Beviglia delves deep into the Springsteen oeuvre to retrieve the superstar’s 100 greatest songs, relying primarily on lyrical content to decide the ranking. He reflects on Springsteen’s politics, from the indictment of Wall Street’s 'conscience-free ruthlessness' in 'Easy Money,' to the measured take on the shooting of Amadou Diallo by NYPD in 'American Skin.' The E Street Band is celebrated for their integral part in Springsteen’s success, particularly Clarence Clemons, whose performance on 'Jungleland' is declared 'the most iconic saxophone solo in rock history.' Beviglia notes the cohesion of many Springsteen albums, the grim circumstances couched in catchy melodies of Born in the USA the call to arms message of Wrecking Ball, and the mournful post-9/11 The Rising. Then, there are the Springsteen characters, 'big-hearted gang members, teenage femme fatales, and other spectacularly romantic rogues' like the fight-throwing boxer of 'The Hitter,' the broken-down veteran in 'Shut Out the Light,' and 'Zero and Blind Terry.' Beviglia’s top 10 is peppered with early gems like 'Lost in the Flood,' 'Rosalita,' and 'Incident on 57th Street.' While some might find the ranking system puzzling, Beviglia’s knowledge and enthusiasm for his subject will be appreciated.

Publishers Weekly

Best-of lists most often say more about the author than the topic, but that’s why they’re so entertaining and infuriating. Beviglia admits straightaway that he is a big Springsteen fan. He admires both the singer’s legendary live performances and his recorded output. Beviglia’s self-imposed task—'impossible' but 'fun'—is to choose Springsteen’s best 100 songs, which are described in short essays in order of merit, which are followed by an additional list of 100 more. Many of Springsteen’s most popular songs are here, and rightly so, but so are just as many of his obscure ones. It is heartening to see, for example, such less well-known compositions as 'A Good Man Is Hard to Find (Pittsburgh),' 'Straight Time,' and the great eulogy, 'Terry Song’s.' Like all song-list books, the experience allows readers and listeners to revisit, reconsider, and rediscover an artist’s canon. Of course, Springsteen fans will shake their collective heads in disagreement at times, but that’s part of the fun.

Booklist

Over the course of his 40-year career, singer and songwriter Bruce Springsteen has established himself as an institution in the annals of rock music. He is revered by fans for his energetic live performances and acclaimed by critics for his thoughtful and empathetic vignettes of working-class Americans. In Counting Down Bruce Springsteen, Jim Beviglia ranks and analyzes 100 original songs culled from the 22 albums Springsteen recorded and released between 1973 and 2012. Music aficionados may recognize Beviglia’s name from his blog at Countdownkid.wordpress.com and his contributions to American Songwriter magazine. The book itself is one of a newly launched series of titles intended to highlight the best songs of influential contemporary musicians. . . . Counting Down Bruce Springsteen offers readers an easily digestible survey of Springsteen’s vast catalog of songs. The rankings may infuriate some hardcore fans, but Beviglia deserves credit for undertaking the challenge in a capable and comprehensive fashion.

American Reference Books Annual

Bruce Springsteen His 100 Finest Songs is a book written by a fan and for all the fans of Bruce Springsteen. But author Jim Beviglia has created so much more than a list in this collection. It is a well-researched, labor of love. If you have ever seen Springsteen perform live in concert, those musical memories will all come rushing back as your turn the pages of Counting Down, published by Rowman & Littlefield. Likewise, longtime Springsteen fans will immediately recall the first time the needle hit the vinyl playing his debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, reading through this detailed list. Each song in the list tells a story.

Osceola News Gazette

Throw down any random 100 songs by Bruce Springsteen, and you'd have a respectable list. But to decide exactly which 100 songs are his 'finest' is a challenge. Jim Beviglia, who previously wrote a 'Counting Down' book on Bob Dylan's songs, felt up to the task. . . .[This book] makes for great debate among friends at your next tailgate.

Asbury Park Sunday Press

Counting Down Bruce Springsteen brings together critical historical and biographical information to explain the making and importance of each song, painting a fascinating portrait of Springsteen as a major American songwriter and consummate recording artist. ... For newcomers to his work, it's the perfect introduction to his vast catalog. For diehard fans, it's a fresh take on well-known songs.

BroadwayWorld.com