In the music business for more than six decades, Paul McCartney has witnessed firsthand all the eras of modern music. He was one of the artists who started it all, as one of the main songwriters of The Beatles, the band that has directly and indirectly inspired almost every Rock and Roll act since.
Unlike many musicians, McCartney has always been interested in new artists and their music, attending countless live performances over the years. He has spoken about many of these successful acts, including the acclaimed American singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Bruce Springsteen.
What is Paul McCartney’s opinion on Bruce Springsteen
Paul McCartney is a fan of Bruce Springsteen and has great respect for him as a songwriter. He was even the one who introduced “The Boss” at the Ivor Novello Awards, which are presented annually in London to recognize excellence in songwriting and composing. In 2024, Springsteen became the first American musician to receive the event’s highest honor.
During his speech, McCartney said: “Springsteen is a Dutch name. Did you know that? In Dutch it means man in charge. So he’s the man in charge. So unlike Bruce’s concerts, I’m gonna keep this brief (laughs). I said to him, ‘I blame you man, we used to play an hour, an hour and a half. The Beatles used to play a half hour.’ He starts doing one and we’re all playing three hours now (laughs). Anyway I’ll get on with it.”
“So I can’t think of a more fitting person to be the first international songwriter fellowship except maybe Bob Dylan, or Paul Simon, or Billy Joel, or Beyoncé, or Taylor Swift (laughs). The list goes on (laughs). Just kidding Bruce. Anyway I was wondering how Bruce would fit into The Beatles. When it comes to talent, he was definitely in the Top Five.”
Paul McCartney continued:
“Anyway as I say he is a mate and me and my wife Nancy (Shevell) go out to their place in New Jersey and him and Patti (Scialfa) are just the best hosts. I mean they really look after you, you know? When you go there it’s like in the winter, he’s got a great big fire going in the fire pit. So we sit outside and drink and chat about things. He is a fantastic guy, he’s really nice guy and he showed up for me at Glastonbury and he promised to do that about three years before then COVID hit.”
“And I thought, ‘Well he’s never gonna show up’ and then he shows up (laughs). He’s a lovely boy, he’s known as being the American working man you know? But he admits, he’s never worked a day in his life. It’s true (laughs). So he’s a lovely, lovely boy. You know what, it’s great for me to be back here because I came here in the sixties. I know I don’t look that old. So it’s a great pleasure for me to present this to Bruce and he is a fellow,” Paul McCartney said during his speech to introduce Bruce Springsteen.
As McCartney mentioned during his introduction, Bruce joined him on stage at Glastonbury in 2022. However, the two had already performed together several times at each other’s shows. The American musician was part of the band that performed “Let It Be” with Paul when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. Springsteen curiously was also inducted during that same year.
Their joint performances over the years include Springsteen’s “Glory Days” as well as Beatles classics such as “I Wanna Be Your Man,” “I Saw Her Standing There,” and “Twist and Shout.”
Bruce Springsteen said Paul McCartney is one of his all time great heroes
In 2012, Bruce had the chance to perform with McCartney at the Grammy Awards, joining him with other guests like Joe Walsh and Dave Grohl when he played “The End”. Bruce talked about that experience CBS News and said the Beatle was one of his “all time great heroes”.
“No matter how long you have been in music. There’s that basic realization that you simply would not be here the way that you are without this specific person, without this person on the planet. Suddenly I’m getting to play with one of my all time great heroes and complete this 45 year circle,” Bruce Springsteen sad (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage).
The first Beatles song Bruce ever heard was “I Want To Hold Your Hand back in the early 60s. He recalled that life changing experience in an interview with Rolling Stone in 2020. “‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ came on the radio in, I think, 1964. That was going to change my life because I was gonna successfully pick a guitar and learn how to play.”
“When I saw Elvis on TV, I was 9, I was really young. I tried to play the guitar – it didn’t work out, and I put it away. But, the keeper was 1964, ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ on South Street, with my mother driving.”
Bruce Springsteen continued:
“I immediately demanded she let me out. I ran down a long neon-lit isle into the bowling alley, ran to the phone booth, got into the phone boot. (Then) immediately called my girl and said, ‘Have you heard this band called The Beatles?’ And after that, it was nothing but rock ‘n’ roll and guitars,” Bruce Springsteen said.
More recently, in 2025, during a Springsteen concert in Liverpool, McCartney made a surprise appearance and they played “Can’t Buy Me Love” and a rendition of “Kansas City” (originally by Little Willie Littlefield). To introduce Paul he said: “We are lucky tonight, we have a young man from Liverpool playing with us tonight. I think he’s got a lot of talent and I believe he’s gonna going places. So let’s bring out Sir. Paul McCartney”.
Bruce played two shows in the city and McCartney took him to visit the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), where they surprised the students by talking with them about music and sharing their insights.
Like Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen is also a prolific songwriter and one of the best-selling artists in the world. Until 2025 he has released 21 studio albums and sold an estimated amount of more than 150 million records worldwide.