Some singers don’t just perform songs — they create a feeling that stays with you long after the music stops. Roy Orbison was one of those rare voices. His singing carried loneliness, romance, fear, and hope all at once. And for Bruce Springsteen, Orbison wasn’t just an inspiration — he was a guiding presence during one of the most important moments of his career.
Bruce Springsteen’s voice is often described as earthy, raw, and deeply human. There’s grit in it, like it’s been shaped by long nights, hard roads, and real-life stories. But behind that grounded sound was a deep admiration for singers who could reach somewhere more emotional and almost otherworldly. Roy Orbison was at the top of that list.
Bob Dylan once said that Roy Orbison could sound harsh and gentle within the same song, switching styles so smoothly that you didn’t quite know where you were. Bruce Springsteen felt the same way. Orbison’s voice could be powerful and fragile at the same time. He didn’t just sing about heartbreak — he made you feel it.
When Springsteen was working on his legendary album Born to Run, he found himself searching for something deeper. The album wasn’t just about fast cars and escape; it was about longing, dreams, and emotional release. To get into that creative mindset, Springsteen developed a simple but meaningful ritual. Every night, he would lie alone in bed and listen to Roy Orbison’s Greatest Hits.
That quiet time mattered. Orbison’s songs worked best in the dark, when you were alone with your thoughts. Springsteen later explained that while some rock music is about community and togetherness, Orbison’s ballads were about solitude. They were personal. They didn’t follow standard song rules, and they didn’t need loud choruses to make an impact. Instead, they told emotional stories, carried by a voice that felt almost unearthly.
Orbison’s influence wasn’t just emotional — it was creative. His songs showed Springsteen that pop music could be dramatic, complex, and romantic without losing its power. Orbison didn’t rely on traditional song structures. He let the melody and emotion guide the music, and his voice became the main storyteller. This idea stayed with Springsteen as he shaped his own sound.
You can hear this influence clearly in “Thunder Road,” one of Springsteen’s most beloved songs. In the lyrics, he directly references his hero:
“Roy Orbison singing for the lonely.”
It’s more than a name drop. It’s an acknowledgment. Springsteen is admitting that Orbison spoke to the same lonely dreamers he was writing about.
Even years after Born to Run, Springsteen continued to think about Orbison’s style. He once said that what made Roy’s music so special was how mainstream it sounded on the surface, while hiding something strange and emotional underneath. That same balance — light and darkness, hope and pain — became a key part of Springsteen’s own music.
Springsteen has never claimed to be a perfect singer. Instead, he relies on honesty, mood, and storytelling. But one thing connects him deeply to Roy Orbison: uniqueness. No one sounded like Roy Orbison, and no one sounds like Bruce Springsteen. Both artists understood that music doesn’t need to be perfect — it needs to be real.
In the end, Roy Orbison didn’t just influence Bruce Springsteen’s voice. He helped shape his emotional world. And through Springsteen’s music, that lonely, romantic, unearthly spirit continues to live on.