Bruce Springsteen on why Taylor Swift dominates the charts

There’s a good case to be made that Bruce Springsteen has seen everything the mainstream has to offer. Growing up at the dawn of the British Invasion and even having a hand in making his share of hits, ‘The Boss’ has been known for his impressive track record and understanding of the ins and outs of the music business. While Springsteen may have a good ear for what makes a great song, he believed one modern artist was carrying on the tradition of writing excellent melodies.

Then again, Springsteen was never going to become a great songwriter overnight. Even when he started with the E Street Band, Springsteen was known for having a few too many similarities to Bob Dylan in both his delivery and song structure, which would follow him up until the release of his album Born to Run.

For all of the similarities to the rock legend, Springsteen would find his voice writing about the music reflecting his upbringing. Documenting the countless stories of nobodies growing up on the streets of New Jersey, Springsteen painted various love letters to the America he saw around him, having empathy for anyone who dared to dream bigger than the hand they were given.

Even when he made his cultural shift towards pop music with albums like Born in the USA, Springsteen never stopped focusing on the central theme of freedom. Across songs like ‘Glory Days’ and ‘Downbound Train’, Springsteen is still acutely aware of what it costs to live like an outlaw, leading to those stuck in ᴅᴇᴀᴅ-end jobs for the rest of their lives or feeling lost on those lonesome highways.

While Springsteen would continue to give his perspective throughout his career, one other aspiring songwriter also quoted what was in her heart. From her debut in the world of country onward, Taylor Swift would take a similarly personal approach to her songs, painting detailed pictures of romantic encounters and finding ways to incorporate prose pieces into her writing like ‘Begin Again’.

Although Springsteen may not have fit into the same category as Swift’s work, he considered her one of the best in her field at what she does. While not catering to the traditional world of rock music, Springsteen saw Swift as a songwriter who embodied everything that comes with popular music.

When talking about her career trajectory, Springsteen later recalled to The Project, “If you look at the music, she’s an excellent writer. She is, lyrically. She’s a really good… lyricist – about this moment, I would say. It’s everything top 40 records should be. She is going to be a very influential artist for a long time”.

While the perspectives of Springsteen fans and Taylor Swift fans may seem poles apart at times, Springsteen knows the difference between a song written by a committee and someone with their own outlook on the world. Regardless of how the music sounds, it’s about being authentic to yourself, and Springsteen was able to recognise the reality behind every one of Swift’s modern masterpieces.