Bruce Springsteen: The Stories Behind the Songs

"A coffee table book that’s a blast to read—not only hefty and beautiful to look at, but a rich study of Bruce’s work." (Backstreets Magazine)

This unique look at the legendary rocker’s songwriting methods, along with scores of colorful anecdotes and more than 180 photographs, is from longtime Rolling Stone writer Brian Hiatt.

Hiatt draws on his own interviews with Springsteen as well as numerous new interviews with his collaborators, from longtime producers to the E Street Band, to create an authoritative and lushly illustrated journey through Springsteen’s songbook and career.

The legend of Bruce Springsteen may well outlast rock ‘n’ roll itself. And for all the muscle and magic of his life-shaking concerts with the E Street Band, his legendary status comes down to the songs. He is an acknowledged master of music and lyrics, with decades of hits, from “Blinded by the Light” and “Born to Run” to “Hungry Heart,” “Dancing in the Dark,” and “The Rising.”

In Bruce Springsteen: The Stories Behind the Songs, Brian Hiatt explores the writing and recording of songs on albums starting with 1973’s Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.—plus all the released outtakes. "The result is a song-by-song look at Springsteen’s catalog that is, even for major Springsteen fans, enlightening as well as entertaining—not just a rehash of everything you already know," commented Backstreets.

Brian Hiatt is a senior writer for Rolling Stone magazine and the host of the magazine’s podcast on Sirius XM. He was previously on staff at Entertainment Weekly and its website, as well as at MTV News.