10 Most Perfect Bob Dylan Songs, Ranked

Picking the very best Bob Dylan songs is a risky business—he’s prolific, shape-shifting, and responsible for dozens of tracks that could reasonably be called perfect. Much of his most celebrated work came in the 1960s, but strong songs span his whole career, and personal taste will steer listeners toward different eras.

Take this list with plenty of grains of salt. At number 10 is “The Times They Are a-Changin’” (1964), an early, blunt anthem from Dylan’s third album. Number 9, “All Along the Watchtower” (1968), is famously covered by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, yet Dylan’s original remains a sparse, ominous, almost mythical piece.

“Not Dark Yet” (1997) sits at eight as the introspective centerpiece of Time Out of Mind, while seven’s “I Want You” (1966) offers one of Blonde on Blonde’s punchier, more immediate moments. Closing out the first half of the list is “Desolation Row” (1965), an 11-minute portrait that rewards repeated listening and invites many interpretations.

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