10 Best Bruce Springsteen Albums

10. Western Stars (2019)

Deep into the fifth decade of his career, these days the mere announcement of a new Bruce Springsteen album is enough to warrant rapturous celebration across the world. Whether it happens to be good or not is a bonus rather than a necessity. But after a series of middling to forgettable records post-The Rising, even the most ardent Springsteen fan wouldn’t have expected 2019’s Western Stars to be this good.

Channelling the likes of Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb, Springsteen’s dive into the American West was met with universal critical acclaim, his best for nearly 20 years. There Goes My Miracle, in particular, is a standout composition among his entire twenty-first century body of work, supplemented by other great tracks such as Tucson Train and Moonlight Motel.

The album was recorded solo, sans the E Street Band. They’ll be back for this year’s Letter To You, the first album of original material Springsteen has recorded with them for eight years. Given how good Western Stars turned out to be, excitement is growing that Letter To You could be another of The Boss’ late career highlights.