The Artists Bob Dylan Couldn't Stand—and What That Tells Us About Him

A deep dive into Bob Dylan’s complicated relationships with fellow folk artists and his fierce guard over musical authenticity.

Bob Dylan is no stranger to praise. He’s a Nobel Prize winner, an icon, and one of the most studied figures in music history. But while he’s earned a lifetime of admiration, Dylan himself hasn’t always returned the favor. In fact, he’s been famously blunt about other artists—sometimes offering sharp, dismissive, or downright hostile opinions on bands considered untouchable by their fans.

It’s not about pettiness or bitterness. If anything, Dylan’s critiques reveal his fierce commitment to authenticity and a deep skepticism toward imitation, overproduction, and shallow lyricism. Here are six bands and artists who felt that sting—along with what those moments tell us about the man behind the music.

The Beatles – “Yesterday” & “Michelle”

Dylan and The Beatles respected each other’s work—but that didn’t mean Dylan held back when it came to the Beatles’ softer pop ballads. He singled out “Yesterday” and “Michelle” for criticism, dismissing them as lightweight and overly sentimental.

In Far Out Magazine, a quote attributed to Dylan cuts to the chase: “What is this? It’s me, Bob… [Lennon’s] doing me!” It’s a telling moment—not only of Dylan’s ego, but of how closely he guarded his artistic identity. To him, these songs were pale reflections of the folk authenticity he had championed.

Despite this, Dylan was fascinated by Lennon’s lyrics and admired the Beatles' shift toward deeper songwriting later in their career. Still, he seemed to draw a clear line: imitation wasn’t flattery—it was theft.

The Rolling Stones – Covering “Like A Rolling Stone”

Dylan has publicly called the Stones “the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band,” but that didn’t stop him from criticizing them. In particular, he seemed annoyed by their cover of “Like A Rolling Stone,” and wasn’t a fan of Mick Jagger’s theatrical stage persona.

“I didn’t give a shit for what he was doing,” Dylan reportedly said of Jagger’s live performances. He preferred the grit of blues artists like Howlin’ Wolf to the spectacle of rock showmanship.

Tensions came to a head in 1995 when Dylan, during a joint appearance, stormed off stage mid-performance after muttering angrily in the direction of the band. Though not well-publicized, the story’s persistence underscores how personal the perceived slight must have been.

Simon & Garfunkel – Folk Scene Rivals

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel occupied similar folk territory as Bob Dylan in the 1960s, but any sense of kinship between them was limited.

At Gerde’s Folk City—a key Greenwich Village venue—Dylan was said to have laughed during their performance, with some accounts suggesting it was deliberate mockery rather than coincidence.

Backstage, things were reportedly tense and distant. While it never escalated into a public feud, Dylan’s discomfort with anything he viewed as overly polished or commercially slick may have clashed with Simon & Garfunkel’s refined songwriting and harmonies.

Guns N’ Roses – Covering “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door”

If anyone thought covering a Dylan song guaranteed his approval, think again. Guns N’ Roses turned “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” into a sprawling hard rock anthem—and Dylan was not amused.

In a stinging putdown, he compared their version to Invasion of the Body Snatchers, calling it an unsettling imitation of something once genuine. That’s particularly pointed given Dylan had once backed Guns N’ Roses during their rise.

His distaste wasn't about loyalty—it was about tone. Dylan’s original was sparse and intimate. The GNR version, by contrast, was bombastic and theatrical—everything Dylan seemed to reject.

Neil Young – “Heart of Gold”

Dylan’s relationship with Neil Young is a complicated mix of admiration and mild annoyance. The two have toured together and spoken highly of one another in public, but Dylan didn’t hold back when “Heart of Gold” became a massive hit.

In interviews, Dylan said: “The only time it bothered me was when I heard ‘Heart of Gold.’ I liked it when it came out, but I always thought, ‘Shit, that’s me. If it sounds like me, it should as well be me.’”

It’s an intriguing remark—part praise, part critique. Dylan appears to recognize Neil Young’s skill, while also suggesting that “Heart of Gold” borrowed too closely from his own signature style. The song may have struck Dylan as a reflection of his own musical tone and lyrical sensibility, echoed through someone else’s voice.

Counting Crows – Reverence Rejected

Even modern rock bands haven’t escaped Dylan’s sharp tongue. According to his former guitarist César Díaz, Dylan once referred to Counting Crows as “a piece of shit.”

The band was heavily influenced by Dylan’s style—frontman Adam Duritz even cited Dylan as a songwriting hero. But for Dylan, their admiration might have come across as hollow mimicry.

He’s spent his career reinventing himself and avoiding nostalgia. Bands like Counting Crows, who lean heavily on ’60s and ’70s aesthetics, may have struck him as creatively stuck or overly reverent.

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Bob Dylan’s criticisms aren’t random jabs or petty rivalries. They reflect a deeper code: a belief that music should be lived, not copied. He values imperfection over polish, rawness over refinement, and evolution over imitation.

Whether he’s swiping at a rock legend or brushing off a newer band, Dylan's message is consistent: don’t pretend to be something you’re not. And don’t expect a thank-you just for liking him.

His critiques, though sometimes harsh, have shaped the way we think about music and authenticity. In that way, Dylan remains—as ever—not just a songwriter, but a cultural critic in his own right.

Sources:

•          Far Out Magazine

•          The Times UK

•          CheatSheet

•          The New Yorker

•          The Guardian

•          Dylan interviews compiled by Clinton Heylin

Image: Public Doman - Svenska Dagbladet via IMS Vintage Photos