Bob Dylan’s first Billboard No. 1 single came in 2020 with 'Murder Most Foul'

According to Collider, Bob Dylan did not record a number-one single on a Billboard chart until more than 60 years into his career, when his surprise 2020 release "Murder Most Foul" reached number one on the Rock Digital Sales chart. While Dylan’s albums often found higher chart success — with Planet Waves and Blood on the Tracks hitting number one on the Billboard 200 — his singles never topped the Hot 100 during his prime.

His highest prior single peak was number two with "Like a Rolling Stone," which was kept from the top by the Beatles' "Help!," and "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" also peaked at number two behind The Mamas and the Papas' "Monday, Monday." The 1960s were a highly competitive era for singles, and some of Dylan’s albums later drew criticism.

"Murder Most Foul" is Dylan’s longest song at about 17 minutes, his first original music since 2012, and appears on Rough and Rowdy Ways, which itself peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. The song addresses the assassination of John F. Kennedy, interweaving historical and pop-culture references and commentary on conspiracy theories, and features piano from Fiona Apple and Alan Pasqua.

Key Topics

Culture, Bob Dylan, Murder Most Foul, Fiona Apple, John F. Kennedy