Bob Dylan and Pete Townshend are two of the most influential figures in rock music, who have had a tremendous impact on the genre. Although they came from different musical and philosophical backgrounds, Townshend, the principal songwriter and guitarist for The Who, who came on the British rock scene in the mid ’60s, was deeply influenced by the older Dylan, who at the time had already transformed folk music with his poetic lyricism and transition to electric rock.
Even though they have never worked together on any project, the mutual respect and appreciation among the legendary artists are unquestionable. Their connection, characterized by a shared respect for each other’s work, was recently highlighted through Dylan’s lighthearted but sincere birthday message to celebrate Townshend’s 80th birthday.
Bob Dylan drops cheeky message to Pete Townshend on his 80th birthday
Happy birthday Pete. Who’s the new boss? Is he like the old boss? Have you met him yet? Say hello to Roger.
— Bob Dylan (@bobdylan) May 19, 2025
Dylan playfully took to the social platform X on Monday, May 19th, to wish The Who Rocker a happy birthday. In the message, the 83-year-old humorously made a reference to The Who’s iconic song “Wont Get Fooled Again,” a track, written by Townshend and famously performed by Roger Daltrey, which includes the memorable line about the new boss being indistinguishable from the old one.
Dylan alluded to the lyric in his post, asking if the new boss was like his predecessor and if Townshend had met the old boss yet.
Fans react to Bob Dylan’s birthday message to Pete Townshend
Dylan’s humorous homage to Townshend on his birthday not only demonstrated his great love of rock history but also connected well with The Who fans, thereby triggering a flood of reactions from them.
Fans took to Dylan’s post’s comment section to pay their tributes to Townshend on his birthday and share personal comments and appreciation for the great guitarist. Some reminisced about their favorite songs by The Who. One fan particularly mentioned the 2024 biographical musical drama film A Complete Unknown, which focused on Dylan’s life and career and made links between it and the legacy of the band The Who.