1999 Springsteen Short Survey Results

Only 3 months and 9 concerts late, the results of the 7th annual short survey are finally here. 265 people participated this year, a new record for the poll. Thanks to all who responded, special thanks as always to Kevin Kinder for his work with the luckytown digest, and apologies for the delay in getting out the results.

The basic purpose of this poll has been to use a short series of questions as to what we, as Bruce fans, like most -- and least -- in Bruce's output. Since its outset, the poll has consisted of a very limited number of questions, designed to be answerable in less than 5 minutes. Doesn't always work that way; the most frequent complaint I've received over the years has been that the questions are too difficult to answer! This year, for the first time, the survey was offered exclusively via the world wide web. The questions, though, remained basically the same.

As with all previous editions of the survey, 1st place votes get 5 points, 2nd place votes 3 points, and 3rd place votes 1 point. In a few cases, similar votes were combined for purposes of totals (e.g., Born to Run Mastersound and Born to Run album); bootlegs are listed by date rather than title in most cases.

This file is available at http://bruce.orel.ws/survey99-results.html

Q1. What are the 3 best official Springsteen releases?
265 responses.

In part because of the pre-selects provided with this question, all but 2 of the first place votes were for full length releases. "Tracks" got the 5th highest vote total, making it the best result for a new album since the first year of the poll. "Nebraska," which finished out of the top 4 for the first time last year, slid to 7th. "Blood Brothers" was the only full-length release not to receive a 1st or 2nd place vote. 

                    1999 Results              Previous Results
      Item           1   2   3   Tot     98  97   96   95   94   93
1.  Born to Run    109  42  30   701      1   1    1    1    1    1
2.  Darkness        62  53  25   494      2   2    2    2    2    2
3.  ToL             21  28  25   214      3t  3    3    3    4t   8t
4.  The River       14  33  35   204      3t  5    6    5    6    7
5.  Tracks           9  23  29   143      -   -    -    -    -    -
6.  Live            12  11  21   114      7   7    5    6    8    5
7.  BitUSA          12  12  17   113      8   9    8   10    7    6
7.  Nebraska         6  20  23   113      5   4    4    4    3    3
9.  W & I           12   9  14   101      6   6    9    7    4t  10 
10. TGOTJ            3  11  18    66      9   8    7    -    -    -
others: Greetings... (29), Lucky Town (18), Human Touch (12).

Q1a. What are the 3 worst official Springsteen releases?
237 Responses.

For a change, the vote was close this year. The venom among those nominating "Plugged" was severe this year, especially from European voters. There was also a backlash against "18 Tracks," which suffered the worst showing of any new release in the poll's history. Votes for "18 Tracks" tended to be protests over having to buy the album to get the 3 songs that were not included on "Tracks." 51 items received votes, down from 76 items last year. Still, some people lovingly put in the same things they never liked -- the vote for the "Darkness" album cover being my personal favorite. 

      Item           1   2   3   Tot     98  97   96   95
1.  Human Touch     56  42  21   427      1   1    1    1
2.  Plugged         46  36  22   360      2   2    2    3
3.  Greetings       18  16  16   154      3   6    3    -
4.  Greatest Hits   14  19  26   153      4   4    4    8
5.  18 Tracks       16   9  11   118      -   -    -    -
6.  Lucky Town       6  22   9   105      5t  3    6    -
7.  TGOTJ           10  11  13    96      5t  5   10    -
8.  Video Anthology  8  11  10    83      9   -    -    -
9.  Blood Brothers   7   8  15    74      -   -    -    -
10. BUSA             9   7   7    73      -   -    8    -
others: Tunnel of Love (50), Nebraska (50), W & I (47), Live (37), DitD video (30), Part Man Part Monkey (29). The River (20), Arthur Baker remixes (18), BitUSA video (18).

Q2. What are the 3 Springsteen items you listen to most?
249 Responses.

Not surprisngly, "Tracks" was an easy winner in this question this year. Several people voted for individual discs of "Tracks" or for homemade compilation tapes from "Tracks," as well. The September 19, 1978 concert continues to be the highest placing non-official release. Several concerts from the current tour were nominated. In all, 122 items were nominated, including more than 40 individual live shows. 

      Item           1   2   3   Tot     98  97   96   95   94   93
1.  Tracks          50  35  22   377      -   -    -    -    -    -
2.  Born to Run     19  26  17   190      1   1    2    1    9    8t
3.  Darkness        21  16  20   173      2   2    4    4    -    8t
4.  ToL             13   3  16    90      3   9t   3    2    5    5t
5.  The River        7  14   8    85      6   6    7    8    -    -
6.  9/19/78          7  13   5    79      4   5   10   10   10    -
7.  Live            10   5  12    77      5   7    5    6    7    3
8.  12/15/78         9   6   6    69      7   -    6    7    2t   7
9.  3/18/99          5   9   2    54      -   -    -    -    -    - 
10. W & I            7   4   3    50      -   -    -    5    -    -
others: 8/9/78 (48), homemade compilation tapes (42), 18 Tracks (40), Nebraska (39), 2/5/75 (36), "bootlegs" (35), TGOTJ (32), Greatest Hits (32), BUSA (32), Tracks Disc 2 (30).

Q3. What 3 items which have not been officially released would you most like to see released officially?
193 responses.

With 5 of the 8 top finishers from last year having been officially released, the results of this question changed the most. 26 of last year's nominated songs, including 9 of the top 10 ("Long Time Coming" being the 10th) ended up on either "Tracks" or "18 Tracks." Several people expressed the opinion that "Tracks" had given them what they wanted, and didn't have anything left for which to vote. Some others went right for the next step -- Tracks 2. Votes this year tended towards live material -- not surprising, considering that "Tracks" concentrated on studio material. The only song to make the top 10 was "Land of Hope and Dreams." This year also saw the first calls for official release DVDs. Note: in previous editions, votes for "any concert CD (video)" were combined with "(video) vault series." 134 items received votes. 

      Item           1   2   3   Tot     98  97   96   95   94   93
1.  any concert vid 17  14   3   130      6   -    7t   4    -    -
2.  vault series    11  10   4    89      3   5    9    2    -    1
3.  any '78 concert 12   4   6    78      9  10   10    -    -    -
4.  any concert CD   8  10   5    75      -   -    -    -    -    -
5.  '99 tour CD      5   9   6    58      -   -    -    -    -    -
6.  '78 video       10   1   2    55      -   -    -    8    -    -
7.  Tracks 2         5   7   7    53      -   -    -    -    -    -
8.  Land Hope/Dreams 7   1   5    43      -   -    -    -    -    -
9.  Electric Neb.    5   4   0    37      5   -    7t   6    -    -
9.  Christic '90     5   4   0    37      -   -    3    1    3    3
others: video box set (35), TGOTJ live (34), Preacher's Daughter (29), 12/15/78 (28), 9/19/78 (28), 8/9/78 (24), "Country album" (22), 2/5/75 (21), Cindy (21), '94 album (21), None But the Brave (20).

Q4. What are Bruce's 3 best official song videos?
241 responses.

Once upon a time, music videos were thought to be important. Bruce Springsteen didn't seem to like the idea, but he finally relented, and decided to make them. Even acted in a couple of them. That was then. Lately, there have been no videos, and no singles in much of the world. But the question is still here. 

      Item           1   2   3   Tot     98  97   96   95   94
1.  Rosalita        56  28  17   381      1   2    2    5    1
2.  BtR (band)      51  26  16   349      2   1    1    1    2
3.  Brilliant Disg  20  15  18   163      4   3    3    3    3
4.  Atlantic City   16  19  11   148      3   4    4    2    7  
5.  Streets of Phil 11  16  16   119      6t  7    7    7    -
6.  Thunder Road    10  14  15   107      5   6    8    -    -
7.  Tougher Than...  7  14  10    87      6t  9    -    6    8
8.  I'm On Fire     13   5   5    85      9   8    9    8t  10t
9.  Quarter toThree  4  15  14    79      -   -    -    -    -
10. The River        6  14   6    78      -   -    -    -    6
others: Dancing in the Dark (67), Murder Inc. (64), Glory Days (63), ToL (47), Fire (45), Spare Parts (35), War (32), One Step Up (30), Born to Run (acoustic) (29), Human Touch (28), BitUSA (21).

Q4a. What are Bruce's 3 worst official song videos?
215 responses.

Not as many people voting "Dancing in the Dark" 1, 2 and 3 anymore, but more and more, it dominates the voting. This train don't carry bad dancers (though maybe it'll let Courtney Cox ride). 

      Item           1   2   3   Tot     98  97   96   95   94   93
1.  DitD            74  31   8   471      1   1    1    1    2    1
2.  BitUSA          32  24  12   244      2   2    2    2    1    2
3.  57 Channels     23  14  15   172      3   3    4    8    8   10t
4.  I'm On Fire     13  16   8   121      4   4    3    5    4    4
5.  My Hometown      7  13   9    83      9  10    6    3    6    7t
6.  Secret Grden 97  9   7  13    79      7   -    -    -    -    -
7.  Atlantic City    7  10   6    71      5   5    5   10    9t   3
8.  Glory Days       4  11  10    63      6   8    -    6    3   10t
9.  Spare Parts      3   9   4    46      -   9    -    -    -    -
10. Human Touch      5   4   7    44     10   6    7    -    5   10t
others: Brilliant Disguise (43), The River (41), Secret Garden '95 (34), Leap of Faith (33), Quarter to Three (27), Rosalita (24), War (23), Better Days (23), Murder... (22), Tougher... (22), Hungry Hrt 95 (22), Dead Man (22).

Q5. How many Bruce shows have you attended?
260 responses.

Most have still seen fewer than 10 shows, but the totals are gowing up... 

Median=7 (was 5 in 1998).
By number:
Shows           0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11+ 16+ 21+ 31+ 51+ 101+
1999 results   16 16 16 20 18 24 14 11  9  4  11  37  18  21  13  11    1
1998 results   23 19 16 18 13 12  5  6 12  7   7  19  11  13  12   2    4

Q6. What are your Bruce tour plans for 1999?
261 responses.

Almost everyone at least *wanted* to see Bruce in '99. A couple opted out because of price, and a couple more opted out on account of living in the wrong continent. This question was multiple choice, with no explanation offered as to whether "as many shows as I can afford" is more or less than "a lot of shows" 

Will go to as Many Shows as I can Afford       89
Will go to a lot of shows                      51
Will go to more than one show                  55
Will go to at least one show                   49
May go to a show if it works out               13
No shows for me                                 4

Hope you all enjoyed leafing through these results!

--Matt
October 31, 1999

The Orel Family
Email: matt@orel.ws
URL: http://matt.orel.ws/