Remembering When Bruce Springsteen Released an Album That Couldn’t Stop Churning Out Hit Singles in 1984

After years as a celebrated rock star with relatively few chart hits, Bruce Springsteen released *Born in the U.S.A.* in 1984 and became a major singles success. The album marked a shift towards radio-friendly songs, helping Springsteen reach a much wider pop audience.

Springsteen and the E Street Band recorded about 70 songs over three years for consideration. Producer Jon Landau encouraged a more accessible direction and persuaded Springsteen to write “Dancing in the Dark”, which became the first single and reached No. 2. Six more singles from the album, including “Cover Me”, “Born in the U.S.A.” and “My Hometown”, reached the US Top 10; seven of Springsteen’s 11 career Top 10 hits came from the album.