The Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan last October 13, 2016. He is the first musician to ever win the award and is considered the highest honor in the literary world.
Bob Dylan aged 75, is a twelve-time Grammy winner. He is a native of Minnesota and entered the music industry in the 1960's after dropping from college. He's most popular work includes several hit songs such as "Forever Young," "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," and "Blowin' in the Wind." He released 37 albums throughout his career.
The Swedish Academy has handed out 113 Nobel Prize in Literature since 1901 and it was the first time that a musician ever won. The award usually goes to playwrights, novelists, journalists, and writers.
A lot of musicians were happy with Bob Dylan's win as it seems to have stretched the boundaries of winning the literature award. It has finally paved way for more commercial forms of art to be appreciated and recognized.
Dylan is a poet in his own right and had written popular protest songs like "The Times They Are a-Changin'," and "Like a Rolling Stone." He often referenced poets in is lyrics and also published "Tarantula" which contained poetry he wrote.
New York Times mentioned that many literary scholars have argued on Bob Dylan's lyrics and many academic works have been devoted in studying his music. Cambridge University Press even released "The Cambridge Companion to Bob Dylan," which just proves how good his work is.
The award is not without critics though. There are some people who took to social media and vented out their frustration about Dylan winning the prestigious award. Writer Pamela Paul wrote, "Still processing Bob Dylan winning Nobel Prize in Literature. So many deserving novelists. ... Second year in a row Nobel Prize in Lit hasn't gone to fiction writer. Someone could write a good story about this."
While another critic who was really astounded by Bob Dylan's win tweeted, "Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize for Literature? The times they are a' changin'."
