Bob Dylan Albums: Ranked and Graded
By AVEEN BURNEY ‘25
I’m back at it again… but this time with Bob Dylan! Like Hillbilly Shakespeare Hank Williams, Dylan is seen as the Shakespeare of his generation. The lines between poetry and song start to blur. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016, but he considers himself neither a singer nor a poet; instead a song and dance man. I could go on about his incalculable lyrical impact, his guitar skills, and his engrossing voice, but I shall not for the sake of your sanity. Although I’m only including the 60s to 70s Dylan, there are a lot of gems in his later works and collaborations with The Band, which would be for another time. Give him a listen, you will be transformed.
17. SELF PORTRAIT (1970): E
Take a look in the mirror, Bob.
16. DYLAN (1962): F
“Battle of Ira Hayes” is good.
15. PAT GARRETT & BILLY THE KID (1973): D+
It’s a movie soundtrack, but “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” is amazing.
14. BOB DYLAN (1962): C
His first album — there is a new kid on the block, and you can hear the potential. He did not write “House of the Risin’ Sun,” just so everyone knows! Solid covers and two original songs.
13. NEW MORNING (1970): C
Please give “If Not for You” and “The Man in Me” a listen. He does a really nice version of “If Not for You” with George Harrison during the rehearsal for the Concert for Bangladesh. They look like twins wearing blue jeans and jean jackets!
12. PLANET WAVES (1974): C
“Forever Young” is iconic, and “Tough Mama” is so funky. I love everything about this song, which is why I rate the album higher, how impartial. It is a great song to walk to if you want a pep in your step.
11. THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ (1964): B+
This album is what got me into Bob Dylan. The song “The Times They Are A-Changin” is truly a wake-up call that still resonates today. “Only a Pawn in Their Game” is very nice. This is really his “protest” album. Take a look at “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” and “With God on Our Side.” Joan Baez, as always, does a fantastic duet with Dylan for “When the Ship Comes In,” which was inspired by a silly little hotel clerk not giving Dylan a room because of his disheveled state. How oppressed!
10. THE BASEMENT TAPES (1975): B+
Funky album cover. Some really funny and good songs, but the recording quality is not the best. This is because a lot of these songs were recorded at Big Pink, which was a house that Bob Dylan and The Band lived in. After his “motorcycle accident,” Dylan could not go anywhere so he wrote, “You Ain’t Going Nowhere.” Shout out to Mr. Moriarty for doing a killer version of this song, his harmonica skills are absolutely wild. The chorus is so fun, and the lyrics really make no sense to us mortals. Good old Woodstock, NY.
9. DESIRE (1976): A-
The most vulnerable we have ever seen Dylan, which can be seen in his song “Sara,” is about the tumultuous relationship with his wife. A great album if you love The Rolling Thunder Revue documentary on Netflix. “Hurricane” is so powerful. It echoes some of his former “protest” songs. “Isis” and “One More Cup of Coffee” are also very delicious.
8. ANOTHER SIDE OF BOB DYLAN (1964): A-
This is the most underrated album by Dylan. It really just hits differently from the rest of them: he is starting to write his own songs and becomes more personal. He has left the protest crowd and is charting his territory. This album influenced many artists, from the Lumineers, James Taylor, to Bruce Springsteen. “All I Really Want to Do” is so pure and relatable. The lyrics of “My Back Pages” are so flowery, rich, and poetic — “I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now.” My favorite song on the album and one of my favorite Dylan songs is “It Ain’t Me Babe.” No better way to reject someone. Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash do a great rendition.
7. NASHVILLE SKYLINE (1969): A-
Suddenly he has a new voice, and I love it. Maybe it’s because he quit smoking or maybe this is his real voice. Who knows? Bob Dylan goes country, singing a forlorn version of “Girl from the North Country” with Johnny Cash. It is a really underrated album, and one I often find myself coming back to. The sudden change of pace makes this album very refreshing every time you give it a listen.
6. JOHN WESLEY HARDING (1967): A-
While the Beatles were going crazy with Sgt, Pepper’s, and the 60s were roaring with psychedelics like LSD (hehe) and bright colors, in comes this album that goes against the grain. The mood is somber, and the music is simple, with songs like “All Along the Watchtower” being some of his best poetry that won him the Nobel Literature Prize. Jimi Hendrix does an incredible version of the song.
5. THE FREEWHEELIN’ BOB DYLAN (1963): A
This album is smokin’ good. Iconic album cover and absolute bangers like “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Girl from the North Country.” John Lennon was inspired by “Masters of War” so he used the same melody in his song “Working Class Hero.” You can see his Cold War and nuclear war fears in “Masters of War” and the song “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,” which was inspired by the ballad “Lord Randall.” He changed how we write about love and changed our minds about his guitar skills in his beautiful song “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Alright.” An underrated song would be “Corrina, Corrina;” something about this version is so enticing to me.
4. BLOOD ON THE TRACKS (1975): A
Greatest comeback album of all freaking time. The top three songs would be “Tangled up in Blue,” “Simple Twist of Fate,” and “Shelter from the Storm.” “Idiot Wind” is a great song to listen to when angry at everything. According to Mr. Holcomb, Dylan was constantly listening to Joni Mitchell’s album “Blue,” which explains why he was tangled up in blue. Mr. Holcomb is a very reliable source!!! Either way, such a solid album.
3. BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME (1965): A+
Dylan goes electric! The album cover just draws me in. Must listen or else. The poetry of “Mr. Tambourine Man” will send you on a trip, and it reminds me of the third stanza of a Dylan Thomas poem called ‘The Force That Through The Green Fuse Drives The Flower.” I will not list every song because they are all amazing.
2. BLONDE ON BLONDE (1966): A+
“It’s that thin, that wild mercury sound. It’s metallic and bright gold.” No better words to describe the album than from Dylan himself. Rock’s first double album is loaded with amazing songs, uproarious harmonica solos, and the most “from the gut” Dylan vocals ever. This album literally transforms you into a different state of mind and you can never go back again. It’s so pumped up and a mix of everything Dylan acquired. Try to go through this whole album in one sitting. For the sake of these songs, I’ll mention one. There is a funny little reference in “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again” to a song called “I Wish I Was in a Mole in the Ground.” Try and find. If you do, I’ll get you a Grill cookie. Just kidding. Dylan really does love the “Anthology of American Folk Music,” and the titles on some of these songs are so great.
1. HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED (1965): A+
It’s not humanly possible to describe this album in words. Pinnacle of Humanity type of album. Drop whatever you are doing and listen to this right now… and forever.
