I'm Not There is a film about the life of Bob Dylan that follows seven characters, each embodying a different aspect of Dylan's life story and music. The film covers Dylan's early days as a struggling folksinger, the rise to the forefront of the early-'60s folk scene, the controversial switch to rock, the motorcycle accident and the subsequent retreat from public view, and the latter-day de-emphasis of recording and concentration on the concert series known as the Never Ending Tour.

This soundtrack contains 34 Dylan cover songs that were recorded specifically for this project, and includes the following performers:

• Eddie Vedder
  
• The Hold Steady
  
• Jack Johnson
  
• Jeff Tweedy
  
• Catpower
  
• Willie Nelson
  
• Calexico
  
• Karen O
  
• Iron & Wine
  
• Antony
  
• Sufjan Stevens
  
• Jim James