| Graduation | |
|---|---|
 Studio album by Kanye West | |
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Released |
11 September 2007 |
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Recorded |
2005-2007 at Sony Music Studios (New York City, New York), The Record Plant (Hollywood, California), Ape Sounds (Tokyo, Japan), Henson Recording Studios (Hollywood, California), Doppler Studios (Atlanta, Georgia), Chalice Studios (Los Angeles, California), The Durt Factory Studio (Norfolk, Virginia), Legacy Studios (New York City, New York), Ocean Way Recording (Hollywood, California), Chung King Studios (New York City, New York), Avex Studio (Honolulu, Hawaii), Fever Recording Studio (North Hollywood, California), Abbey Road Studios (London, England) and Ocean Way Recording (Hollywood, California) |
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Genre |
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Length |
51:12 |
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Label |
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Producer |
Jon Brion, Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell, The Carter Administration (exec.), Mike Dean, DJ Toomp, Eric Hudson, Kyambo "Hip Hop" Joshua (exec.), Brian Miller, Nottz, Plain Pat, Gee Roberson (also exec.), Kanye West (also exec.) |
| Kanye West chronology | |
|---|---|
|
Previous |
Late Registration (2005) |
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Next |
808s & Heartbreak (2008) |
Graduation is the third studio album by American hip hop musician Kanye West, released in 2007 on Roc-A-Fella Records. The album was primarily produced by West with assistance from DJ Toomp, and features guest contributions from artists including Mos Def, Dwele, T-Pain, Lil Wayne and Chris Martin of Coldplay. The album's artwork was designed by Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami.
West was particularly inspired by Irish rock band U2 and sought out to compose anthemic songs that could operate more efficiently in large stadiums and arenas. In West's attempt to accomplish this endeavor, he incorporated layered electronic synthesizers into his production, which also finds him utilising slower tempos, being influenced by the music of the 1980s, and experimenting with electronic music. Lyrically, Graduation is more introspective in comparison to its predecessors, as West dedicated much of the album towards analysing himself and conveying his ambivalent outlook on his newfound fame. It continues the education theme of West's previous two albums, The College Dropout and Late Registration.
Graduation debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, selling 957,000 copies in its first week. It produced five singles, including the international hits "Can't Tell Me Nothing", "Stronger" and "Good Life". The coinciding release dates of Graduation and 50 Cent's Curtis generated much publicity over the idea of a sales competition, resulting in record-breaking sales performances by both albums. Graduation received general acclaim from music critics and earned West several accolades, including his third Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. The album has sold 2,700,000 copies in the United States and has been certified double platinum by the RIAA.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Performer(s) | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Good Morning" | Kanye West | John, Taupin, West | Kanye West | 3:15 |
| 2. | "Champion" | Kanye West | Becker, Fagen | Kanye West, Brian Miller | 2:47 |
| 3. | "Stronger" | Kanye West | Banghalter, Birdsong, De Homen-Christo, West | Kanye West | 5:11 |
| 4. | "I Wonder" | Kanye West | Siffre, West | Kanye West | 4:03 |
| 5. | "Good Life" | Kanye West, T-Pain | Davis, Ingram, Jones, Najm, West | Kanye West, DJ Toomp, Mike Dean (add.) | 3:27 |
| 6. | "Can't Tell Me Nothing" | Kanye West | Davis, West | Kanye West, DJ Toomp | 4:30 |
| 7. | "Barry Bonds" | Kanye West, Lil Wayne | Carter, Lamb, Landsberg, Pappalardi, Ventura, Weinstein, West | Nottz, Kanye West (co.) | 3:24 |
| 8. | "Drunk and Hot Girls" | Kanye West, Mos Def | Karoli, Liebezeit, Schmidt, Schuering, Suzuki, West | Kanye West, Jon Brion (add.) | 5:13 |
| 9. | "Flashing Lights" | Kanye West, Dwele | Hudson, West | Kanye West, Eric Hudson | 3:57 |
| 10. | "Everything I Am" | Kanye West | Clinton, Mitchell, Ridenhour, Sadler, Shocklee, West | Kanye West | 3:47 |
| 11. | "The Glory" | Kanye West | Landsberg, Nyro, Pappalardi, Smith, Ventura, Weinstein, West | Kanye West, Gee Roberson (co.), Plain Pat (co.) | 3:32 |
| 12. | "Homecoming" | Kanye West | Campbell, Martin, West | Kanye West, Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell | 3:23 |
| 13. | "Big Brother" | Kanye West | Davis, West | DJ Toomp | 4:47 |