A very talented, promising young musician just earned his first No. 1 on the Billboard charts, and he goes by the name of [checks notes] Bob Dylan? Yes, Nobel Prize in Literature holder, Oscar winner, and ten-time Grammy award-winning folk legend Bob Dylan has climbed to the top of the charts for the first time in his career at the tender age of 78. Pitchfork reports that Dylan’s 17-minute song “Murder Most Foul†about the assassination of JFK, which he surprise released last month, now sits atop the Rock Digital Song Sales chart after selling 10,000 downloads within its first week of release.
Dylan aficionados may cry false at this designation as Dylan has technically reached No. 1 as a song writer for Peter, Paul and Mary’s “Blowin’ in the Wind†in 1963 and the Byrds’ “Mr. Tambourine Man†in 1965. However, this is Bob Dylan’s first No. 1 single on any chart under his own name. He’s had a slew of songs that have reached No. 2, including “Like a Rolling Stone,†“Rainy Day Women #12 & 35,†and “Things Have Changed,†but he’s never breathed the rarefied air that is reserved for the No. 1 slot on his own. Now, solo artist Bob Dylan has officially joined the company of such musical luminaries as Vanilla Ice, Sir Mix-a-Lot, and, of course, American Idol season-five winner Taylor Hicks. While Dylan has his first No. 1 under his belt, he’s got a long way to go before he catches up with Madonna (12 career No. 1’s), Rihanna (14), or the elusive chanteuse Mariah Carey with her 19 career number ones, but never say never. Keep an eye out for this guy — we think he’s got a big career ahead of him.