Bob Dylan Image by Getty/Christopher Polk/Staff

By PJ Grisar June 29, 2020

Paul Simon once lamented the fact he always seemed to come in second to Bob Dylan.

“I don’t like coming in second,” Simon told Rolling Stone in 2011. Yet, there are some titles where getting second place is not quite so bad. Among them: oldest artist to reach #1 on the UK charts with an album of fresh material.

Dylan is now sitting pretty at that spot with his album “Rough and Rowdy Ways,” right on top of “Old Man” singer Neil Young’s record “Homegrown.”

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Simon, 78, previously held the record for his 2016 album “Stranger to Stranger,” which he released when he was 74. He may well relish his youth when measured against Dylan, who turned 79 last month.

Dylan’s latest is widely cited as a modern masterpiece on par with his earlier seminal records like “Blood on the Tracks.” With “Rough and Rowdy,” Dylan has his ninth #1 album in the UK, which makes him even with British favorites Queen and Swedish pop group ABBA. The artist last toured England in 2009.

The oldest artist to ever top the charts for an album of standards was Vera Lynn, who reached that threshold at 92 and passed away June 20 at the age of 103. Simon still has time to catch up with Dylan and reclaim his record. Either way, it’s crazy these two are still charting after all these years.

PJ Grisar is the Forward’s culture fellow. He can be reached at [email protected].

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount