1988
The Bruce Springsteen Collection - 6-CD Box Set (CBS 465920 2)
CD issue of the scarce Australia-only box set also released on vinyl and cassette, containing the first four albums plus “Born In The U.S.A.” and “Tunnel Of Love” (all discs pressed in Austria). Box features a transparent hard plastic lid with paper inlay depicting a unique colour illustration of the American flag and title graphics, and also includes a 4-page insert.

The Future Of Rock'n'Roll / 70's To 80's - 2-CD Set (CBS/SONY XADP 90009-10)
Impossibly rare Japan-only promotional release compiling an impressive 28 tracks from Bruce's first nine albums plus two 1988 live B-sides. Rather unspectacular overall packaging features an illustration of a guitar on front and tracklisting on rear, with the main portion of the lettering being in English and only a few lines of small Japanese graphics added (no obi). The scarcest of all Springsteen promo CD's, and no doubt superior to Bruce's commercial "Greatest Hits" album in terms of song selection! Featured tracks: Thunder Road (live) / Blinded By The Light / Racing In The Street / Kitty's Back / Badlands / Growin' Up / Prove It All Night / 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) / Backstreets (live) / For You / Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out / The Promised Land / Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) (live) / Born To Run / Born In The U.S.A. (live) / Brilliant Disguise / Dancing In The Dark / Cadillac Ranch (live) / Walk Like A Man / War (live) / Johnny 99 / Hungry Heart (live) / I Wanna Marry You / My Hometown (live) / The River / Glory Days / Out In The Street / Tougher Than The Rest (live) / Spare Parts / This Land Is Your Land (live).

Two Originals - 2-CD Set incl. Nebraska and Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. (CBS NPCD 36)
Two Originals - 2-CD Set incl. The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle and Darkness On The Edge Of Town (CBS NPCD 37)
Rare Australian "Double Nice Price" reissues which probably date from the late '80s. Each set comes in thick jewel case with special picture insert depicting the respective album covers.

1990
Collected Works Of Bruce Springsteen (CBS LSP 980636 2)
Extremely rare CD version of the UK-only box set also released on LP and cassette; contains Springsteen’s first seven albums inside a massive blue textured box with embossed gold lettering.

1991
Ao Vivo (COL / CBS 700.268/2-464061)
Odd CD version of the 1986 Brazil-only vinyl LP sampler (containing 10 tracks culled from "Live / 1975-85"); readily available as an import item in many European countries. Original 1991 copies were pressed by "Microservice-Microfilmagens E Reproducoes Tecnicas LTDA", while later reissues (released between 1992 and 1998) were manufactured at Sony's own Brazilian pressing plant, which opened in 1992. First issues and repressings (some curiously containing 2-second gaps between the tracks) all came in regular jewel cases and had similar overall artwork, but featured minor variations on the back inserts and discs; some copies came sealed with a hologram sticker on front. Promotional copies also exist with a silver “Exemplar Promocional Venda Proibida” imprint on the rear insert (same catalogue number as standard stock versions). A more interesting - and much less common - "Master Songs" cardboard slipcase version which doesn't seem to have been distributed outside of Brazil was released in 1993. Featured tracks: Thunder Road / War / Born In The U.S.A. / The River / Born To Run / Hungry Heart / Darkness On The Edge Of Town / Cover Me / I'm On Fire / Jersey Girl (all live).

1992
Bruce Springsteen Sampler (COL CDNK 677)
Canada-only promotional release; includes material from all albums up to and including "Tunnel Of Love", plus the 1988 acoustic live version of "Born To Run". Issued in a white die-cut cardboard sleeve featuring no type whatsoever. Featured tracks: Born To Run / Hungry Heart / Tougher Than The Rest / Candy's Room / Spirit In The Night / 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) / Johnny 99 / Dancing In The Dark / Born In The U.S.A. (live) / Born To Run (live acoustic).

Tougher Than The Rest (COL BOSS1)
Very rare Sweden-only promotional CD; used for both radio promotion and as a VIP giveaway item at the much-hyped opening shows of Bruce's 1992 tour in Stockholm. Contains 14 tracks from the first nine albums only. Two different versions exist; the first one (pressed in quantities of around 100 to 125 copies) featuring a misprinted running order for tracks 5 and 6 on the disc (i. e. "Badlands" listed prior to "The Promised Land" instead of vice versa) and housed in a standard jewel case with very basic type-only front inlay and back insert, which repeated the mistake from the CD. The second pressing (around 100 copies) had said error corrected and was issued in a plain slimline case lacking any extra packaging effort. Misprinted song titles of "E-Street Shuffle" and "Growin" Up" appear on either disc. Not to be confused with the 16-track UK promo of the same title. Featured tracks: Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) / The E Street Shuffle / Growin' Up / Born To Run / The Promised Land / Badlands / Hungry Heart / The River / Open All Night / I'm On Fire / Dancing In The Dark / Jersey Girl (live) / Brilliant Disguise / Tougher Than The Rest.

Tougher Than The Rest (COL XPCD 192)
UK-only promotional release pressed in a limited run of reportedly less than 1,500 copies to tie in with the 1992 Wembley shows; includes 16 tracks from all albums up to "Lucky Town". Issued in a gorgeous, full-colour cardboard trifold digipak featuring a unique pose shot of Springsteen on front as well as a complete LP discography and the aforementioned UK dates on the inside; Jon Landau's first name is misspelt "John" no less than three times in the back cover credits. Black disc with turquoise and silver type. Not to be confused with the above Swedish compilation of the same title which is much rarer, if far less attractive. Featured tracks: Human Touch / Lucky Town / Brilliant Disguise / For You / Hungry Heart (live) / 57 Channels (And Nothin' On) / Badlands / Born In The U.S.A. / Dancing In The Dark / Incident On 57th Street / Better Days / Glory Days / Born To Run / Atlantic City / Tougher Than The Rest / The River.

Bruce Springsteen (SONY XDDP 93084)
Japan-only promotional release. Unique packaging features a black-and-white collage of the "Human Touch" and "Lucky Town" album covers alongside numerous "Born In The U.S.A."-era live shots and red type. The CD itself is a handsome picture disc, again depicting a 1984 concert photo. For a Japanese promo, this item is relatively common, although copies still sell for solid amounts of money. Featured tracks: Human Touch / Born To Run / Dancing In The Dark / Hungry Heart / Roll Of The Dice / Bobby Jean / Brilliant Disguise / The River / Lucky Town / Born In The U.S.A. / Badlands / Thunder Road / Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) / Cover Me / No Surrender / Better Days.

1993
A Concert For The Kristen Ann Carr Fund - 11-CD Box Set (no individual catalogue number)
Extremely limited and very rare US-only item consisting of all regular studio albums up to "Lucky Town" plus the imported "In Concert/MTV Plugged" live set on CD; given away exclusively to holders of special $ 1,000 tickets for the June 26, 1993 benefit concert at Madison Square Garden in New York which supported the “Kristen Ann Carr Fund” (Kristen Ann Carr - the daughter of Bruce's management secretary Barbara Carr and music journalist/Springsteen biographer Dave Marsh - had died of sarcoma aged 21 early that same year). All discs were factory-sealed copies with regular packaging, housed inside a unique de-luxe silver flip-top box featuring the fund’s official “pink rose” logo. It is of note that this set was originally handed out in a special gift bag that also contained a commemorative t-shirt, a concert program, a laminated backstage pass and a photocopied letter from Barbara Carr and Dave Marsh.

1995
Two Originals - 2-CD Set incl. Born To Run and Darkness On The Edge Of Town (COL 480817 2)
Australia-only release, although discs were actually pressed in Austria. Thick jewel case with special picture insert depicting both album covers.

1996
Interview With Bob Costas - 2-CD Set (COL SAMPCD 3184)
Germany-only promotional release containing a 90-minute interview with Bob Costas from November 1995, which was partially broadcast on NBC's "Columbia Records Radio Hour" programme in the US. Cardboard gatefold sleeve features two black-and-white "Tom Joad"-era photos of Bruce on the inside and rear. Very rare.

Interview With Bruce Springsteen - 2-CD Set (COL SAMPCD 3184 9)
Another extremely scarce promotion item unique to Germany; features 16 full-length Springsteen music tracks interspersed with segments from an exclusive interview for German radio station "Radio Eins" conducted in Los Angeles in February 1996. Cardboard gatefold sleeve with similar front artwork to the above "Interview With Bob Costas" double CD, but different black-and-white photos on the inside and rear. Reportedly limited to less than 100 copies, some of which were given away as prizes to "Radio Eins" contest winners. Featured music tracks: It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City / 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) / The River / Nebraska / Tougher Than The Rest / Born In The U.S.A. / My Hometown / Highway 29 / Tunnel Of Love / Sinaloa Cowboys (live) / Hungry Heart (Berlin 95) / Straight Time / Human Touch / Across The Border / The Ghost Of Tom Joad / Dead Man Walkin'.

1998
Tracks Sampler (COL CSK 41561)
15-track advance promotional sampler for the 1998 boxed set; issued in both the US and Australia with identical catalogue numbers and overall packaging. Standard jewel case featuring a picture insert with small reproductions of the "Tracks" cover shot and title graphics on front, and Bruce's liner notes from the regular booklet on rear; back insert has tracklisting and info on the full release. Distributed to radio stations across North America and Europe, US copies of this CD are also known to have been sent to participants of special listening parties for the entire album. The Australian pressing (which clearly states "Made in Australia" on both the back cover and disc) is much harder to find. Featured tracks: Growin' Up / Rendezvous / Hearts Of Stone / Restless Nights / Where The Bands Are / Loose Ends / I Wanna Be With You / Born In The U.S.A. / Lion's Den / Janey Don't You Lose Heart / Sad Eyes / Trouble In Paradise / Seven Angels / Happy / Back In Your Arms.

Tracks Sampler (COL CSK 41561)
Same content and catalogue number as the above US promo, but this is a much rarer German pressing used for demonstration purposes in domestic record stores. Red disc with white title graphics; alternate cover artwork featuring German text on both the front and back inlays.

1999
Bruce Springsteen - 3-CD Set incl. Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.; The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle and Darkness On The Edge Of Town (COL 467384 9)
France-only release in this particular form. Silver box with lid made of heavy cardboard; containing an exclusive, 4-page discography booklet written in French. Very hard to find.

2003
Bruce Springsteen - 3-CD Set incl. Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.; The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle and Darkness On The Edge Of Town (COL 509640 2)
Europe-only, specially priced reissue package in unique cardboard slipcase featuring a sepia-tinted close-up of the "Darkness..." album rear sleeve photo.

Bruce Springsteen - 3-CD Set incl. Nebraska, Tunnel Of Love and The Ghost Of Tom Joad (COL 509646 2)
Europe-only, specially priced reissue package in unique cardboard slipcase featuring a green-tinted partial reproduction of the "Tunnel Of Love" LP inner sleeve photo.

2004
Bruce Springsteen: The Collection - 3-CD Box Set incl. Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.; The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle and Darkness On The Edge Of Town
Repackaging of the same three albums already sold together as mid-priced sets in several parts of the world before, but now featuring a new title and replacing the previously used outer cardboard slipcase with a 10-inch x 6-inch book-style longbox that depicts a unique (if well-known) black-and-white portrait of Bruce, circa 1973. Released in the US (COL C3K 85324) and Europe (COL 518589 2). All CD's include "enhanced" booklets containing additional photos.

Bruce Springsteen: The Collection - 3-CD Box Set incl. Nebraska, Tunnel Of Love and The Ghost Of Tom Joad (COL 517863 2)
Second "Collection" volume released in Europe only. 10-inch x 6-inch book-style longbox with unique black-and-white Springsteen photo from the "Human Touch" era.

2005
Bruce Springsteen: Rocks Vol. 1 (1973 - 1982) (SONY; no catalogue number)
Japan-only promotional “Digest” CDR advance sampler tying in with the release of the first six Japanese 2005 “mini-LP”-style Springsteen CD album reissues (“Greetings...” through “Nebraska”). Plain slimline jewel case with no artwork. Featured tracks: Born To Run / Hungry Heart / Blinded By The Light / Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) / Thunder Road / Backstreets / Jungleland / Badlands / The Promised Land / Darkness On The Edge Of Town / Sherry Darling / Cadillac Ranch / Out In The Street / Atlantic City.

Bruce Springsteen: Ballads Vol. 1 (1973 - 1982) (SONY; no catalogue number)
Japan-only promotional “Digest” CDR advance sampler tying in with the release of the first six Japanese 2005 “mini-LP”-style Springsteen CD album reissues (“Greetings...” through “Nebraska”). Plain slimline jewel case with no artwork. Featured tracks: 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) / Incident On 57th Street / New York City Serenade / Meeting Across The River / Something In The Night / Racing In The Street / Independence Day / I Wanna Marry You / The River / Fade Away / Drive All Night / Mansion On The Hill.

Bruce Springsteen (1984 - 1993) (SONY; no catalogue number)
Japan-only promotional “Digest” CDR advance sampler tying in with the second batch of 2005 “mini-LP”-style Springsteen CD album reissues (“Born In The U.S.A.” through “In Concert / MTV Plugged”). Plain slimline jewel case with no artwork. Featured tracks: Born In The U.S.A. / No Surrender / Bobby Jean / Dancing In The Dark / Because The Night (live) / Brilliant Disguise / Valentine's Day / Human Touch / Roll Of The Dice / Man's Job / I Wish I Were Blind / Better Days / Lucky Town / Light Of Day (live).

Live 1975-1985 Digest CD (SONY; no catalogue number)
Japan-only promotional CDR advance sampler tying in with the 2005 “mini-LP”-style CD reissue of “Live / 1975-85”. Plain slimline jewel case with no artwork. Featured tracks: Thunder Road / 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) / Growin' Up / It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City / Because The Night / Racing In The Street / War / Bobby Jean / Born To Run / No Surrender / Jersey Girl (all live).

Bruce Springsteen: The Collection - 3-CD Box Set incl. Nebraska, Lucky Town and In Concert / MTV Plugged
US-only release in this form; available as both a 10-inch x 6-inch book-style longbox (COL C3K 93993) and a cardboard “cube” slipcase version (COL C3K 96423). Similar overall artwork to the abovementioned, second European “Collection” set issued in 2004, apart from the front title lettering, spine and back of the box being orange instead of blue.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band PBS Exclusive (COL 82876 75932 2)
US-only promotional sampler exclusively available to donors supporting the “Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)” programming with a $ 60 “pledge”; contains seven live tracks compiled off the “Live / 1975-85” box set, the “Live In New York City” album and the “Live In Barcelona” DVD. Black-and-white cardboard title sleeve. Note that the audio recordings of “She’s The One” and “Born To Run” from the 2002 Barcelona show are unique to this release. Featured tracks: She’s The One ("Live In Barcelona") / Born To Run ("Live In Barcelona") / Thunder Road ("Live / 1975-85") / Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out ("Live In New York City") / Spirit In The Night ("Live / 1975-85") / Backstreets ("Live / 1975-85") / Jungleland ("Live In New York City").

The Story Of ‘Born To Run’ Radio Special (COLUMBIA; no catalogue number)
59-minute, promotion-only radio special produced for the US market; contains audio off the “Wings For Wheels” documentary DVD with additional narration by host Sean Oliver, plus excerpts from remastered “Born To Run” album tracks and an edit of the 1988 acoustic live version of “Born To Run”. Plain white text inserts featuring programme details and cues; a separate info sheet was also included.

2006
We Shall Overcome: Bruce Springsteen & The Seeger Sessions - One-Hour Radio Special (SONY BMG; no catalogue number)
US promotional release featuring a 59-minute “making-of” radio special with music and interviews, hosted by David Dye. Note that this CD also contains Bruce’s renditions of “Bring ‘Em Home” and “How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live”, both of which were previously available as audio streams only on brucespringsteen.net. Factory-pressed silver disc in regular jewel case with colour picture inserts.

Definitive Collection: Bruce Springsteen - 3-CD Box Set incl. Born To Run, Born In The U.S.A. and Tunnel Of Love (SONY BMG DC 511256 2)
Obscure (yet fully official) India-only release in unique, “book-style” 8-inch x 6-inch box. Although bearing the same individual catalogue numbers as their respective European “enhanced” counterparts, all discs are in fact original domestic pressings with completely different graphics.

2009
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: Greatest Hits
12-track compilation released in the US and Canada only with different catalogue numbers (COL 88697 43930 2 and COL 88697 46550 2, respectively). While US copies - whose inner packaging featured a code to download a free mp3 of the “Working On A Dream” album track “My Lucky Day” - were exclusively available at “Walmart” department stores and through the “Walmart” website, the Canadian pressing (minus download offer) was issued for general, unlimited distribution. Apart from its unique cover artwork, this CD is also notable for marking the first official release of studio material credited to both Springsteen and the E Street Band. Featured tracks: Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) / Born To Run / Thunder Road / Darkness On The Edge Of Town / Badlands / Hungry Heart / Glory Days / Dancing In The Dark / Born In The U.S.A. / The Rising / Lonesome Day / Radio Nowhere.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: Greatest Hits
Issued to coincide with the “Working On A Dream” tour’s European spring/summer stadium leg; available in both regular jewel case packaging (SONY BMG 88697 53091 2) and as a limited-edition digipak (SONY BMG 88697 53281 2). The two so-called “bonus tracks” closing this disc were taken from the “Live / 1975-85” set. Originally distributed in Europe only, the CD also saw belated (and somewhat pointless) releases in both Australia and Mexico in the fall of 2010, with either version coming in a digipak. Featured tracks: Blinded By The Light / Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) / Born To Run / Thunder Road / Badlands / Darkness On The Edge Of Town / Hungry Heart / The River / Born In The U.S.A. / I’m On Fire / Glory Days / Dancing In The Dark / The Rising / Lonesome Day / Radio Nowhere / Long Walk Home / Because The Night (live) / Fire (live).

2010
Bruce Springsteen: The Collection 1973-84 - 7-CD Box Set (SONY 88697 74771 2)
Issued in Sony Germany's "The Collection" series of specially-priced CD boxed sets; comprising Bruce’s first seven albums with "mini-LP" cardboard sleeve packaging and an accompanying 16-page booklet housed inside a red flip-top outer box. It is of note that, as opposed to earlier international mini-LP reissues, the two "The River" discs come in a full gatefold sleeve which is exclusive to this release. In Italy, the set also was utilized for a rare special edition handed out to participants of a convention held by domestic bank "Banca Fideuram", adding a unique extra commemorative outer box and 4-page booklet. In Italy, the set also was utilized for a rare special edition handed out to participants of a convention held by domestic bank "Banca Fideuram", adding a unique extra commemorative outer box (pictured below) and 4-page booklet. A later UK version featured different box graphics to the German release (see scan below right).

Bruce Springsteen: The Promise Fulfilled - One-Hour Radio Special (SONY; no catalogue number)
US-only promotional radio show CDR featuring music and interview excerpts taken from the “The Promise: The ‘Darkness On The Edge Of Town’ Story” box set, hosted by Jody Denberg. Regular jewel case with unique front picture insert; back inlay lists individual segments with timing info and cues.