58 Years Ago, Two Legendary Rock Acts Were Battling For No. 1

On March 9, 1968, legendary folk musician Bob Dylan released his eighth album, John Wesley Harding. The record was a critical and commercial success, peaking at No. 1 on the U.K. charts and remaining there for ten weeks.

In the United States, however, the album stalled at No. 2 behind The Beatles' ninth studio album, Magical Mystery Tour. The two projects fought for the top spot over multiple weeks, with the Beatles keeping Dylan's record at No. 2.

The Beatles Kept 'John Wesley Harding' Off The No. 1 Spot

Bob Dylan's John Wesley Harding came at a crucial time in the folk legend's career. His past few albums had received immense acclaim from critics around the world, with records like Blonde on Blonde and Highway 61 Revisited serving as undeniable rock anthems that defined the 1960s.

John Wesley Harding was a very different album for Dylan, taking the artist back to his American folk roots with more acoustic, refrain-driven songwriting that took many listeners by surprise. Its success was a demonstration that people didn't just love Dylan for his pioneering rock music, but his musicianship in general.

Meanwhile, MagicalMysteryTour came at a similar moment for The Beatles. The band was coming down from the critical success of Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, experimenting with how they could change their sound and make the most of the new recording technologies of the late '60s.

This context makes The Beatles and Bob Dylan's charts struggle even more crucial, as both artists had something to prove with their new, boundary-pushing records. Their rivalry was only hightened by the media, who constantly found ways to pit the contemporaries against each other.

In reality, Dylan had a close personal and professional relationship with the Beatles—especially George Harrison. The group had met several times during the Beatles' initial tours in America and remained in contact throughout the '60s.

John Lennon was famously inspired by Dylan for his 1965 track "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)", and Dylan's song "4th Time Around" was supposedly a response to this homage. There was definitely a level of competition between the two acts, and this was only heightened by their commercial battle in March 1968.