Bruce Springsteen's album Born in the U.S.A goes No. 1 on July 7, 1984

American singer and songwriter Bruce Springsteen released Born in the U.S.A. in June 1984, and by July 7, the album would reach No. 1. This was his seventh studio album and is often counted as one of the best albums of all time and featured in Springsteen's worldwide concert tour.

This album would break from Springsteen's usual sound and transition into a more mainstream sound with many pop-influenced songs. Born in the U.S.A. comprises 12 tracks and was nominated for a Grammy Award. The album spent 139 weeks on the US chart and is one of only three albums to produce seven top ten singles, along with Michael Jackson's Thriller and Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814.

"Dancing in the Dark," "Cover Me," "Born in the U.S.A.," "I'm on Fire," "Glory Days," "I'm Goin' Down," and "My Hometown" are the top hits from this album which would become one of the best selling albums of all time.

Born in the U.S.A. includes a wide variety of songs, each that tells a new story in only the way Springsteen can. He brings such depth and life to the characters; each piece feels like a short play accompanied by a rockin' soundtrack.

The iconic album cover features an image of Springsteen's backside taken by Annie Leibovitz. He is standing in front of the American flag, wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt, with a red hat tucked into the back pocket.

"The flag is a powerful image, and when you set that stuff loose, you don't know what's gonna be done with it."

- Bruce Springsteen

An interesting piece of trivia about Born in the U.S.A. - it happens to be the first commercially released compact disc manufactured in the United States. It was manufactured in the newly opened CBS Records CD production plant in Terre Haute, Indiana. Previously the CDs were imported from Japan.

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