During Bruce Springsteen’s formative years, his life was marked by a whirlwind of challenges. He often found himself skipping school, and his relationship with his father, who struggled with alcoholism, was fraught with tension. However, everything changed when he discovered the power of the guitar. This instrument became his gateway to a new realm, where his bandmates transformed into a family, and his musical talent garnered admiration from audiences far and wide.

“Suddenly I was able to make a very loud noise, and a noise that was not so easy to ignore,” Springsteen shared with The Guardian in 2016. “I had my little rock ‘n’ roll band, and we were playing to a small gym full of dancers and their friends, and they immediately looked at us as a presence in their lives.”

Those intimate performances in small gyms expanded into vibrant local clubs and ultimately evolved into massive stadium concerts attracting tens of thousands of fans. This remarkable journey began for a young man from the suburbs of New Jersey, illustrating the transformative power of music.

With a prolific catalog of over 400 songs to his credit, it’s no surprise that Springsteen hasn’t performed every single one live. Nevertheless, he has certainly played a significant number of them. By analyzing data from setlist.fm, we have compiled a detailed analysis of the most and least-played songs from each Bruce Springsteen album.

Album: Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. (1973)
Most-played: “Growin’ Up”
Least-played: “The Angel”

Even though Springsteen makes the art of songwriting appear effortless, he recognizes that it is often a difficult process. “Writing is really hard, and you’re failing,” he confessed to Howard Stern (as reported by Rolling Stone) in 2024, reflecting on his extensive songwriting journey. “Ninety percent of the time, you’re writing stuff that’s mediocre or worse.” However, it was evident from his debut album, 1973’s Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J., that Springsteen possessed an innate gift for crafting compelling music. The track “Growin’ Up,” which is based on the rebellious spirit of a New Jersey teenager—could there be a more fitting inspiration?—is the most frequently performed, while “The Angel” remains the least played.

Album: The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle (1973)
Most-played: “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)”
Least-played: “Wild Billy’s Circus Story”

Springsteen’s second album, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle, was released the same year. Anyone who has visited the New Jersey coast during the summer knows that the area is filled with colorful characters, which inspired the creation of the individuals portrayed in “Wild Billy’s Circus Story,” the album’s least-performed track. Leading the charge in terms of popularity is the exuberant “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight),” which has been performed 884 times, making it a favorite for both fans and dancers alike.

Album: Born to Run (1975)
Most-played: “Born to Run”
Least-played: “Meeting Across the River”

Almost every song from the iconic 1975 album Born to Run has graced the stage over 200 times, with one notable exception: “Meeting Across the River,” which has only been performed 73 times, beginning in 1975 and extending into 2024. In stark contrast, the title track, “Born to Run,” has achieved an astounding 1,861 performances, solidifying its status as Springsteen’s most-played song throughout his extensive catalog.

Album: Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)
Most-played: “The Promised Land”
Least-played: “Streets of Fire”

Renowned rock critic Robert Christgau once harshly critiqued “Streets of Fire,” calling it “overwrought, soggy, all but unlistenable.” However, we would argue that a soulful live rendition might change his perspective. This particular track holds the title for least performances from Darkness on the Edge of Town. On the other hand, “The Promised Land,” with an impressive 1,525 live performances, ranks as the third most-played song in Springsteen’s entire career.

Album: The River (1980)
Most-played: “Hungry Heart”
Least-played: “Fade Away”

The double album The River is packed with an impressive array of songs. Remarkably, Springsteen has played every track from this album live, aided in part by the 2016 tour celebrating its 35th anniversary, where he performed it in its entirety. Among the 20 tracks, “Hungry Heart,” the album’s lead single and Springsteen’s first Top Five hit on the Billboard chart, stands out as the most frequently performed, while “Fade Away” is the least played.

Album: Nebraska (1982)
Most-played: “Johnny 99”
Least-played: “State Trooper”

Springsteen originally recorded the songs for Nebraska as solo demos, intending to later produce them with the E Street Band. However, when they attempted to re-record in the studio, the chemistry just wasn’t there. Consequently, Nebraska was released in its original acoustic form. When performed live, though, the E Street Band infused their unique magic into these tracks. “State Trooper” has the fewest performances at 35, while “Johnny 99” takes the lead with 421 live plays.

Album: Born in the U.S.A. (1984)
Most-played: “Dancing in the Dark”
Least-played: “I’m Goin’ Down”

By the time 1984 rolled around, Springsteen had firmly established his place in the music world with the release of Born in the U.S.A., which soared to No. 1 in both the U.K. and U.S. While the title track boasts over 1,000 live performances, the honor of being the most-played from the album goes to “Dancing in the Dark,” which has been performed an impressive 1,170 times. Both songs rank among the Top 10 most-played in Springsteen’s entire catalog. Conversely, “I’m Goin’ Down” has only seen 86 performances, primarily during the years 1984 and 1985.

Album: Tunnel of Love (1987)
Most-played: “Brilliant Disguise”
Least-played: “Valentine’s Day”

Although contributions from E Street Band members can be found on 1987’s Tunnel of Love, it is primarily regarded as a solo endeavor, with Springsteen playing most instruments, often accompanied by a drum machine. This period coincided with Springsteen’s separation from his first wife, Julianne Phillips, as he began a romance with bandmate Patti Scialfa. Unsurprisingly, much of the album’s material reflects this significant life transition. The least-played track, “Valentine’s Day,” offers a poignant exploration of vulnerability. In contrast, “Brilliant Disguise,” which directly addresses the end of his marriage with lyrics such as “Oh, we stood at the altar / The gypsy swore our future was bright / But come the wee-wee hours / Well, maybe, baby, the gypsy lied,” remains the most performed.

Album: Human Touch (1992)
Most-played: “Human Touch”
Least-played: “Cross My Heart”

As the 1980s came to a close, Springsteen made the bold decision to step away from the E Street Band, at least temporarily. He forged ahead with writing and released two albums on the same day in March 1992: Human Touch and Lucky Town. From Human Touch, the title track boasts the most plays, while “Cross My Heart” trails behind with just two performances, both occurring in 1992.

Album: Lucky Town (1992)
Most-played: “If I Should Fall Behind”
Least-played: “Book of Dreams”

Initially, Human Touch was scheduled for an earlier release in 1992. However, that was delayed, and upon returning to finalize the project, Springsteen ended up writing enough new material for an entirely new album, Lucky Town. Here, “Book of Dreams,” which tells the story of a wedding from an ambiguous perspective, is the least-played track. In contrast, “If I Should Fall Behind,” a heartfelt love song dedicated to Scialfa, whom he wed in 1991, has been performed 291 times.

Album: The Ghost of Tom Joad (1995)
Most-played: “The Ghost of Tom Joad”
Least-played: “The New Timer”

With the release of The Ghost of Tom Joad in 1995, which won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album, Springsteen embraced his acoustic roots once more. Drawing inspiration from John Steinbeck’s work, he highlighted the struggles of marginalized people and the bleak outlook for America at the time. The title track has been performed 435 times, and it continues to appear in setlists as recently as 2024. Meanwhile, “The New Timer” has only seen 21 performances in total, with no appearances since 2005.

Album: The Rising (2002)
Most-played: “The Rising”
Least-played: “Let’s Be Friends (Skin to Skin)”

Following the tragic events of September 11, Springsteen returned to the beach in Asbury Park, a site of deep personal significance. He was approached by a fan who said, “We need you now.” In response, Springsteen picked up his guitar and channeled his emotions into his music. “Yeah, I picked up a guitar,” he recounted to Rolling Stone in 2002, the year The Rising was released, primarily featuring songs inspired by the tragedy. Although all tracks from the album have been performed live at various points, “Let’s Be Friends (Skin to Skin)” has only been played once, during a Connecticut concert in 2003. “The Rising,” however, has topped the charts with numerous live performances, with its debut occurring in Asbury Park, where it all began.

Album: Devils & Dust (2005)
Most-played: “Long Time Comin'”
Least-played: “Black Cowboys”

Continuing his exploration of acoustic music, Devils & Dust debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200. Springsteen revealed that some songs from this album had been written years earlier. The most-played song, “Long Time Comin’,” was originally crafted nearly a decade prior and performed during Springsteen’s solo Ghost of Tom Joad Tour in 1996. Conversely, “Black Cowboys,” the least-played track, has received fewer than 20 performances in 2005 and has not been heard since.

Album: We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (2006)
Most-played: “Pay Me My Money Down” by the Weavers
Least-played: “Shenandoah” (Traditional)

Springsteen has frequently expressed his admiration for Pete Seeger. During Seeger’s 90th birthday celebration in 2009, he referred to him as “a living archive of America’s music and conscience, a testament to the power of song and culture to nudge history along.” Three years earlier, he released We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, an album of songs popularized by Seeger, which won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album. Of its 13 tracks, all have been performed live. “Oh Shenandoah” ranks as the least-played song with just one performance on November 18, 2006, in Dublin, Ireland, while “Pay Me My Money Down” has enjoyed its most recent performance in May 2023.

Album: Magic (2007)
Most-played: “Long Walk Home”
Least-played: “You’ll Be Comin’ Down”

In 2007, Springsteen released Magic, his first collaboration with the E Street Band since The Rising. The album had a profound impact, earning Springsteen three Grammys for two standout songs, “Radio Nowhere” and “Girls in Their Summer Clothes.” Even the hidden track “Terry’s Song” has made four setlists. The least-played track, “You’ll Be Comin’ Down,” has only been performed once in Columbus, Ohio, while “Long Walk Home” leads with 304 performances. Springsteen has shared that he wrote this song reflecting on his feelings during the George W. Bush administration.

Album: Working on a Dream (2009)
Most-played: “Working on a Dream”
Least-played: “What Love Can Do”

The debut performance of the title track from 2009’s Working on a Dream took place on November 2, 2008, at an event for Barack Obama. The song enjoyed significant airplay in 2009 but has not appeared on setlists since then. In stark contrast, “What Love Can Do” has only been performed once at a Philadelphia concert in 2009, although that performance was recorded and later included in the 2024 album The Live Series: Songs of Celebration.

Album: Wrecking Ball (2012)
Most-played: “Land of Hope and Dreams”
Least-played: “You’ve Got It”

Springsteen has dedicated many years to writing about what he has described as “the distance between American reality and the American dream.” This critical perspective was further explored in 2012’s Wrecking Ball. “What was done to our country was wrong and unpatriotic and un-American, and nobody has been held to account,” he stated to The Guardian at that time. “There is a real patriotism underlying the best of my music, but it is a critical, questioning, and often angry patriotism.” In this album, “You’ve Got It” ranks as the least-played song with just one performance in Norway, while “Land of Hope and Dreams,” a song Springsteen initially wrote in 1999, has been regularly performed, accumulating 746 plays.

Album: High Hopes (2014)
Most-played: “American Skin (41 Shots)”
Least-played: “Hunter of Invisible Game”

Interestingly, High Hopes features tracks that Springsteen has never performed live, including “Harry’s Place” and “Down in the Hole.” However, that leaves “Hunter of Invisible Game” as the least-played song with just one performance in Adelaide, Australia. The standout track is “American Skin (41 Shots),” with 112 performances, addressing the tragic police shooting of Amadou Diallo, which resulted in the acquittal of four involved officers.

Album: Western Stars (2019)
Most-played: Multiple Ties
Least-played: Multiple Ties

It’s worth noting that none of the songs from Western Stars have been performed live for a public audience. Instead, Springsteen played all the tracks during a private event in a century-old barn on his New Jersey horse farm in 2019, which was later turned into a concert film. This unique event marked the only time he has showcased material from this album.

Album: Letter to You (2020)
Most-played: “I’ll See You in My Dreams”
Least-played: “Janey Needs a Shooter”

Another remarkable instance arises with Springsteen’s 2020 release, Letter to You, where several songs, including “One Minute You’re Here” and “Rainmaker,” have yet to be performed live. Springsteen mentioned, “It’s the only album where it’s the entire band playing at one time, with all the vocals and everything completely live.” While “Janey Needs a Shooter” has received one performance in Hanover, Germany, “I’ll See You in My Dreams” has accumulated 146 plays, predominantly in 2023 and 2024 due to the pandemic’s impact.

Album: Only the Strong Survive (2022)
Most-played: “Nightshift” by the Commodores
Least-played: Tie Between “Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)” by Frank Wilson and “Turn Back the Hands of Time” by Tyrone Davis

In 2022, Springsteen ventured into new territory with the release of Only the Strong Survive, an album featuring R&B and soul covers. Surprisingly, he has never performed the title track or several other songs. Consequently, “Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)” by Frank Wilson and “Turn Back the Hands of Time” by Tyrone Davis are tied for the least-played track, both with one performance each. Meanwhile, “Nightshift” by the Commodores leads with 112 plays.