The Boss turns 70 today and he may have a birthday present for his legion of fans.
“We want the band to get back together,” Bruce Springsteen told a cheering crowd during a Q&A session on Sept. 12th at the Toronto Film Festival screening of his “Western Stars,” his new concert film inspired by his album of the same title.
“I've got some songs written for the band and I'd like to make a really good rock band record with the E Street Band,” said the rock icon known as The Boss. Rarely in Springsteen's world does an album release not include a concert tour -- and Springsteen alluded to such a possibility when asked saying slyly, “We'll be seeing you.”
Springsteen’s last tour with the E Street band -- celebrating the 30th anniversary of the release of his landmark double album "The River" in 2016 -- was the number one concert tour of the year and earned $268 million at the box office according to Pollstar. Right behind Bruce and the boys that year was Beyonce who brought in $256 million.
This was on the heels of his 2012-2013 "Wrecking Ball" tour for the album of the same name which lasted almost two years. In 2012 it was the second biggest concert attraction and in 2013 the fifth hottest ticket. In total more than 3.6 million people attended "Wrecking Ball" shows worldwide and according to Pollstar, the tour grossed $340.6 million from 124 shows.
“Bruce can do whatever he wants, looking at his last tour with the E Street Band, you can pretty much guarantee that whatever he does next is going to be bigger. It will probably be more and the ticket price will go up,” Ryan Borba, Managing Editor for Pollster told FOX Business.
The new album would be Springsteen’s 20th studio album. Notably, on this 70th birthday, he has also had 70 singles to go along with 23 live albums, 7 box sets, and 59 music videos. Plus, he may be the most "awarded" rocker ever. Over his five-decade career, Springsteen has won 20 Grammys, an Oscar, two Golden Globes, a special Tony Award and a Kennedy Center honor, plus numerous American Music Awards and MTV Video Music Awards.
Beyond all the glittery mantelpieces, he was also inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo act in 1999 and again as part of the leader of E Street Band in 2014. Two years later, President Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.
A pretty good run for a musician who has never had a number one single. (His biggest hit, "Dancing in the Dark," peaked at No. 2 in 1984).