Blowin’ in the WindBob Dylan1rank/position

Bob Dylan – Blowin’ in the Wind (Official Audio)

Bob Dylan released a simple yet moving classic in 1963.

Included on the album “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan,” it became the song that brought his name to worldwide recognition thanks to Peter, Paul and Mary’s hit cover.

Playable with just three simple chords, it combines singable familiarity with a deep message, making it a perfect practice piece for beginner guitarists.

Knockin’ On Heaven’s DoorBob Dylan2rank/position

Bob Dylan – Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door (Official Audio)

Released in Japan in 2025, the film “A Complete Unknown” starring Timothée Chalamet drew attention in Japan as a work depicting the youth of the legendary, still-in-the-making musician Bob Dylan.

It likely sparked interest in Dylan among many younger viewers.

Dylan’s song “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”—featured in the film “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid,” for which Dylan composed the soundtrack—is a timeless classic covered by countless artists and bands.

In Japan, it’s also well known by its Japanese title “Tengoku e no Tobira” (Heaven’s Door), and fans of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure will recognize the reference in the beloved character Rohan Kishibe’s Stand, “Heaven’s Door.

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Masters of WarBob Dylan3rank/position

Bob Dylan – Masters of War | Warlords (Japanese Subtitled ver.)

Released in the spring of 1963, this song by Bob Dylan is known as an anti-war anthem that delivers a scathing critique of war leaders.

Expressing protest against the nuclear arms buildup of the Cold War era, the song harshly condemns the military–industrial complex and those who profit from war.

Featured on the album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, it moved many with its direct and powerful lyrics.

Covered by various artists, including Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam, it is celebrated as a song with a timeless, universal message.

Highly recommended for those who yearn for peace or wish to stand up against social injustice.

The Times They Are A-Changin’Bob Dylan4rank/position

Bob Dylan The Times They Are A Changin’ 1964

Bob Dylan, a legend of the folk world who won the Nobel Prize in Literature as a musician and left his mark not only on the history of world music but also on literary history.

His songs are all warm and deeply human.

Released in 1964, the year after his signature song Blowin’ in the Wind, The Times They Are A-Changin’—known in Japanese as Jidai wa Kawaru—also encapsulates his appeal.

You can simply lose yourself in the melody, cover it if you play acoustic guitar, or unravel the meaning of the lyrics.

He is an indispensable, paramount figure when it comes to talking about folk music.

Like a Rolling StoneBob Dylan5rank/position

Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone (Official Audio)

When it comes to the signature songs of American musician Bob Dylan, a recipient of honors such as the Grammy Awards, the Academy Awards, and the Nobel Prize in Literature, “Like a Rolling Stone” is indispensable.

Released as a single in 1965, it reached No.

2 on the Billboard chart.

Today, it is regarded as one of the most important songs symbolizing the transformative era of rock in the 1960s.

It has been covered by countless musicians, and in Japan, well-known artists such as Keisuke Kuwata and LOVE PSYCHEDELICO have also recorded their own versions.

A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna FallBob Dylan6rank/position

A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall

Bob Dylan has had such an impact on modern music that it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him the progenitor of singer-songwriters.

When he was active, the world was in chaos, and by singing about politics and war, he brought people together.

“A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” is a song that recounts the horrors of war from the perspective of a father who has gone to the front, as told to his son.

It’s arranged with only acoustic guitar and vocals, delivered in a restrained manner, yet its lyrics, laden with symbolism of the events, give listeners space to reflect.

Some say the “hard rain” in the song refers to “whizzing bullets” or “spurts of blood.” It’s a song that prompts deep thought about peace.

Don’t Think Twice It’s All RightBob Dylan7rank/position

Don’t Think Twice It’s All Right – Bob Dylan

Don’t fret; it was something that couldn’t be helped either way.

Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” is a song that gives a powerful push to young people struggling with a breakup.

It supports a positive shift in mindset—the sense that just by your existing, I can keep on traveling.