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There are few artists living today whose legacy can matchBob Dylan, but even with all the acclaim hes received, so many of his records have been completely slept on.
With 40 studio albums and almost as much bootleg material available, it can be difficult for listeners unfamiliar with his body of work to discern which records they should check out next.
WhileTimothee Chalamets excellent performance in the Dylan biopicA Complete Unknownonly explored a brief period in his career, theres far more to this singer-songwriter than just the mid-1960s.
Dylans greatest albumsare littered across his vast career as hes continually reinvented himself across the decades and packed so many styles and genres into his work.
From his poetic confessional songs as a young man to his grizzled wisdom in his later years,Dylan has played by his own rulebook, and his legacy is as somebody who never followed the crowd and always listened to his creative instincts.
This uncompromising attitude meant that much ofDylans musichas been extremely underrated and should be reappraised by listeners as they look back on his extraordinary legacy.
5Another Side Of Bob Dylan (1964)
Bob Dylans fourth studio album
Another Side of Bob Dylanwas sandwiched between two undisputed classics,The Times They Are a-Changin’andBringing It All Back Home.
While the mid-1960s are the most revered era in Bob Dylans career, one great album often gets left out among the discussion of this highly prolific period for the famed singer-songwriter.Another Side of Bob Dylanwas sandwiched between two undisputed classics,The Times They Are a-Changin’andBringing It All Back Home, and felt more like a transition album as he inched ever closer to the controversial decision to go electric.
Yet, this wasone of Dylans most confessional records, and to neglect it ignores important songs like “Chimes of Freedom” and My Back Pages.
4New Morning (1970)
Bob Dylans eleventh studio album
3Shot Of Love (1981)
Bob Dylans twenty-first studio album
No era in Bob Dylans career is more divisive than his born again Christian phase, which resulted in the trilogy of records,Slow Train Coming,Saved, andShot of Love.
This religious awakening meant that Dylans writing became sternly religious, and he lamented on God, Jesus, and the end times during his gospel concert tours.
While some listeners dismiss these records altogether, that would be a terrible mistake, asShot of Lovewas more rooted in hard rock than gospel andfeatured one of Dylans true masterpieceswith its beautiful closing song, Every Grain of Sand.
Custom image by Stephen Holland.
2Good As I Been To You (1992)
Bob Dylans twenty-eighth studio album
Bob Dylan went through some creative difficulties during the 1980s and 1990sas he struggled to maintain his relevance and increasingly felt like a relic from a bygone era.
However, Dylan returned to his folk roots with the astounding covers albumGood as I Been to You, a record that was comprised of traditional folk songs and was his first entirely acoustic record since 1964.
This underrated, back-to-basics approach creatively renewed Dylan as he reconnected with his past and geared up to reinvent himself once again with his later, far more acclaimed comeback record,Time Out of Mind,in 1997.
Bob Dylan followed upGood as I Been to Youwith a second album of traditional folk covers,World Gone Wrong(1993.)
1"Love And Theft" (2001)
Bob Dylans thirty-first studio album
While most Bob Dylan enthusiasts will point toTime Out of Mindas the dawning of a new era as he debuted a more grizzled, aged, and bluesy voice, its important that his follow-up,Love and Theft,doesnt get left behind in this discussion.Released on September 11, 2001, its not surprising that Dylans first 21st-century record is so slept on, as the attacks on the World Trade Center overshadowed its promotional period.
However, looking back, it’s clear that this was some of Dylans most accomplished work and one of the most underrated albums he ever made.
Tracks like “Mississippi” and Summer Days showcased Dylan as an accomplished bluesman willing to share his aged wisdom.
While general listeners imagine the youthful, sunglasses-wearing Dylan of the 1960s when they think of this iconic musician, the songwriting onLove and Theftproved he could still deliver poetic masterpieces as he inched toward his twilight years.
Tracks like “Mississippi” and Summer Days showcased Dylan as an accomplished bluesman willing to share his aged wisdom and have a rocking time while he did it.
While everyone will have a different opinion onBob Dylansmost underrated record, no self-respecting fan can deny thatLove and Theftdeserves to be a much bigger part of his legacy.
