Bruce Springsteen

USA, 1972–now

American singer and songwriter whose records move between the large-scale rock of Born to Run and the sparse, solo Nebraska, with the E Street Band and lyrics about American working life.

MusicRoots documents 5 artists who influenced Bruce Springsteen and 6 artists Bruce Springsteen influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Bruce Springsteen?

• Creedence Clearwater Revival — Springsteen inducted CCR into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and played three of their songs with Fogerty at the ceremony.
• Bob Dylan — Springsteen inducted Dylan into the Hall of Fame with the words 'Dylan freed your mind the way Elvis freed your body'.
• Elvis Presley — Elvis on Ed Sullivan was Springsteen's founding event — the other half of his own famous formula.
• Roy Orbison — Born to Run chased a sound Springsteen described exactly: 'I wanted to sing like Roy Orbison' — he later inducted Orbison into the Hall of Fame.
• Phil Spector — Springsteen's own account of what he was reaching for: Dylan's words in Spector's sound.

Which artists did Bruce Springsteen influence?

• Bon Jovi — Fellow New Jerseyan Springsteen's heartland-rock sincerity is the emotional core of Bon Jovi — Jon has repeatedly named him a defining influence and mentor.
• The Killers — Sam's Town (2006) is an explicit Springsteen homage — Flowers reoriented the band toward heartland Americana in his image.
• Dire Straits — Springsteen's sprawling romanticism was among the influences shaping Knopfler's storytelling rock.
• Bob Seger — Seger drew inspiration from Springsteen's passionate, blue-collar lyricism.
• Arcade Fire — Win Butler has spoken often about the influence of classic Americana like Bruce Springsteen, felt strongly on Neon Bible.
• The War on Drugs — The heartland engine under the haze — and not an abstract debt: Granduciel named his first son Bruce.