Album Anniversaries
Album: Born in the U.S.A
Artist: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
Release Date: June 4th, 1984
Bruce Springsteen’s seventh studio album, Born in the U.S.A, was released on June 4th in 1984 off of Columbia Records. While this album features more of Springsteen’s mainstream songs, it was groundbreaking for the American heartland sound of rock and roll for artists like Tom Petty, John Mellencamp, and Bob Seger. The album features seven songs that ended up becoming Top Ten hits in the U.S.
The album received positive reviews from many different sites, with Rolling Stones giving it 5/5 stars while also putting it at number 85 in its list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” Many critics were impressed at how mature Springsteen’s album became on this album compared to his past albums. For instance, William Ruhlmann of AllMusic stated, “The ‘romantic young boys’ of his first two albums, chastened by “the working life” encountered on his third, fourth, and fifth albums and having faced the despair of his sixth, were still alive on this, his seventh, with their sense of humor and their determination intact.”
The album cover that features Springsteen’s back with the American flag in the background is one of the most iconic images in music history. But, it did not come without controversy, with some people arguing that it symbolizes Springsteen urinating on the flag. Springsteen has completely shut down this theory, claiming that the shot was just the best one they took with no symbolism involved.
