Music legend Bob Dylan has earned his first-ever number one on the US Billboard Chart with 17-minute long single Murder Most Foul.
The singer is top of the pops with a track which was Dylan’s first original song release in eight years. Released on March 27, it addresses the 1963 assassination of US President John F. Kennedy.
Murder Most Foul has topped Billboard's Rock Digital Song Sales chart after being downloaded 10,000 times.
The 78-year-old singer/songwriter has only ever reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 with Like a Rolling Stone in 1965 and Rainy Day Women #12 and #35 in 1966.
Meanwhile his 2000 single ‘Things Have Changed’ reached number two on the Adult Alternative Songs chart 20 years ago.
On releasing the song, he said: “Greetings to my fans and followers with appreciation for all their support and loyalty over the years.
“This is an unreleased song that we recorded long ago that you may find interesting. Stay safe, watch, and may God accompany you.”
Murder Most Foul drew praise from Nick Cave earlier this week.
Writing on his fan interaction website The Red Hand Files, Cave said that Dylan’s creation was “extraordinarily comforting, especially at this moment.”
Billboard noted that Dylan's songs, performed by others, had topped its charts.
Peter, Paul & Mary's version of Blowin' in the Wind was No 1 in the summer of 1963, as was the Mr Tambourine Man cover by the Byrds in June 1965.
In the UK, Dylan has had 8 number one albums but no number one singles.
He has had six top ten singles and his biggest hit was Like A Rolling Stone which reached number four in 1965 and was in the charts for 12 weeks.
He made his first visit to the UK when he was invited to appear in a drama called Madhouse On Castle Street in 1963, and was rapidly becoming a bit of a sensation with his songs Blowin’ In The Wind, A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,
Subterranean Homesick Blues and Like A Rolling Stone.
Bob Dylan’s biggest controversy also happened in the UK when he infamously ‘went electric’ at a Manchester concert in 1966, where he eschewed his acoustic guitar for an electric one and people rioted.
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