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Kevin Nguyen
Dr. David McLemore
History of rock and roll
3/19/25
Bob Dylan's and Michael Jackson’s analysis
Throughout the history of popular music, very few artists have stayed relevant and have
changed their style of music quite a bit over time, quite like Bob Dylan and Michael Jackson.
Both musicians have been successful for many years by changing the style of music that they
sing or perform to match the new flows and surroundings of the time and changing what tone
and stance they take in the music industry. In this essay, we will go over how music from Bob
Dylan and Michael Jackson has evolved and changed due to different preferences from the
public. For Bob Dylan, we will cover “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan,” which came out in 1963,
and “Blood on the Tracks,” which came out in 1975. These two were picked because they show
how he changed from an artist who primarily focused on folk to an artist who talked about his
personal stories while incorporating a bit of folk. Similarly, Michael Jackson’s “Off the Wall” in
1979 and “Bad” in 1987 showed how he went from a rock star and a global phenomenon to
someone who made music that was more polished and theatrical. By looking into these two
songs, we can better see how both artists have changed and adapted to the trends of music while
maintaining their separate styles of the feel of their previous works.
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Bob Dylan quickly became a major figure when it came to the folk music comeback in
the early 1960s. His second album, “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan,” was a turning point in his
music career, and it showed how he could use his music to address social and political issues of
the time. His songs “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” have quickly led to
the civil rights and anti-war movements. These acts quickly allowed Bob Dylan to become a
major player in the space and allowed him to build his reputation for being a solid songwriter
and singer. The album is raw, and it is coupled with many acoustic instruments, but the main
highlight of this album is his voice combined with his guitar and harmonica. This spotlighted the
simplicity and directness of the messages he was trying to spread to the public.
However, by the mid-1970s, Bob Dylan had shifted his views on songwriting
significantly. His album “Blood on the Tracks” in 1975 had a different feeling to it than his
previous albums. This album talks about love, heartbreak, and regret. Unlike his other albums
that focused on political and social issues, songs like “Tangled Up in Blue” and “Simple Twist of
Fate” told stories and had a lot of emotion to them; this was probably due to Bob Dylan talking
about his personal stories and the problems that came with it, like his failing marriage. Even his
musical style had changed; up until that point, his music had been primarily folk music.
However, during this album, he decided to expand into the rock and blues category; this shows
how Bob Dylan was willing to grow and adapt to the needs and wants of the music industry at
that time. His shift from political messages to personal messages shows how he can change and
adapt to stay relevant and resonate with his listeners in new ways.
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Dylan’s change between these two albums has also reflected bigger changes in the music
industry. In the 1960s, folk music had close ties to activism and social problems, but in 10 years,
people started to shift to a new form of music; they wanted more personal music. Dylan adapted
to this shift in music and proved his ability to make music that he hadn’t been a part of while also
keeping his unique songwriting style.
Michael Jackson’s career was also built off transformation and change. From a young
age, Michael Jackson was a star; he was a part of the Jackson 5; he quickly became one of
Motown’s biggest success stories. But, with his album “Off the Wall” in 1979, he decided to take
a different route to become a separate artist with a new beat and a new identity with the help of
Quincy Jones, who made the beat for this album. The album had hints of disco, R&B, and pop.
This blend of genres gave Michael Jackson a new and different sound to the album, allowing him
to be the leading figure in popular music at the time. Some of his standout tracks were “Don’t
Stop ’Til You Get Enough” and “Rock with You.” These songs stood out to most people because
they had calm vocals, and they had catchy beats, allowing them to stay in the heads of listeners
for longer.
While “Off the Wall” was an album about disco and good-feeling music, his album in
1987, named “Bad,” was a big change in both his music and images and his career in general.
The album has songs like “Bad,” “Smooth Criminal,” and “Man in the Mirror.” These songs
were very different from his previous work, and they strayed from the disco side of Michael
Jackson, and these songs leaned more into electronic, rock, and funk esthetic. The production of
this album was way more well done; it almost felt like it was sharper, and Michael Jackson’s
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vocals were intense and commanding. That isn’t to say that his vocals weren’t commanding, but
you could pick up well on it in this album. That wasn’t the only thing that changed when you
look on a deeper level into the album; the themes that he touches upon are broader, and he covers
more topics, from bettering yourself personally to empowering yourself to social justice. He
covers a lot in this album.
To add to his musical change, his album “Bad” was a major turning point in his
discography and his music videos. These music videos became an experience of their own; they
had elaborate storytelling, and the budget for these music videos was virtually nonexistent. To
back that all up, the choreography was amazing for the time. The video that still stands out to me
is “Smooth Criminal,” where he did his famous lean, while the song “Bad” was a dramatic short
film that Martin Scorsese directed. This transformation in presentation gave him the ability to
take and corner the industry, and his music videos set new standards when it came to producing
music videos.
Both Bob Dylan and Michael Jackson not only changed their style of music to fit the
times, but they both had a big influence on shaping these changes in taste. Bob Dylan’s shift
from political folk music to storytelling reflected the transition in songwriting in the 1970s. The
reason for his success is that he was willing to change his music while also maintaining the style
and feeling that he had built in his time making music. This ensured his success and influence in
the space. Michael Jackson’s change from a disco pop star to a global icon was, to say the least,
very impressive. His ability to push the boundaries allowed him to be one of the most influential
people in the pop music space.
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Their careers also show a difference when you analyze their different approaches when it
comes to staying relevant in the music industry. Bob Dylan’s success was because of his
songwriting, the constant shifting of stories, and his poetic style, which reflected the new areas
when it came to his life and career. On the other hand, Michael Jack’s change was rooted in
musical and production renovation and his groundbreaking music videos. Both artists proved that
they could adapt creatively and understand what the consumer wants and how to adapt their
music so that it fits into the times. These were the reasons why they are still known today and
have lived in the long run.
Bob Dylan and Michael Jackson are prime examples of how musicians should and can
grow and change while also remaining relevant in their music category. Bob Dylan’s change
from political folk songs in his album “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan” to deeply personal stories
in “Blood on the Tracks” points out how he can change his style while still finding success and
maintaining his poetic style. Michael Jackson’s change from his album “Off the Wall” to the
different and quite ambitious album “Bad” shows us that he can adapt and change the genre in
his way.
By looking at these two albums, it quickly becomes clear that to find success in the music
industry is to change your music to tailor it to what the people want while also keeping what it
means to be you. Bob Dylan and Michael Jack not only adapted to the changes that came with
time but also shaped what was to come for the future of art. Both people have left legacies and
inspiration for the future generation.
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