Rock critic and Bruce Springsteen biographer Dave Marsh dies at 76

Dave Marsh, the pioneering rock critic, prolific author, and influential radio host whose passionate writing helped define the art of music journalism, has died. He was 76. Marsh passed away on August 14, 2026, at his home in Norwalk, Connecticut.

His death was confirmed by his longtime friend and SiriusXM colleague Jim Rotolo. "Some sad news today, E Street Nation," Rotolo wrote, announcing that Marsh had passed away after a period of declining health.

Born in Pontiac, Michigan, in 1950, Marsh was immersed in music from an early age. He became one of the founding editors of the seminal rock magazine Creem in 1969 after dropping out of Wayne State University. His sharp, often confrontational voice quickly became a hallmark of the publication. He later moved on to become the music editor at Newsday and then an associate editor at Rolling Stone, where he spearheaded the first edition of the Rolling Stone Record Guide in 1979.

Marsh authored more than 25 books, but his most celebrated works were his biographies of rock icons. His 1979 New York Times bestseller, "Born to Run: The Bruce Springsteen Story," was one of the first major explorations of the artist's career and cemented a...