There are a lot of things one could say about Bob Dylan, but no one can accuse his music of being stale. Dylan is an artist who has taken many creative risks, alienating his audience more than once. Creativity at the expense of your audience isn’t a bet that many musicians are unwilling to accept. They may stretch their wings a bit, but a complete 180 isn’t for just anyone. It takes a truly generational artist to pull off that balancing act, as Dylan has done time and again.
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Although Dylan himself has been considered passé at various points in his career, unlike many of his peers, his perspective remains fresh. He may be a classic artist, but he’s still writing his legacy. Dylan once spoke about the idea of aging out of the industry, pointing a finger at two music legends who, in his opinion, should’ve retired before they lost their spark.
Two Music Legends Bob Dylan Called Relics of the Past
Dylan has taken many controversial steps in his career, notably the first time he picked up an electric guitar and his born-again Christian phase. However, in the end, Dylan has always prevailed. Though not all of his music has been well received by his audience, his keen perspective on the world around him has always made his work interesting.
Since the onset of his career, Dylan has been holding a mirror up to the world in a way none of his contemporaries can. His genre might switch, but his talent has never wavered. This keeps him relevant, at least more so than some of his peers.
“A Relic of the Past”
Conversely, there are several artists from Dylan’s generation, as well as those from the few preceding generations, who haven’t been as fortunate in terms of relevance. Endurance sometimes requires some evolution, and many artists refuse to evolve.
Dylan once spoke about some of those artists, calling two legendary performers “relics of the past.” Quite the harsh statement, especially given he was talking about Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.
“[Elvis is] a relic of the past,” Dylan once said. “[Frank] is on the way to becoming a relic. If I was him, I would be retired by now.”
While both of those artists delivered timeless work, it’s not timeless in the same way as Dylan’s music. Dylan is timeless because he writes astute lyrics that are eye-opening in any era. These crooners are timeless due to their nostalgia factor and enduring appeal. Their songs may not be relevant today, and that’s why we like them. They remind us of a bygone generation.
The downside of that is that, towards the end of their careers, the audience grew bored while they were still alive. It takes hindsight for nostalgia, and that is something those fans didn’t have at the time. This is the caveat Dylan points out here, daring to criticize the greats. Though it’s a bold stance to take, he isn’t entirely off base.
(Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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