Music icon Bob Dylan has been accepted into nomination for France's Legion d’Honneur, the country’s highest honour.

The nomination is a long time coming by many accounts as the decision was thrown out in previous years over concerns that Dylan wasn’t the right candidate. But Grand Chancellor Jean-Louis Georgelin has confirmed that the council’s 17 members have decided that Dylan does indeed meet the criteria for the award.

Georgelin confirmed that the nomination had been passed over in previous years, but did not give further details. Speculation has arisen that the reasons behind the past decisions could include Dylan’s drug use and his opposition to the Vietnam War.

Watch Dylan receive another esteemed award, the 2011 Presidential Medal of Freedom here: