THE BOSS IS BACK

Bruce Springsteen fans have been waiting a long time for the Boss to reunite with the E-Street Band on a studio album (though they toured together in 2000).

This week, their prayers were answered. The Rising (Columbia), which hit stores on Tuesday (7/30), is the 52-year-old Springsteen’s first album with his fabled band since Born in the USA back in 1984, when the group was playing stadiums and topping the charts.

Plenty has changed in the music biz since then, but, as always, Springsteen is more concerned with events in the world at large. Produced by Brendan O’Brien (Pearl Jam, STP, Train), the set includes 14 new songs, a majority of them written in response to events of Sept. 11, in addition to another version of "My City of Ruins," which Bruce played as the opening number at last year’s America: A Tribute to Heroes telethon. It was subsequently included on the album of the event.

Executive VP Promotion Charlie Walk pointed to the remarkable range of formats playing the album in depth: "We accomplished our goals, getting the record on everything from Adult PoMo and Hot Adult to Top 40 to Active Rock, with a listening audience from 12-54. That, combined with an explosive TV campaign, has really done the trick."

Among the promotion/marketing initiatives surrounding the album:

* AOL Music "First Listen" program debuted four tracks from the album on four consecutive Mondays, starting June 24 with the title track (and first single), followed by "Lonesome Day" (7/8), "Into the Fire" (7/15) and "Mary’s Place" (7/22).

* Bruce and the band performed live from Asbury Park’s Convention Hall on NBC’s Today show on July 30, the morning of release. The entire program was broadcast from the boardwalk, with Katie Couric and Matt Lauer hosting a tour of Springsteen’s adopted hometown.

* Later on Tuesday, Bruce will appears on ABC’s Nightline and Up Close, which will air a two-part interview. He also performed on The Late Show With David Letterman Thursday and Friday nights (8/1-2).

* The Boss will be one of the featured performers on this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, Aug. 29.

* Will appear on Saturday Night Live Oct. 5.

* A year-long tour with the band starts Aug. 7 at the Continental Airlines Arena in NJ, with the first leg including 46 shows in 46 cities, 39 in the U.S. and seven in Europe. The "Rising" jaunt will continue into 2003 with dates in Australia and Europe before finishing up next summer in the States.

* More than 25 years after he appeared on the covers of both Time and Newsweek for Born to Run, Bruce graces this week’s Time with the headline, "Reborn in the USA."

* He’s also on the cover of Rolling Stone, with features in USA Today, N.Y. Times and L.A. Times.

* Limited-edition version of the album includes a hardcover 40-page, full-color booklet including photos and handwritten lyrics.