Bruce Springsteen’s Born In The U.S.A. Was America’s First CD—The Daily Earworm

Bruce Springsteen’s 1984 album Born in the U.S.A. was historic in so many ways. The album’s chart and commercial successes were only part of the equation. The record was a massive part of pop culture at the time and still holds relevance today. The album was also the first of its kind. It was the very first commercial music compact disc pressed in the United States. Here is a look at the historic album.

Born in the U.S.A.’s Chart Success

Born in the U.S.A. was a huge chart success for Springsteen. The album hit #1 in 12 countries. In the U.S., the album sat atop the Billboard 200 for seven consecutive weeks and stayed on the chart for 143 weeks. It produced a record-tying seven Top 10 singles, as well. From the title track (above) to “Dancing in the Dark” to “Glory Days,” the songs from the album have stood the test of time.

The Album’s Commercial Dominance

Born in the U.S.A. is one of the best-selling albums of all-time. The album has sold over 17 million copies in the U.S. and over 30 million copies worldwide. It has been certified platinum-selling or above in 13 countries. Of the album’s seven singles, one reached gold status, two reached platinum status, and 3 were certified multi-platinum.

Accolades and Awards

The album led to a number of award nominations and wins. Born in the U.S.A. was nominated for a Grammy for Album of the Year. “Dancing in the Dark” was nominated for Grammys for Record of the Year and won for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male in 1985. The title track was nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammy Awards the following year. The album was enshrined in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2012.

The recognition did not end with the Grammys. Born in the U.S.A. earned Springsteen six American Music Award nominations between 1985 and 1986, and he came out victorious on four of the six awards. The Boss also took home three of the six MTV Video Music Awards he was nominated for during that two-year span. The album won International Album of the Year at the Juno Awards in Canada in 1985, and Springsteen took home the Brit Award for International Solo Artist the following year.

Born in the U.S.A.’s Pop Culture Significance

Born in the U.S.A. not only elevated Springsteen to megastar status, but it also elevated the genre of Heartland rock. Springsteen, alongside John Mellencamp and Tom Petty, raised the profile of the genre, ushering in even greater success for genre staples like Bob Seger, Don Henley, Melissa Etheridge, John Hiatt, and Bruce Hornsby & the Range. The genre was all over MTV at a time when the station actually played music regularly.

Springsteen’s blue jeans and t-shirt look and use of the flag became a cultural touchstone at the time and symbolized patriotism and masculinity. His songs not only showed his pride in being an American, but also showed his commitment to its issues, especially highlighting the plight of Vietnam veterans and those facing economic hardship. Because of this, both sides of the political aisle identified with the music. The themes on Born in the U.S.A. also solidified his status as a voice of the working class.

The First Music CD Pressed in the United States

Springsteen didn’t just sell 30 million copies of his album. Born in the U.S.A. was the very first music pressed on compact disc and sold in the U.S. As the world made the upgrade from cassette to CD, “The Boss” was on the cutting edge of technology in the country he was singing about. For a lot of his music fans, he wasn’t just selling them a music CD; he was giving them a reason to buy a CD player.

This was huge for his record label. Columbia Records is owned by Sony. Sony wasn’t just a record label; they were also a tech company. Working with Phillips, Sony pioneered the mass production of music CDs and CD players. The two companies partnered on development in the late 1970s and produced the first consumer CD player, the Sony CDP-101, in Japan in 1982. By the late 1980s, they were all over the United States, and an awful lot of them were playing “The Boss.”

The Album’s Legacy

Born in the U.S.A. not only cemented Springsteen as a legend in the music industry, but it left behind a legacy that is still relevant more than 40 years later. It still stands as a patriotic album that didn’t ignore its country’s flaws. The songs tell stories that have stood the test of time, backed by music that is still just as catchy now as it was then.

The Daily Earworm is a daily column that tells the stories, from the historic to the lesser-known, of some of the music industry’s greatest songs, albums, and artists. Here are some other music tales that you may find interesting:

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