I'm no fan of Dylan's singing, but I do love his music and lyrics, and no one can deny the influence his work has had on national and world events. I'm not sure lyrics should be considered literature, but, as a poetry non-enthusiast, what exactly is the difference between poetry and lyrics?

I wish I'd had English professors who were a little less dusty and fusty. So the difference is how connected the lyrics are, or how dependent upon, the music?

My father has taught Bob Dylan in his English lit classes since the 1980s, at least.

Tenure is a great thing!

I remember reading years ago when I first studied the poems of William Butler Yeats that some of them were lyrics that he wrote for songs. In that respect giving Dylan a Nobel may not be quite as groundbreaking, though as I noted in my OP Yeats was known for many other writings as well.