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The 25 best musicians of the Rock & Roll era

Who took the top slots for the best artists in the Rock-and-Roll era? Check out the full list.

23. Bob Dylan

David Vincent/AP

  • By Molly Driscoll Staff Writer

Born Robert Allen Zimmerman, Dylan is a singer-songwriter who also plays the guitar, piano and harmonica and is famous for switching from folk music to electronic instruments during the 1960s. Dylan rose to fame during the early 1960s with the song "Blowin' in the Wind" and is known today for songs such as "Like A Rolling Stone," "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" and "Subterranean Homesick Blues." He still tours today.

"I think Bob has a true passion for the challenge, for coming up with something in the music that makes him feel good, to keep on doing it and doing it, as he does now," singer-songwriter Robbie Robertson wrote of him for Rolling Stone. "The songs Bob is writing now are as good as any songs he's ever written. There's a wonderful honesty in them. He writes about what he sees and feels, about who he is... Bob is a great barometer for young singers and songwriters. As soon as they think they've written something good — 'I'm pushing the envelope here, I've made a breakthrough' — they should listen to one of his songs. He will always stand as the one to measure good work by. That's one of the greatest accomplishments of all."

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Mark Sappenfield
Editor

Dear Reader,

About a year ago, I happened upon this statement about the Monitor in the Harvard Business Review – under the charming heading of “do things that don’t interest you”:

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