In the 1980s the quality of work showed Dylan varied, infidels is considered good in 1983, highlighting Down in the Groove in 1988. Critics such as Michael Gray condemned the 1980 Dylan album or to display an extraordinary carelessness in the studio and for failing to release the best songs. [Session Infidel records, for example, produced some famous songs that Dylan has left behind an album. Considered the best of their "Blind Willie McTell" (a tribute to the death and resurrection blues singer in history Afro-American), "Feet Pride" and "Lord protect my child." These songs were released on Bootleg Series Volume 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991.
Between July 1984 and March 1985, recorded the next studio album of Dylan, Empire Burlesque. Arthur Baker, who has remixed results for Bruce Springsteen and Cyndi Lauper, asked the engineer and mix the album. Baker said he believed he was hired to do the album, Dylan's voice "a little more contemporary."
Dylan sang in the United States to raise funds against hunger only Africa "We Are the World". On July 13, 1985, he appeared at the summit during the Live Aid concert at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia. Backed by Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, Dylan made a rough version of "Hollis Brown", the ballad on rural poverty, and told his audience in the world for more than a billion people: "I hope that money ... maybe they can take a little, maybe ... one or two million, maybe ... and use it to pay the mortgage on some farms and farmers here, owe to the bank. "His words were widely criticized as inappropriate, but they inspired Willie Nelson to hold a series of events, Farm Aid, to benefit debt-ridden U.S. farmers.
