Bruce Springsteen sings “Born in the U.S.A.” in Los Angeles, 1985.

Born and Broken in the U.S.A.

The glory days of the heartland Bruce Springsteen evoked on Born in the U.S.A. 40 years ago feel like a distant memory in today’s America

By Steven Hyden

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Born in the U.S.A. as well as Bruce Springsteen’s 75th birthday. Both milestones feel historic. Born in the U.S.A. ranks among the most popular rock albums ever made, with an estimated 30 million copies sold worldwide and seven Top 10 singles, including “Dancing in the Dark,” “Glory Days,” “I’m on Fire,” and, of course, the title track.

But as I was writing my book There Was Nothing You Could Do: Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” and the End of the Heartland, I realized that Springsteen at his zenith was something slightly more than a rock star and something slightly less than a political leader. He was—more than ever—the Boss. And, ultimately, he profoundly shaped how I, and millions of others, think about America.