There's a ton of talk about Bob Dylan these days thanks to the biopic A Complete Unknown, but there's another reason people should be celebrating the legendary performer.
Monday, Jan. 20, marks the 50th anniversary of Dylan's 15th studio album, Blood on the Tracks, which is often revered by critics as one of Dylan's best albums.
Dylan began working on the record as he was experiencing turmoil in his marriage to wife Sara. And while he's denied in interviews that the songs on the album were inspired by his personal relationship, his son with Sara, musician Jakob Dylan, has been quoted as saying, "When I'm listening to Blood On The Tracks, that's about my parents."
Dylan initially recorded songs for the album in New York City in September 1974, but before the release he decided to rerecord many of the tunes in Minneapolis. The final product wound up featuring five tracks from each session.
Upon its release, Blood on The Tracks became a huge commercial success for Dylan, peaking at #1 on the Billboard 200 and at #4 in the U.K. It's known for such classic Dylan tracks as "Tangled Up in Blue," which was a top-40 hit, "Shelter From The Storm" and "Simple Twist of Fate."
To this day Blood on the Tracks is one of Dylan's bestselling records and has been certified double Platinum for selling over 2 million copies.
Although initial reviews were mixed, Blood on the Tracks is often included on critics' lists of the best albums, including Rolling Stones' 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, where it ranked #9 in 2020. It was also included in the book 101 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. In 2015, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.