Jackson Browne – Running On Empty

Running on Empty, Jackson Browne’s fifth album, stands as a remarkable blend of live performance and conceptual storytelling. Recorded in 1977 entirely while on tour—capturing moments onstage, backstage, in hotel rooms, and even aboard the tour bus—the album offers a vivid snapshot of a musician’s life on the road. This unconventional approach, featuring entirely new material rather than live renditions of familiar songs, brings an authenticity and intimacy that resonated widely with listeners. It quickly became Browne’s best-selling work, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard charts and eventually earning a 7× Platinum certification.

The album balances lyrical introspection with accessible, heartfelt musicianship. Its title track and the medley "The Load-Out/Stay" became enduring radio staples, while the ensemble—including David Lindley, Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkel, Craig Doerge, and others—delivers performances rich in warmth and emotional clarity. This record not only reinvigorated Browne’s artistic profile but also expanded his audience, combining conceptual innovation with genuine connection.

Reviews

“As impressed as I am with Jackson Browne’s art, I’m even more impressed with the humanity that shines through it. Maybe they’re inseparable, but I doubt it.” – Rolling Stone

“Browne’s least ambitious, but perhaps most accessible, album ironically became his biggest seller. … for many, it will be the only Browne album they will want to own.” – AllMusic

“Jackson sounds relaxed verbally, vocally, even instrumentally… I consider this his most attractive album.” – Robert Christgau

“It cuts deeper than most road sagas partly because Browne had the brilliant notion of recording on the fly… it taps the culture’s circa-1977 sense that it was running on empty, feeling like a trashed Holiday Inn room—Empty is about something larger than the misery of room service.” – Blender

“Running on Empty … has both the real rocker’s raw-edged sensibility and a filmmaker’s unflinching reportorial eye… Here, however, his regular recording band works out with a vengeance, and the raw clatter adds a weight and an authority to his lyrics… a marvelous, compelling piece of work.” – Stereo Review

Features

• 180-gram vinyl
• Remastered audio and original package artwork