Bruce Springsteen released his fifth studio album, The River – his only double album to date.
The project was originally intended as a single album called The Ties That Bind, but Springsteen canceled its release at the last minute and wrote more songs. Retitled The River, the album's 20 tracks featured a deliberate mix of fun, upbeat tunes and darker material.
The River went on to become Bruce's first #1 album and contained his first top-10 hit, "Hungry Heart." It has since been certified quintuple Platinum by the RIAA.
In 2015, Springsteen released the box set The Ties That Bind: The River collection and celebrated the original album's 35th anniversary with a tour in which he performed the double album in its entirety.