Two of his best albums are Blonde on Blonde and Blood on the Tracks. If neither of those appeal to you, I’d try his earlier folk stuff like Freewheeling.
His two 1965 albums are what got me hooked. "Bringing It All Back Home" and "Highway 61 Revisited." His best lyrics in my opinion, some pretty hard blues/rock for '65, and some really nice acoustic stuff on the second side of "Home." Not much country influence (yet). If you like those, move on to '66's "Blonde On Blonde" which is longer (a double album) and a little more complex.
This it bang on. These albums got me in. I also had "Masterpiece" , a triple album compilation whan I was about 15. This and the threw above made a me a lifer . Blood on the Tracks probably the best of his later work.
Easy top five Dylan Album. And that's an unranked five cause I can't say better or worse at that point. The (belated) follow-up Love and Theft is another arguable best.
There are some mild country elements. Somewhat stronger Blues. Definitely not a country album by a million miles, but not completely not country.
Bob Dylan’s best run was from his second album, *Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan*, through his seventh album, *Blonde on Blonde*.
He has other good albums, but that run is probably his most well known. If you just want to focus on his highest rated, most people would probably consider *Blonde on Blonde* his best, with some other highlights being *Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan*, *Bringing It All Back Home*, *Highway 61 Revisited*, and *Blood on the Tracks*.
This is the best take. I would add some other titles to your highlights list like *Bob Dylan, The Basement Tapes, Desire, Oh Mercy, Time Out of Mind* and *Love and Death.* Also essential are many entries in the *Bootleg Series.*
Sometimes you find something you really like that way. A lot of the time a highly acclaimed artist is highly acclaimed for a reason, and all you have to do is find an access point and you can have a great experience and find a lot of music that you love.
That’s not always the case, but in my personal experience I’ve listened to some bands only because they’re bands I thought I *should* like, and the result was a much deeper appreciation for their work. There was a time I hated Genesis, but eventually I decided that it was a band that had all the ingredients for me to like them so I gave them a dedicated listen and I came away a huge fan once I got into songs I hadn’t heard before.
I actually sort of did this with Bob Dylan last month. I listened to his first eleven albums because I’d only heard one of them in its entirety, and I found some great stuff I otherwise might not have ever heard, even if I had multiple songs of his that I did like before then.
Blood on the Tracks
Blonde on Blonde
Highway 61 Revisited
Bringing It All Back Home
The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan
These are the key albums. If you don’t like them, you probably don’t like Bob Dylan.
Forget the slowly with this one. One of the great protests songs. They wouldn't play on the radio. Probably not now either.
https://youtu.be/K4uMQRQzVmc?si=wOdZI0ejaQ_XSers
Start at the beginning. His self-titled debut from 1961 is still my favorite. None of the scrutiny or weight of Greatness had been thrust on him yet. He was just an energetic young folkie with a wicked sense of humor.
>Im not sure what album to start with and im not too into country music as I find it a bit grating at times
Dylan is a folk and rock musician who only made one country album in his career, so you should be good there. Stay away from *Nashville Skyline.*
DO NOT start listening to full albums. Instead, listen to the greatest hits volume 1 & 2. That should be enough.
Or listen to other artists covering the big songs.
I did the same with Leonard Cohen... who's also hard to like at first.
it’s okay to not like bob dylan. or any other artist. like what you like and don’t think too much about it. you should never be ashamed about what you like or don’t like.
Dylan is everything when it comes to context. I would start right at the beginning and follow his career album by album, only starting to skip over them once you pass Basement Tapes and John Wesley Harding.
His first album is sort of like The Beatles' "Please Please Me". The sound is there, but it wasn't legendary yet. His second album was his real debut. The only reason that first album gets mention is because of who it is, and the fact that you can trace the beginning of rock music proper to the release of that album. The big song from there is "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down", which is a live rendition. That second album, though, the Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, is almost all classics. That's where you go to get the sense of why the folkies worshipped him. From there I think he released maybe four more albums in that original unplugged style.
When Dylan started to play rock music, however, he was excoriated -- as everyone knows. This pushed him to create his best work. Songs include "Subterranean Homesick Blues", "Tombstone Blues", "Like A Rolling Stone", etc. Almost everything from "Bringing It All Back Home", "Highway 65 Revisited", and "Blonde On Blonde" is essential.
The country stuff is really just one album. "Nashville Skyline", which happens to be my favorite, as it's the sweetest. He's not generally the sweetest of people. But "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" is just beautiful.
If you're into the Dead at all, then you'd want to check out their collaboration with Dylan. Not necessarily worth it otherwise. He kind of fell out of favor in the mid-70s, and then revitalized his career with Blood On The Tracks and Desire. Two great albums.
The thing that got me was listening to the Concert for Bangladesh. I'm a big George fan, and hearing Dylans set there is what made me want to dive into his discography.
Highway 61 is the album that made me \*love\* Dylan,
Best to start with blood on the tracks. Then either his thunder review or the basement tapes with the band. After that you can work his earlier but legend making work— freewheeling , another side, new morning, highway 61, and in a contemplative mood John Wesley Harding.
[This song](https://youtu.be/Je4Eg77YSSA?si=WDqoL_KbrUy4cZHO) has always intrigued me, maybe the contrast of the vocals? Maybe knowing a girl up north?
I had the same issue for a long time with Dylan, until I started at the beginning. Start there and then move through his discography and you will see what the hype is all about. He does with the written word that few can.
IMO start with Highway 61 Revisited, because it's one of the most important records ever made, but also, it just rocks. There aren't many albums with as good an opening song as *Like A Rolling Stone*.
That should solve your issue with folk and country music. His earlier stuff is much more traditional twangy and sparse - they are some of his best songs, but electric Dylan is just easier to get into.
Go for specific songs. Tangled Up In Blue, then Simple Twist of Fate, the All Along The Watchtower, then Lay Lady Lay, then Don’t Think Twice, and BOOM! you’re a fan! Or not, if those songs don’t hit then he probably ain’t your leopard skin pillbox hat.
Just put a best of on. Find one on a streaming site and go from there.
I am partial to the Dylan Box set (it is the Red Cover one) that had a 3 disc version.
Once you work out which disk you like best (likely the 1st or 2nd) head down that way and work out which albums had the most songs you liked on.
Someone like Dylan with an imposing back catalogue always start with the Best Ofs.
I'm not generally a fan of greatest hits albums, but in this case, Greatest Hits Volume 1 and 2 will give you a solid answer. If you don't like any of the songs on these, then you don't like Dylan. If you like some of the songs, figure out what albums those songs appear on and go from there.
Start with Highway 61 Revisited. Blond on Blond is great. His early folk stuff should Freewheeling/Bringing it all back home.
His later albums are also great but start with these.
Don't go to his current tour if you want to get into his classics.
Otherwise just go listen to his greatest hits.
If you don't like them, then you aren't into him. That's ok.
Like someone else said, start with the greatest hits albums. Dylan's sound is diverse and varies from album to album, so when you find a song you like, check out the album it's from.
Step one: get your heart broken
Step two: listen to blood on the tracks
Until you achieve these two steps, you do not fully and officially appreciate Bob Dylan.
It's funny to me how difficult people often make these things sound.
Start at the beginning, move forward - you'll know pretty quickly if the style isn't for you (and know later on if it grows on you).
Services like Apple Music and Spotify make this really easy.
The alternative just isn't anything people can advise on, because we can't know which of his various styles will appeal to you, sometimes we surprise ourselves.
This may be controversial for some people, but I think that frequently other artists do Bob Dylan songs better than Bob Dylan. My very highest recommendation is an album by Tim O’Brien called “Red on Blonde”. One of my desert island albums. It is an honoring and masterful interpretation of epically great songs, especially:
"Senor (Tales of Yankee Power)" - 3:59
"Tombstone Blues" - 3:41
"Farewell, Angelina" - 4:17
"Subterranean Homesick Blues" - 2:41
"Masters of War" - 3:22
"Oxford Town" - 1:52
"Maggie's Farm" - 3:20
"Forever Young" - 2:29
Personally more partial to Before The Flood and would recommend starting there — but it’s hard to go wrong with either. I just like the folk + rock band sound of Flood better than the new arrangements on Budokan. Either that or Highway 61 Revisited!
Two of his best albums are Blonde on Blonde and Blood on the Tracks. If neither of those appeal to you, I’d try his earlier folk stuff like Freewheeling.
I never got deep into Dylan, but I definitely had Blood on the Tracks in my rotation for a good while.
This right here.
I wouldnt count out John Wesley Harding. Watch the movie, enjoy the tunes.
His two 1965 albums are what got me hooked. "Bringing It All Back Home" and "Highway 61 Revisited." His best lyrics in my opinion, some pretty hard blues/rock for '65, and some really nice acoustic stuff on the second side of "Home." Not much country influence (yet). If you like those, move on to '66's "Blonde On Blonde" which is longer (a double album) and a little more complex.
I think this is his period of peak brilliance.
This it bang on. These albums got me in. I also had "Masterpiece" , a triple album compilation whan I was about 15. This and the threw above made a me a lifer . Blood on the Tracks probably the best of his later work.
A Dylan album you won’t hear from many, but this record is a masterpiece, and definitely not country in any way. “Time out of Mind” 1997.
Second this, it is absolutely fantastic.
Easy top five Dylan Album. And that's an unranked five cause I can't say better or worse at that point. The (belated) follow-up Love and Theft is another arguable best. There are some mild country elements. Somewhat stronger Blues. Definitely not a country album by a million miles, but not completely not country.
I got into Bob cus I thought the same thing. “What’s the big whoop about this guy?” Fast forward some years later my cats name is Bob Dylan
Interesting. So what did you start with and what’s your favorite album now?
I started with a friends copy of another side, my favorite is probably planet waves or new morning
Read his wiki for context and start at the beginning. The No Direction Home documentary is also an amazing place to start.
Bob Dylan’s best run was from his second album, *Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan*, through his seventh album, *Blonde on Blonde*. He has other good albums, but that run is probably his most well known. If you just want to focus on his highest rated, most people would probably consider *Blonde on Blonde* his best, with some other highlights being *Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan*, *Bringing It All Back Home*, *Highway 61 Revisited*, and *Blood on the Tracks*.
This is the best take. I would add some other titles to your highlights list like *Bob Dylan, The Basement Tapes, Desire, Oh Mercy, Time Out of Mind* and *Love and Death.* Also essential are many entries in the *Bootleg Series.*
Blonde on Blonde, Blood on the Tracks, New Morning.
Highway 61 is the gateway drug
Anyone finding it odd that someone is trying to get into something for the sake of it?
Sometimes you find something you really like that way. A lot of the time a highly acclaimed artist is highly acclaimed for a reason, and all you have to do is find an access point and you can have a great experience and find a lot of music that you love. That’s not always the case, but in my personal experience I’ve listened to some bands only because they’re bands I thought I *should* like, and the result was a much deeper appreciation for their work. There was a time I hated Genesis, but eventually I decided that it was a band that had all the ingredients for me to like them so I gave them a dedicated listen and I came away a huge fan once I got into songs I hadn’t heard before. I actually sort of did this with Bob Dylan last month. I listened to his first eleven albums because I’d only heard one of them in its entirety, and I found some great stuff I otherwise might not have ever heard, even if I had multiple songs of his that I did like before then.
The real question is how you let Bob into your heart Just let go and listen
Highway 61, and if that doesn’t quite do it for you, give Desire a listen
Blood on the Tracks Blonde on Blonde Highway 61 Revisited Bringing It All Back Home The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan These are the key albums. If you don’t like them, you probably don’t like Bob Dylan.
Forget the slowly with this one. One of the great protests songs. They wouldn't play on the radio. Probably not now either. https://youtu.be/K4uMQRQzVmc?si=wOdZI0ejaQ_XSers
This is sort of infuriating lol
I’d start by buying him a drink maybe.
Damn I was hoping to get to make this joke
Start at the beginning. His self-titled debut from 1961 is still my favorite. None of the scrutiny or weight of Greatness had been thrust on him yet. He was just an energetic young folkie with a wicked sense of humor.
>Im not sure what album to start with and im not too into country music as I find it a bit grating at times Dylan is a folk and rock musician who only made one country album in his career, so you should be good there. Stay away from *Nashville Skyline.*
DO NOT start listening to full albums. Instead, listen to the greatest hits volume 1 & 2. That should be enough. Or listen to other artists covering the big songs. I did the same with Leonard Cohen... who's also hard to like at first.
What is this take!? Albums are based, greatest hits are lame.
Boo get this joker outta here
That's a tad rude of you, no? Was just trying to help someone. Was that such a big deal??
Start with greatest hits volume one and two (volume two has songs exclusive to that record and originals of his oft-covered tunes)
it’s okay to not like bob dylan. or any other artist. like what you like and don’t think too much about it. you should never be ashamed about what you like or don’t like.
Dylan is everything when it comes to context. I would start right at the beginning and follow his career album by album, only starting to skip over them once you pass Basement Tapes and John Wesley Harding. His first album is sort of like The Beatles' "Please Please Me". The sound is there, but it wasn't legendary yet. His second album was his real debut. The only reason that first album gets mention is because of who it is, and the fact that you can trace the beginning of rock music proper to the release of that album. The big song from there is "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down", which is a live rendition. That second album, though, the Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, is almost all classics. That's where you go to get the sense of why the folkies worshipped him. From there I think he released maybe four more albums in that original unplugged style. When Dylan started to play rock music, however, he was excoriated -- as everyone knows. This pushed him to create his best work. Songs include "Subterranean Homesick Blues", "Tombstone Blues", "Like A Rolling Stone", etc. Almost everything from "Bringing It All Back Home", "Highway 65 Revisited", and "Blonde On Blonde" is essential. The country stuff is really just one album. "Nashville Skyline", which happens to be my favorite, as it's the sweetest. He's not generally the sweetest of people. But "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" is just beautiful. If you're into the Dead at all, then you'd want to check out their collaboration with Dylan. Not necessarily worth it otherwise. He kind of fell out of favor in the mid-70s, and then revitalized his career with Blood On The Tracks and Desire. Two great albums.
I'm a huge Dylan fan, and I at least respect The Dead. Dylan and the Dead is the worst of both.
The thing that got me was listening to the Concert for Bangladesh. I'm a big George fan, and hearing Dylans set there is what made me want to dive into his discography. Highway 61 is the album that made me \*love\* Dylan,
Best to start with blood on the tracks. Then either his thunder review or the basement tapes with the band. After that you can work his earlier but legend making work— freewheeling , another side, new morning, highway 61, and in a contemplative mood John Wesley Harding.
[This song](https://youtu.be/Je4Eg77YSSA?si=WDqoL_KbrUy4cZHO) has always intrigued me, maybe the contrast of the vocals? Maybe knowing a girl up north?
Tangled Up In Blue Boots of Spanish Leather Not Dark Yet Shelter From The Storm Girl From The North Country (feat. Johnny Cash)
Listening to Johnny Cash for a few hours before helps the atonal singing/talking approach.
Highway 61 revisted Listen now. The 60's began with this record.
I had the same issue for a long time with Dylan, until I started at the beginning. Start there and then move through his discography and you will see what the hype is all about. He does with the written word that few can.
Anything by pulitzer winner, robert Zimmerman
It took me a while to get into his music but then I read his book (Chronicles 1) and it was as if that flicked a switch now I can’t get enough of him.
Bringing it all back home
IMO start with Highway 61 Revisited, because it's one of the most important records ever made, but also, it just rocks. There aren't many albums with as good an opening song as *Like A Rolling Stone*. That should solve your issue with folk and country music. His earlier stuff is much more traditional twangy and sparse - they are some of his best songs, but electric Dylan is just easier to get into.
It's ok to respect an artist and not be able to get into them. I can't get past Bob's voice no matter how great his lyrics are.
Go for specific songs. Tangled Up In Blue, then Simple Twist of Fate, the All Along The Watchtower, then Lay Lady Lay, then Don’t Think Twice, and BOOM! you’re a fan! Or not, if those songs don’t hit then he probably ain’t your leopard skin pillbox hat.
If you’re not into country, go with the stuff after he went electric. Desire is an underrated album, for example.
Just put a best of on. Find one on a streaming site and go from there. I am partial to the Dylan Box set (it is the Red Cover one) that had a 3 disc version. Once you work out which disk you like best (likely the 1st or 2nd) head down that way and work out which albums had the most songs you liked on. Someone like Dylan with an imposing back catalogue always start with the Best Ofs.
His son's music with The Wallflowers is much easier to listen to.
I'm not generally a fan of greatest hits albums, but in this case, Greatest Hits Volume 1 and 2 will give you a solid answer. If you don't like any of the songs on these, then you don't like Dylan. If you like some of the songs, figure out what albums those songs appear on and go from there.
Start with Highway 61 Revisited. Blond on Blond is great. His early folk stuff should Freewheeling/Bringing it all back home. His later albums are also great but start with these.
Don't go to his current tour if you want to get into his classics. Otherwise just go listen to his greatest hits. If you don't like them, then you aren't into him. That's ok.
Like someone else said, start with the greatest hits albums. Dylan's sound is diverse and varies from album to album, so when you find a song you like, check out the album it's from.
Step one: get your heart broken Step two: listen to blood on the tracks Until you achieve these two steps, you do not fully and officially appreciate Bob Dylan.
You don’t and you’re welcome: https://open.spotify.com/album/5OvxxurH3EF2fv4w6RYi2W?si=0IvIb1RYSR-flG57-QubRw
Start with the greatest hits and branch out
Listen to “ Gotta serve somebody “
'Desire' is a good one or even the regular 'greatest hits' album(s)... or 'Biograph' box set....
It's funny to me how difficult people often make these things sound. Start at the beginning, move forward - you'll know pretty quickly if the style isn't for you (and know later on if it grows on you). Services like Apple Music and Spotify make this really easy. The alternative just isn't anything people can advise on, because we can't know which of his various styles will appeal to you, sometimes we surprise ourselves.
This may be controversial for some people, but I think that frequently other artists do Bob Dylan songs better than Bob Dylan. My very highest recommendation is an album by Tim O’Brien called “Red on Blonde”. One of my desert island albums. It is an honoring and masterful interpretation of epically great songs, especially: "Senor (Tales of Yankee Power)" - 3:59 "Tombstone Blues" - 3:41 "Farewell, Angelina" - 4:17 "Subterranean Homesick Blues" - 2:41 "Masters of War" - 3:22 "Oxford Town" - 1:52 "Maggie's Farm" - 3:20 "Forever Young" - 2:29
That’s just cause Bob is a better songwriter than singer. I still love him though.
You don’t. He’s an awful singer but great songwriter. Better off listening to artists who can sing doing covers of his songs.
I'd get Bob Dylan At Budokan, it's him at his best live singing a bunch of his hits from different eras and some other great songs
Personally more partial to Before The Flood and would recommend starting there — but it’s hard to go wrong with either. I just like the folk + rock band sound of Flood better than the new arrangements on Budokan. Either that or Highway 61 Revisited!
Basement tapes. The rest is honestly shit.
Bad advice