Dylan and the Nobel Prize.

On this day (1st April), in 2017 musician Bob Dylan received his awarded 2016 Nobel Prize for Literature.

The Swedish Academy gave him the prize “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.”

He was the first songwriter ever to win the Literature Nobel prize, but the award sparked debate about whether song lyrics actually count as literature. In the eyes of the Nobel Foundation, lyrics are considered a powerful form of poetic storytelling.

After the announcement, the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, Sara Danius, said it had “not been a hard decision” and she hoped the academy would not be criticised for its choice.

Songs mentioned in the Foundation’s discussions included such classics as Blowin' in the Wind, The Times They Are a-Changin' and Like a Rolling Stone.

Dylan didn’t attend the ceremony in Stockholm, playing the whole affair somewhat mysteriously. He claimed he could not attend due to prior commitments, and his acceptance speech was delivered later as a recorded lecture.

The Times They Are a-Changin'