June 2024 marks 40 years since the release of one of the best albums of all time: Born in The U.S.A., Bruce Springsteen‘s seventh album brings together some of his biggest hits to date (no less than 7) and the commercial success of musician’s career.

Recorded with the E Street Band and producers Chuck Plotkin and Jon Landau, with whom he had already made iconic Nebraska in 1982, the sound of Born in the U.S.A. is more pop, although full of the typical theme of his songs, which immortalize the working class struggles, as well as using themes such as disillusionment, patriotism, and personal relationships. But what preceded the release of the classic wasn’t exactly easy, although Bruce was already a more than established global star.

Bruce Springsteen was apprehensive about the album. Entering his 30s, with more than a decade on the road, he was under pressure to create another masterpiece after the acoustic solo Nebraska put him on the “God” level. Introspective and full of personal questions about his life, he wanted to reflect something deeper in his songs. He had already taken a “vacation”, traveling around the country instead of touring and that was when he again noticed the social contrast growing in an increasingly capitalist society and MTV making videos gain more importance than music. Nebraska was the antithesis of all that, but while Born in the U.S.A. sounds danceable and poppy, it’s also far from upbeat.

Synthesizers, loud drums, and central vocals dictated the sound of the 1980s and are on the album, but most of the songs were recorded live by the band in just a few takes, with the singer shouting away from the microphone, something that kept their originality intact. The executives didn’t understand and didn’t care about the message Bruce wanted to convey: the songs were “sellable” and that was what mattered. Not everyone liked the more pop option of Springsteen’s sound, such as E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt who ended up temporarily leaving the group.

The LP cover, now “iconic”, was suggested by photographer Annie Leibovitz and shows Springsteen’s behind against the backdrop of an American flag. Many thought he was urinating but he denies that to be the case. Born in the U.S.A. is still one of the best-selling albums of all time, surpassing 30 million copies, and made Bruce Springsteen a legend. And four decades later, the album is still incredible. It’s worth listening to, from start to finish.

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