Bruce Springsteen’s political commentary has sparked plenty of debate in recent years, and another fellow musician has now joined the growing list of critics.
Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain recently argued that politics has no place on the concert stage, saying artists should focus on entertaining audiences rather than sharing their personal views.
His comments not only took direct aim at the rock legend but also echoed concerns Mick Jagger recently raised about Springsteen’s increasingly political performances.
Bruce Springsteen’s increasingly political concerts have become a talking point beyond his own fan base, with fellow rock legend Mick Jagger offering a different perspective on how artists should approach the stage.
During an appearance on The New York Times podcast “The Interview” earlier in July, the Rolling Stones frontman was asked about Springsteen’s habit of addressing political issues from the stage.
While avoiding a direct personal attack, Jagger made it clear that his own philosophy was very different.
“The bottom line of my thing, really, is that my job in the live music world is [for] those people that come is to have the best time they possibly can,” he said, explaining that audiences should be able to forget “all their problems” for a few hours.
Jagger added that while he occasionally included political themes into his songwriting, he didn’t believe concerts were the place for extended commentary, concluding, “You don’t want to lecture them.”
Jonathan Cain Says Bruce Springsteen Should Leave Politics Out Of His Shows
Jagger isn’t the only rock legend to question Springsteen’s increasingly political performances. Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain soon weighed in with a far more direct assessment.
The 76-year-old didn’t mince words while discussing Springsteen during an appearance on “The Complete Disaster Network” podcast.
Although Cain acknowledged that he held firm political beliefs, he insisted he had never felt the need to turn his concerts into political platforms.
Reflecting on his own views, Cain explained, “I used to be a Democrat back in the old days, but I couldn’t go there anymore, you know? I’m a diehard conservative.”
He then argued that Springsteen should adopt a similar approach, saying, “And guys like Bruce Springsteen should shut up. You know, really, honestly, shut up, Bruce, you know? Him and who’s the other one? Robert DeNiro. I mean, who cares, guys? Do your art. I try to keep politics out of my music.”
The musician added that while he once enjoyed Springsteen’s work, he now saw the singer as “an annoying, bitter old man.”
Cain Explains Why He Keeps His Personal Views Separate From Music
While criticizing Bruce Springsteen’s approach, Jonathan Cain also emphasized that his own political and religious beliefs remained just personal.
The “Separate Ways” singer said fans attended concerts to hear music, not political speeches.
“People say, ‘Well, you’re a Christian and you’re conservative,’ and I’m like, ‘So what?’” he explained, adding, “I don’t preach it on stage. I don’t spend 10 minutes talking about it.”
For Cain, live performances should provide an escape from everyday divisions rather than reinforce them.
He argued that audiences come together through shared songs and memories, regardless of where they stand politically, which is why he believed entertainers should resist using their performances to promote personal ideologies.
Cain Also Took Aim At Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born In The U.S.A.’
Cain’s criticism extended beyond Springsteen’s recent public comments, reaching back to one of his biggest hits.
Discussing “Born in the U.S.A.,” the keyboardist argued that the song itself reflected a message he believed was overly critical of America.
“You were born in the USA, weren’t you, dude? So act like it,” Cain said before adding, “But even that song, if you look at the lyrics, I mean, it’s a kind of a diss toward our country.”
By pointing to the decades-old anthem, Cain suggested that Springsteen’s political messaging didn’t begin with his recent speeches but had been embedded in his music for years.
Jonathan Cain Believes Music Should Unite, Not Divide
Rather than using concerts to show political differences, Cain said he believed music should bring people together.
Citing Paul McCartney as an example, he recalled, “I mean, Paul McCartney said, ‘Hey, when I sing Hey, Jude, Democrats and Republicans all sing together.’”
Cain said he strived to create that same atmosphere whenever Journey took the stage.
“And I feel the same way with Journey,” he explained. “We have our parties out there in the audience, respective parties, and they’re singing Don’t Stop Believin.”
For the veteran musician, that sense of unity was what made live performances memorable, regardless of fans’ political affiliations.
Summing up his perspective, Cain argued that entertainers risked undermining that shared experience when they ventured into politics, concluding, “I just don’t think it’s cool to have celebrities going there. It’s a bad look.”