MusicRadar

Today, 23 September 2009, Bruce Springsteen - or The Boss as he's universally known - turns 60 years old.

Once hailed as 'the new Dylan,' New Jersey's Springsteen, usually backed by The E Street Band, has over the course of a nearly 40-year-career become an institution. Of course, he just likes to say that he's merely "a prisoner of rock 'n' roll."

His reputation as a tireless entertainer, known for sweat-filled shows that have run as long as five hours, is the stuff of legend. But for Bruce, there was never any choice in the matter. "If they had told me I was the janitor and would have to mop up and clean the toilets after the show in order to play, I probably would have done it," he once said of his commitment to live performances.

But Bruce Springsteen is more than just the hardest-working man in show business. His songs and lyrics, his dedication to causes for social reform and his unwavering belief that one can talk about a dream and try to make it real (that's from Badlands) have made him one of music's purest and enduring voices.

Musical spokesman for a generation, Bruce Springsteen in a reflective moment. IMAGE © Aaron Rapoport/Corbis

In a visual tribute to The Boss on this, his 60th birthday, here is MusicRadar's timeline of the life - via photos and videos, many of which are rare. Happy Birthday, Brooooooce!

Next page: Bruce Springsteen - a life in pictures and videos

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