# In 1964, Bruce Springsteen fell in love with Motown. Now, he still thinks it’s all you need to play music

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1964-bruce-springsteen-fell-in-love-with-motown-now-he-still-thinks-its-all-you-need-to-play-music/
- Published: 2026-11-07T16:05:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-07T16:19:25+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/in-1964-bruce-springsteen-fell-in-love-with-motown-now-he-still-thinks-its-all-you-need-to-play-music/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Motown was a major influence on Springsteen’s musical craft.
- He learnt about pop songwriting, bands and singers from the label.
- He paired its hooks with stories grounded in New Jersey.

## Summary

Bruce Springsteen says Motown shaped his musical education and remains a model for writing and performing. Its influence matters because he learnt from the label’s craft and work ethic, while combining its memorable hooks with stories rooted in his New Jersey life.

Springsteen has said Motown taught him how to write and structure successful pop songs, build a band’s sound and make the most of a great singer. He admired the label’s disciplined hit-making, as well as its capacity for ambitious work, citing Marvin Gaye’s *What’s Going On* and Stevie Wonder’s *Innervisions*. Rather than copy Motown’s sound, he drew on its lessons in songs such as “Jungleland”.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.