1975
Rockwork - Various Artists 2-LP Set incl. 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) (CBS 88200)
Rare Germany-only release including a unique 3:42 edited version of “Sandy”. Exclusive gatefold picture sleeve has a nice presentation booklet introducing all featured artists in German - and including a colour live shot of Bruce not found elsewhere - attached to the inside. Discs carry regular orange/yellow CBS labels (with incorrect song title “Sandy [4th July, Asbury Park]”) and were actually imported from Holland. Most likely, this was the very first Various Artists album release ever to contain a Springsteen recording.

Front Runners - Various Artists LP incl. Born To Run (CBS SPR 107)
UK-only compilation LP available exclusively as a mail order item through “Melody Maker” magazine. Black, white and red title sleeve with small “Born To Run” album cover inset photo on rear; white labels on disc. Promo versions of the album had a rectangular “Promotional Copy, Not For Resale” sticker added to the front sleeve.

Sampla! - Various Artists Promotional LP incl. Born To Run (PHONOGRAM PHS LP2)
Weird, yet highly collectable New Zealand-only release. Colour title sleeve with tracklist sheet pasted onto the front; both rear sleeve and labels are blank.

1976
Super Sound - Various Artists LP incl. Born To Run (K-TEL TA 254)
Obscure Australia-only cheapo hits compilation including a unique edited 3:10 version of Springsteen's classic with a full 80 seconds omitted from the original. Hideous colour picture sleeve has circular photos of several featured artists (though none of Bruce). According to one Australian source, finding this sampler is rather tough even "down under”, as most copies seem to have ended up in the local dumpsters.

The Young Sound - Various Artists LP incl. Born To Run (AFRTS RU 26-6)
Extremely rare LP manufactured and distributed by the US military's "Armed Forces Radio And Television Service" for library rental at overseas Army bases. "The Young Sound" actually was a regular Saturday morning radio program aired by "AFN (American Forces Network Europe)" to entertain US soldiers stationed in Europe during the 1970s; several other "AFRTS" releases containing episodes of that show exist as well. Disc carries brown "AFRTS" labels (lacking any info on the record’s exact contents whatsoever) and came in a plain protective sleeve. Other artists featured on this LP include Elton John, Pink Floyd and The Who.

1977
After Dark - Various Artists LP incl. 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) (CBS LSP 13311)
Very rare Sweden-only “CBS Special Products” sampler (pressed in Holland) that was available exclusively through mail order via domestic teen magazine “Vecko-Revyn“ as part of a subscription promotion in June 1977. Colour picture sleeve with a “Born To Run”-era black-and-white photo of Bruce on rear; orange/yellow labels on disc. According to one Swedish source, only less than 150 copies (of 500 pressed) were actually purchased by the mag’s readers, and the remaining stock was destroyed.

1979
No Nukes - Various Artists 3-LP Set incl. Stay and Devil With The Blue Dress Medley (both live) (Europe: ASYLUM 62027 / US: ASYLUM ML 801)
Contained the first official Springsteen live recordings that were commercially available. Gatefold picture sleeve featuring a montage of exclusive colour photos from the M.U.S.E. anti-nuclear benefit concerts (with the one Bruce shot sadly being printed right over the middle fold) on the inside; originally included an illustrated 16-page booklet with two more Springsteen pictures and comments on the danger of nuclear power by several involved artists (though not by himself). Also released on CD in 1997.

1980
Rocktagon - Various Artists Promotional LP incl. Hungry Heart (CBS SAMPLER 33)
Australia-only release often hyped as a huge rarity, although the press run was in fact several thousand copies. 10 1/2-inch, octagonal-shaped disc with rough edges and orange/yellow octagonal labels comes in a special colour sleeve sporting a huge "Rocktagon" logo on front; rear features a small photo of "The River" LP. Blue stamp on inside of cover. Also includes tracks by Barbra Streisand, Willie Nelson and Cheap Trick, amongst others, which certainly makes for a very strange compilation.

The Pitman Family Of Music: Our First 20 Years - Various Artists Promotional LP incl. Backstreets (Segment) (CBS P 15663)
US-only item manufactured in limited quantities of around 1,000 copies, and given out exclusively to employees of Columbia’s Pitman, New Jersey pressing plant. The excerpt from Bruce’s track runs for just 28 seconds. Colour picture sleeve including a 16-page booklet; picture labels on disc. Note that an extremely rare picture disc version of this LP was also produced in much smaller numbers, presumably as a gift for top Columbia executives at the time.

All American Top 100 - December 1980 - Various Artists Promotional LP incl. Hungry Heart (CBS/SONY XAAP 90018)
Japan-only sampler whose track selection seems to be based on the November 8, 1980 US “Billboard Hot 100” singles chart. Unique yellow/red/white picture sleeve features an exclusive circular picture of Bruce on front (highlighting “Hungry Heart” as a “Pick Up Single”) as well as a “River” LP cover photo inset with Japanese and English info text on rear. Disc carries red CBS/Sony “For Promotion Only” labels.

1981
Ardientes Del Rock, Vol. 1 - Various Artists LP incl. Hungry Heart (CBS 333-0029)
Ecuador-only sampler in colour title sleeve; orange labels with Spanish song title translations ("Hambriento Corazon") on disc. Other artists featured include REO Speedwagon, The Clash and Toto.

Exciting Highlights From CBS Mastersound - Various Artists Promotional LP incl. Thunder Road (COL AS 902)
US-only white label release promoting Columbia's "Half-Speed Mastered" album catalogue. Gatefold title sleeve with 6-page booklet.

The Sound Of Music On Mastersound - Various Artists Promotional LP incl. Thunder Road (CBS SAMP 15)
Holland-only release introducing the “Mastersound” reissue series in Europe. Black-and-white title/logo sleeve.

Rock-Archiv I - Various Artists 10-LP Box Set incl. Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. (6.30124)
Very rare Germany-only release presented by domestic music magazine "Musik Express"; contains the standard Dutch pressing of Bruce's debut album as well as LP's by other classic artists such as Janis Joplin and The Rolling Stones. Colour picture box with cover photo insets of all included records.

In Harmony 2 - Various Artists LP incl. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (live) (Europe: CBS 85451 / US: COL AL 37641)
Children’s album which marked the first commercially available release of Bruce’s live track (previously distributed on radio station reel-to-reel tapes only). Cute full-colour cartoon picture sleeve; promotional US copies featured a gold stamp on rear. Also issued in Japan (CBS/SONY 25AP 2236).

1982
Zur 10. Rockpalastnacht: Danke Schön! - Die Bosse - Various Artists Promotional LP incl. Born To Run and The River (CBS PROMO 8)
Weird Germany-only sampler issued to commemorate the 10th broadcast of the popular domestic live music TV show “Rockpalast”. According to one source, Bruce was invited to perform on the programme several times, but never did, so his inclusion here seemed to be sort of a tongue-in-cheek “tribute” to him (part of the album’s title translates, “Thank You - The Bosses”). Limited edition of a reported 100 copies. Black-and-white picture sleeve featuring a unique “River”-era live shot of Springsteen (along with photos of the two “Rockpalast” producers); disc has standard orange/yellow CBS labels.

CBS/Sony Highly Recommended Highlight Edition - Various Artists Promotional LP incl. Atlantic City and Open All Night (CBS/SONY XAAP 90049)
Rare Japan-only compilation issued for in-store use. White die-cut sleeve with blue/white Japanese title graphics; red labels on disc.

Give The Gift Of Music - Various Artists Promotional 2-LP Set incl. Atlantic City (CBS CDN 80)
Canada-only sampler issued exclusively to domestic record stores to promote CBS‘ “Give The Gift Of Music” sales campaign for the 1982 Christmas season. Each of the two records‘ four sides are divided into individual themes, with Bruce’s track appearing under “Mainstream” as the last cut on Side Three. Discs carry white promo labels and come in a green title sleeve with details on the campaign on rear.

1984
Hits Sampler - Various Artists Promotional LP incl. Born In The U.S.A. (CBS SAMP 1003)
Obscure compilation issued in Greece. Disc has white labels with lots of weird Greek graphics and comes in plain die-cut sleeve.

1985
U.S.A. For Africa: We Are The World - Various Artists LP incl. Trapped (live) (Europe: CBS USAID FI / US: COL US 40043)
Full-colour gatefold picture sleeve with numerous photos from the All-Star studio sessions inside; including a close-up of Bruce plus two more shots of him posing with other artists. Also issued on CD in the US only.

Ligue-Se No Rocky - Various Artists Promotional LP incl. Dancing In The Dark (CBS 620.098)
Unreal Brazil-only "CBS Especial" pressing for the domestic branch of "Nestle" company to promote their "Rocky" chocolate wafer bar. Unique colour gatefold sleeve has all kinds of product info and related illustrations printed on the inside, so this LP presumably was distributed to confectionery retailers as a marketing item. Red "CBS Especial" labels on disc. Side One contains songs by various Brazilian artists, while Side Two is made up of six international pop hits also featuring Philip Bailey & Phil Collins, Mick Jagger, Cyndi Lauper, Santana and The Jacksons. Very rare.

Deejay Time Surprise - Various Artists LP incl. Dancing In The Dark (CBS 26812)
Italy-only compilation. “Dancing In The Dark” is the regular album version, with the last few seconds oddly mixed into the beginning of the subsequent track, Eighth Wonder’s “Stay With Me”. Disc carries red CBS labels and comes in a weird colour picture sleeve.

CBS: Pleno Acierto. Para Lograr Récords En Sus Ventas - Various Artists Promotional Picture Disc LP incl. Darlington County (CBS; no catalogue number)
Extremely rare, Spain-only promotional picture disc that most likely was distributed exclusively as an in-house item at CBS Madrid. Side One comprises material from domestic artists like Placido Domingo and Julio Iglesias, while Side Two contains tracks by five international acts. The disc itself is designed to look like a dartboard, and comes inside a full-colour gatefold picture sleeve with Spanish-language notes and a photo of Bruce on the inside. Tracklisting on rear features a misprint of “Darlington Country”.

1986
Ruthless People - Various Artists Soundtrack LP incl. Stand On It (Europe: EPIC 70299 / US: EPIC E 40398)
The very first commercially available soundtrack album featuring a Bruce Springsteen song ("No Nukes" not counted as a soundtrack per se); also issued in several other countries including Argentina and former Yugoslavia. Marks the only appearance of “Stand On It” on a vinyl album. Colour picture sleeve with small photo of Bruce on rear; Dutch copies distributed in the German-language area came with a special gold sticker on the front cover. Also issued on CD.

Music For The Miracle - Various Artists LP incl. Cover Me (Europe: EPIC 26793 / US: COL FZ 40315)
The very first benefit album to include an original Springsteen song; issued in support of the T. J. Martell Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS research. Colour picture sleeve. Also released in Argentina as "Musica Para El Milagro" (CBS 120.747).

10 Xponia CBS - Various Artists Promotional 2-LP Set incl. Dancing In The Dark (CBS SAMP LP 1057)
Very rare Greek release issued to commemorate the 10th anniversary of CBS’ local branch (the album title translates “10 Years CBS”). The first LP consists solely of songs by domestic artists, while the second features international acts such as Bob Dylan, Santana, Neil Diamond, Sade and Wham. Colour gatefold sleeve; discs carry standard orange/yellow CBS labels.

1987
CBS/Sony Presents American Hit Tunes, Vol. 16, Oct. 1987 - Various Artists Promotional LP incl. Brilliant Disguise (CBS/SONY XDAP 93175)
Rare Japan-only compilation in colour picture sleeve depicting a unique drawing of Springsteen based on the “Tunnel Of Love” album inner sleeve photo. Disc carries red labels with “For Promotion Only” imprints, strangely marking the record as being the “September ’87 Issue” (whereas the cover states “Oct. 1987”).

A Very Special Christmas - Various Artists LP incl. Merry Christmas Baby (live) (Europe: A&M 393911-1 / US: A&M SP 3911)
Charity album in support of Special Olympics International; marks the only appearance of Bruce’s live track on a vinyl album. Red/gold art sleeve with Keith Haring design. Also issued on CD.

1988
Untitled "Tele 7 Jour" Sampler - Various Artists LP incl. Brilliant Disguise and Tunnel Of Love (CBS SAMLP 1195)
Rare France-only compilation exclusively available to readers of domestic magazine "Tele 7 Jour". Colour picture sleeve with album cover insets of Bruce's "Tunnel Of Love", Terence Trent D'Arby's "Introducing The Hardline According To…", Michael Jackson's "Bad" and George Michael's "Faith" (two tracks from each of which are included on the album). French type on front reads, "Un Disque Exclusif Offert Par Tele 7 Jour Et CBS". The disc itself was pressed in Holland and carries white promo labels.

Folkways - A Vision Shared: A Tribute To Woody Guthrie & Leadbelly - Various Artists Promotional LP incl. I Ain't Got No Home and Vigilante Man (COL CAS 1261)
Limited US-only release in Columbia’s “Interchords” series containing the soundtrack of the appropriate longform home video, i. e. alternate "live" takes of Springsteen's abovementioned contributions plus a short interview. Single black-and-white picture sleeve with unique rear design; originally contained an info letter for radio DJ’s. Note that there also is a second US promo which features the standard album versions and comes with the regular colour gatefold cover, making it fairly easy to distinguish from the far more collectable "Interchords" LP. Very rare.

Quality At A Nice Price - Various Artists Promotional LP incl. Badlands (CBS NICE1)
Very rare Australia-only sampler promoting the CBS "Nice Price" album catalogue; exclusively given away as a competition prize by domestic magazine "TV Week". Individually numbered colour title sleeve with small inset of the "Darkness..." LP cover on rear.

1990
The Last Temptation Of Elvis - Various Artists 2-LP Set incl. Viva Las Vegas (NME 038/039)
UK-only charity album in support of the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy organization. Colour gatefold picture sleeve with cool illustrations of Bruce, Paul McCartney and Tanita Tikaram dressed up in Elvis movie-style gear. Also issued as a double CD.

1991
United Artists For The Poet: Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary - Various Artists LP incl. Chimes Of Freedom (live) (COL 468275 1)
Rare Italy-only Dylan tribute LP; marks the only official vinyl album appearance of Bruce's version of "Chimes Of Freedom". Blue-tinted picture sleeve featuring a moody portrait of The Bard; Italian liner notes on inner sleeve. Also issued as a CD (468275 2), which is equally tough to find.

1998
Laatste Sony Music Elpee - Various Artists Promotional LP incl. Born In The U.S.A. (COL SAMPLP 5239)
Manufactured in limited quantities to commemorate the March 1998 shutdown of Sony’s vinyl pressing plant in Haarlem, Holland, and exclusively distributed among employees of said facility. Colour picture sleeve. Other artists featured include Doris Day, Scott McKenzie, Meatloaf, Simon & Garfunkel and Barbra Streisand.

2008
Record Store Day - April 19, 2008 - Various Artists Promotional LP incl. Girls In Their Summer Clothes (SONY/BMG 88697291751)
12-track sampler given away as a free item with the purchase of any Columbia/Epic/Legacy vinyl LP at participating independent record stores in North America and Europe during the first “Record Store Day” campaign on April 19, 2008. Stickered colour picture sleeve.