Bruce Springsteen’s first studio album in five years has both fans and critics proclaiming it some of the finest music of his career. The “hauntingly brilliant” (USA Today) ‘Western Stars’ also comes out of the gate as a cross-continental champion. The album, which Esquire calls “his best new work in a decade,” has been #1 at both iTunes’ and Amazon’s album charts in the United States.

Springsteen’s 19th studio album debuted at #1 on the UK album chart, giving him 11 #1s there and placing him alongside David Bowie and the Rolling Stones as one of the Top 5 acts with the most #1 UK albums. The album is already #1 in most European countries — including Belgium, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, and the Netherlands and is trending #1 in Australia, New Zealand, and many other countries. Western Stars has been #1 at iTunes charts in those countries, as well as the US, Austria, Denmark, Finland, India, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

UK outlets The Telegraph, The Independent, and The Sun each gave ‘Western Stars’ five-star raves, with The Guardian praising its 13 new songs as “transcendent… powerful.” Pitchfork called Western Stars Springsteen’s ”best studio album in years,” adding that “Springsteen albums are usually grand affairs but he’s never made one that sounds so vast and luxurious throughout."

‘Western Stars’, released June 14 on Columbia Records, draws inspiration in part from the Southern California pop records of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. Produced by Springsteen and Ron Aniello, the album features music from more than 20 players, including Patti Scialfa, Jon Brion, David Sancious, Charlie Giordano, and Soozie Tyrell.