On This Day, ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ Hit No. 1

By Jessica Wheeler, AliveTampaBay Columnist

On July 7, 1984, Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. It would remain at the top for several weeks before dropping, then it would return to the top spot again in January for a few more weeks. Consisting of songs about working-class American problems sung to uptempo music, the album was a crossover smash. The title track, often mistaken for a patriotic homage but in actuality a song condemning the treatment of Vietnam War veterans, was co-opted by Ronald Reagan at campaign rallies until Springsteen requested he stop using the song. Seven songs from the album became top 10 hits, and the album would go on to sell more than 30 million copies. Born in the U.S.A. was also the first album to be manufactured on compact disc in the United States, paving the way for a new musical medium.