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Bruce Springsteen to Receive National Medal of the Arts

Bruce Springsteen is receiving a major honor today (March 21) at the White House: The National Medal of the Arts. Per the National Endowment for the Arts, “The National Medal…

Bruce Springsteen
Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Bruce Springsteen is receiving a major honor today (March 21) at the White House: The National Medal of the Arts.

Per the National Endowment for the Arts, "The National Medal of Arts is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the federal government. It is awarded by the president of the United States to individuals or groups who are deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support, and availability of the arts in the United States."

Springsteen is just one of 11 individuals and entities being honored with the award in 2023. Other recipients being recognized this year include Gladys Knight, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Vera Wang, Mindy Kaling and Jose Feliciano. In recent years, recipients of the National Medal of Arts include Mel Brooks, Sally Field, Stephen King and George Lucas.

This isn't the first national honor The Boss has received. In 2009, he was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors. In 2016, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The Arts and Humanities Award Ceremony begins at 4:30 PM. It can be streamed below.

Bruce Springsteen is one of the most prolific songwriters in music history. Here are his top 50 songs ranked.

50. "This Depression" - ‘Wrecking Ball’ (2012)

bruce-springsteen_wrecking-ball.jpgColumbia

49. "Devils and Dust" - ‘Devils And Dust’ (2005)

bruce-springsteen_devils-dust.jpgColumbia

48. "My Beautiful Reward" - ‘Lucky Town’ (1992)

bruce-springsteen_lucky-town.jpgColumbia

47. "57 Channels (And Nothin’ On)" (Little Steven Remix) - B-side of ‘57 Channels And Nothin’ On)’ (1992)

bruce-springsteen_57-channels-remixes.jpgColumbia

46. "If I Should Fall Behind" (live) - ‘Live In New York City’

bruce-springsteen_live-in-new-york-city.jpgColumbia

45. "Western Stars" - ‘Western Stars’ (2019)

bruce-springsteen_western-stars.jpgColumbia

44. "Girls In Their Summer Clothes" - ‘Magic’ (2007)

bruce-springsteen_magic.jpgColumbia

43. "The Ghost Of Tom Joad" - ‘The Ghost Of Tom Joad’ (1995)

bruce-springsteen_ghost-tom-joad.jpg

42. "Bobby Jean" - ‘Born In The U.S.A.’ (1984)

bruce-springsteen_born-in-the-usa.jpgColumbia

41. "Light Of Day" (live) - ‘In Concert/MTV Plugged’ (1993)

bruce-springsteen_mtv-plugged.jpgColumbia

40. "Nebraska" - ‘Nebraska’ (1982)

bruce-springsteen_nebraska.jpgColumbia

39. "American Land" - ‘We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (American Land Version)’ (2006)

bruce-springsteen_seeger-sessions.jpgColumbia

38. "Two Hearts" - ‘The River’ (1980)

bruce-springsteen_the-river.jpgColumbia

37. "You’re Missing" - ‘The Rising’ (2002)

bruce-springsteen_the-rising.jpgColumbia

36. "Tunnel Of Love" - ‘Tunnel Of Love’ (1987)

bruce-springsteen_tunnel-of-love.jpgColumbia

35. "Fire" (live) - “Live 1975-1985’

bruce-springsteen_live-75-85.jpgColumbia

34. "One Step Up" - ‘Tunnel Of Love’ (1987)

bruce-springsteen_tunnel-of-love-1.jpgColumbia

33. "The Wrestler" - ‘The Wrestler’ soundtrack (2008)

bruce-springsteen_the-Wrestler.jpgKoch Records

32. "Long Walk Home" - ‘Magic’ (2007)

bruce-springsteen_magic-1.jpgColumbia

31. "Blinded By The Light" - ‘Greetings From Asbury Park, New Jersey’ (1973)

bruce-springsteen_greetings.jpgColumbia

30. "Because The Night" - ‘Live 1975-1985’

bruce-springsteen_live-75-85-1.jpgColumbia

29. "The River" - ‘The River’ (1980)

bruce-springsteen_the-river-1.jpgColumbia

28. "Meeting Across The River" - ‘Born To Run’ (1975)

bruce-springsteen_born-to-run.jpgColumbia

27. "Independence Day" - ‘The River’ (1980)

bruce-springsteen_the-river-2.jpgColumbia

26. "Growin’ Up" - ‘Greetings From Asbury Park, New Jersey’ (1973)

bruce-springsteen_greetings-1.jpgColumbia

25. "My City Of Ruins" - ‘The Rising’ (2002)

bruce-springsteen_the-rising-1.jpgColumbia

24. "Born In The U.S.A." - ‘Born In The U.S.A.’ (1984)

bruce-springsteen_born-in-the-usa-1.jpgColumbia

23. "Highway Patrolman" - ‘Nebraska’ (1982)

bruce-springsteen_nebraska-1.jpgColumbia

22. "Streets Of Philadelphia" - ‘Philadelphia’ soundtrack (1993)

bruce-springsteen_philadelphia-soundtrack.jpgSony

21. "Johnny 99" - ‘Nebraska’ (1982)

bruce-springsteen_nebraska-2.jpgColumbia

20. "Factory" - ‘Darkness On The Edge Of Town’ (1978)

bruce-springsteen_darkness.jpgColumbia

19. "The Rising" - ‘The Rising’ (2002)

bruce-springsteen_the-rising-2.jpgColumbia

18. "4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" - ‘The Wild, The Innocent And The E Street Shuffle’ (1973)

bruce-springsteen_wild-innocent.jpgColumbia

17. "Lost In The Flood" - ‘Greetings From Asbury Park, New Jersey’ (1973)

bruce-springsteen_greetings-2.jpg

16. "It’s Hard To Be A Saint In The City" - ‘Greetings From Asbury Park, New Jersey’ (1973)

bruce-springsteen_greetings-3.jpgColumbia

15. "Reason To Believe" - ‘Nebraska’ (1982)

bruce-springsteen_nebraska-3.jpgColumbia

14. "New York City Serenade" - ‘The Wild, The Innocent And The E Street Shuffle’ (1973)

bruce-springsteen_wild-innocent-1.jpgColumbia

13. "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" - ‘Born To Run’ (1975)

bruce-springsteen_born-to-run-1.jpgColumbia

12. "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" (live) - ‘Live: 1975 - 1985’

bruce-springsteen_live-75-85-2.jpgColumbia

11. "Spirit In The Night" - ‘Greetings From Asbury Park, New Jersey’ (1973)

bruce-springsteen_greetings-4.jpgColumbia

10. "The Promised Land" - ‘Darkness On The Edge Of Town’ (1978)

bruce-springsteen_darkness-1.jpgColumbia

9. "Atlantic City" - ‘Nebraska’ (1982)

bruce-springsteen_nebraska-4.jpgColumbia

8. "No Surrender" - ‘Born In The U.S.A.’ (1984)

bruce-springsteen_born-in-the-usa-2.jpgColumbia

7. "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" - ‘Darkness On The Edge Of Town’ (1978)

bruce-springsteen_darkness-2.jpgColumbia

6. "Prove It All Night" - ‘Darkness On The Edge Of Town’ (1978)

bruce-springsteen_darkness-3.jpgColumbia

5. "Badlands" - ‘Darkness On The Edge Of Town’ (1978)

bruce-springsteen_darkness-4.jpg

4. "Jungleland" - ‘Born To Run’ (1975)

bruce-springsteen_born-to-run-2.jpgColumbia

3. "Backstreets" - ‘Born To Run’ (1975)

bruce-springsteen_born-to-run-3.jpgColumbia

2. "Thunder Road" - ‘Born To Run’ (1975)

bruce-springsteen_born-to-run-4.jpgColumbia

1. "Born To Run" - ‘Born To Run’ (1975)

bruce-springsteen_born-to-run-5.jpgColumbia
Erica Banas is a news blogger who's been covering the rock/classic rock world since 2014. The coolest event she's ever covered in person was the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Sir Paul McCartney inducting Foo Fighters? C'mon now!) She's also well-versed in etiquette and extraordinarily nice. #TransRightsAreHumanRights