10 Best Rock Albums Of The 1970s
3. Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen
As Bruce Springsteen was stumbling into the mid-70's, he was at the end of his rope. After two albums of lackluster sales and at odds with his record company, he had to come through with something unprecedented to get himself out of debt and shake off the tag of "New Bob Dylan" that had been following him around.
The secret formula to success, in Springsteen's words, was to take the best elements of rock's glory days and enhance it through the power of his E Street Band. Born to Run is the sound of a man breaking free from all his commitments, ready to fight for what he believes even if it kills him. The songs are stand-alone stories of down-and-out losers who are throwing caution to the wind and chasing their dreams from the glorious title track to the opening clangor of "Thunder Road."
With the odds stacked against him, Bruce Springsteen came through with a record that captured the natural inhibitions of adolescence while also tapping into the desire for freedom that fills the heart of rock fans around the world. In a situation slated to fail, Springsteen and the E Street Band took that leap of faith and won.