Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Absolute Punk
AllMusic
Chicago Tribune
Christgau's Record Guide	B+
Creem	B
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
MusicHound Rock	2.5/5
Q
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Sputnikmusic	4.5/5

Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. is the debut studio album by Bruce Springsteen. It was produced by Mike Appel and Jim Cretecos during July–September 1972 at the budget-priced 914 Sound Studios. The album was released on January 5, 1973, by Columbia Records to average sales but positive critical reviews.

"Blinded by the Light" and "Spirit in the Night" were released as singles by Columbia, both failing to reach the US charts; though "Blinded by the Light" was later covered by Manfred Mann's Earth Band, in 1977 reaching number one in America and Canada. In 2003 it was ranked at #379 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The album also reached #60 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

Springsteen and his first manager Mike Appel recorded the album at the low-priced, out-of-the-way 914 Sound Studios to save as much as possible of the Columbia Records advance and cut most of the songs in a single week.

There was a dispute not long after the record was recorded—Appel and John Hammond preferred the solo tracks, while Springsteen preferred the band songs. As such, a compromise was reached—the album was to have five songs with the band ("For You", "Growin' Up", "Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?" "It's Hard to be a Saint in the City", and "Lost in the Flood") and five solo songs ("Mary Queen of Arkansas", "The Angel", "Jazz Musician", "Arabian Nights", and "Visitation at Fort Horn").

However, when Columbia Records president Clive Davis heard the album, he felt that it lacked a hit single. As such, Springsteen wrote and recorded "Blinded by the Light" and "Spirit in the Night". Because pianist David Sancious and bassist Garry Tallent were unavailable to record these songs, a three-man band was used—Vini Lopez on drums, Springsteen on guitar, bass, and piano, and the previously missing Clarence Clemons on saxophone. These two songs bumped "Jazz Musician", "Arabian Nights", and "Visitation at Fort Horn", leaving a total of seven band songs and two solo songs. The album was originally slated to be released in the fall of 1972, but it was moved back to early 1973 to avoid the pre-Christmas crush.

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