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Bob Dylan wins 2016 Nobel Prize in literature

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You might not be able to figure out what Bob Dylan is singing, but the Nobel judges apparently could.

On Thursday, the ‘60s singer-songwriter became the first musician to win the Nobel Prize in literature.

Nobel judges credited the croaky-voiced folky for “having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.”

Dylan, 75, has long been labelled as the most iconic poet-musician of his generation. Songs such as “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “The Times They Are A-Changin’” became anthems for the U.S. anti-war and civil rights movements of the 1960s. He also influenced generations of musicians, from the Beatles to Bruce Springsteen and Ed Sheeran.

The academy’s permanent secretary, Sara Danius, explained that while Dylan performs his poetry in the form of songs, that’s no different from the ancient Greeks, whose works were often performed to music.

“Bob Dylan writes poetry for the ear,” she said. “But it’s perfectly fine to read his works as poetry.”

Critics would say it’s easier to read Dylan, in fact, than listen to his just-as-iconic voice try to sing the words.

While some writers and fans agreed with the choice, not everyone was a fan. Twitter lit up with several who seemed baffled with Nobel.

“Bob Dylan wins the Nobel Prize for Literature? What’s next, Derek Jeter wins a Tony for his rice pilaf???” tweeted one mystified writer.

-- with files from The Associated Press

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