular back in the day when the boss released this one, (1978 I believe). Couple of really fun tracks and Springsteen's voice just carries most of the rest of the tracks. As a guitar junky I'm a slut for the catchy and satisfying chord progressions. Definitely a must listen to, glad its on the list. Personal Ranking: 8.5/10 Favorite Tracks: Candy's Room, Adam Raised a Cain, Streets of Fire.

it's okay, very old person feel though

으아!! 1번트랙듣다가끔 미안합니다 아직이른가봅니다.. 제겐창법이느끼해서소리지르게됨 헉

stodgy, with vocals alternately muffled and strained

I like the guitar parts, and Springsteen sounds more mellow than I thought he would. Candy's Room was my favorite. 6.5/10.

Tiene buenas canciones

Pretty much the quintessential Bruce album. It’s got all the Boss’ go to moves: big crescendos near the chorus, lyrics about working class people trying to keep hope when things suck, referring to women as little girls, and several references to cars and car parts. And it’s pretty great, despite his marble mouth singing being more unintelligible than usual. All solid songs.

5/5, no notes

Fun, catchy, boss. I don't know why I never listened to any Springsteen before now, this is solid.

Tiene temazos súper conocidos y buenos pero no me copó tanto el disco completo.

Holy shit. Mr. Springsteen I apologize I was not familiar with your game. I'd heard a few of your songs but got DAMN

Mediocre record. Nice American rock and good songwriting especially the piano sections. Just a little boring

Steven Hyden considers this Springsteen's best; I'm not sure yet where I come down on that question but it's definitely a contender, with some of his best songs front and center ("Badlands" and "The Promised Land"). And there have been various complaints about Jon Landau's production over the years but I think there's a punch to this that is sometimes missing from other of Bruce's studio efforts. And even the car-centric nature of the album doesn't bother me like it especially does some UK critics, although maybe that's because I'm from Dallas rather than Devonshire or wherever. It's not perfect - there are a couple clunkers, plus one good song that nevertheless goes on too long ("Racing in the Street," which is better live) - but it's as good a distillation of this particular flavor of American music as you're likely to get.

Best Song: Badlands. The guitar solo was nice? Worst Song: Racing in the Street. This isn't a voice built for ballads. Overall: Somehow I feel like die-hard Springsteen fans wouldn't even be that jazzed about this album. Certainly doesn't feel important enough to fit on this list. It's just more old man dad rock. I bet this music sounded old when it was new.

this is border line 4 stars for me. the impact on first listen is great, but not sure i would enjoy the full album again but just a couple songs.

I thought I was going to talk myself into being okay with this album, but then Something In The Night starts to sound like dad’s drunken karaoke and it just starts going downhill from there. By the time he’s grunting his way through Prove It All Night with its ghastly harmonica and saxophone that sounds more like a kazoo, I’m so done. Maybe two Springsteen albums in one week broke me, but this was much worse than the one I rated a 2…

Excellent album if you put aside his politics

I wish I liked Bruce. I just don't. Some tracks and albums are better than others, this one just doesn't do it for me, sorry.

Mierdita. Nada que destacar

Excellent album! Highlights: Badlands, Racing in the Street, Prove it All Night, The Promise Land and Darkness on the Edge of Town. 4.7

I like the vibe

Na razie najlepszy album ze wszystkich, które dotychczas przesłuchałam. Skoczny, energiczny, ale zdarzyły się też wolniejsze kawałki. Myślę że mogłabym przesłuchać ponownie.

Feel like flow of album could be better if some of the songs changed order. Badlands shouldn’t start album.

Muy bueno, ya se de donde mayer se inspiró, espectacular para feel inside a movie

Every bruce springsteen album I hear keeps getting worse.

Full Album Thoughts: Album Rating: 0.38 (D+) Ballad Slop from an incomprehensible lead singer who needs to take the marbles out of their mouth. A Real rough A side, with the only standout being the lead for the B side does not make a solid full album listen through. Today I learned I hate Bruce Springsteen. Track Thoughts: "Badlands" D Woah this is a miss of a ballad? Really hate the vocal delivery. Can't really understand anything "Adam Raised a Cain" B- Lets get a heavy guitar trill to kick us off heck yeah. I think the particular marble mouth vocals are going to really drag this whole album down. But it sure does drive! Generic seedy divebar track. "Something in the Night" D- Was not expecting something so twinkling? Woof really hate the intro groan vocal. This is just a solid minute of tone. I am afraid this is all going to be ballad slop. Yeah sorry the build to the complete nothing drums is not doing it for me. Really dont care for this. "Candy's Room" C+ This is mumble-core. I want to listen to The Protomen instead of this. At least its got a fast pace? Has a pretty kickass guitar solo. "Racing in the Street" F+ I am biased against "I wanna fuck my guitar" songs. I blame country song jokes mixed with not driving myself. Oh dear god this song is almost 7 minutes long. I just checked. Ugh. It's going to have to wow me in the back half to rank higher then F. At least it is the most legible lyrics so far, but its got some whine to it so that takes points off again! At least its not painful to listen to, just I never want to hear it again! "The Promised Land" B+ I think I have been bludgeoned into enjoying this more then anything previous. Somehow I am deciphering lyrics. This feels closest to proto-protomen, I still want a little bit more grit to the music to enjoy, but its a pretty dang decent Ballad with a generic story I can emotionally attach to. aaaaand a Sax Solo that pushed it up a notch. This is how you start a B side. "Factory" D- I want to listen to any Celtic punk working song more than this. Please. Make the "soulful piano" stop. Not even an organ can save you. This is too slow. Its short at least. it should have been cut. "Streets of Fire" F- I thought maybe I was beginning to understand how this man talks. Turns out no, he just decided to stop pronouncing words again. Please go back to crooning, and stop this grit. I lied. I lied before. Bring back the smooth. Oh man this guitarsolo is lame. "Prove It All Night" F- This can not be over fast enough. This slurred singing with some grunt to it is poison to my ears. Its repetitive. No amount of organ can save this. "Darkness on the Edge of Town" F I actually like the restraint to name an album after the last song in most cases. This is not that case. Fuck this. Slow boom bap beat with the same crap slurred grunting singing. Cant stand this. Woof.

One of the first signs that Springsteen had more to him than the all-American hero thing going for him. This is an album that delves into workers' struggles, getting out of small-town America for better opportunities, and long-lost love. Hardly a feel-good piece if you ask me. Springsteen had started mastering the art of dynamics and tension-release around the time of this album, and it's apparent on songs like the closing title track, "Candy's Room," and the short-but-poignant "Factory." I can't say I enjoy most of this as it's still very plain to my ears and the songs aren't quite fully formed this early in The Boss' career, but it's definitely a promising sign of things to come. This is an album that documents the small-town America the tourist agencies will never show, and it must have been an incredibly jarring release to follow up one of the most uplifting albums of his career. Key Tracks: Candy's Room, Factory, Streets of Fire

I think that I really liked this album for me I’ve never really listened to Bruce Springsteen except for his most popular songs and he’s definitely more than what I made him out to be

Not one of the Bruce albums I've ever listened to and none of the singles I know, either. So this was a nice pleasant first listen. 4/5

para ser de bruce springsteen un poco mid. peeeero algunas canciones me han gustado bastante

I’ve said it before I’ll say it again. Why is this on here.

Masterclass

It's alright. I've yet to listen to his other albums, so I'll see... Maybe I'll find out why it's absolutely necessary to include five albums on the list.

Darkness on the Edge of the Town the long awaited follow up to Born to Run is every bit as good as that era defining album and packs a heavier punch as it leans heavier into hard rock with a leaner, angrier production, gone id the wall of sound from Born to Run. Released 3 years after Born to Run (an eternity for 1970s Rock n Roll) Darkness on the Edge of the Town

#901. So this is the guy the boomers call The Boss, huh? 2/5: meh

Fav- prove it all night (4/5)

Hearing 'The Promised Land' for the first time was like an affirmation that there really could be a higher power out there. You can hear the desperation of a man who fears he may have been forgotten in the three years it took this album to come out. You can also feel the anger in the playing, a direct result of Springsteen having to sue his old manager just to get his music back. The characters that appeared on his earlier albums are here too, but now they're older—though not necessarily wiser. They're still just trying to get by, and still making bad decisions that will haunt them.

7.5/10

Muy buena street of fire, guitarras poderosas. Me gustó la intro de something in the night. Disco que nunca había escuchado, solo sabía de Bruce Springsteen por born un the usa.

Springsteen is a bit of a line in the sand, esp if you grew up under the, regime of "Born in the USA." I've lived on both sides of that line, currently cautiously renting a place near E Street. It's a close boardwalk fight between this and The River being THE Boss record. Darkness edges things out (doesn't it always?) for the one-two punch of the heart-panic "Candy's Room" and the spectral "Racing in the Street" cutting into the big grandiose Boss business. This also has the dubious honor of being the best album cover in a career of terrible album covers.

Time has definitely endeared me to Bruce Springsteen and his blue-collar approach to rock and roll. It helps that this album is grounded in that dirty late-70s aesthetic that I love, with its clean, assertive bass lines and judicial use of piano, Hammond B3 and saxophone. He’s working hard for the money here and the songs are hard-charging and tuneful. Of the tracks I hadn’t heard before, “Adam Raised a Cain” and “Racing in the Street” are standouts. I like it.

Can't be the Boss / Can’t be the Boss without a bureaucracy/ this gun's for hire/ and its always pointing at me" -Culturcide, Dancin' in the Dark I respect his ethic and his earnestness, I just wish I enjoyed his songs more.

Just not my kind of thing

Classic Bruce but not his best

Good, early Boss.

I've never really understood the appeal of Springsteen. I find his songs a little too hammy, too sincere, and his voice, while distinctive, irritates me whether he's crooning or shouting. I do see the working-class image, and I suppose people relate to that. But this album did nothing to improve my feelings about him as a writer or performer.

Ótimo, rock bem equilibrado entre pesado e emocional, definitivamente vou ouvir de novo. Épico.

Not a Springsteen fan and this isn't his best by some way so I'm even less of a fan of this album. Musically, pretty dull. Lyrically ordinary, I guess he's quintessentially American and I can't really relate on that front either.

“I believe in the Promise Land” I think these words are the antithesis of what Bruce Springsteen is all about. Some people, when they think of him, think of “Born in USA” And think it’s some sort of “USA” rah rah song. And it is but not the way they think think it is. This album is filled with what America really is. The good and the bad. What it is right now is and what it is capable of. Beautiful and sad.

Típica musica de fondo de alguna peli tipo Shrek. Pasable

asi como buenos temas, temas que un poco zzz y eso que le soy fiel a la musica basada en yearn and long peero instrumentacion muy buena respetaron la vibra la entendieron

not really my thing sorry mr bruce

I don't really like his singing but I liked "badlands"

un de ses meilleurs albums!! 4-/5

I have so much love for the Boss, but not this particular album.