Bob Dylan Popular Song Rankings [2026]

Motherless ChildrenBob Dylan50rank/position

Bob Dylan – Motherless Children (Official Audio)

This is an early signature work by the legendary American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan.

Based on a traditional folk song, its lyrics about the loneliness and anguish of children who have lost their mothers are deeply moving.

First performed on October 15, 1962, at the Gaslight Cafe in New York City, the song was given new life through Dylan’s emotive vocals and acoustic guitar.

In 2013, a live recording was released as a single, offering a renewed opportunity to appreciate Dylan’s contributions to roots music.

It’s a recommended track for anyone who wants to experience the appeal of folk music.

My Back PagesBob Dylan51rank/position

The Byrds – My Back Pages (1967)

It has become a beloved classic covered by a variety of artists, including The Byrds, Keith Jarrett, and, in Japan, Tamio Okuda and Magokoro Brothers.

The version sung by Tamio Okuda and the Magokoro Brothers was apparently used as a film’s theme song.

Not Dark YetBob Dylan52rank/position

Bob Dylan – Not Dark Yet (Official Video)

The title, when translated literally, would be “It’s Not Dark Yet” in Japanese.

When Dylan thought about his life ahead, he supposedly turned his inner struggle directly into song: “I know the future isn’t bright.

What should I do at times like this?”

One More Cup of CoffeeBob Dylan53rank/position

Bob Dylan – One More Cup of Coffee (Official Audio)

A trip to southern France in 1975 became the inspiration for a song.

Featured on Bob Dylan’s album Desire, this piece is a ballad born from his encounters with the Roma people.

The narrator is about to leave a woman with beautiful eyes and her family.

Between them lies an unbridgeable gap in values—she and her kin live by fortune-telling and a life on the road as a matter of course.

His wish for just one more cup of coffee before parting conveys a tender ache: drawn to each other, yet unable to truly meet.

Scarlet Rivera’s surging violin and Emmylou Harris’s crystalline backing vocals vividly evoke a world rich with foreign allure.

The song was also used in the film Another Day in Paradise and has been covered by many artists, including The White Stripes and Robert Plant.

It’s a track to hear when you stand at a crossroads in life—when you want to feel both the resolve to set out and the lingering pull of what you leave behind.

One Too Many MorningsBob Dylan54rank/position

Bob Dylan – One Too Many Mornings

A track featured on the third studio album, The Times They Are A-Changin, released in 1964.

It was particularly popular in Los Angeles.

The song has been covered by many artists, including the Beau Brummels and Johnny Cash.

One of Us Must KnowBob Dylan55rank/position

One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) [live 1978]

It seems it was released in Japan under the title “Sooner or Later.” As usual, the intro has a cool vibe.

Even the songs with bluesy lyrics are often uptempo, and this one is energizing to listen to.

Rainy Day WomenBob Dylan56rank/position

Bob Dylan – Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (Live at Farm Aid 1986)

The mysterious melody of dissonant chords used in the intro gives the song a sense of its era.

The lyrics, which rhyme as if they were a wordplay, reflect Bob Dylan’s character.

The laughter and cheerful vibe that pop in along the way make it a joy to listen to.