57 Channels (And Nothin' On)

"57 Channels (And Nothin' On)"
"57 Channels (And Nothin' On)"
Single by Bruce Springsteen
from the album Human Touch
B-side	"Part Man, Part Monkey" (US); "Stand on It" (UK);
Released	June 1992
Genre	Rockabilly
Length	2:28
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Bruce Springsteen
Producer(s)	Bruce Springsteen; Jon Landau; Chuck Plotkin; Roy Bittan;
Bruce Springsteen singles chronology

"57 Channels (And Nothin' On)" is a song written and performed by American musician Bruce Springsteen, appearing on his album Human Touch, released in 1992. The song was released as a single, charting in the top 100 in various countries. A video for the song was also released. The title may be a reference to cable television, which carries more channels than terrestrial television.

Music video

The accompanying music video illustrates the song's narrative, culminating in a recreation of Ant Farm's infamous 1975 "Media Burn" stunt, wherein a speeding car crashes through a pyramid of television sets. The same art collective was also responsible for Cadillac Ranch, immortalized in the Bruce Springsteen song of the same name (from The River). Springsteen also plays a bass, which he also played in the recording.

In a September 2014 post on Facebook discussing the video, Springsteen wrote, "Shot back in the quaint days of only 57 channels and no flat screen TVs, I have no idea what we were aiming for in this one outside of some vague sense of 'hipness' and an attempt at irony. Never my strong suit, it reads now to me as a break from our usual approach and kind of a playful misfire."^[2]

Personnel

According to authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon:^[3]

Bruce Springsteen – vocals, bass
Jeff Porcaro – drums, percussion
Roy Bittan – keyboards

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "57 Channels (And Nothin' On)"
Chart (1992)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[4]	107
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[5]	25
Ireland (IRMA)^[6]	26
Italy (Musica e dischi)^[7]	18
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[8]	29
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[9]	39
Norway (VG-lista)^[10]	9
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[11]	32
UK Singles (OCC)^[12]	32
US Billboard Hot 100^[13]	68
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[14]	6

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	June 1992	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl CD cassette	Columbia
Japan	June 25, 1992	Mini-CD	Sony	^[15]
United Kingdom	July 13, 1992	7-inch vinyl CD1 cassette	Columbia	^[16]
United Kingdom	July 20, 1992	CD2	Columbia	^[17]

References

^ Springsteen, Bruce (March 31, 2022). "Human Touch & Lucky Town". classicrockreview.com. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
^ Springsteen, Bruce. "Shot back in the quaint days of only 57 channels..." Facebook. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
^ Margotin, Philippe; Guesdon, Jean-Michel (2020). Bruce Springsteen All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 311. ISBN 978-1-78472-649-2.
^ "Bruce Springsteen chart history, received from ARIA on July 3, 2024". ARIA. Retrieved July 4, 2024 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column indicates the release's peak on the national chart.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2006." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – 57 Channels (And Nothin' On)". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved June 1, 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, with "57 channels (and nothin' on)" in the "Titolo" field, click "cerca".
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Bruce Springsteen" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
^ "Bruce Springsteen – 57 Channels (And Nothin' On)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
^ "Bruce Springsteen – 57 Channels (And Nothin' On)". VG-lista. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
^ "Bruce Springsteen – 57 Channels (And Nothin' On)". Singles Top 100. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
^ "Bruce Springsteen: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
^ "Bruce Springsteen The E Street Band Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
^ "Bruce Springsteen The E Street Band Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
^ "57チャンネルズ | ブルース・スプリングスティーン" [57 Channels | Bruce Springsteen] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. July 11, 1992. p. 19.
^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. July 18, 1992. p. 19.

[1] Springsteen, Bruce (March 31, 2022). "Human Touch & Lucky Town". classicrockreview.com. Retrieved August 19, 2024.

[2] Springsteen, Bruce. "Shot back in the quaint days of only 57 channels..." Facebook. Retrieved January 8, 2015.

[3] Margotin, Philippe; Guesdon, Jean-Michel (2020). Bruce Springsteen All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 311. ISBN 978-1-78472-649-2.

[4] "Bruce Springsteen chart history, received from ARIA on July 3, 2024". ARIA. Retrieved July 4, 2024 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column indicates the release's peak on the national chart.

[sc_Canadatopsingles_-5] "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2006." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 1, 2022.

[sc_Ireland2_-6] "The Irish Charts – Search Results – 57 Channels (And Nothin' On)". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 1, 2022.

[7] "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved June 1, 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, with "57 channels (and nothin' on)" in the "Titolo" field, click "cerca".

[sc_Dutch40_Bruce_Springsteen-8] "Nederlandse Top 40 – Bruce Springsteen" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 1, 2022.

[sc_Dutch100_Bruce_Springsteen-9] "Bruce Springsteen – 57 Channels (And Nothin' On)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 1, 2022.

[sc_Norway_Bruce_Springsteen-10] "Bruce Springsteen – 57 Channels (And Nothin' On)". VG-lista. Retrieved June 1, 2022.

[sc_Sweden_Bruce_Springsteen-11] "Bruce Springsteen – 57 Channels (And Nothin' On)". Singles Top 100. Retrieved June 1, 2022.

[sc_UKsinglesbyname_Bruce_Springsteen-12] "Bruce Springsteen: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 1, 2022.

[sc_Billboardhot100_Bruce_Springsteen_The_E_Street_Band-13] "Bruce Springsteen The E Street Band Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2022.

[sc_Billboardmainstreamrock_Bruce_Springsteen_The_E_Street_Band-14] "Bruce Springsteen The E Street Band Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2022.

[15] "57チャンネルズ | ブルース・スプリングスティーン" [57 Channels | Bruce Springsteen] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 12, 2023.

[16] "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. July 11, 1992. p. 19.

[17] "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. July 18, 1992. p. 19.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]