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© Getty Images
0 / 32 Fotos
He was born in the U.S.A.
- Bruce Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949, in Long Branch, New Jersey.
© Reuters
1 / 32 Fotos
Working class hero
- He grew up in a humble family in suburban New Jersey. The Boss has Dutch, Irish, and Italian ancestry.
© Getty Images
2 / 32 Fotos
The Beatles
- Watching the Fab Four on the Ed Sullivan Show in the '60s inspired him to buy his first guitar and start writing music.
© Getty Images
3 / 32 Fotos
Opening act
- In 1974, Springsteen opened in New York's Central Park for Anne Murray, which was instantly recognized as a mistake because anyone who performed after Springsteen seemed anticlimactic. The Boss never appeared as an opening act again.
© Getty Images
4 / 32 Fotos
Versatile - He sings, plays the guitar, the harmonica, and the piano.
© Getty Images
5 / 32 Fotos
The ultimate band
- After playing in numerous bands in the beginning of his career, Bruce Springsteen finally got the famous E Street Band together.
© Getty Images
6 / 32 Fotos
E Street Band
- E Street is actually the name of a road in Belmar, New Jersey.
© Getty Images
7 / 32 Fotos
E Street Band
- The band recorded Springsteen’s debut album, 'Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.'
© Shutterstock
8 / 32 Fotos
E Street Band
- The legendary band eventually split in 1989, but reunited again in 1999.
© Getty Images
9 / 32 Fotos
The Boss
- Reportedly, Springsteen gained his famous nickname as he acted as his band's manager. He was responsible for receiving the paychecks for shows and paying each bandmate.
© Reuters
10 / 32 Fotos
The Boss
- Though some say he acquired the nickname for playing Monopoly with other Jersey Shore musicians.
© Getty Images
11 / 32 Fotos
He was born to drive
- The commercial success of his breakthrough album 'Born to Run,' allowed him to buy a 1950 Corvette.
© Getty Images
12 / 32 Fotos
Guitar - The modified 1950s Fender Esquire, used by The Boss on the cover of his classic album 'Born to Run,' became one of the most iconic guitars of all time.
© Reuters
13 / 32 Fotos
'Born in the U.S.A.' - The Boss's powerful statement about how America had neglected Vietnam war veterans hit a raw nerve—except in the White House, it seems: US President Ronald Reagan adopted the track as an anthem while on the campaign for a second term in office. Springsteen was aghast!
© Shutterstock
14 / 32 Fotos
Sitcom star likes to dance in the dark
- 'Friends' star Courteney Cox attended a Springsteen show as a teenager, went up on stage and danced with The Boss. The footage ended up in his video for 'Dancing in the Dark.'
© Getty Images
15 / 32 Fotos
He never had a no. 1 single
- Despite his success, The Boss never actually had a no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
© Getty Images
16 / 32 Fotos
But 'Born in the U.S.A.' was huge
- A whopping seven songs on the album reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
© Getty Images
17 / 32 Fotos
He has won lots of Grammy Awards
- Throughout his career, Bruce Springsteen has been nominated 50 times and won 20 Grammys!
© Getty Images
18 / 32 Fotos
And he also won an Oscar!
- In 1994, Bruce Springsteen won the Oscar for Best Original Song for ‘Streets of Philadelphia.’
© Getty Images
19 / 32 Fotos
He had a planet named after him
- In 1999, astronomers in New Zealand spotted a minor planet while listening to The Boss. The planet was named (23990) Springsteen in his honor.
© Getty Images
20 / 32 Fotos
Recognition
- In 1999, Bruce Springsteen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
© Shutterstock
21 / 32 Fotos
Marriage
- The Boss married fellow E Street Band bandmate, Patti Scialfa, in 1991.
© Getty Images
22 / 32 Fotos
"Once a Catholic, always a Catholic."
- The Boss was raised a Catholic, and although he doesn’t practice his religion as much these days, he’s still on the team.
© Getty Images
23 / 32 Fotos
Presidential award
- The Boss was presented with the US Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama.
© Getty Images
24 / 32 Fotos
Longest concert
- Bruce Springsteen's longest show lasted over four hours and took place in Helsinki, Finland, in 2012.
© Getty Images
25 / 32 Fotos
Songwriting for others
- Springsteen originally wrote the song 'Hungry Heart' for punk rockers The Ramones, but ended up keeping the song.
© Getty Images
26 / 32 Fotos
Collaboration
- He co-wrote 'Because the Night' with Patti Smith. The song featured on the Patti Smith Group album 'Easter' and it was a hit.
© Getty Images
27 / 32 Fotos
He has battled depression for years
- It's hard to imagine the energetic artist struggling to get out of bed, but he did struggle with depression for many years.
© Getty Images
28 / 32 Fotos
Activism
- The Boss is a supporter of several social causes, including LGBTQ rights.
© Getty Images
29 / 32 Fotos
US Team
- His daughter, Jessica Springsteen, is a champion show jumper and has represented the United States in international competitions, including the Olympics.
© Getty Images
30 / 32 Fotos
A huge Sony sale
- Sources revealed to the New York Times that Springsteen sold his entire song catalog to Sony for a whopping US$500 million. This means he has given them ownership of one of the most coveted and admired bodies of work in music history. The sale included more than 300 songs spanning 20 studio albums and various other releases. To put the value of the sale in context, Bob Dylan's catalog was sold to Universal in November 2020 for US$300 million, while a 50% share of Neil Young's was purchased for US$150 million. These types of transactions are becoming more and more common as streaming platforms generate substantial ongoing royalty payments. Selling a song catalog to the likes of Sony also means further revenue can be made by using them in advertisements, movie soundtracks, and more. Springsteen's estate will continue to benefit from the royalties long after his death.
© Getty Images
31 / 32 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 32 Fotos
He was born in the U.S.A.
- Bruce Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949, in Long Branch, New Jersey.
© Reuters
1 / 32 Fotos
Working class hero
- He grew up in a humble family in suburban New Jersey. The Boss has Dutch, Irish, and Italian ancestry.
© Getty Images
2 / 32 Fotos
The Beatles
- Watching the Fab Four on the Ed Sullivan Show in the '60s inspired him to buy his first guitar and start writing music.
© Getty Images
3 / 32 Fotos
Opening act
- In 1974, Springsteen opened in New York's Central Park for Anne Murray, which was instantly recognized as a mistake because anyone who performed after Springsteen seemed anticlimactic. The Boss never appeared as an opening act again.
© Getty Images
4 / 32 Fotos
Versatile - He sings, plays the guitar, the harmonica, and the piano.
© Getty Images
5 / 32 Fotos
The ultimate band
- After playing in numerous bands in the beginning of his career, Bruce Springsteen finally got the famous E Street Band together.
© Getty Images
6 / 32 Fotos
E Street Band
- E Street is actually the name of a road in Belmar, New Jersey.
© Getty Images
7 / 32 Fotos
E Street Band
- The band recorded Springsteen’s debut album, 'Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.'
© Shutterstock
8 / 32 Fotos
E Street Band
- The legendary band eventually split in 1989, but reunited again in 1999.
© Getty Images
9 / 32 Fotos
The Boss
- Reportedly, Springsteen gained his famous nickname as he acted as his band's manager. He was responsible for receiving the paychecks for shows and paying each bandmate.
© Reuters
10 / 32 Fotos
The Boss
- Though some say he acquired the nickname for playing Monopoly with other Jersey Shore musicians.
© Getty Images
11 / 32 Fotos
He was born to drive
- The commercial success of his breakthrough album 'Born to Run,' allowed him to buy a 1950 Corvette.
© Getty Images
12 / 32 Fotos
Guitar - The modified 1950s Fender Esquire, used by The Boss on the cover of his classic album 'Born to Run,' became one of the most iconic guitars of all time.
© Reuters
13 / 32 Fotos
'Born in the U.S.A.' - The Boss's powerful statement about how America had neglected Vietnam war veterans hit a raw nerve—except in the White House, it seems: US President Ronald Reagan adopted the track as an anthem while on the campaign for a second term in office. Springsteen was aghast!
© Shutterstock
14 / 32 Fotos
Sitcom star likes to dance in the dark
- 'Friends' star Courteney Cox attended a Springsteen show as a teenager, went up on stage and danced with The Boss. The footage ended up in his video for 'Dancing in the Dark.'
© Getty Images
15 / 32 Fotos
He never had a no. 1 single
- Despite his success, The Boss never actually had a no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
© Getty Images
16 / 32 Fotos
But 'Born in the U.S.A.' was huge
- A whopping seven songs on the album reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
© Getty Images
17 / 32 Fotos
He has won lots of Grammy Awards
- Throughout his career, Bruce Springsteen has been nominated 50 times and won 20 Grammys!
© Getty Images
18 / 32 Fotos
And he also won an Oscar!
- In 1994, Bruce Springsteen won the Oscar for Best Original Song for ‘Streets of Philadelphia.’
© Getty Images
19 / 32 Fotos
He had a planet named after him
- In 1999, astronomers in New Zealand spotted a minor planet while listening to The Boss. The planet was named (23990) Springsteen in his honor.
© Getty Images
20 / 32 Fotos
Recognition
- In 1999, Bruce Springsteen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
© Shutterstock
21 / 32 Fotos
Marriage
- The Boss married fellow E Street Band bandmate, Patti Scialfa, in 1991.
© Getty Images
22 / 32 Fotos
"Once a Catholic, always a Catholic."
- The Boss was raised a Catholic, and although he doesn’t practice his religion as much these days, he’s still on the team.
© Getty Images
23 / 32 Fotos
Presidential award
- The Boss was presented with the US Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama.
© Getty Images
24 / 32 Fotos
Longest concert
- Bruce Springsteen's longest show lasted over four hours and took place in Helsinki, Finland, in 2012.
© Getty Images
25 / 32 Fotos
Songwriting for others
- Springsteen originally wrote the song 'Hungry Heart' for punk rockers The Ramones, but ended up keeping the song.
© Getty Images
26 / 32 Fotos
Collaboration
- He co-wrote 'Because the Night' with Patti Smith. The song featured on the Patti Smith Group album 'Easter' and it was a hit.
© Getty Images
27 / 32 Fotos
He has battled depression for years
- It's hard to imagine the energetic artist struggling to get out of bed, but he did struggle with depression for many years.
© Getty Images
28 / 32 Fotos
Activism
- The Boss is a supporter of several social causes, including LGBTQ rights.
© Getty Images
29 / 32 Fotos
US Team
- His daughter, Jessica Springsteen, is a champion show jumper and has represented the United States in international competitions, including the Olympics.
© Getty Images
30 / 32 Fotos
A huge Sony sale
- Sources revealed to the New York Times that Springsteen sold his entire song catalog to Sony for a whopping US$500 million. This means he has given them ownership of one of the most coveted and admired bodies of work in music history. The sale included more than 300 songs spanning 20 studio albums and various other releases. To put the value of the sale in context, Bob Dylan's catalog was sold to Universal in November 2020 for US$300 million, while a 50% share of Neil Young's was purchased for US$150 million. These types of transactions are becoming more and more common as streaming platforms generate substantial ongoing royalty payments. Selling a song catalog to the likes of Sony also means further revenue can be made by using them in advertisements, movie soundtracks, and more. Springsteen's estate will continue to benefit from the royalties long after his death.
© Getty Images
31 / 32 Fotos
Bruce Springsteen: Who's The Boss?
The singer is still selling out shows in his seventies
© Getty Images
We associate many musical acts with the United States, but not many artists resonated with the '80s working class in America as much as Bruce Springsteen did. However, his influence spread through more than just one country. His rugged "regular guy" presence appealed to audiences all over the world. His musicianship, amazing lyrics, and good looks have contributed to his booming success. To this day, the septuagenarian singer-songwriter sets the stage on fire with his raw energetic performances and speaks to regular folks. He’s indeed "one of us," except he performs in front of thousands of people and sells out shows worldwide, even into his 70s!
How well do you know Bruce Springsteen? Click through the gallery to learn more about the artist's glory days.
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