Bruce Springsteen calls out Rolling Stone for not having him on the front cover after ‘Born to Run’

‘I always felt... they were a little skittish about putting me on the cover,’ singer-songwriter recalled

Bruce Springsteen has addressed the founder of Rolling Stone over an apparent snub in the Seventies.

The revered rock ‘n’ roll figure took part in a live discussion with the publication’s founder, Jann Wenner, in New York on Tuesday (13 September).

In front of a live audience, Springsteen and Wenner engaged in a light-hearted dialogue about the star’s music, its place in 2022 and other topics.

At one point in their conversation, Springsteen took the opportunity to ask about a long-held gripe, as he recalled his confusion at not being asked to be on the front cover of the magazine after the release of his 1975 album, Born to Run.

“I was not on the cover of Rolling Stone when Born to Run came out, you know,” he pointed out (via Variety).

Springsteen noted that he’d received the invitation from other publications, telling Wenner: “I’m not picking a bone or anything, but I always felt — while we’re talking about it — they were a little skittish about putting me on the cover when that record came out. I was on the cover of Time and Newsweek.”

According to Springsteen, the other magazines that had him on the front cover were representative of “the establishment”.

As well as highlighting him to a broader audience, the “Dancing in the Dark” singer noted that his inclusion in more mainstream publications attracted unwanted attention from tax officers.

“I hadn’t paid a penny in taxes when I was on the cover of Time and Newsweek, and the IRS found out about it and it took me 10 years [to pay it],” he added.

Springsteen will commence his tour with the E Street Band in 2023, with shows in the US and the UK.