The Gaslight Anthem is an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, consisting of Brian Fallon (lead vocals, guitar), Alex Rosamilia (guitar, backing vocals), Alex Levine (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Benny Horowitz (drums, percussion). They released their first album, Sink or Swim, on XOXO Records in May 2007, and their second album, The '59 Sound, on SideOneDummy Records in August 2008. The band's third album, American Slang, was released on June 15, 2010.

[T]he Gaslight Anthem is part of a rich tradition of New Jersey punk, spanning the Misfits to the Bouncing Souls." The Gaslight Anthem's music also embraces many elements of the Jersey Shore sound. Brian Fallon's fondness for Springsteen, a significant influence on their music, is a fact celebrated by fans and critics alike. However the band claims they never set out to sound like the New Jersey icon. Representative of such views, one critic wrote, "The Gaslight Anthem are like something out of speculative fiction: this is what pop music would be if Springsteen hadn't listened to his producer, let The Ramones record Hungry Heart, and launched the C.B.G.B.'ers into megastardom.". Drummer Benny Horowitz and guitarist Alex Rosamilia stated that "We're more Bruce Springsteen appreciators. We didn't start listening to him until we joined the band. I always liked his songs when I heard them, but I wasn't a big fan until I met Brian [Fallon]."

Following the release of their third full—length album, American Slang, Fallon himself said, "There's so much else that we look at for our sound and influences that you don't want to be notched in with one guy," Fallon explains. "There's a lot of things [Springsteen] does that I admire. We come from a lot of the same places but a lot of different places, too. But at the same time, that's a good thing to be compared to. I think it's one of those things we're gonna have to wear until it wears out." Of the Springsteen comparisons, Rosamilia also added, "I think there's enough out there on the Internet about that already."

Joe Strummer has often been spoken about and referenced by lead singer Brian Fallon and the song "I'da Called You Woody, Joe," is a tribute to the legendary Clash frontman. Fallon has a tattoo of Strummer. As stated in multiple interviews with members of the band, there is an influence of the motown genre. This influence was exemplified and magnified on the album The '59 Sound.

Brian Fallon has stated several times that without The Replacements there would be no Gaslight Anthem, as they are heavily influenced by them, especially their song 'Left of the Dial'.