In 1995, Bruce and the E Street Band returned to the recording studio for the first time in more than a decade, cutting new material for "Greatest Hits." The sessions were filmed, and premiering 30 years ago today, the documentary "Blood Brothers" offered a rare glimpse of the band at work — reconnecting, revisiting old favorites and forging ahead on new ones. This rock arrangement of the title track emerged from those sessions. | Bruce Springsteen

"My Hometown" gave the "Born in the U.S.A." album its sense of place, a finale that pulled the frame in close — revealing a childhood memory, social and economic hardship, and the pull between staying and going. From the '84/'85 tour to last year's Land of Hope & Dreams tour, the song became one Bruce would return to again and again. As the last of seven top 10 singles from the LP, it peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard chart 40 years ago today. | Bruce Springsteen

This week in 1980, as “The River” tour rolled into New York for its legendary New Year’s run at Nassau Coliseum, Bruce had another reason to celebrate: “Hungry Heart” had climbed to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Written overnight after Joey Ramone asked him for a song, and kept at Jon Landau’s urging, it became his “first real top 10 smash” (in Bruce’s words) — introducing new audiences to “The River” and cementing his pop sensibility. | Bruce Springsteen