USA music legend Bob Dylan, whose poetic lyrics have influenced generations of fans, won the Nobel Literature Prize on Thursday, the first songwriter to win the award in a decision that stunned prize watchers.

Dylan, 75, is arguably the most iconic poet-musician of his generation.

With songs like "Blowin' in the Wind" on behalf of the civil rights movement, Dylan made a difference, Ball said.

He said he wanted to teach a course on Bob Dylan. He will receive a prize of $927,740.

Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexievich won last year's Nobel literature award.

"They sound like old British people sniffing and harrumphing about kids these days, which is kind of amusing given the fact that Dylan has had a profound impact on our culture and also on writing for half a century".

The Academy's permanent secretary Sara Danius described Dylan's songs as "poetry for the ears". "But it is perfectly fine to read his works as poetry".

American singer and songwriter Bob Dylan has been awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize for Literature.

Danius told The Associated Press that a "great majority" on the 18-member Nobel panel voted for Dylan.

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He added, "It shows taking seriously the need to more quickly defend the industry against unfair dumping of steel". According to Chinese authorities , China has met its 2015 goals regarding overcapacity cuts.

Another said that while he appreciates Dylan's selection, he is concerned about the future of the award. I intend to spend the day playing "Mr. Tambourine Man", "Love Minus Zero/ No Limit", "Like a Rolling Stone", "Idiot Wind", "Jokerman", "Tangled Up In Blue" and "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall".

Dylan, who was born Robert Allen Zimmerman in 1941, "has the status of an icon", the Swedish Academy wrote in a biographical note.

By his early 20s, he had taken the folk music world by storm. And for 54 years, he's been at it, reinventing himself, creating a new identity. "No one has ever done anything like him", she added. He pursued them all, sometimes separately and other times simultaneously, establishing a towering influence.

American writer Joyce Carol Oates applauded the Nobel Prize awarding to Bob Dylan, while taking the opportunity to attack U.S. Presidential candidate Donald Trump, whom she refused to name in full. By a sad coincidence, Fo died Thursday at 90.

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet was one of the first to congratulate Bob Dylan on being awarded the Nobel Prize in literature.

In his will, prize founder Alfred Nobel wrote that the literature award should go "to the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction".

FILE - In this January 12, 2012, file photo, Bob Dylan performs in Los Angeles.

Bob Dylan, onstage in Victoria-Gasteiz, at the Azkena Rock Festival.

The 12-time Grammy victor is the first American to win the prize in over two decades.