Rock legend Bob Dylan has been awarded an honorary Pulitzer Prize, Billboard reports.

Dylan, who released his debut album in 1962, was awarded the Pulitzer for a "profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power".

The 66-year-old's award marks the first time a rock artist has been given the prize, which recognises achievements in journalism, literature and music.

Dylan's most recent LP is the platinum-selling Modern Times. He was recently nominated for a National Book Critics Circle award for his memoir Chronicles, Volume One.