Bruce Springsteen Albums Ranked

Charting Bruce Springsteen's albums from his debut in early 1973 reveals the work of a songwriter who had already mapped out a plan for his career. When his follow-up LP arrived 10 months later, he had progressed from a word-heavy Bob Dylan disciple to a bandleader with impeccable taste and talent.

But as you'll see in the below list of Bruce Springsteen Albums Ranked, the journey from master storyteller to one of the most popular and enduring artists has been lined with an unshakable faith in the power of song.

From the Phil Spector-sized grandeur that inspired Born to Run, his breakthrough album, and the dream-chasing characters found on Darkness on the Edge of Town and The River to the dark, despairing tales of Nebraska and the stadium-filling sounds of Born in the U.S.A., Springsteen's golden years unloaded one classic album after another.

READ MORE: The Best Song From Every Bruce Springsteen Album

Even as he grew up and got more serious about his legacy, and more personal in his songwriting, he tackled the subject of his fading marriage, 9/11 and optimism at a time when hope was needed. Springsteen was a voice for the times during some crucial points in U.S. history as the 20th century turned over.

Whether leading the excellent E Street Band or realizing the stark nature of the human spirit as a solo acoustic folk singer, Bruce Springsteen rarely faltered on record. His catalog is one of the most unimpeachable in music history.