Studio Album · No. 19
Infidels Songwriting Credits by Bob Dylan
Holds writing credit on 8 of 8 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 8 / 8 documented
Scored across the 8 tracks with documented writers, by whether Bob Dylan carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 8 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Bob Dylan wrote all of the songs on Infidels himself, with no co-writers listed in the Wikipedia track listing. The album was co-produced by Dylan and Dire Straits guitarist Mark Knopfler, who also suggested engineer Neil Dorfsman for the sessions. It marked Dylan's return to secular material after his gospel trilogy.
Released October 27, 1983, Infidels marked a decisive pivot away from the explicitly Christian material of Dylan's three preceding albums, returning him to secular subject matter while retaining dense biblical imagery throughout. The album was co-produced by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits and was notably the first Dylan album recorded entirely on digital equipment, with Sly and Robbie providing the reggae-inflected rhythm section. Dylan wrote all tracks, and the album incorporates heartland rock, folk rock, and reggae influences; Rolling Stone's Christopher Connelly called it "Dylan's best poetic and melodic work since Blood on the Tracks." It reached No. 20 in the US (achieving gold certification) and No. 9 in the UK, while topping the charts in Norway, representing his strongest commercial performance in years. The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop Critics Poll ranked it tenth for 1983, Dylan's highest critical placement since 1975, though some critics noted that several strong outtakes, including "Blind Willie McTell," were controversially withheld from the final release.