As he ascended to the status of one of the most popular rock artists in the world during the '70s, Bruce Springsteen was never a dominant force on pop radio. There were hits like "Born To Run," "Prove It All Night," and the Top Ten single "Hungry Heart," but his popularity was more due to the success of his albums and live performances. That changed in a major way in 1984.

In June, Springsteen would release his highly-anticipated Born In The USA album, which would prove to be his most accessible album, yet. Preceding its release, listeners were treated to the first single, "Dancing In The Dark," surprising fans with its use of synthesizer and its radio-friendly sound. It wasn't an accident.

Alledgedly the final song written for Born In The USA, Springsteen wrote the song specifically for the purpose of garnering airplay not that he sacrificed artistic integrity to do so. Instead, he deftly wrote a song that managed to blend commerciality with craft and the restless sentiments of the protaganist were fused brilliantly to an irresistible melody and anthemic chorus.

"Dancing In The Dark" became Springsteen's fifth US Top 40 hit in late May and quickly surged into the Top Ten. It was soon given further momentum by a video that was in heavy rotation on MTV and the iconic image of Springsteen pulling a young concertgoer (actress Courtney Cox) from the audience onstage to dance with him. The song hit #2 in July and remained there for a month, kept from the top by Prince's "When Doves Cry." It also became a Top Ten hit on the album rock and dance charts and would kick off a string of hits from Born In The USA that would extend for eighteen months.

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