This might not be the best idea for a list, I know. We here @ JV don’t write about music we don’t like. But this is different, this is my fav artist..by far, and the 5 worst Bob Dylan albums still contains much great music. A bad Dylan album might still be a good album.

It’s always easy to write negative critique, but I chose not to comment on the 5 albums on the list… except highlighting the best song/songs.

To set the record strait: on my “all time greatest albums” list I have 3 Dylan records @ top 3:

1. Blonde On Blonde
2. Highway 61 Revisited
3. Blood On The Tracks
4. Exile on Main St. – The Rolling Stones
5. Born To Run – Bruce Springsteen

 

My rules:  I’ve excluded Greatest Hits/Best of albums, but bootleg series & live albums are in. And Christmas in the Heart is also excluded from this “competition”, it’s not really a Dylan album after all.

Then we are down to 52 albums.. and here are the worst:

1. Down In The Groove
   
   

   Released	May 30, 1988
   Recorded	1983–1987
   Genre	Rock
   Length	32:10
   Label	Columbia
   Producer	unlisted

   Best song: Silvio
   

2. Dylan
   
   

   Released	November 19, 1973
   Recorded	April 24, 1969 – June 4, 1970
   Genre	Rock, folk rock
   Length	33:22
   Label	Columbia
   Producer	Bob Johnston

    Best Song: Mr.Bojangles

3. Dylan & The Dead
   

   Released	February 6, 1989
   Recorded	July 1987
   Genre	Rock
   Length	43:07
   Label	Columbia
   Producer	Jerry Garcia John Cutler

   Best Song: Queen Jane Approximately

4. Self Portrait
    

   Released	June 8, 1970
   Recorded	April 24, 1969 – March 30, 1970
   Genre	Country rock, rock
   Length	73:15
   Label	Columbia
   Producer	Bob Johnston

   Best Songs: Copper Kettle (The Pale Moonlight), Days of’ 49, Early Mornin’ Rain, Let It Be Me & Living The Blues

5. Real Live
   

   Released	November 29, 1984
   Recorded	Summer 1984
   Genre	Hard rock
   Length	50:15
   Label	Columbia
   Producer	Glyn Johns

    Best Songs: Highway 61 Revisited, Masters of War & Tombstone Blues

Here is a spotify playlist with the best songs from the worst albums:
(PS – I did not find “Dylan” on spotify… hence the missing “Mr. Bojangles”)

4 runners up:

• Knocked Out Loaded (1986)
  remove Brownsville Girl and it might be the very worst
• Bob Dylan at Budokan (1979)
  ok in small portions and contains a great Is Your Love In Vain 
• Saved (1980)
  the tame & toothless sound nearly kills it off, still it contains some really good songs: Saved, Solid Rock, In The Garden,..
• Empire Burlesque (1985)
  with typical bad 80’s production (horrible drum sound), and leaving best versions of key songs in the studio. This one also have some strong songs: Emotionally Yours, Dark Eyes & Tight Connection To My Heart