Author(s): Simon Paul

Vinyl

Graceland is the seventh studio album by Paul Simon, first released in 1986.

In 1984, after a period of depression, Simon became fascinated with a bootleg cassette of South African township music. He planned a trip to Johannesburg in the new year with Roy Halee, where he spent two weeks recording with South African musicians.

Graceland features an eclectic mixture of musical styles, including Pop, Rock, a cappella, Zydeco, Isicathamiya, and Mbaqanga. Simon created new compositions inspired by the recordings made in Johannesburg, collaborating with both African and American artists.

Graceland was a major commercial hit, becoming Simon's most successful studio album. His highest-charting effort in over a decade, Simon's return to the forefront of popular music was considered a remarkable comeback in a fickle music industry. It attracted rave reviews from music critics, won 1987 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, and sold over 16 million copies worldwide.