‘Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere’ Cracks Billboard’s List of Music Biopics With the Highest Worldwide Grosses
**Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere – A Mixed Reception at the Box Office**
“Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,” the latest biopic centered on the iconic musician Bruce Springsteen, has garnered a mixed bag of reviews from critics since its release. As of November 23, the film has grossed $42.8 million worldwide, placing it at No. 20 on Billboard’s list of music biopics with the highest worldwide grosses. While the numbers indicate a solid performance, they also reveal a slower-than-expected start at the box office, prompting discussions about the film’s reception and its place within the genre of music biopics.
Unlike traditional biopics that often trace a subject’s life from cradle to grave, “Deliver Me From Nowhere” focuses on a pivotal moment in Springsteen’s career. Set in the aftermath of his 1980 commercial breakthrough with “The River,” the film explores the artist’s decision to create a more intimate, acoustic album—”Nebraska.” This choice was particularly significant as it diverged from the mainstream appeal of his previous work, which had dominated the charts, including the hit single “Hungry Heart.” While “Nebraska” did not achieve the same commercial success, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, it represents a crucial turning point in Springsteen’s artistic journey, highlighting his commitment to authenticity over marketability. The film dives deep into this transformative period, illustrating how Springsteen’s desire for artistic expression shaped his legacy and resonated with fans.
In the broader context of music biopics, “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” joins a competitive field of films that have captivated audiences and critics alike. Notably, the highest-grossing biopics often feature universally recognized music stars, such as “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Rocketman.” However, the article notes that some films about musical figures, like “The Sound of Music” and “Green Book,” were excluded from this list because their subjects, while talented, do not fit the mold of traditional music stars. As Springsteen continues to be a significant figure in the music industry, the film’s mixed reviews and box office performance may spark further discussions about the complexities of portraying such a multifaceted artist on screen. As audiences reflect on Springsteen’s enduring influence, “Deliver Me From Nowhere” serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between artistic integrity and commercial success in the world of music.
Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere
has received mixed reviews from critics, and has gotten off to a
slower-than-expected
start at the boxoffice, but as of Sunday (Nov. 23) it has grossed $42.8 million worldwide, according to
boxofficemojo.com
. That puts it at No. 20 on
Billboard
‘s list of music biopics with the highest worldwide grosses.
Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere
isn’t a traditional cradle-to-grave biopic — for one thing, its protagonist is, thankfully, still very much with us. It’s part of a subgenre of biopics which focuses on one fateful period in an artist’s life.
Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere
is set in the period following Springsteen’s 1980 commercial breakthrough,
The River
(which spawned his first true pop smash, “Hungry Heart”) where the artist felt compelled to make a low-key, acoustic album,
Nebraska
. All concerned understood that this project wouldn’t have the same commercial potential as
The River
, which had spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. (And it didn’t, peaking at No. 3.) But Springsteen has always been an artist, more than just a hitmaker, and this was the album he wanted and needed to make at that time.
Here are the highest-grossing biopics of musicians in terms of worldwide box office. We didn’t include a few high-grossing films about real-life music personalities because the subjects are not well-known music stars in their own right. These include
The Sound of Music
(which tells the story of Maria von Trapp and the Trapp Family Singers);
Green Book
(which deals with a road trip taken by pianist and composer Don Shirley
)
;
Florence Foster Jenkins
(about an heiress and hopelessly untalented soprano by that name); and
Music of the Heart
(about violinist and music educator Roberta Guaspari). Meryl Streep starred in the latter two films.
Here are the 25 biopics of music stars with the highest worldwide grosses.
