Bruce Springsteen’s Surprise Release Benefits From Anti-Trump Comments

Later this month, Bruce Springsteen will release one of the most highly-anticipated musical projects of the year, as Tracks II: The Lost Albums is scheduled to arrive on June 27 and will feature seven complete full-lengths that fans have never heard before. In a surprise move, the rocker recently delivered an unplanned EP, and in its second week of availability, it has grown in popularity and on the charts across the ocean. The short collection has become an even bigger hit in the United Kingdom than when it first arrived just days ago.

Land of Hope and Dreams Debuts

Land of Hope and Dreams appears on two charts in the U.K. this frame. It debuted on just one list last time around, after a truncated release window, as it arrived mid-week. This time around, the EP opens at No. 12 on the Official Americana Albums chart, earning Springsteen his sixth career placement on that genre-specific tally.

Land of Hope and Dreams Climbs

Last frame, Land of Hope and Dreams entered inside the top 10 on the Official Albums Downloads chart, launching at No. 8. Now that its first complete tracking period has passed, the set moves up, though only slightly. This week, the EP reaches a new peak of No. 6.

Bruce Springsteen’s Political Comments

Land of Hope and Dreams is a brief, six-song EP recorded during the opening night of the latest leg of Springsteen’s concert trek with the E Street Band. The singer-songwriter renamed the venture the Land of Hope and Dreams Tour when it began again in the U.K. last month.

It seems that Springsteen decided to release the EP after making incendiary comments about American President Donald Trump. The leader responded on social media, disparaging Springsteen, and the rocker made sure to include his speech on the EP — a move that may have helped turn it into a bestseller.

Bruce Springsteen Claims Multiple Bestsellers

Springsteen fills a pair of spaces on both the Official Albums Downloads and Official Americana Albums charts, but with different releases. On the downloads-only ranking, Greatest Hits dips from No. 35 to No. 80 after a recent spike, seemingly tied to his Trump remarks. Over on the Americana-only list, Best Of slides from No. 1 to No. 5, coming in just a few spots ahead of Land of Hope and Dreams.