"Down in the Groove" is an album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on May 30, 1988 by Columbia Records. This was Dylan's 25th studio album, and it was received with mixed reviews upon its release. The album was seen as a product of Dylan's '80s period of rapid output and mixed reception, characterized by noticeable stylistic shifts, use of various session musicians, and covers of traditional and contemporary songs.
"Down in the Groove" includes collaborations with several notable artists such as Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, and Ron Wood. Its song lineup was rearranged in the last minute before the release. As a result, some of the songs initially planned for the album were released separately and some cover songs were included. Notably, "Silvio", co-written with Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, became a surprise hit, reaching #10 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The track "Rank Strangers to Me" – a cover of The Stanley Brothers' song – has been hailed as one of Dylan's most beautiful recordings.
Despite the short period of popularity, the album was not well-received by critics and Dylan fans alike. It has been seen as disjointed and lacking the coherence of some of his other work. However, like all Dylan's works, it has its defenders who argue it contains moments of musical brilliance that are sometimes overlooked.
