No period of Bob Dylan's six-decade career confounds fans more than the
1980s. The singer began the decade with Saved, the second in a trio of
explicitly religious records, and a tour in which he declined to play
his older songs because of concern they were anti-god. Dylan's
ambivalence about the songs that made him an icon was mirrored by fans,
many of whom found his post-conversion messages strident and judgmental.
This made Saved his worst selling album in years and set a pattern for
the next several years. Despite being a prolific time, in which the
singer released seven studio albums, the decade was defined by
inconsistency. Throughout the 1980s, some of his most profound work
alternated with lackluster compositions and indifferent performances -
sometimes on the same album. However, even as Dylan struggled
artistically, all of his albums contained reminders of why he continued
to be celebrated. By the end of the decade, his perseverance - both on
stage and in the studio - and a spontaneous collaboration with some of
his peers coalesced into his best received releases since the 1970s.
Rather than closing a book, the combination of Oh Mercy and the first
Traveling Wilburys record pointed to new chapters. The 1990s began a
remarkable run of success that few popular artists have managed at any
stage of their careers
