He has often been described as more of a poet than a musician. Now Bob Dylan has earned a Nobel Prize for his work in songwriting.
The 75-year-old prize was announced at midday today. He has been awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize for Literature "for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition”.
BREAKING 2016 #NobelPrize in Literature to Bob Dylan “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition” pic.twitter.com/XYkeJKRfhv
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 13, 2016
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Previous laureates of the same prize have include WB Yeats, Rudyard Kipling, Ernest Hemingway and Samuel Beckett. So, he is in fine company.
The recipient was decided by a panel of 18 Academy members. The favourite to win the award this year was Syrian poet Adonis, so Dylan's name has come as quite a shock.
It is believed that Dylan is the first musician to win the award. However, he has published literature in the past including a collection of prose poetry and the first part of his memoirs, 'Chronicles: Vol. 1'. He has not yet commented on the award.
