Dylan refused to be placed on a pedestal during his early career, viewing himself instead as an artist committed to continuous growth and stylistic range. Heavily influenced by figures like Woody Guthrie and blues pioneers Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson, Dylan embraced artistic fluidity comparable to David Bowie's genre-shifting approach. His controversial move to electric music exemplified his rejection of artistic stagnation and desire to explore new sonic territories whilst maintaining the mystique of traditional blues sensibility.

Dylan particularly admired Robert Johnson, whose single recorded album he regarded as brilliant and deserving of far greater critical praise than it had historically received. Despite Johnson's limited discography, Dylan recognised that his emotionally raw and truthful songwriting had profoundly influenced hundreds of subsequent musicians. Whether through Jack White's garage-rock renderings or The Rolling Stones' country reinterpretations, Johnson's work remained inimitable, representing an authenticity that Dylan viewed as the pinnacle of musical artistry.