Millions of people have Bruce Springsteen on their iTunes playlist, but who does The Boss listen to in his down time?
It’s surprising that he has down time, considering his “The River” tour was the top-grossing musical act last year, bringing in $268.3 million. His eight-week run on Broadway sold out in minutes. And he’s a best-selling author now as well.
Varietysat down with Springsteen, who’s preparing for an upcoming extended (and highly anticipated) run on Broadway, to talk about a number of topics, eventually landing on his favorite musical artists of the modern day. And it’s an eclectic mix.
He’s got Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton soundtrack at the ready, calling it “an incredible creation.” Other albums he cited included Kanye West’s Life of Pablo and Magnetic Fields’ 69 Love Songs.
Steve Earle earned the most overall praise, though, with Springsteen calling him “one of the greatest” and saying “he’s always writing songs I wish I’d written.” Other names include Lana Del Rey, Ben Harper and Lucinda Williams.
Some of the artists he noted, though, might be less familiar to his fans, like British singer-songwriters Frank Turner and Thea Gilmore or the indie rock band Iron & Wine.
In the end, though, it looks like his playlist is a lot like most people’s. Some songs are soulful and perfect for contemplation, while others are ideal for just dancing in the dark.