Date Thesis Awarded
5-2024
Access Type
Honors Thesis -- Access Restricted On-Campus Only
Degree Name
Bachelors of Arts (BA)
Department
American Studies
Advisor
Charles McGovern
Committee Members
Max Katz
Simon Stow
Abstract
Bob Dylan is frequently included in conversations of the greatest artists of the 20th century, and yet his influence goes far beyond his music. In this thesis, I examine the question "How did Bob Dylan's relationship with the press from 1960 to 1966 help shape the practice of music journalism?" with a specific focus on how Dylan going electric helped legitimize rock music and rock criticism before the concept was solidified after 1967. Though Dylan is hailed as a great artist in his own right, his influence on rock criticism and his relationship with the press were significant contributions to the creation of the rock countercultural community in the 1960s.
Recommended Citation
Paras, Elizabeth, "The Ballad of a Thin Man: The Birth of Rock Criticism Through Bob Dylan and the Press" (2024). Undergraduate Honors Theses. William & Mary. Paper 2200.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses/2200
