Year: 1973
Record Label: Columbia
Worth Today: $5,000*

Many people might assume that Bruce Springsteen found instant success when he released Born to Run, but he had been hard at the grind for some time prior. His first single was 1973’s “Spirit in the Night.” At the time of its release it largely went unnoticed, but when The Boss hit the bigtime the single became increasingly sought after. 

Only a limited amount were pressed, so if you have a promotional copy lurking in your record collection it could fetch hundreds. The originals come at a much heftier cost, usually setting lucky buyers back around $5,000.

The backstory behind “Spirit in the Night” is interesting. Clive Davis, upon receiving Springsteen’s debut album, became concerned about commercial appeal after he received the record. He refused to release it without more singles, and that led to Springsteen writing “Spirit in the Night,” as well as “Blinded by the Light.”