The Essential Bruce Springsteen

The Essential Bruce Springsteen
Greatest hits album by
Bruce Springsteen
ReleasedNovember 11, 2003
Recorded1972–2002
Genre
Length3:21:01 (2003)
2:36:22 (2015)
LabelColumbia
Bruce Springsteen chronology
The Rising
(2002) 		The Essential Bruce Springsteen
(2003) 		Devils & Dust
(2005)
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band chronology
The Rising
(2002) 		The Essential Bruce Springsteen
(2003) 		Hammersmith Odeon, London '75
(2006)

The Essential Bruce Springsteen is a compilation album by Bruce Springsteen, released on November 11, 2003. The collection is part of a series of Essential sets released by Sony Music. It includes songs from various Springsteen albums and concerts up to the year 2003. A limited-edition third disc includes previously unreleased cuts, B-sides, contributions to soundtracks and benefit albums, covers, and an alternate, "country-blues" acoustic version of "Countin' on a Miracle" from The Rising (2002).

The album debuted on the Billboard 200 albums chart on November 29, 2003, at No. 14, with sales of 90,000 copies. The album was awarded gold and platinum records on December 16, 2003, by the RIAA. As of August 2013, the album has sold over 1,079,000 copies in the United States.[2] It reached No. 15 on the UK Albums Chart in 2013. The album was re-released with an updated track listing in October 2015.[3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[4]
Pitchfork8.6/10[5]
PopMatters(positive)[6]

The album received general acclaim from music critics, who appreciated its inclusion of Springsteen's most recognizable hits throughout his career.[5] AllMusic calls it a better compilation album than 1995's "misguided, haphazardly selected" Greatest Hits.[1]

Track listing

The Essential Bruce Springsteen track listing

2003 track order Title Original album Length 2015 track order
— "Growin' Up" Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ (1973) 3:05 disc 1, track 01
disc 1, track 01 "Blinded by the Light" Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ 5:04 —
disc 1, track 02 "For You" Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ 4:40 —
disc 1, track 03 "Spirit in the Night" Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ 5:00 —
disc 1, track 04 "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle (1973) 5:37 disc 1, track 03
disc 1, track 05 "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle 7:04 disc 1, track 02
disc 1, track 06 "Thunder Road" Born to Run (1975) 4:51 disc 1, track 04
disc 1, track 07 "Born to Run" Born to Run 4:33 disc 1, track 05
disc 1, track 08 "Jungleland" Born to Run 9:36 —
— "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" Born to Run 3:11 disc 1, track 06
disc 1, track 09 "Badlands" Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978) 4:05 disc 1, track 07
disc 1, track 10 "Darkness on the Edge of Town" Darkness on the Edge of Town 4:31 —
disc 1, track 11 "The Promised Land" Darkness on the Edge of Town 4:31 disc 1, track 08
— "Prove It All Night" Darkness on the Edge of Town 3:56 disc 1, track 09
disc 1, track 12 "The River" The River (1980) 5:01 disc 1, track 10
disc 1, track 13 "Hungry Heart" The River 3:21 disc 1, track 11
— "The Ties That Bind" The River 3:34 disc 1, track 12
— "Out in the Street" The River 4:20 disc 1, track 13
disc 1, track 14 "Nebraska" Nebraska (1982) 4:30 —
disc 1, track 15 "Atlantic City" Nebraska 3:57 disc 1, track 14
— "Johnny 99" Nebraska 3:44 disc 1, track 15
disc 2, track 01 "Born in the U.S.A." Born in the U.S.A. (1984) 4:42 disc 1, track 17
disc 2, track 02 "Glory Days" Born in the U.S.A. 4:17 disc 1, track 16
disc 2, track 03 "Dancing in the Dark" Born in the U.S.A. 4:04 disc 1, track 18
disc 2, track 04 "Tunnel of Love" Tunnel of Love (1987) 5:13 —
— "Tougher Than the Rest" Tunnel of Love 4:37 disc 2, track 01
disc 2, track 05 "Brilliant Disguise" Tunnel of Love 4:16 disc 2, track 02
— "One Step Up" Tunnel of Love 4:22 disc 2, track 03
disc 2, track 06 "Human Touch" Human Touch (1992) 6:31 (2003) / 5:11 (2015) disc 2, track 04
disc 2, track 07 "Living Proof" Lucky Town (1992) 4:48 —
disc 2, track 08 "Lucky Town" Lucky Town 3:29 —
— "Better Days" Lucky Town 3:48 disc 2, track 05
— "If I Should Fall Behind" Lucky Town 2:58 disc 2, track 06
disc 2, track 09 "Streets of Philadelphia" Philadelphia soundtrack (1994) 3:18 disc 2, track 07
— "Murder Incorporated" Greatest Hits (1995) 3:59 disc 2, track 08
disc 2, track 10 "The Ghost of Tom Joad" The Ghost of Tom Joad (1995) 4:24 disc 2, track 09
disc 2, track 11 "The Rising" The Rising (2002) 4:48 disc 2, track 10
disc 2, track 12 "Mary's Place" The Rising 6:01 —
disc 2, track 13 "Lonesome Day" The Rising 4:08 disc 2, track 11
disc 2, track 14 "American Skin (41 Shots)" Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: Live in New York City (2001) 7:53 —
disc 2, track 15 "Land of Hope and Dreams" Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: Live in New York City 9:22 —
- "Devils & Dust" Devils & Dust (2005) 5:03 disc 2, track 12
- "Long Time Comin'" Devils & Dust 4:17 disc 2, track 13
- "Radio Nowhere" Magic (2007) 3:21 disc 2, track 14
- "Working on a Dream" Working on a Dream (2009) 3:30 disc 2, track 15
- "My Lucky Day" Working on a Dream 4:02 disc 2, track 16
- "The Wrestler" Working on a Dream 3:51 disc 2, track 17
- "We Take Care of Our Own" Wrecking Ball (2012) 3:57 disc 2, track 18
- "Hunter of Invisible Game" High Hopes (2014) 4:42 disc 2, track 19
2003 bonus disc edition – disc three
No.TitleNotesLength
1."From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come)"The River outtake2:42
2."The Big Payback"Nebraska outtake; B-side to "Open All Night" single1:59
3."Held Up Without a Gun" (Live at Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York, December 31, 1980)Originally the B-side of "Hungry Heart"1:21
4."Trapped" (Live at Meadowlands Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey, August 6, 1984)We Are the World, 19855:10
5."None But the Brave"Born in the U.S.A. outtake5:35
6."Missing"The Crossing Guard soundtrack, 19955:04
7."Lift Me Up"Limbo soundtrack, 19995:16
8."Viva Las Vegas"Honeymoon in Vegas soundtrack, 19923:10
9."County Fair"Born in the U.S.A. outtake4:51
10."Code of Silence" (Live at Madison Square Garden, New York City, Manhattan, New York, June 29, 2000)Recorded live during the Reunion Tour4:33
11."Dead Man Walkin'"Dead Man Walking soundtrack, 19962:44
12."Countin' on a Miracle" (acoustic version)Originally from The Rising5:01
Total length:47:26

Charts

Chart (2003) Peak
position
Australian Top 50 Albums[7] 43
Austrian Top 75 Albums[8] 12
Belgium (Flanders) 100 Albums[9] 19
Finnish Top 50 Albums[10] 14
French Compilations[11] 21
Irish Top 75 Albums[12] 5
Italian Albums[13] 8
Netherlands Top 100 Albums[14] 22
Norwegian Top 40 Albums[15] 4
Portuguese Top 30 Albums[16] 13
Swedish Top 60 Albums[17] 2
Swiss Top 100 Albums[18] 35
UK Albums Chart[19] 28
US Billboard 200[20] 14
Chart (2004) Peak
position
Belgium (Wallonia) 100 Albums[21] 84
Danish Top 40 Albums[22] 17
Chart (2008) Peak
position
Spanish Top 100 Albums[23] 77
Chart (2009) Peak
position
US Catalog Albums[20] 13
Chart (2013) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart[24] 15
Chart (2017) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[7] 41

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[25] 2× Platinum 140,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[26] Gold 15,736[26]
Italy (FIMI)[27] Gold 25,000‡
Norway (IFPI Norway)[28] Platinum 40,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[29] Gold 50,000^
Sweden (GLF)[30] Gold 30,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[31] Platinum 300,000*
United States (RIAA)[32] 2× Platinum 1,079,000[2]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b c The Essential Bruce Springsteen at AllMusic
  2. ^ a b Paul Grein (August 7, 2013). "Week Ending Aug. 4, 2013. Albums: Robin Thicke, Call Katy Perry". Yahoo Chart Watch.
  3. ^ "The Essential Bruce Springsteen - Compilation by Bruce Springsteen". Spotify. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  4. ^ Browne, David (November 21, 2003). "Bruce Springsteen – The Essential Bruce Springsteen". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 21, 2003.
  5. ^ a b Richardson, Mark (January 6, 2004). "Bruce Springsteen – The Essential Bruce Springsteen". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 6, 2004.
  6. ^ Kalet, Hank (January 13, 2003). "Bruce Springsteen : The Essential Bruce Springsteen". PopMatters. Retrieved January 13, 2003.
  7. ^ a b "Bruce Springsteen – The Essential (Album)" (ASP). Australian Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  8. ^ "Bruce Springsteen – The Essential (Album)" (ASP). Austrian Charts (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  9. ^ "Bruce Springsteen – The Essential (Album)" (ASP). Ultratop (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  10. ^ "Bruce Springsteen – The Essential (Album)" (ASP). Finnish Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  11. ^ "Les "Charts Runs" de chaque Album Classé". InfoDisc (in French). Archived from the original (PHP) on August 20, 2008. Search for "Bruce SPRINGSTEEN" on the drop-down menu to see results.
  12. ^ "Top 75 Artist Album, Week Ending 13 November 2003". GfK Chart-Track. Archived from the original (JSP) on June 4, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  13. ^ "Bruce Springsteen – The Essential (Album)" (ASP). Italian Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  14. ^ "Bruce Springsteen – The Essential (Album)" (ASP). Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  15. ^ "Bruce Springsteen – The Essential (Album)" (ASP). Norwegian Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  16. ^ "Bruce Springsteen – The Essential (Album)" (ASP). Portuguese Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  17. ^ "Bruce Springsteen – The Essential (Album)" (ASP). Swedish Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  18. ^ "Bruce Springsteen – The Essential (Album)" (ASP). Swiss Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  19. ^ "Chart Archive: Top 40 Official UK Albums Archive – 22nd November 2003". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  20. ^ a b "The Essential Bruce Springsteen – Bruce Springsteen". Billboard. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  21. ^ "Bruce Springsteen – The Essential (Album)" (ASP). Ultratop (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  22. ^ "Bruce Springsteen – The Essential (Album)" (ASP). Danish Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  23. ^ "Bruce Springsteen – The Essential (Album)" (ASP). Spanish Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  24. ^ "Chart Archive: Top 40 Official UK Albums Archive – 22nd June 2013". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  25. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2014 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  26. ^ a b "Bruce Springsteen" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  27. ^ "Italian album certifications – Bruce Springsteen – The Essential Bruce Springsteen" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved July 22, 2019. Select "2019" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "The Essential Bruce Springsteen" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".
  28. ^ "Norwegian album certifications – Bruce Springsteen – The Essential" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway.
  29. ^ "Spanish album certifications" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved September 30, 2019. Select Álbumes under "Categoría", select 2004 under "Año". Select 4 under "Semana". Click on "BUSCAR LISTA".
  30. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2003" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 17, 2011.
  31. ^ "British album certifications – Bruce Springsteen – The Essential". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  32. ^ "American album certifications – Bruce Springsteen – The Essential Bruce Springsteen". Recording Industry Association of America.