On This Day in 1975, Bruce Springsteen Released His Phil Spector-Inspired Breakthrough Album That Took Almost Two Years to Record

On this day (August 25) in 1975, Bruce Springsteen released Born to Run. It was his first album to be tailored for mainstream success. Springsteen and the E Street Band worked pop, R&B, and folk rock into their sound. At the same time, he co-produced the album with Phil Spector’s legendary Wall of Sound production style in mind. The result was an album that sold well and garnered positive reviews from critics.

There’s no denying that Springsteen’s first two albums–Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. and The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle–were solid releases. In fact, critics loved both. However, neither sold well. His debut peaked at No. 60 on the Billboard 200. His sophomore LP reached No. 59. Columbia Records agreed to fund one more album. If it sold as poorly as the first two, they would terminate his contract.

[RELATED: I Bet You Don’t Remember This Forgotten Duet That Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan Sang Together in 1995]

Springsteen was under pressure when he started work on the album. This resulted in a long and arduous recording process. According to Ultimate Classic Rock, they entered the familiar 914 Sound Studios in Blauvelt, New York, in January 1974. A little more than six months later, they’d finished the title track. By August, David Sancious (keys) and Ernest Carter (drums) left the band. Roy Bittan and Max Weinberg replaced them. Then, Springsteen’s future manager, Jon Landau, arrived on the scene. He suggested that they move the sessions to the Record Plant in New York City.

Bruce Springsteen Breaks into the Mainstream

Before Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen had a sizable following on the East Coast. However, he was largely unknown in the rest of the United States. This album changed that. The Wall of Sound-like production and his character-based cinematic songwriting brought praise from critics, as well as new fans. It reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified 7x Platinum by the RIAA. Additionally, it was a top 10 hit in Australia, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

The time they spent on the title track paid off. “Born to Run” was Springsteen’s first charting single and his first hit. It peaked at No. 23 on the Hot 100. The album’s second single, “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,” stalled at No. 83, but still performed better than singles from his first top LPs. These songs, among a few others from Born to Run, have since become fan favorites and concert staples.

The success of the album and its title track helped Springsteen break out of the East Coast and become a household name across the United States. Even those who didn’t listen to his music knew his name. He became the first artist to appear on the cover of Time and Newsweek simultaneously.

The excitement around Bruce Springsteen and Born to Run was such that some critics believed that he was an industry plant while others hailed him as the artist who would save rock and roll.

Featured Image by Fin Costello/Redferns