Bruce Springsteen's 'Born to Run' Ranked Among ‘Best Rock Songs of All Time'

Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" was ranked No. 9 on a list of the Top 10 Rock Songs of All Time from Deezer. The song was a massive hit for the born-and-bred American rock star, marking his first Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

With Springsteen's signature raw vocals and dense lyricism that discusses the limitations of the American dream, "Born to Run" was released as the final single from his 1975 album of the same name, which was Springsteen's first major success.

Born to Run also featured hits such as "Thunder Road", "Backstreets", and "Jungleland", which are celebrated today as some of the singer's most innovate and forward-thinking tracks, despite not receiving the recognition they deserved upon release.

It took a while for Springsteen to fully transform into the international rock star that he eventually became; "Born to Run" was a major radio success in the United States, but it wasn't successful anywhere else in the world.

The single was Springsteen's first single release outside of the United States (despite the fact that he already had two acclaimed albums), but it failed to gather any momentum in other countries. The socially charged lyrics and electric rock sound were simply too "American" for international audiences-at least for now.

Although it took a while for audiences to fully appreciate "Born to Run", it has since become Springsteen's most recognizable song. Rolling Stone ranked it No. 27 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

"I had enormous ambitions for it," Springsteen said about the track. "I wanted to make the greatest rock record I'd ever heard [...] I don't know how important the settings are. It's the idea behind the settings. It could be New Jersey, it could be California, it could be Alaska."

"Born to Run" had been a staple of Springsteen's catalog for months before its official release, with the singer performing it at his live shows across the northeast. He embodied the spirit of the hometown hero with his live performances in New Jersey, and "Born to Run" had always been a huge hit at his concerts.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Apr 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published April 28, 2026 at 4:16 AM.