The people at the Swedish Academy deserve a medal or two for their patience in regards to awarding Bob Dylan. No-one in modern history has been quite as difficult to impose a Nobel Prize on than this songwriting legend, who finally accepted the accolade at a private ceremony this week.

Bob Dylan performing liveBob Dylan performing live

The Swedish Academy were relieved to finally get to meet with Bob Dylan and formally award him his Nobel Prize medal in a private ceremony in Stockholm, where he happened to be travelling for his forthcoming Never Ending Tour dates.

Many rallied to his defence in October 2016 when there was outrage among authors everywhere that he had been given the Nobel Prize for Literature over a novellist or non-musical poet. However, that sympathy was soon deadened by the fact that the 'Like A Rolling Stone' singer took his sweet time to formally respond to the award-givers - despite the new information being added to his website briefly to promote his new album 'Triplicate'.

To some, it made him seem kind of arrogant; like he thought he was above such trivial honours that are highly coveted by everyone else. However, he did eventually get round to making a formal statement after weeks of not answering the calls of the Nobel Committee (they eventually gave up trying). 'The news about the Nobel Prize left me speechless', he said. 'I appreciate the honour so much.' 

Despite this, he failed to attend the official ceremony in December where Patti Smith performed in lieu of him. Though, in fairness, he did provide a speech to be read out for him at the gala. 'Not once have I ever had the time to ask myself 'are my songs literature?'' He said. 'So, I do thank the Swedish academy, both for taking the time to consider that very question and ultimately, for providing such a wonderful answer.'

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If he doesn't continue to play ball with the Nobel rules, he won't be getting the $900,000 prize money though. He's got until June to deliver his required Nobel lecture, which officials at the Swedish Academey reveal he will not be giving in person, but by tape. They're certainly making a lot of exceptions for this 75-year-old musician.

And just to assure you that he isn't being disrespectful towards the Swedish Academy, they insisted to the Associated Press that the private ceremony 'went very well indeed' and that Bob was actually 'a very nice, kind man'.