Bruce Springsteen has once again captured the attention of music lovers with the announcement of his upcoming box set, Tracks II: The Lost Albums, set to release on June 27, 2025. This eagerly awaited collection features seven previously unreleased albums, comprising a total of 83 songs, 74 of which have never been heard before. Fans are buzzing with excitement, especially after the recent release of the single "Blind Spot," which is part of the Streets of Philadelphia Sessions.
On April 17, 2025, Springsteen dropped the second preview of Tracks II, unveiling the beat-heavy mid-tempo song "Blind Spot." This track will be included in the Streets of Philadelphia Sessions, a 10-song LP that has long been referred to by fans as the Boss’ "loops record." The song opens with a sampled voice grunting over a mechanical-sounding drum beat, leading into lyrics that explore themes of doubt and betrayal in relationships. Springsteen sings, "We inhabited each other/ Like it was some kind of disease/ I thought that I was flyin’/ But I was crawlin’ on my knees." The chorus poignantly captures the essence of the song: "Everybody’s got a blind spot that brings ’em down/ Everybody’s got a blind spot they can’t get around."
In a statement about the song, Springsteen reflected, "That was just the theme that I locked in on at that moment. I don’t really know why. Patti [Scialfa] and I, we were having a great time in California. But sometimes if you lock into one song you like, then you follow that thread. I had ‘Blind Spot,’ and I followed that thread through the rest of the record." This exploration of personal relationships and emotions became the thesis for the entire Philadelphia Sessions.
The Streets of Philadelphia Sessions album was originally completed, mixed, and slated for release in the spring of 1995. However, it was shelved when Springsteen decided to reunite with the E Street Band after a seven-year hiatus. "I said, ‘Well, maybe it’s time to just do something with the band, or remind the fans of the band or that part of my work life,’" Springsteen explained. Despite its long wait in the vault, he has always held a fondness for the Philadelphia Sessions. During his 2017-2018 Broadway show, he even considered releasing it as a standalone project.
According to the press release, the Streets of Philadelphia Sessions reflect Springsteen’s interest in the rhythms of mid-1990s contemporary music, particularly West Coast hip-hop. Initially, Springsteen began crafting his own loops using CDs of drum samples at his home in Los Angeles, laying a rhythmic foundation with engineer Toby Scott that he would build on with keyboards and synthesizers. This marked a significant departure in his home recording style, with Springsteen serving as the primary instrumentalist throughout most of the sessions. He was assisted by members of his 1992-1993 touring band, including Patti Scialfa, Soozie Tyrell, and Lisa Lowell.
Springsteen's Tracks II: The Lost Albums will not only feature the Streets of Philadelphia Sessions but also include several other previously unheard records, such as the lo-fi LA Garage Sessions ’83, the soundtrack for the unreleased film Faithless, the country-leaning Somewhere North of Nashville, the border tales LP Inyo, and the orchestra-driven, mid-century noir Twilight Hours. This ambitious project promises to fill in rich chapters of Springsteen’s expansive career timeline, offering fans invaluable insight into his life and artistry.
As Springsteen prepares to release this collection, he reflects on his creative process. Throughout his career, he has been a rigorous self-editor, often recording more music than he ultimately released. Springsteen has explained, "I didn’t think they were essential. I might have thought they were good, I might have had fun making them … But over my entire work life, I felt like I released what was essential at a certain moment, and what I got in return was a very sharp definition of who I was, what I want to do, what I was singing about." With Tracks II, fans will finally have the opportunity to experience some of the music that Springsteen deemed not essential at the time but still showcases his remarkable talent.
The box set, which spans recordings from 1983 to 2018, has been highly anticipated by fans who have long speculated about the existence of these lost albums. Many of these tracks have circulated as leaks for years, creating a sense of intrigue and excitement surrounding their official release. As Springsteen himself noted, "I often read about myself in the ’90s as having some kind of lost period. Really, I was working the whole time." The Tracks II box set promises to shed light on this so-called lost period, revealing the depth and breadth of Springsteen's creativity during those years.
As anticipation builds for the June 27 release, fans are eager to delve into the collection and discover the stories behind these lost albums. The box set will be available in a limited-edition 9-LP set, as well as 7-CD and digital formats, each featuring distinctive packaging and a 100-page cloth-bound hardcover book filled with rare archival photos. In addition, a 20-track compilation titled Lost and Found: Selections From The Lost Albums will be released on the same day, giving fans a taste of what to expect from the full collection.
With Tracks II: The Lost Albums, Bruce Springsteen not only revisits his past but also invites fans to join him on a journey through his musical evolution. As the release date approaches, one thing is clear: the Boss is back, and he’s ready to share more of his remarkable story.
