By the mid-1980s, Paul Simon had long been one of the leading figures in the singer-songwriter genre, but his popularity, as well as his personal life, was beginning to wane. Graceland, hailed as a cultural landmark almost right away and awarded at the Grammy awards in 1987, marked his return to celebrity and renown. Simon got his groove back with this album, revitalized by collaborations with musicians from South Africa, including Forere Motloheloa and the choral group Ladysmith Black Mombazo, who co-wrote key songs on Graceland and leant Simon their stirring musical talents. The album these incredible musicians produced together was an encounter between traditional South African music and Simon's folk-Americana, two currents from opposite ends of the globe that bleed together into one harmonious, genre-defining sound. Graceland had an immeasurable impact on the way western audiences saw world music, and rightly so for the way that Simon and his collaborators elegantly combine authenticity and accessibility into a single masterpiece. 

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