The four musicians Bruce Springsteen once described as his “heroes”
What is it about Bruce Springsteen that appeals to so many people? You could be blunt by stating it is all about his guitar-playing or lyrical ability, but it’s actually something a lot deeper than that: his unrelenting humanity. At the core of everything that Springsteen has ever written is soul, meaning people all over connect to his words and hold onto them as if they were written specifically for them.
From his first single to his most recent work, Springsteen has kept his heart at the centre of every piece of music he has ever put out, and the work that he has created is something that can tap into multiple layers of the human psyche as a result. He can speak about politics, society and love in a way that resonates with people and makes them feel seen the minute they listen.
It’s not an accident that Springsteen can do this, either. Ever since he started making music, he has played with two crucial components in mind: rock and humanity. The result is energy-injected singalongs that are fun to dance to but also chip away at layered parts of those who listen, making their feelings towards themselves, others and the world as a whole seen.
When you understand who his influences were, this attitude that Springsteen has towards his music begins to make a lot of sense. He hasn’t gone out and wanted to make the kind of music he has purely on a whim; he, too, has been affected by what he previously listened to. In an interview, he discussed four of his major influences, whom he went on to call his “heroes”.
“You bring with you an entire philosophy, a certain code of living, I suppose,” he said. “It’s something you pursue. My heroes were people like Frank Sinatra, Hank Williams, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan. These were all people who brought their entire philosophy along with them, created a world that would engulf you… Assist you in different ways of living, different ways of presenting yourself.”
He went on to talk about how these artists grabbed his attention and how they subsequently impacted his career. “Those were the artists that always interested me,” he said, “They always seemed to carry a realisation of what being a musician might mean, could mean, the possibilities of what being a musician could be. That was something I was at least semiconscious of trying to create.”
Springsteen’s humanity is timeless, so his music continues to be just as popular now as it was when it came out. He portrays independent ideologies in an accessible way, selling a way of life as well as just a catchy tune. At the heart of all that are his heroes: Sinatra, Williams, Guthrie and Dylan.
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