Joni Mitchell vs Bob Dylan

Joni Mitchell vs Bob Dylan is a fascinating one - less a rivalry than a complex artistic relationship filled with mutual influence, occasional tension, and two very different approaches to being a songwriter-poet.

Mutual Admiration (Mostly)

Dylan clearly respected Joni's talent. He once said she was his favorite poet, and you can hear echoes of her influence in some of his later work. Joni has spoken about Dylan's impact on her - how he opened doors for what a songwriter could do, the literary possibilities.

But Joni has also been quite critical at times.

Joni's Critiques

Mitchell has never been shy about her opinions, and she's taken shots at Dylan over the years. She's criticized what she saw as his pretentiousness, questioned his vocal abilities, and suggested he was overrated as a poet. In interviews, she's said things like she couldn't understand his mumbling, or that his chord progressions were limited.

Some of this felt like Joni pushing back against the automatic reverence Dylan received - the way he was treated as the untouchable genius of their generation, while her own innovations (in guitar tunings, jazz fusion, confessional songwriting) weren't always given equal weight.

Different Artistic Approaches

Dylan was the enigmatic prophet - cryptic, mythical, constantly shape-shifting his persona. Joni was more emotionally direct and musically adventurous, especially as she moved into jazz territory with albums like The Hissing of Summer Lawns and Mingus.

Dylan was celebrated for his lyrics above all; Joni was a complete artist - painter, guitarist with unique tunings, vocalist with a distinctive style, and equally brilliant lyricist.

Gender Dynamics

There's an undercurrent here about how male and female artists were valued differently. Dylan could be cryptic and difficult and it added to his mystique. Joni was often labeled "confessional" (sometimes dismissively) for her emotional honesty. She seemed aware of this double standard and occasionally bristled at it.

The Relationship

They definitely knew each other in the '60s folk scene, and there's been speculation about a brief romantic connection, though details are murky. The artistic dialogue between them - influence, competition, critique - lasted decades.

Ultimately, both are titans. Joni's occasional jabs at Dylan read as someone demanding her own place in the pantheon, not content to be in anyone's shadow.

27.1bn all-time streams (11 Nov '25)

7.8bn all-time streams (3 Nov '25)