“The idea [of the Nobel Prize] always struck me as silly. It wasn’t necessary for [Dylan] and, as with so many recent prizewinners, the world didn’t need to be alerted to the interesting work of this obscure artist. But when I heard about it I was surprised at how happy it made me. I was happy for Bob Dylan. Given his extraordinary MusiCares speech—forty-five minutes of irresistibly charismatic score-settling and artistic self-analysis—I’m looking forward to hearing what he has to say when he accepts it. I wasn’t surprised at people who rejected it, but I’ve yet to read a critical piece that hasn’t seemed small-minded and self-erasing. Jodi Picoult tried to make Dylan as Nobelist seem absurd when she asked if this meant she could now win a Grammy—sure, Jodi, write some liner notes, no one will stand in your way.”
G.M. interviewed by Kembrew McLeod in Iowa Review.
Iowa Review, October 21, 2016
GreilMarcus.net 
Every time I have even been to Duluth, I think of Dylan. Saw him in 96, in Saint John, NB Canada. Was an incredible show. I felt that maybe there were only a dozen of us in the audience who knew his songs.
I was born in Sweden in 1952 and my “favourite” Dylan period is 1964-1969.
I first thought “why the Nobel prize now? The really good Dylan period was almost 50 years
ago” In my opinion his best albums were made in the 1960’s.
But then I came to think about the huge amount of great records I really like that probably would not exist without Dylan:
Rolling Stones: Satisfaction. Get Off Of My Cloud, 19th Nervous Breakdown, Beggar’s Banquet LP
Etcetera.
The Beatles Rubber Soul LP
I can go on forever.
Let’s face it: Bob Dylan made a revolution in rock music song writing and he deserves the prize just for that!