--- description: American folk singer Bob Dylan won the Nobel Literature Prize on Thursday immediately dividing Twitter users. title: The Internet Is Divided Over Bob Dylan Winning the Nobel Prize in Literature image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltec651bbc2396a450/6988a9d7656a3fe7a6bcd70f/bob-dylan-nobel-prize-literature-2.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Ideas](/section/ideas/) ## Ideas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # The Internet Is Divided Over Bob Dylan Winning the Nobel Prize in Literature ## Video: Bob Dylan Receives Nobel Prize in Literature [Watch (HLS stream): Bob Dylan Receives Nobel Prize in Literature](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/NvOfBFJT.m3u8) (0:33)  _Published 2016-10-13. Bob Dylan was named the winner of the 2016 Nobel Prize in literature Thursday in a stunning announcement that for the first time bestowed the prestigious award to someone primarily seen as a musician._ by [Tara John](/author/tara-john/) ## Tara John Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 13, 2016 12:51 PM CUT  Folk music legend Bob Dylan in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 29, 2012\. Dylan won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature, the Swedish Academy announced in Stockholm, on Oct. 13, 2016. Folk music legend Bob Dylan in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 29, 2012\. Dylan won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature, the Swedish Academy announced in Stockholm, on Oct. 13, 2016.Jim Lo Scalzo—EPA by [Tara John](/author/tara-john/) ## Tara John Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 13, 2016 12:51 PM CUT American folk singer Bob Dylan [won the Nobel Literature Prize](http://time.com/4529480/nobel-prize-literature-winner-bob-dylan/ "undefined") on Thursday, immediately dividing Twitter users. The 75-year-old rock legend is the first songwriter and the first American, since 1993, to win the award in literature. The Swedish Academy’s permanent secretary Sara Danius told reporters on Thursday that the choice may appear surprising, but that Dylan deserved the award because he is “a great poet – a great poet in the English speaking tradition. For 54 years he’s been at it, reinventing himself constantly, creating a new identity,” [reports the _Guardian_](https://www.theguardian.com/books/live/2016/oct/13/nobel-prize-in-literature-2016-liveblog "undefined"). The news drew quick praise from users on Twitter who agreed with the Nobel Committee’s choice. > [](https://twitter.com/Jeff%5FDaniels/status/786529841805787138) > [](https://twitter.com/DavidKorins/status/786526966258266112) > [](https://twitter.com/hragv/status/786529263474380800) > [](https://twitter.com/PritishNandy/status/786528958602891264) But others criticized the choice to award a songwriter with an award typically reserved for literature. > [](https://twitter.com/PamelaPaulNYT/status/786528441386438656) > [](https://twitter.com/rezaaslan/status/786525689453305857) > [](https://twitter.com/MorganJerkins/status/786532051402895361) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4529524/bob-dylan-nobel-prize-literature-reaction/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4529524/bob-dylan-nobel-prize-literature-reaction/"},"headline":"The Internet Is Divided Over Bob Dylan Winning the Nobel Prize in Literature","datePublished":"2016-10-13T12:51:44.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T01:10:33.775Z","description":"Some say the musician should not have won a literature award","url":"https://time.com/4529524/bob-dylan-nobel-prize-literature-reaction/","keywords":["Music"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltec651bbc2396a450/6988a9d7656a3fe7a6bcd70f/bob-dylan-nobel-prize-literature-2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Tara John","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/tara-john/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltec651bbc2396a450/6988a9d7656a3fe7a6bcd70f/bob-dylan-nobel-prize-literature-2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"bob-dylan-nobel-prize-literature-2","caption":"Folk music legend Bob Dylan in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 29, 2012. 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