10 Rock Stars Who Never Wanted To Be Famous

There's a common misconception that people just come into the music industry to get noticed. Granted, it's not hard to see why, with most of the greatest artists of the past century mugging for the camera whenever they can. However, the act of making your own music and actually enjoying the spotlight don't always go hand in hand.

Compared to the David Lee Roth school of entertainers, these artists were known to be much more reserved whenever they played, oftentimes avoiding the spotlight or trying to hide behind their instrument. Some of them even shunned the idea of the press altogether, instead deciding to either work anonymously or disappear into the shadows at the first opportunity. Then again, it's not like they don't have a point there. Given the fact that you have virtually no privacy once you hit it big, a lot of these artists ended up making the sensible choice and separating themselves from their own massive cult of personality.

While they have been able to struck a nerve with their respective audiences, these are the people who didn't really need all the excess baggage that came with being a rockstar. Fame can be amazing in places, but it can also be a bit hard to manage at the best of times.

Ever since Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen has always felt like the Everyman of rock and roll. From his stories of down on their luck nobodies to his natural charisma working off the E Street Band, the Boss really has no problem with being himself when in the public eye. The only issue is...him and the spotlight don't always get along.

At the start of Springsteen's career, most of the music press were driving him away as they complimented his work. While someone praising your songs is hardly ever a bad thing, the fact that people saw Bruce Springsteen as the Bob Dylan of his generation was not something that really fit with him. Though Springsteen has gone on record as adoring Dylan's work, he was also quick to point out that his songs were far removed from the more politically-tinged tales of his predecessor.

However, The Boss did pick up a few cues from Dylan along the way, being very coy in interviews about the meanings of his songs and actually ducking out of the main spotlight except for when it was time to play a show. Even as Born to Run was selling like gangbusters, there were only a few interviewers who could really get into Bruce's head. Given his status as one of the most normal rock stars in the world, it's fitting that Springsteen wants to bypass the media circus.