Nebraska

Don't listen to this if you are depressed, it will lead you to kill yourself. While I'm sure further listening would demonstrate some sort of beauty, I can't bring myself to do it. This really deserves 0/5 stars but I'm forced to give it one star, which it definitely does not deserve.

This is not great.... the second song in... Johnny 99 is not bad; I imagine it would be better if there were backup drums and an electric guitar. Very forgettable, I did not even remember this was playing in the background, and Pandora moved on to the next album.

Super boring

1 Not for me

Can't stand Bruce Springsteen

What a fucking slog. Third Springsteen album that I ‘Had to hear’ smh.

Really shit.

good

That was hard to listen to. He was either mumbling or too loud most of the time and the harmonica was screeching in my ears.

Big miss

God this shit was SO boring. I really don’t understand why he’s a thing .

Too slow for me. Open all night was my favorite song. Not sure how this was enjoyable unless you are high, in your feels or just old

They blew a chicken man in Philly last night, and they blew a piss house too? Yeah, I'm not digging this even slightly. Dirge followed by dirge. Until "state trooper" which starts out nice and shows promise, but is ultimately a bit shit without actually going anywhere. It almost imperceptibly gathers pace in a way that, if it actually went anywhere, could be considered threatening... But then it just literally fades the fuck out, achieving absolutely nothing. And is instantly followed by another dirge. Open All Night is almost a straight up beat for beat cover of Dire Straits Walk of Life, but without the upbeat pleasure of it. A couple more dirges for good luck and yeah, I've heard all I need to. This is a rock solid one-star bag o'shite.

Never liked him. Don't like monotone acoustic miserablists. This is the perfect storm of stuff I don't like

I just can't

Is the singular for tedium tedia?

I just couldn’t finish one track on this album. There were a few songs that I thought were gonna be ok but then he started with the dissonant harmonica and ruined it. At one point I thought the harmonica was off and it.was.his.voice (Johnny 99). This entire album sounds like someone took ambien and is trying to quickly record it before they fall asleep. I don’t get this one, not for me.

An uninteresting slog of an acoustic album, the songs all blend together and nothing really stands out. I'll admit I only really know the hits when it comes to Springsteen, but this really fell short of any expectations I may have had.

Ugh, fuck off. I just had "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" three days ago and this is literally the same thing. Boring mumbly folk rock until the harmonica starts and your entire auditory system shuts down, leaving you with lifelong tinnitus. Thanks for the headache. Harmonicas are more annoying than kazoos. Bruce Springsteen at least has a bearable voice when compared to Bob Dylan, but that doesn't make this album anything higher than a 1/5 for me.

I tend not to listen to lyrics and found this album a massive snore.

De este álbum solo puedo salvar una canción, “State Trooper”, que con literalmente dos acordes tiene mucha más música que todas las demás juntas que, por culpa de esa languidez y una omnipresente armónica, parecen compuestas en la cárcel para ser tocadas en la iglesia… de la cárcel. Compraría este disco para poder prenderle fuego físicamente.

No es para un publico, que no esta acostumbrado a esto. Intente, sin exito, escucharlo.

Not the best

I HATED THIS SO MUCH OFY9ER7UOWHUIBH SHITTEST ALBUM IVE EVER LISTENED TO

Dislike the Boss

Meh

Boring as fuck.

ij

Normally I wouldn't go out of my way to address other reviews, but I have to say that one of the highest reviews on this album is so misinformed and full of shit that I don't understand why people keep rating it highly. Springsteen had Dylan so far from his mind when he made this album. It's fucked up that people think that he was trying to be Dylan. Had you heard Dylan recently or before this? It sounds nothing like Dylan. Further to that, the record company had no interest in bankrolling a Dylan replacement because Dylan was into Christian music back then, that's fucked up. Bruce was reacting to the success of The River and he wanted to get back to a more basic sound, that's essentially it. He recorded these demos and they sounded great and he recorded them on a stereo that fell in the fucking lake or something. Anyway, Nebraska is a quiet masterpiece and definitely not a record of campfire songs.

Top top top. The sound is so haunting love all the pops and crackles and just makes it sound like a deranged man recording his very calm descent into madness. Some of his best songwriting on this album but it’s so understated you could miss it. The red against the stark imagery on the cover is so class too.

Heart achingly beautiful record. This is true Americana. The storytelling here is unmatched. In my view, Springsteen’s finest album.

My favourite Springsteen album by a long way !

Texterna, Texterna, Texterna, Texterna, Texterna!!!! Sårbarheten, denna sårbarhet och allt det vackra. Denna skiva är magisk. Tar man sig tid att riktigt lyssna på texterna blir det än bättre. Vågar man säga att det USA han skriver om inte finns längre? Därför träffar detta album mig än mer på något sätt. Det är så sorgligt hur detta land bara har fallit samman. Det har väl aldrig varit toppen men åtminstone bättre än vad det är nu. Bruce behövs i allt detta och på något konstigt sätt blir lyssnandet en slags tröst i kaoset.

I am that guy who finds a windswept solace and pinched-nod understanding in this lowest-fi sepia edition of Boss technicolor. I get why you might not, but if there was a version of this recorded on an even dodgier recorder, I'd be all over it.

Is there a secret society of fans who love Springsteen for Nebraska and only tolerate the rest of his work? Have these people helped one another find jobs, find love, find purpose? Do they get together on even-numbered years in a Lions club meeting hall in the basement of a church in northeast Lincoln? I can’t speak to that, but this I can say: It's been more than 20 years since I put Nebraska in my old '86 Honda Civic hatchback's 5-disc CD player and I still can feel the chills I got hearing the sign-off line from Open All Night… I remember the particular stretch of New Jersey interstate, driving home to North Carolina, there are some absolute stunner lines on this album but I’m not sure any are more honestly Bruce than when he belts out "hey ho rock 'n' roll deliver me from nowhere." Worth mentioning: The Born in the U.S.A. that Springsteen recorded for this album but that did not make the cut is *absolutely worth finding if you haven’t yet.*

It’s just perfect. I don’t know what else I can say.

Album #123, Bruce Springsteen, Nebraska ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My third Bruce Springsteen album so far, and my favourite of his by some distance. I think it’s the best album I’ve heard him make. I’m not the biggest Bruce Springsteen fan in general, but this is very much an outlier in his discography. Releasing a solo acoustic album was a brilliant move because it showcases his greatest strength: songwriting. Stripped of the stadium rock bombast of the E Street Band, which can be a bit hit and miss for me, the songs are left to stand on their own. He’s not Bob Dylan, but he’s comfortably in that next tier of great songwriters, and that’s pretty elite company to be keeping. It’s a great collection of stories. Murders, drifters, life on the road, desperation, small-town America. The usual Springsteen subject matter is all here, but the acoustic setting makes everything feel much more intimate and personal. It really allows the lyrics to shine. I also love the production on this record. People always talk about how rough and impromptu it was, how it was essentially built from demos, but there’s a lot of thought in the presentation. The overdubs are fantastic. Little cries and vocal textures creeping into songs, distant harmonica, bright flashes of guitar, subtle mandolin parts. Take Atlantic City for example. The way everything is mixed and balanced creates this haunting atmosphere without ever overwhelming the songs. It’s a great sounding record. A few of his best songs are here. The title track, Atlantic City, which still raises the hairs on the back of my neck no matter how many times I’ve heard it, and State Trooper, which was supposedly influenced by Suicide. The idea of Bruce creating what is essentially an acoustic Suicide song is just really cool to me. The lyrics are full of all-time great lines too. “I guess there’s just a meanness in this world” and “winners and losers, and don’t get caught on the wrong side of that line” are the kinds of lyrics that stay with you. There are nice changes of pace as well. Open All Night feels like a classic 1950s rock and roll tune dropped into the middle of all this darkness. I can understand why some people find the album monotonous in places. Songs like My Father’s House are almost hymn-like in their pacing. But on a different day I could easily find myself loving those tracks too. My only real criticism is a minor one. Having already mentioned Bob Dylan, this album occasionally highlights just how incredible Dylan is as a vocalist and phraser. Bruce’s delivery here is often very Dylan-esque, but sometimes he struggles to fit all the words comfortably into a line, or stretches shorter lines awkwardly. Dylan is the absolute master of making uneven lyrics sound effortless. On songs like My Father’s House and Highway Patrolman, Bruce can sound a little clumsy by comparison. But these are demos at heart, and maybe some of that would have been refined had the songs gone through a more traditional recording process. That’s a very small complaint though. This is a fantastic album and an easy five stars for me. An absolute cracker.

Saw Springsteen live in 2003 with my parents at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. We were in a club box, possibly the furthest I have ever been away from the stage at a concert. A drunk lady hit on my dad while my mom and I were sitting right there. Ate a hotdog as big as my forearm. Good show. Listened to this album for the first time a few months ago. Solid. 4.5

atlantic city what a good song

My favorite Bruce album. Relaxing and sweet.

Great story behind the album, love namesake Nebraska and Atlantic City.

bruce can do no wrong in my eyes. this wasn’t an album my parents played much growing up so i listened for the first time last year. i loved seeing a different side of an artist i had loved all my life. i saw the biopic with jeremy allen white at the same time and that made me appreciate this album in a new way.

Remains not an easy listen (frankly, a lot of the songs are pretty much indistinguishable, imo), but there is some great stuff and the sheer guts it took to release something like this when he did is so admirable.

Joni Mitchell’s Blue, but gray

Might be his all time masterpiece, it is such a good album, it is so different to anything else he was known for at this point. Really established himself as one of the all time American songwriters with this one. Best track: Atlantic City or Highway Patrolman

Masterpiece

An iconic album. Dark and brooding any evoking so much emotion.

Painfully beautiful. Feels like driving down backroads just to get away from everything going on. The music is raw and the lyrics are depressing but together it's a masterpiece of minimalism. Bruce Springsteen is a man of many crafts but this may just be his greatest work. The story behind this album is that Bruce recorded this whole album in his bedroom all by himself. Everything from the singing to the guitar and even the harmonica and chimes. I love that this album breaks a mold for most rock albums that it doesn't need drums to stand on its own and I think for the time and genre it makes it even more impressive. It is a shame this album wasn't as big before but I am so glad it has gotten the recognition it deserves in recent years thanks to all the modern day Bruce Springsteen fans still carrying the flame.

Good narrative songs

He’s not my guy, but man this is a beautiful album

Yyyyyeeeeesssss!

Beautiful! But made me very depressed

The greatest acoustic album ever?

one of my albums of all time... just the freakest best music ever

Favorite Track: Open All Night

Amazing

Déjà écouté. En dépouillant à l'extrême sa musique, enregistrant seul dans sa chambre une folk acoustique crépusculaire bien loin des ornements fastueux du E-Street Band, Bruce Springsteen produit sans presque s'en rendre compte la bande-son d'une Amérique profonde dont les illusions de grandeur se fracassent sur le mur des années Reagan. Dix chansons d'une noirceur étouffante (disons neuf, le rockabilly d'Open All Night constituant une anomalie) où se croisent blue collars paumés et criminels endurcis dans des textes tout aussi austères que la musique qui les accompagne. En s'émancipant des recettes qui ont fait son succès jusque là pour en extraire le cœur meurtri, Bruce Springsteen signe un geste artistique génial, un album d'une tristesse infinie et d'une beauté éblouissante. Indispensable. Top : Johnny 99 Flop : Open All Night

Beautiful country

haunting and beautiful

Amazingggg my favourite album yet I’ve never listened to any of his music but it has so much soul in it.

Don’t worry. Nebraska is still great.

Why did they blow up his house too? Was that necessary?

This is the Springsteen album that stopped me in my tracks and reassess my thoughts about The Boss. I think it's a perfect album

You're home for the holidays and it's a slow day between two get-together days. With your head slightly aching, you go to your local bar and meet the buddy you haven't seen in ages. The two of you try to have a conversation but the bar is too loud so he recommends having a couple of beers at his place. The beers flow slower than usual and you get him to play the guitar like he did when you had a long time before. You sing along to songs you forgot you knew. It feels like magic. This is how this album sounds to me.

I liked it not usually the biggest fan of bruce but i like this album. More of a neil young vibe (who i really like) than some of his other music i'm familliar with. Would Nabraska again.

A nearly perfect album. What a ride, emotionally. Absolutely love the songs "Nebraska", "My Father's House", "Johnny 99", and "Used Cars".

another easy one that i listen to roughly once a month, so yeah, easy 5-star record for me. p.s. the long-awaited extended edition released in 2025 is a marvelous artifact, clarifying why the acoustic versions were the right versions to release. it's great to hear those electric and live versions finally, but they pale in comparison to the original release

I've always respected Bruce, but hadn't listened closely to his music until recently. Then I had the chance to see him on his tour (April, 2026) in Portland, Oregon. I knew he was a national treasure, but this show cemented the fact in my mind. Soon after, this album showed up in my 1001 Albums feed and I listened to it anew. What a gem that man is. Long live Bruce.

2026.04.21.

A influential raw album from Bruce. Really good soundscapes and storytelling. 4.6/5 rounds up to 5

Best song: My Father's Mansion

I'm on my 3rd listen and I think more than any this is the album that feels like Springsteen. I don't know his music super well, but have become a fan in the last ~5 years or so and I love this with every listen. So intimate.

An all-time great. I love the wholesale tonal shift from his early records. The Boss does Bob Dylan with more focus.

Bien.

Great group of minimal songs

The list of performers that have risked losing their fan bases and careers on an album that is a near complete musical departure from what had already been highly successful for them so far is a very small one. The list of those who have come back from such a risk even stronger than before is far smaller still. I think the reason it worked for Bruce is that thematically these songs are not really a departure from what he had already written about: People just doing their best in the face of lives that have never quite risen to the expectations society has raised them to feel. This is the album where Bruce took the baton from Dylan (which had been handed to him two decades earlier by Woody Guthrie, just as he made the kind of dramatic career pivot Bruce makes here) and said, "Here, let me carry that for awhile."

A tightly wound, emotionally cathartic, quietly devastating masterpiece. The atmosphere and song writing here is lightning in a bottle brilliance, there's nothing like it. This is a high watermark of the Boss's career in my opinion.

Depois de um mês, a lua veio. Nebraska foi o primeiro do Springsteen que escutei, depois de ter fomentado um certo preconceito dele. O que é impressionante é um álbum tão cru ser lançado por um artista tão mainstream. Prefiro a versão lançada comparado com o Electric Nebraska, mas isso não é um hot take. A conexão com a banda Suicide é provavelmente o acidente histórico mais fascinante da musica mainstream.

There’s nothing else like it. “The only that I got’s been bothering my whole life” is one of my favourite lines in any song ever.

This might be some of the best storytelling in an album ever. Listening to this and then born in the USA back to back makes me respect Bruce a lot, he can capture extremely different vibes so well

This might be the best « dude and his guitar » album ever made

Top 3 Springsteen record and probably top 10 record of the 80’s

i couldn’t bring myself to listen to this today i would’ve sl*t my wr*sts because nebraska is not for the sunshine. having said that, i did a springsteen deep dive last fall and i loved nebraska very very much and those memories will guide my ratings

Did not expect to give a Springsteen album five stars, but here we are

Okay lowkey enjoyed this a lot.

Nebraska Johnny 99 Highway Patrolman State Trooper Up all Night My Fathers House Reason to Believe Springsteen plays a series of characters that are haunted by their demons. This album really introduced me to the genius of Bruce Springsteen. I was immersed in the imagery and the emotion of each song. I listened to it 3 times in a row. 92/100

A stone cold classic. My number one top album of all time.

Fulfills every romantic notion about the purity of a lone troubadour

I don't think I'd listened to much off this album except for Atlantic City. I am struck by how sparse it sounds. It is stripped back and raw, and yet the stories really shine through. Young me would've hated this album, compared to, say, his next one, but old man me loves it.

absolute all-timer for me. one of my favorites of his

This is one of my all time favorite albums.

ATLANTIC CITY!!!

9/10 – Great

I felt jinxed driving to Vegas listening to all these cop songs but it all worked out

150 albums ago I listened to my first Springsteen album in full. It had a similar vibe to this one, albeit not as naked sounding. Perhaps that's what made me enjoy this one more? I'm not sure. Either way, "Nebraska" is an album which I was familiar with only by name and artwork. After one listen I'm left not only melancholic and reflective, but inspired to pick up my old guitar and play in a similar manner. In doing so I'm not left melancholic. I'm left in a state of gratitude brought by the aforementioned reflection. Grateful for this listen, grateful for the inspiration and grateful for my own personal "Nebraska" which lives on in memory and song.

This is a very good album by itself and an outstanding one when put in the context of Bruce's overall output. Used Cars and Open All Night could be dressed up and put on the River, Darkness on the Edge of Town, or Born in the USA. The rest could only exist in this album. You can get a desperate sort of hopefulness in songs like Thunder Road, Born to Run, or Badlands or the romantic tragedy of Jungleland or a lot of the Wild, the Innocent, the E Street Shuffle. You can get the blue collar "you think you're better than me" on a lot of Born in the USA and the River. But here those dreams and hopes are curdled and the universe has folded in on itself. We ran away with Wendy but now I'm sitting in my car staring at the radio towers going insane listening to Rush Limbaugh precursors at 2am wondering what the fuck happened to my life. Maybe we drove out of town with Mary but now I'm on trial for murdering four people and headed to the electric chair. All of that is what makes the closing song such a fucking heater. Bruce has taken us into the minds of some extremely isolated and hopeless people, explored his own fucked up relationship with his Dad, drops some images of dead dogs on the highway and lets the listener decide if he's being completely earnest or tongue in cheek when he says people find some reason to believe.

This is the first one I’ve had which I have actually listened to as an album. It’s sheer perfection — easily his best. Every track is a gem but the standout for me is probably “State Trooper”.

Fantastic, I’d say my favourite boss album

I love his voice so much. Very soothing. It makes me feel nostalgic

Springsteen took a lot of heat from the record company following up his monster hit album Born in the U.S.A. with this album of just him singing with an acoustic guitar. It was a courageous decision and an absolute masterpiece. It’s such a poignant personal album. So many great songs, especially Atlantic City, Johnny 99, Highway Patrolman, Reason to Believe. I love this album.

I think this is the album that makes me finally "get" Bruce Springsteen, which seems weird but nah actually he's really cool.

Amazing listen

loti patika

The Boss's best.

I can’t think of any other mainstream artist who has ever released something quite so minimal as this: originally intended as demos, this is Springsteen with his guitar and harmonica and a 4 track. Recently a full band version of Nebraska was released; while it’s an interesting listen, Springsteen’s original instinct that the demos were the stronger version seems to be the correct one. This is a collection of songs about crooks, outright villains, people for whom life hasn’t gone right. A lot of people have made comparisons between Springsteen and Bob Dylan, but Springsteen has always had an earthy directness to his songs that Dylan doesn’t. The minimal arrangements let the songwriting shine here, and Springsteen is one of the best of his generation, if not one of the best of all time. This is one of the all time classics of Americana.

Great storytelling

One of my favourites from the Boss! Storytelling at it’s finest and paved the way for ‘Born in the USA’, the acoustic version of that song from these sessions is great (obviously not on this album). Atlantic City is up there with the best song Brucey has ever written. Glorious.

Took me a while, or just getting older to fully appreciate Nebraska. 5 Star

My original introduction to Bruce when I bought the vinyl of this for a quarter in the 90s. Guessing it probably costs more than that now. Loved the movie, watched it twice.

Never heard this before. Great album

Difficult to get into at first, but definitely a classic

Album No. 0163 on my list. Nice. I was looking forward to this. Bruce Springsteen's "Nebraska" is one of my top five albums of all time, his second best (after "Darkness on the Edge of Town") and still criminally underrated, despite ll the attention it got with the recent "Deliver Me From Nowhere" movie. "Nebraska" is the Boss' most intimate, dark, introspective album. Interestingly though, this is not due an abundance of perskal stories on this, which are actually quite rare. Instead, the intimacy is a result of the fact that the whole album (except for "My Father's House") was recorded within one day in Springsteen's bedroom. The production is incredibly raw and stripped down (but not bad, thanks to great mastering efforts). This leads to a dark, unforgiving closeness that radiates within each and every song. The fact that all these sound like demos only contributes to their intensity. The electric, band-based versions of these (available through the recently published expanded version of the album) are still worth listening to. Especially "Atlantic City", and "Open All Night" sound great in the full E Street Band Versions. The lyrics match the dark, tense songs. Stories about criminals, outlaws, loosers, hedonists, murderers, broken families. Springsteen's own demons at the time are reflected in all of the songs. The boss clearly didn't have the greatest time in the early 80s, but it made the songwriting all the more intense. Besides, the lyrics on "Nebraska" are a perfect bridge from the stories about breaking free on "Born To Run", and "Darkness on the Edge of Town" to the more politically charged ones on "Born in the U.S.A.". It's a powerful journey from breaking out (BTR), discovering the dark sides of your breakout (DOTEOT), finding indulgence in them ("Nebraska") and finally overcoming them (BITUSA). Nebraska is a tale of outlaws, of roughness, of depression (both in the psychological and the societal sense), packed into ten sad, intense, awesome songs. I'll add the following of them to my playlist: "Nebraska" (the title track), "Atlantic City" (the album's catchiest song and biggest hit, "Johnny 99" (groovy despite its simplicity, works very great live), "Highway Patrolman" (the greatest storyline on the album), and "My Father's House" (the most personal, most intimate song). "Nebraska" is such a great album - so unique in its simplicity and the way it's stripped down, so personal, intimate, dark in its lyrics. 5/5 stars!

This may not be everybody's cup of tea, but I absolutely adore this album. It is my favorite Springsteen album. Stark and haunting.

A seminal album, great from start to finish

I think Nebraska was the last great Bruce Springsteen album. Although I loved the E Street Band on his earlier releases, their absence made this one far more powerful.

nothing bad to point out, pleasing voice to listen to, great story telling need this on a roadtrip asap

I've always wanted to get more into folk music, so I'm glad I got to listen to this! I've never intentionally listened to Springsteen before but these songs are heartfelt and full of energy and meaning. I like the way this album is simply composed and how honest its vignettes are. Really a beautiful album! Favorites: Nebraska, Atlantic City, Used Cars, My Father's House, Reason to Believe

Disco perfeito!

Loved this. Bruce is an unreal story teller. I must try and see him before he hangs the guitar up. Not for $500 though

I've never really listened to Springsteen before and I'm pleasantly surprised how much I liked this album. I now want to explore more of his music.

Bon, on va pas se mentir mais voir le nom de Springsteen sur mon étagère, coincé entre Spacemen 3 et Sunn O))), ça fait toujours un peu tache au premier abord. Mais Nebraska a toujours été à part car c'est le bug dans la matrice. C’est le seul moment où le "Boss" a arrêté de vouloir sauver l'Amérique avec des refrains de stade pour nous raconter, dans le blanc des yeux, à quel point ce pays est foutu. Et pour ça, il ne mérite pas juste le respect, il mérite la note maximale. Pourquoi 5 sur 5 alors que je passe mon temps à cracher sur le rock mainstream ? Parce que cet album est une leçon d'intégrité qui renvoie 90% de la production indépendante à ses chères études. L'histoire, c'est celle d'un accident magnifique. Le mec enregistre ça sur un petit 4-pistes Teac chez lui, en mode démo, avec l'intention de refaire tout ça "proprement" en studio avec le E Street Band. Sauf que la crasse, ça ne se reproduit pas. Le souffle de la bande, la réverbération dégueulasse de la chambre vide, la guitare qui frise, le siège qui grince... c'est ça qui donne l'âme du disque. Ils ont eu l'intelligence – ou le désespoir – de sortir la cassette telle quelle. Et rien que pour ce doigt d'honneur involontaire à l'industrie du disque des années 80, qui commençait à se noyer dans le plastique et les synthés, c'est un chef-d'œuvre. Musicalement c'est aride, c'est le désert de Mojave en pleine nuit. "Nebraska", le morceau titre, te met direct dans l'ambiance : un serial killer, une chaise électrique, et une voix détachée qui te glace le sang. Pas d'effets de manche, pas de solo héroïque pour faire lever les briquets. On est très loin des hymnes patriotiques mal compris qui viendront plus tard. Ici, le drapeau américain ne flotte pas fièrement, il sert juste à éponger le sang sur le plancher. Mon moment de gloire sur cet album, celui qui justifie à lui seul ce 5/5, c'est "State Trooper". Là, Bruce touche au sublime absolu. Il pompe ouvertement le groupe Suicide (Alan Vega, paix à ton âme électrique), avec cette rythmique hypnotique et cette tension qui monte sans jamais exploser. C'est du proto-industriel acoustique. C'est le son de la paranoïa pure, des phares dans le rétro et de la fatigue nerveuse qui te bouffe le cerveau. Même les moments qui pourraient sembler convenus, comme ces plans à l'harmonica façon Woody Guthrie, prennent ici une dimension funèbre. Ce n'est pas le folklore joyeux du hobo, c'est le râle d'un type qui sait qu'il ne verra pas le lever du soleil. C'est sombre, c'est une noirceur totale, mais contrairement à ce que nous pourrions penser, ce n'est pas une noirceur "de cinéma". C'est une noirceur réelle, viscérale et terrifiante. Nebraska est la preuve définitive que le "less is more" est la seule vérité en musique. C'est une leçon d'atmosphère. Tu n'as pas besoin de murs d'amplis ou de pédales d'effets à 300 balles pour être lourd. La lourdeur, la vraie, elle est dans le silence entre les notes. Elle est dans ce texte qui te dit que "Baby, there's a meanness in this world". C'est brut, c'est honnête, et c'est l'un des rares albums de Springsteen que je peux écouter en boucle sans avoir envie de me flinguer par ennui. Un 5 sur 5 indiscutable. C'est une anomalie, un miracle, un disque "Must Have" pour tout ceux qui n'aiment pas Springsteen, et c'est le disque qui fait pleurer ceux qui l'aiment. Une anomalie dans la matrice du rock FM, et c'est tant mieux.

5.0 stars Haunting is the word that keeps coming to mind. My early exposure to Springsteen was the MTV era, Born in the U.S.A. and the larger-than-life arena presence. But when I did a deeper dive into his catalog a few years ago, this album completely changed my perception of him. Along with Darkness on the Edge of Town, this was the record that showed me the depth of his songwriting. Stripped down to its barest elements, the stories feel stark, intimate, and unsettling in a way that lingers long after the songs end. I didn’t know he had this kind of restraint and narrative weight in him. Hearing his originals after knowing covers -like “Atlantic City” by the Band and “Mansion on the Hill” by the National, only deepened my appreciation. “State Trooper” remains one of the most haunting tracks in his entire catalog. One of my favorite singer-songwriter records, full stop. Favorite tracks: State Trooper, Atlantic City, Mansion on the Hill

218/1001 Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ✅ When I first discovered and subsequently listened to the albums that were deemed to be the best of his, I completely bounced off of this, as it was too sparse, too dark and nothing like any other Springsteen record. Over a few years, I appreciated this album even more and grown to love it for all of those reasons. I'm glad to have this in his musical cannon and Springsteen fought to keepit as it was, as the record label found this far too uncommercial and wanted to change everything about it.

A fantastic album of folkiness and personal story. At the time and huge departure from his albums with the E Street Band. Dark depressing well written. Stark in it's musical nature. It was a sign of future creative albums along this genre but never matched.

A stone cold classic.

Repeat listen

Love this album, for the storytelling, the bleak vibe, the back story of its recording and the influence on so many alt-country/Americana artists I discovered after. The songs take a while to soak in, it's all so sparse it often reminds me of those Dylan albums released when he was trying to shake off some fans. But that same sparseness forces you to lean in and pay attention to the stories - and also creates the perfect atmosphere for them to hang off. No doubt it's harder work than Born in the USA or Born to Run, but i reckon the payoff is better for it.

5 Sterne wegen seinem Protestsong gegen Trump.

Virkelig stærk folk-plade, mit toxic trait er at det her nok er min yndlings-Springsteen. Det her album er markant bedre end filmen om det her album.

Didn't think I knew this album at all - turns out I must have owned it at some point as I knew and loved every song.

I'm getting spoilt with all the Bruce we've had recently. I love that this one is so different from the albums around it in his discography, he has come back to something similar a few times since but never quite like this. A moody reflection on isolation, sadness, and desperation. “I guess there’s just a meanness in this world.”

Calls the album Nebraska...first track is called Nebraska. Album is still about New Jersey haha Excellent album. The Boss always delivers for me. You can feel his pain and emotion in every bar of music. It's beautiful.

This would be great for a long peaceful road trip

Well, they blew up the Chicken Man in Philly last night. They blew up his house, too..everything dies, baby, that's a fact. But maybe everything that dies someday comes back.

I own this on vinyl bro

Bruce Springsteen was at the height of his powers in 1981. He just put out two incredible, all-time great albums, Born To Run and The River. However, after selling a ton of records and becoming rich and famous, like all true artists, he kind of felt lost or, maybe, guilty. He wanted to be an artist, not a rock and roll star. The problem is, when you’re good, you’re good, and the people will find you. So, Bruce retired to his ranch in New Jersey and began writing songs that would become the album Nebraska, with a few winding up on Born in the USA. Bruce sat down with his guitar, his harmonica, and a four-track recorder, which allowed him to record vocals, guitar, harmonica, and one more track. He began to write and record the demos for Nebraska. There was the title track, Nebraska, inspired by the Terrence Malick movie Badlands. It’s a beautiful-looking movie about a murderous couple just out killing for fun. It’s based on a true story, of course. The song is incredible and a good introduction to the darkness on the album. Track two is Atlantic City, which is about a dude who needs to provide for his family, so he has to go to work for the mob in Atlantic City. Later, there are songs about Bruce’s father and his unresolved issues with his father. I’m not a folk guy. I love guitars, I love the E Street Band, but this album is a masterpiece. Though, thinking more about it, this isn't exactly a folk album. I think it's too pessimistic to be what feels like folk to me. I'd still call this a rock album. I’m also not a lyrics guy most of the time, I’m a riff guy, but Bruce can write poetry and this album is full of it. Bruce brought his demos in for the E Street Band to work up and by the time they got the songs recorded, they just didn’t work. Finally, Bruce was convinced to just release his demos as the album. It’s so dumb to even suggest. What’s the show about? It’s about nothing. Nothing? There has to be something. No, nothing, Jerry. That’s the show. I think you have something there. Anyway, Bruce was on board and somehow they got the record company on board. I’m quite sure there’s no way a record company today, if there still are record companies today, would ever let Sabrina Carpenter or whoever is popular now, release an album made up of demos they recorded in their bedroom with bleak lyrics and just a harmonica and an acoustic guitar. But the record company agreed that Nebraska was art and people needed to hear it. Even though everyone was on board, they pretty much thought this album would not sell. Coming off Born To Run and The River, you put out an acoustic album next? Once word gets out, the casual fans will just wait for the next album, if they ever buy another Springsteen album. But, wouldn’t you know it? The album got great reviews and sold over 1 million units in the U.S. I know I’ve not really talked much about the actual songs like I have in the last few of these I’ve done, and the songs are brilliant, but I find the whole story behind the album fascinating. The songs are all stories, really. A song about a guy who loses his job and murders a motel clerk out of frustration, a song about a cop wrestling with letting a family member skate by after a crime, or to arrest him, another about a car thief becoming more and more paranoid as he’s driving a stolen car down the highway, all the songs are great. I used to think Springsteen was for old people. I just didn’t get him. Then I really listened to Born To Run for real, and I got it. The light bulb turned on. But Nebraska is different. It’s not the big band and the fun times. It’s dark and spare. It’s not an album you put on at parties, but it’s one I think you must hear before you die.

Springsteen channels his inner Nick Cave on this collection of dark Americana.

The Jeremy and Jeremy performance in Deliver Me From Nowhere was a great insight to this album. I had listened to this album off and on for the better part of forty years and the story behind it is likely much better than the following album. While it’s probably my fourth or fifth favorite Springsteen album, it’s still a five star banger.

This was outstanding. So simple and so impactful. Great lyrics and good stories.

much has been made about Springsteen's pessimistic outlook on the world across these songs—it was around the time of Nebraska's release in the 80s that Springsteen first started seeing a professional about his depression after years of denial—as well as the boldness of his decision to make this sparse, solo acoustic album his followup to The River, a lavish E Street Band-assisted double-LP that was also his first #1 in the US. it's also notable as one of the first major DIY recordings; these songs were all recorded on a four-track and were intended to be demos for a full-band album that wasn't released until last year's Nebraska '82 reissue. it's interesting, actually, to listen to this in such close proximity to the release of Electric Nebraska and the Deliver Me From Nowhere biopic, which is focused primarily on the making of this album. I dunno, it just seems interesting to focus on the Nebraska era compared to, say, a more polished and explosive record like Born to Run. I think it just goes to show how quietly influential Nebraska has been on rock music, especially in the underground, over the past few decades; and when the songs are this high-caliber, it's no wonder why the haunting mood of this album has persisted in the minds of Springsteen fans to this day! sometimes all you need is a guitar, a harmonica and the truth. Springsteen's typical working-class narratives are in abundance here, but the stories themselves are decidedly darker than usual. it starts pretty much right away; the opening title track is about Charles Starkweather, an Actual Serial Killer who murdered 10 people in Nebraska and Wyoming while on the run from the law with his underage girlfriend; it's immediately followed by "Atlantic City", a song about a man who turns to working for the mob in the titular city, in a last-ditch effort to make ends meet after years of honest work fail to relieve his debts. there's plenty of grizzly narratives to follow,—some less fictional than others—but some of the most interesting tracks are the ones where Springsteen gets autobiographical ("Mansion on the Hill", "Used Cars" and "My Father's House"), opening up about his own lower-class economic background and the envy he felt at those who were more well-off than his family growing up. it's also interesting to listen to this album against the current backdrop of ICE raids and foreign occupations and extrajudicial killings and other heinous actions that have marked being American in 2026, and in just a couple weeks too. many of these songs are about blue-collar workers who try their whole lives to amount to something, but never do. it's one of the most recurring themes in the Springsteen discography, and it's one which gets more and more relevant with time. while Nebraska will certainly make you reflect on the dark side of American life, Springsteen is courteous enough to offer a bit of levity, however morbid, on the closing track. "at the end of every hard-earned day," even at the lowest points in their lives, "people find some reason to believe." I hope I can continue to believe in something. decent 9/10.

“Man turns his back on his family, well he just ain’t no good” 😊 A stone cold classic!

1. Nebraska: harmonica, storytelling, perfect for a drive on backroads 9/10 2. Atlantic City: "but maybe everything that dies someday comes back", like the outro 8/10 3. Mansion on the Hill: beautiful 9/10 4. Johnny 99: 7/10 5. Highway Patrolman: :( "blood on blood" 8/10 6. State Trooper: love the guitar strumming, love his voice, tension 10/10 7. Used Cars: chimes! 8/10 8. Open All Night: jangly 8/10 9. My Father's House: voice, lyrics (dream, trees, house, return to home) 10/10 10. Reason to Believe: 8/10 Overall: acoustic highlights how nice his voice is, atmosphere 8.75/10

One of the best records by the Boss. It’s simplicity and scarcity is something special. It stands out and it did stand the test of time.

Such a strong album. Dark mood but the music is so good.

5 out of 5 So many new Bruce songs that I never heard before. So soulful and sad; very western feel, which was perfect after just completing reading Buffalo Hunter Hunter.

When I got Born to Run, I said it made me smile at my desk. This one makes me want to throw on a plaid shirt and take a moody walk to an abandoned factory - but in a good way.

My favourite Springsteen album. Just perfect narrative rock, shot through with sadness and loss, that sounds like nothing else in his catalogue.

This is the kind of thing I wanted when Springsteen came up the first time on this list. This is great.

A superior album

Phenomenal album, excellent song-writing and storytelling. That's the Springsteen I like most. His big hits are great, too, but this is just a man and his guitar and a 4-track recorder, telling sad stories about the lives and stories of people that weren't so lucky in their lives.

Before this album I really only knew Springsteen from Born in the USA, which is catchy but not really my vibe. So listening to this I found the album surprisingly… calm? Chill? I grew up listening to tons of harmonica songs that my dad loves, so the harmonica in Mansion on the Hill was pleasantly nostalgic for me. Open All Night matched the more upbeat energy I was expecting from the album and complimented the other songs nicely. I worked during the whole album and wasn’t paying attention to lyrics, but from what I heard the storytelling has me interested in looking up lyrics later to see what the songs were about, which is also a plus. Overall very pleasantly surprised by this one.

Deliver Me From Nowhere was a shitty movie because they didn't show the Snoopy binder that Bruce wrote Nebraska in

ICH KANN DAS NICHT NEUTRAL BEWERTEN

Was soll man noch sagen als "Klassiker". Allein Atlantic City reisst alles raus. Zugegeben: Bei den Lyrics höre ich nie 100% hin.

No. 52 I didn’t listen to this record for a long time and I love it. I really like Bruce’s voice on this album. This is super intimate and I really like it.

great songs

Loved it. Raw, honest, everything that’s said about it is how it is. Top tier, haunting lyricism. Bruce’s voice elevates the subtle production.

I really loved this, compared to the bombast of his work with the E Street Band it's a very different vibe. 10 tracks recorded mostly just with an acoustic guitar and harmonica on a 4-track, Springsteen's writing is what really shines. He's always a good lyricist but it's the melancholy storytelling that makes Nebraska great - music that makes you feel something this strongly can't be bad

Heard it before. Very fitting to get it before 2025 ends, it's literally Nebraska year, we got an electric version of the album and a movie about it. What an album. I do love acoustic Bruce, there's something special about him without the rest of the band. Thematically Nebraska isn't very happy but there's something really comforting to me about this album. I don't get why it has a score average barely above 3, people should be giving it 4 minimum for Atlantic City alone 5/5

The greatest story teller of our generation with mostly just an acoustic? Does it get better?

For a long time I wasn’t a fan of Bruce Springsteen. All the stars+stripes wearing, chest-beating, stadium anthems… eurgh. Then I heard Nebraska. Stripped back. One man and an acoustic guitar telling sad stories. This is the Bruce album for Bob Dylan/Leonard Cohen/Neil Young fans. Over time, I’ve come to really like many other Springsteen albums and was lucky enough to see him live with the E Street Band this year. Now I absolutely am a fan…. It just took his least Stadium-anthem album to make me see the light.

This is a classic album that just keeps getting better with each listen. Love this album.

Baby shit

Love this album.

Remek djelo

Stone cold classic. The Springsteen album for non-Springsteen fans.

This land was made for you and me. And Charles Starkweather.

Had a feeling this one would make an appearance. I listened to Highway Patrolman again and again last night. It was probably on when I finally fell asleep. The legends around the recording of this album will probably go on to live next to the music itself. "Man turns his back on his family, well he just ain't no good." Springsteen became something else with this album. Before he was another rock singer trying to rise above a saturated east coast scene. Two years after Nebraska he would rise with Born in the USA. I wonder how much he listened to Nebraska during that time to keep himself grounded. I wish I would have had this album then, too.

Classic. No notes!

When I got Born In The USA, I was like "Man, so close to the movie, but maybe Nebraska would've made more sense for the occasion". And here I am about two weeks (as of writing 11/16/25) with the big movie album now. What strikes me about Nebraska is how raw it sounds for Bruce at the time. I think it was the perfect switch-up to release after years of E-Street Band material. It stripped down Bruce back to where he started: words and guitar. I think a lot of Bruce's music strives on flashiness whether it be through looks or through musical prowess. In Nebraska's case, it strives on lyricism. The use of storytelling is very clear on this release appearing in its first-person glory on the title track, Highway Patrolman and My Father's House. There's also something claustrophobic when you hear the quality of the recording. The deep reverb punches the space around my ears and this is especially true on State Trooper (when he shouts woo!). This is an ideal album to walk around the fall/winter in a jacket while you let the chill get to your heart. It's emotionally poignant, but I still think I have some hang-ups with like one or two songs. For that, the star rating is going to make it clear that I find this to be fascinating. However, the degree of my more traditional rating notes how I still feel there's some easing up to do. Nonetheless, an important recording by the Bossman (8/10, 5/5 on this scale).

So, outside of his hits I'm not a huge Springsteen fan. He was everywhere growing up so I was kinda over his sound early. That said... I love this album. It is literally one of my favorite albums of all time. Absolutely amazing. It's so stripped down I want to say it was a demo that everyone went no it's good, ship it. It's Bruce and a guitar singing about the hope and sadness that is America. It's about every town your drive through, it's about the people there living. Great fucking album. If you like this one look up Badlands. It's a tribute album from 2000ish. Great covers of every song on this one.

I listened to a lot of Springsteen during covid. Late 70's / early 80's are my peak Springsteen years and whilst Darkness on edge of Town is my favourite album this is a close 2nd. I dig the dark tones and low-fi musical sparseness.

Slow but Springsteen start. ‘Nebraska’ (the song) and the melody is beautiful. ‘Atlantic City’ was already a ‘liked’ song. Love it. The transition from ‘Mansion on the Hill’ to ‘Johnny 99’ … more energy. ‘Highway Patrolmen’ slower. Song about friendship. Romantic. ‘Open All Night’ was a head nodder! ‘Reason to Believe’ encapsulates the album.

this once is a no brainer - one of my favorite albums #albumsky #musicsky *****

Great album

4.5

Three days in a row of albums Iin my collection, and thus is an all time favorite of mine. This dark largely acoustic album recorded on his own really pull what to me makes Springsteen great. A bitter look at the human condition with sparce arrangement and emotional resonance. This was the album that truly got me into Springsteen. And is still my favorite. (10) ★★★★★

So stark, so depressing, but so beautiful. 5 stars

Possibly my least favorite of Bruce's legendary Born to Run -> Born In The USA run, but it's still a fantastic album. I think the songwriting is great here, and the the stripped down arrangements really hammer that home. The first side of this album is really where it shines for me -- the title track, "Mansion on the Hill", "Highway Patrolman", "State Trooper" (which sounded super cool while driving to work in the dark this morning), and "Atlantic City", which might just be my favorite Springsteen song. The second side doesn't quite live up to the promise of the first, but it's still super solid. I do like that for all the darkness on the album, Springsteen ends the album reminding us that people still find a reason for hope. 5 stars.

Proof that a stripped Bruce is the best Bruce. Not just born to run or born in the USA but also born to Nebrask as well. So stark. So chilling. So purdy. And now also a hit motion picture!

Day660 - i guess thanks to ronald reagan for giving us one of the best springsteen album

Perfect

This is a perfectly timely review, coinciding with the impending release of the 'Nebraska' box set (which includes 'Electric Nebraska') and the debut of the Springsteen bio-pic, which covers the era leading right up to this album’s release. I bought "Nebraska" the week it came out. While the album wasn't what I expected on that first listen, I loved it immediately, and nothing has changed in the 43 years since. "Nebraska" stands as an utterly brilliant and essential album. Its power lies in the compelling storytelling and the stark, bare arrangements that highlight the excellent performances. It is, without a doubt, among Bruce Springsteen's finest work and remains one of my all-time favourites. Five stars. Perfect to these ears. Side one 1 "Nebraska" (5/5) 2 "Atlantic City" (5/5) 3 "Mansion on the Hill" (5/5) 4 "Johnny 99" (5/5) 5 "Highway Patrolman" (5/5) 6 "State Trooper" (5/5) Side two 1 "Used Cars" (5/5) 2 "Open All Night" (5/5) 3 "My Father's House" (5/5) 4 "Reason to Believe" (5/5) Total - 50 Average - 5 139/1001 72/139 albums reviewed were new to me.

My major weakness: One Man, One Guitar. Every damn time. Elliot Smith (kind of), Nick Drake, now this guy. Maybe Springsteen should stick to this and not pop rock. It sounds like he's telling stories around a campfire, really nice feel. Most of the songs are absolutely heartbreaking. Kind of struggling to find words for this album, but it was amazing enough for me to tolerate the Faux-Southern accent. That's saying a lot.

I loved this album. A raw Boss distilled down to story telling. I loved the theme across the album. Atlantic City, Johnny 99, Mansion on the Hill, and State Trooper are all standouts on this album for me. Why wasn't he doing more of this stuff all along?

The guy with the big band singing anthems to arenas does a stripped down largely acoustic album, creating a surprising masterpiece

Det her er den indgangsvinkel jeg har manglet til Bruce Springsteen. Jeg har tænkt længe at der måtte være nogle kvaliteter jeg overså når jeg bare så en lidt, på overfladen, stereotyp arbejderklasse rock-and-roller med en Telecaster, men her skinner hans kæmpe talent for sangskrivningen virkelig igennem, og han bygger et så smukt univers op. Det hele er leveret med nærvær og nerve i stemmen, og det var en fornøjelse hele vejen igennem

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1001 ALBUMS- # 87 Stripped-down Springsteen 🪕 Nebraska is the antithesis of stadium rock as here Springsteen retreated into a quiet, unlit corner of America. What emerged was a lo-fi, solo acoustic album recorded as demos, never re-recorded with the E Street Band because Springsteen felt they captured something too real, too fragile to be replicated. It’s an album about murderers, outlaws, drifters, criminals, and working-class nobodies. But its real subject is moral ambiguity, American despair, and isolation. 🎧 Classic Track: Atlantic City 🎧 Deep Cut Gem: Used Cars 🎧 Personal Favorite: State Trooper 🎧 Memorable Standout: Nebraska Recorded on a TEAC 4-track cassette recorder in Springsteen’s New Jersey bedroom. The tape hiss, room noise, and bare instrumentation all add to the sense of isolation. This production approach was radical at the time, especially from a major star. It helped legitimize home recording and inspired future artists (e.g. Iron & Wine, Bon Iver, Elliott Smith). 🖼️ Album Artwork: Poetic visual to these haunting tales Nebraska is a masterpiece of minimalism, proving that intensity and complexity don’t require volume or production. It’s not an album of answers — it’s an album of haunted questions. It shows Springsteen at his most vulnerable, most literary, and most daring. For anyone interested in the darker underside of American life, this is essential listening.

A favorite of mine when I'm in a dark, retrospective mood. Fantastic storytelling with a haunting sound.

The best album from The Boss. Atlantic City is an all time favourite.

Loved it! Spun this one on the decks, because I’m really cool. Really like this side of the boss. No big stadium anthems. Just a guitar and some tunes. Not that I don’t like the anthems, he’s superb at both. Simpsons: Yes

Feel like the last album we had from him wasn't really my thing. But really loved this. Perfect vibes right now, will actually try to listen again over Christmas.

I’ve always liked The Boss but never got it. This album is definitely my favourite and surprised me. Give me more stripped back shit like this.

stone cold classic

Another classic from the Boss. Favorites include Atlantic City, Johnny 99, State Trooper, and Reason to Believe. Incredible how he can record a stark, chilling classic like this and then have the anthems of Born to Run and Born in the USA.

Geez, this whole album is a gut punch. From the opening seconds. So dark. So sparse. I heard it described as an American Gothic and I think that’s a perfect description. The Boss has range. 5/5 Highlights: Atlantic City Johnny 99 State Trooper Reason to Believe

Bruce’s, best album, and also his most depressing…

The minimalist approach from Springsteen works for me. This is one of my top 10 fav albums across all genres. Raw, sincere, well written stories from the rough side of life. 5 stars.

Bruce Springsteen at his bet. None of the trumpets and band involved, just him singing acoustic songs with a guitar. This really brings out the Americana-vibes, especially with the album title and cover. I'm 5 Bruce Springsteen albums in now, on the whole I'm more positive towards him, but I'd rather he'd made more of this and less of Born in the USA.

God Album. His best album ever recorded at home on an eight track. Atlantic city wow

I didn't really need to listen to this one again for this project, but I decided to anyway. A family friend gave me this album years ago after I played a version of Atlantic City on an old guitar. At the time I hadn't heard much Springsteen, only the hits, so I didn't much know what to expect from Nebraska. I pretty quickly fell in love with the stripped down, minimalist sound that serves so well to highlight Springsteen's songwriting. Putting the record on again and sitting out on the balcony on an overcast day, listening to the mournful wail of freight trains across the river, and sipping some good bourbon, I was again absorbed by this album.

5 star as hell wdym

The only Springsteen album I listen to repeatedly. These acoustic gems about violent criminals and the repercussions of their actions never fails to draw me in. Bruce' best.

Introspective, beautiful, authentic

I don’t know how/ why I continue to sleep on Bruce Springsteen. I enjoy his albums when I hear them and need to seek them out more. I thought this was great.

Made me cry

Every single track was so beautiful & the storytelling was so rich. New appreciation for Springsteen!

Equal parts haunting and beautiful. A big departure from the kind of music Bruce had been making up to this point in his career, it's a bold move that paid off in a big way. Favorite song: Atlantic City

Generally not a fan of folk music but I liked this and some of the songs feel very relevant for the times we're going through.

For many fans of The Boss, this is one of his best albums, if not his best. I agree.

The most depressing album ever! I owned it when it first came out & ended up giving it away to a Springsteen fan

Oh man. I've only ever listened to Born to Run before, and I've kind of avoided the rest of his discography ("What could be as good as Born to Run?"). The most I knew of this album was The Band's cover of Atlantic City. This was a mistake. This album showed me another side to Bruce that I didn't expect. There are a number of great qualities in Born to Run, but I wouldn't really describe that album as "beautiful". This album, on the other hand? Everything from the cover, to the production, and the songwriting contribute to the same sort of dark, melancholy Americana. It was cleary inspired by Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan, but it also clearly has its own vision and takes inspiration from other media as well. What a great album! I may have a new favorite Bruce album. By the way, if you like this, definitely check out "American IV: The Man Comes Around" by Johnny Cash. Definitely a similar vibe. Favorite Track: Atlantic City

This is definitely my favorite Springsteen album. Had it on while fixing a vintage bicycle, I think it helped. Definitely should put this in regular rotation.

My first exposure to Bruce and I honestly really love it the. The atmosphere and songwriting here is really incredible. Bruce's raspy voice also works really well here. 9/10 Favourite: Nebraska Least Favourite: State Trooper

Æ har hørt overraskanes lite på Bruce Springsteen i løpet av livet, egentlig, og det e ganske rart, tatt i betraktning kor godt æ like han. Æ e nok mest glad i det som også har litt mer lys og lyst enn det her albumet, men æ like det. Og «State Trooper» e en nær perfekt sang.

I love Sad Bruce singing about losers so so much. Way better than The Boss, who is also great. Probably not a great sign for my mental health how much I identify with the loser protagonists in these songs.

Nebraska is Bruce Springsteen's sixth album, and his best. The other albums might have the hits, but this one has an amazing dark and somber tone to it that really draws you in and covers you like a weighted blanket. Nebraska owes more to Johnny Cash and Hank Williams albums than to the typical rock and roll heritage. It exudes a country sentiment but still manages to get that Springsteen sound. An exceptional album for those looking for something a little off the mainstream Springsteen.

6 stars

Incredible. We sorely miss real American Folk song writers. What an era this was for modern music. This is one of those things that I’m so glad was created, and exists. Truly lucky to have this.

Springsteen is a great storyteller and has been appropriately recognized for that, but the way he expresses the despair of so many different people in so many ways never ceases to amaze me. He does it all - ballads, outlaw songs, dirges, and it's all good. This album has really grown on me over time.

A little different than the earlier Springsteen albums, but another very good album. 5 stars or A.

Excellent album. True classic. Springsteen’s versatility is on full display. A departure from his other albums but still great.

I own this album and love it

I do believe I've liked Bruce Springsteen before now... but wow this really did the trick - definitely a really good album I'm glad to have finally sat and listened to! :)

Really excited to have gone from R.E.M. to this album. Two incredible albums back-to-back. I love the minimalized sound of this album, and the lyrics are aching. This is the album of working people trying to make their way in a world that is often against them.

A journey through the heartland; a pivot but a remarkable output.

Perfect album

The Boss with a guitar, harmonica and a four-track recorder ... writing haunting tunes about drifters, murders, ne'er do wells and blue collar struggles. "Atlantic City" is right up there with his best.

This album stood back so much of what makes his music exciting and let's the storytelling shine through. Even when he gets sentimental or slows the tempo down farther than seems necessary, he's so tapped into the dynamic of hope for redemption versus wandering through purgatory as described in the idiom of the American Dream that it's still always poignant.

5 STARS. THE FIRST MASTERPIECE so far.

So glad he left these in demo form.

This album is bleak, it's violent, it's depressing, it's real, and it's exceptionally great. It is a career defining album for Springsteen. And I mean that in the truest sense of the word. It may not always be considered his best album, but it defines and explains the entire message of his career. A few years later he came out with Born In The USA where he had to put a shiny gloss on the same themes just so people would listen. Even though they often didn't get it. For anybody that still doesn't understand what Born In The USA is about, they should listen to Nebraska for an explanation.

One of Springsteen's best. This is the proto-Bon Iver story. Like, it's such a legendary career turn that even if the music wasn't that good, it would still be a must-listen. Like it set the mold for later artists to follow. But also, the songs are really good. You have to enjoy really downcast folk songs, which I do. The lyrics, the stories, the mood, the settings. I mean this is honestly one of the great 20th century American creations, in my opinion. Must-listen #169.

Having only heard Born in the USA before, this was quite a surprise. Incredibly beautiful. I loved it.

Probably 4.5, but I'll round it up

This record is like a Cormac McCarthy novel. The spareness and desolate beauty of this album will live on forever, like Mozart's Requiem. I grew up with Springsteen but my parents didn't have this record. I knew the raucousness of Born to Run and the bombast of Born In The USA, but it wasn't until high school that I discovered this record after hearing the devastating The Ghost Of Tom Joad. While I have a deeper connection to The Ghost of Tom Joad-- I grew up in the Southwest, where that album is set, I have grown to love Nebraska's American Gothic storytelling.

Bruce is my favorite artist. That being said, I can be critical of him as well as any other musician. I hadn’t listened to the full “Nebraska” album in a very long time, and I found this to be revelatory. I’d recently read the book “Deliver Me From Nowhere” about the making of this album, and I listened and caught so many details I’d ignored or forgotten since 1982 when this album dropped. This album likely saved his sanity and led to his need to always follow the path his heart wanted and not what the masses wanted. Amazing song cycle and lots of therapy in there.

A masterclass in understated storytelling.

With a deep, soulful rumble, a saxophone-free Bruce Springsteen pulls a broken America apart.

Epic and legendary Springsteen in his absolute prime. A soul searching behemoth of a record.

10/10

Fascinating story brilliant album

i loveddd this album

A desolate road settles upon us, a white space in front of it looking like either smoke or snow. Barbed wire fences and endless crops of land on the sideline are cropped but it evokes tales that could be told in due time. The tales told by Bruce Springsteen in Nebraska are such tales that warrant the bleakness of its cover. Bruce was no stranger to telling us about the lives of his subjects around the time of the albums release but what was new was the arrangements; where the stories would be augmented by boisterous instruments and impassioned vocals, Nebraska is just Bruce, his guitar, his harmonica and the elements. Those who many respect Bruce from afar but find themselves put out by the accompaniments will have a lot to love about Nebraska and the qualities there will keep the listener coming back to it more often.

Quality album, great stories and just a pleasure to listen to.

Absolute classic .This is the album that opened the world of Springsteen up to me .

Some of my favorite Bruce songs on here. Atlantic City, Reason to Believe, and Highway Patrolman are all classics. Despite being stripped down this album has great range.

it reminds me to my dad as he had this vinyl. Pure legend Bruce. A classic 5/5

I guess there's just a meanness in this world.

close to a double dose of bruce...cant complain!! i think whats most striking ab this one isnt just the sound tho its a dovetail w/ the sound...a lot of springsteen material takes the mundane and elevates it to a kind of ecstatic, transcendental status, whereas the clear angle here is a much more complicated and shattered one presented with a kind of inconspicuous solemnity. even the most vivid stories on here are just One Of Many, part of a world that creates them all the time...the slightly uncanny, slightly horrifying, slightly comforting emotional alchemy is unique for bruce's catalog but also maybe just in music generally. also really love how bruce changes up his vocal styles here...a necessity ofc, but one that could have been accommodated with a lot less thought and effort than was clearly put forth here...he was looking for a New Mode Of Expression altogether. prob one of the best attempts by a distinctive artist to complicate their artistic project.

CLASSIC!! A raw and harrowing tour through middle america. One of his best.

So good Jesus Christ. He is such a good writer

"Nebraska" is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen. Bruce recorded songs as demos using a 4-track recorder in a bedroom at his Colts Neck, NJ home, intending to record them with the E Street Band but decided to release them as they were unsatisfactory after full band renditions. The album is noted for its stark, lo-fi sound and stories of ordinary, blue-collar workers who try to succeed in life but fail. Initial reviews were mostly positive but many in retrospective think it a masterpiece and one of his best albums. Commercially, it hit #3 in both the US and UK. The album starts with the self-titled "Nebraska." A stark open with a harmonica and subdued vocals with a Southern/rural accent as Bruce tells the true story of Charles Starkweather who murdered 10 people and showed no remorse as he was sentenced to death in an electric chair. The volume cranks up a bit in the second song and first single "Atlantic City." Acoustic guitar and urgency to Bruce's voice with a more rapid delivery. I do like the background howls. A young man relocates to Atlantic City after trying to make it with an honest living. Howling appears again in the intro to "Johnny 99." Bruce shouting with a faster guitar. A hint of rockabilly. In this story, Johnny gets laid off from a Ford plant, kills a hotel clerk and gets sentenced to 99 years in prison. However, he feels remorse and begs for the death penalty. I guess I'm attracted to the songs with Bruce howling. In "State Trooper," he tells the story from the point of view of a car thief who steals a car and becomes paranoid the further he drives of being caught. And, he howls like Alan Vega does in Suicide's "Frankie Teardrop." Brilliant. Bruce had to lighten up the mood a bit and he does that in the rockin' "Open All Night." The only song where an electric guitar is used ( I believe). This is a stark and compelling album. No surprise with that statement. Bruce's vocals are emotional, subdued, howling, whispering and sometimes with a Southern accent. The music matches his vocal mood and song subject content. Bruce had been reading Flannery O'Connor, watching American movies and listening to folk music. He intentionally made the lyrics story-like and more direct which really works. I've always really liked this album and put it up there with his best. I can see why people who like anthemic Bruce may be turned off. Overall, this a great and influential album and an obvious high recommendation.

Bruce wie ich ihn liebe. Einfach, ohne Firlefanz.

There are two Bruce Springsteens. There’s the happy go lucky fellow, goofing around on stage with his best mates from the E Street band, playing a four hour show to a packed stadium. Then there’s the other one, alone with his guitar and a four track recorder, wracked with self doubt and trying to write songs of pain and darkness from the heart. The original plan was to record these songs with the band, but for various reasons they never quite came together so in the end he released the original demos more or less as is. The result is haunting and deeply personal. The title track is a proper murder ballad, telling a true story of a spree killer on the run with his girlfriend, coming to a gruesome end in the electric chair. Other songs cover familiar ground of poverty, brushes with the law (from both sides) and used cars, telling authentic stories, accompanied with just an acoustic guitar and occasional harmonica. The one song that stuck with me was Highway Patrolman, with a story about a policeman and his brother Franky who ‘just ain’t no good’. Is blood thicker than water? This song might have the answer.

this is a springsteen album that i've always heard raved about but historically i couldn't quite get it. hadn't listened to it in a long time, so i was excited to give it another spin. maybe i am older, a bit wiser, a bit more amenable to the sparse sound here, but i really liked it this time. it is very sparse. just bruce and his guitar. the spotlight is entirely on the songwriting. luckily, he is a great songwriter. the highlight to me is always going to be 'atlantic city' but i also have to give a shoutout to the title track, 'state trooper,' 'open all night,' and 'reason to believe' as highlights here. although i don't think there's a bad song on here. it's raw, it's sparse. it stands alone in bruce springsteen's discography as its own thing.

Not my personal type of music but get it. "The Boss" as my grandma used to say. Was her favourite performer.

A dark cloud rolls in Melancholy swells and dwells The boss welcomes it

perfection, no notes.

I like this. It's a very relaxing album. Kinda depressing though. I'd give this a 5/5. I liked the story telling aspect of it.

BRUUUUUUCE

Songs of heartbreak and struggle so relatable that it could help bridge a lot of the political divide today - assuming people realize that divide is more up vs. down (socioeconomic) as opposed to left vs. right.

Not quite a perfect album, but it's a 5* regardless. A bit glum, though, so I don't come back to it as often as I should.

Loved it

I am "I bought this on cassette when it was released" years old, but admittedly my 14 year old self wasn't quite ready for it at the time. Now though, I am here for it and can appreciate how remarkable Nebraska is (the album, not the state...)

The only record I stole from my mom. My #2 favorite Boss. Haunting, but not creepy, sad, but not depressing. It’s a record that you can’t always throw on, and it’s weird, but I somehow always forget that it exists, because it’s such an oddball Springsteen record. That’s it. It’s a ghost.

One of the greatest albums ever recorded.

Listened to this 3 times over the course of the day. With some personal thing and a rainy day it hit different. Ate a Costco pizza with a joint on my porch and it just hit hard. Never really enjoyed Bruce's stuff too much but this has me interested in trying again.

amazing

This album is an American classic. It is an artist that went against the grain of Bruce and the style that made him a hit. But he tapped into a cultural and person vein and let the songs flow. They could only exist as his home recordings.

This will be my final Bruce Springsteen album to review. I wasn’t sure if I’d listened to this album before, but after skipping around the songs a bit, I don’t think I have (I think I’ve listened to The River though, for what it’s worth). I love Bruce Springsteen, and I gave four stars to Darkness on the Edge of Town and Born to Run, and five stars to The Rising and Born in The U.S.A. Looking at this album on Wikipedia, I see the E Street Band wasn’t involved in the recording of this album, so I have no idea how I’ll feel about Nebraska. Here’s hoping The Boss will go out with a bang for me! This was definitely different than what I’m used to hearing from Bruce Springsteen, but I thought it was fantastic. The sound was stripped down and raw, but I thought it was a appropriate way to represent the emptiness of the American Dream in the post-Vietnam War era. This album feels distinctly folk, but it sounds right at home in the early eighties, before new pop started driving the sound of the majority of music. The songwriting on this album was fantastic, and I loved how the songs were all tied together by the theme of people who fought to get ahead in life, but ultimately failed. One thing that I like about Springsteen’s ability to connect to the listener. On “Highway Patrolman,” he sings about a police officer who’s always helping his brother avoid scrapes with the law. I’ve never had to help my brother out of a jam that serious, but I can still relate to the lyrics through my own bond with my brother. And on “My Father’s House,” while I’ve never had that exact experience, I happen to be estranged from my dad, and I could easily relate to the narrator’s emotions as he tried to reconcile with his dad, but found out it was too late. This album was beautiful and haunting, and while listening to it wasn’t an uplifting experience, it was still an experience that I enjoyed. I hope I can add a copy of this album to my collection soon!

I’ve never been too fussed on Springsteen but this album was PHENOMENAL. Not at all what I was expecting. Hopefully he has more on the list of this quality.

Springsteen stripped down to just his voice, and acoustic guitar, and a harmonica is the best Springsteen. Sure, the usually big, bombastic Springsteen sound is also good on the ears, but there's just something about the rawness of Nebraska that scratches right where I itch.

Over the years Nebraska has grown to be one of my favourite Springsteen albums. Essentially acoustic demos, recorded in a cabin, guitar, harmonica, Bruce's voice, and natural reverb. It sounds like he is in the room with you. The songs are dark and downbeat, as many of those on the subsequent Born In The USA would be, but without the E-Street band anthemic sound. And they are all the better for that. The sound, the subject matter, the semi-mumbled vocals - all excellent.

There’s a bit of a viral video out there right now where a woman from Nebraska, wearing a Cornhuskers hat asks “Does anyone even care about Nebraska?” The responses, by and large, were “no” or “fuck Nebraska” or “when did Nebraska ever care about anyone else or itself?” The subtext of it all is that her question came as reports that Nebraska would (allegedly) be bankrupt in the next few months due to the Trump administration’s immigration policies that will gut their farmland workforce, which largely consisted of migrant workers…Migrant workers who have now stopped showing up for work in a state that voted to have them deported, a state that said “fuck you” and is now worried that they’re not going to survive without the help of the people they just said “fuck you” to. The woman who posited the question later took to Tik Tok to clarify that she did not intend for the question to stir such political debate and she was just curious what/if other people thought about Nebraska, which…ok, fine…but surely the possibility that people might take this question as a political one might have crossed her mind at some point. For good or bad, nearly everything is political now. I don’t like it, but that’s the way it is. …and she just found out that not only do people not care about Nebraska, a lot of them kind of hate Nebraska. I’ve never been to the state of Nebraska, so I don’t really care about it or even know much about it because I have no ties to it. I don’t actively hope that people will have to deal with hardship, but, at the same time, it’s hard to feel bad for people who knowingly vote against their self-interests in such a blatant way. (Fuck, how am I going to turn this into a review…) I do know Springsteen’s Nebraska after today and honestly…I kind of think it’s a masterpiece. (Phew…what a transition, I really turned that one around. What a deft touch I have.) I would be hard pressed to think of an album cover that better conveys the feel of an album than this one does: sparsely populated and occasionally desolate, with a dark, menacing undercurrent running through it. Musically, Nebraska’s minimal, lo-fi production suits that image and feeling well. I’m grasping at straws now and, honestly, this review got away from me a bit, but I loved this record and I’m sorry to anyone from Nebraska for the things I’ve said about your state. Unless I’m right about everything I just said, then…uh…I’m sorry about that too.

Bruce is one of the best story tellers in music

Disco esencial, de los mejores del Boss. Poco o nada que ver con The River y Born in USA, pero de una calidad y belleza inigualable. Desde la portada ya se indica que será un álbum diferente, intimista, con instrumentación sencilla y escasa. Una joya donde brilla con luz propia Atlantic City.

4.5

Respect for Springsteen the storyteller.

Best boss

Went into hearing this not as a Bruce Springsteen fan and to be honest was not expecting to enjoy it. But I was surprised, this is probably one of the best albums I have ever listened to. The songs, the sound, the low quality finish all make this unique. Can't say I will ever be a fan of the big loud Springsteen rock sound but this is truly something special and one album everyone should hear. Amazing

Bruce Springsteen started his career as a folk singer. In the beginning, he was viewed as a Bob Dylan replacement, who had gone all rock and electric by the late 1960s. Alas, the record executives were incredibly wrong. The Boss rocked harder than Dylan ever could. In his heart, however, Springsteen had a deep love and appreciation for folk music. That is all the explanation you need for this album. Coming on the heels of his famous three act play (Born To Run, Darkness on the Edge of Town, and the sublime The River) , this was not what Springsteen fans expected. Instead of the heavy sound of the E Street, most songs are just Springsteen and his guitar and harmonica. These are lush, beautiful, and usually sad songs. Atlantic City especially, is so hopeless it's hard to listen to, but listen you must because it makes you feel. Feel! This is real music, not throwaway pop. Not that The Boss ever made that kind of pap... In the day, only certain fans embraced Nebraska. It's fared much better over the years and understood as an understated masterpiece.

田野 轻松

This is my favorite Springsteen album. The first of his albums that I really listened to closely and loved immediately. There is a bleak beauty in what it takes to get by that he seems to completely understand in these songs. Everything tatters on the edge of American despair, it’s amazing how he gives us a sad romance using stripped down rock and roll and banal specificity not a generalized portrayal of Americana.

Great album, provided you like that americana guitar stuff. It's folk-y rather than roots-y, a kind of natural progression from stuff like Thunder Road and forecasts his Woody Guthrie stuff. Full disclosure, I love Woody Guthrie. Normally don't care for murder ballads, and I struggle to know if this is a 4 or a 5, but I'm too stingy with my 5s and I know I'll be back to this one again, so up it goes. Snoozefest reviews are understood, it's a low-key album. But I'll take any song on it any day. It's big and small at the same time, which seems to be a common thread for albums I like.

This is peak Boss. I'm less of a fan of his big sound with the full band. Nebraska shows off his songwriting.

Bruuuuuuce

This album makes me feel like Bruce has channeled Neil Young. There are some tunes that have more of a R&B sort of feel, but broadly, this strikes me as the least Bruce Springsteen album from Bruce Springsteen, if you catch my drift. That said, for me, it's great that it has a more dark feel to it, more emotion. Reminds me a little bit of Merle Haggard too. I am not generally a Bruce fan, and I'm surprised I'm giving this five stars, but I think it deserves it.

Dark, raw, but hauntingly true stories about the hardships of life. Accompanied by emotional guitar and sweeping harmonica, it really engulfs you with all it can muster. Bruce's usual ability to be the happy-energetic singer is in no way overshadowing the emotional ride that is "Nebraska".

Excellent

One of my favorite Springsteen albums which makes it one of my favorite albums period. This departure from the E street band, just him in his house with his guitar produced some of his best song writing. Can’t wait for the movie about this time period and anyone who enjoyed this album should go read deliver me from nowhere.

Bruce Springsteen is one of the all-time greats. This one in particular is filled with absolute gems.

So powerful and emotionally resonate, most times depressing. It’s an underrated gem and showcases the Boss’ songwriting on full display. Big influence on lo-if and indie rock too, he recorded the whole thing in his bedroom using a four track! Reading shit like Howard Zinn and listening to Frankie Teardrop really put Springsteen onto something, it’s an odyssey into the real lives of many working class Americans. My Father’s House never fails to make me tear up.

I listened to a lot of Springsteen during covid. Late 70's / early 80's are my peak Springsteen years and whilst Darkness on edge of Town is my favourite album this is a close 2nd. I dig the dark tones and low-fi musical sparseness.

Bruce gets it

The best hoots and hollers on any Springsteen record.

Nebraska is Bruce Springsteen's sixth album, and a significant departure from his previous work. These songs are solo, acoustic pieces, without the band that usually supports him. In addition, these are dark, solemn songs - far from the energetic exuberance that was typical in much of Springsteen's early work. Springsteen's change of direction was very well received critically. The songs on the album have been covered frequently, and the album is one of Springsteen's to influence generations of musicians. Springsteen had originally planned to record these songs with his band; he was preparing this recording as a writing process to teach the songs to his bandmates. The result - these sparse, folk/Americana sounding renditions - demonstrates the strength and breadth of Springsteen's songwriting skills.

Clearly his most Misunderstood album. But really, maybe his career defining album. This was just so unexpected and I think it just gets better with age.

the most Springsteen album - even more than his more famous efforts. Hard to pick a highlight, but I have to mention Atlantic City - a song I can't remember ever not knowing

What an album of storytelling. A clear five out of five, even allowing for my obvious bias when it comes to The Boss. This is such a stark shift away from the sound of the E Street Band. It is stripped back, intimate and haunting. Just voice, guitar and atmosphere. It feels like Springsteen meeting Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan somewhere on a lonely highway. The production is minimal but the impact is huge. I love this album, although emotionally it does not quite sit alongside Born to Run, The River or Born in the U.S.A. for me. Those records soar. Nebraska broods. But lyrically, Springsteen proves he can do absolutely anything. These are short stories set to music, full of desperation, regret and quiet humanity. Favourite song: Atlantic City. A masterpiece of tension and storytelling. Least favourite: None. Every track is listenable and has a story worth hearing. Album artwork: A fantastic cover that perfectly reflects the bleak, empty landscapes within