Graduation (album)

2007 album by Kanye West


Graduation is the third studio album by American hip hop recording artist and producer Kanye West. It was released on September 11, 2007 on Roc-A-Fella Records. It is also West's last album to be influenced by a college theme in both the album's title and artwork.

Graduation
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 11, 2007
Recorded2005–2007
Studio
Genre
Length51:12
LabelRoc-A-Fella, Def Jam
ProducerKanye West (exec.), Kyambo "Hip Hop" Joshua (exec.) Gus Dudgeon, Jon Brion, Warryn Campbell, Mike Dean, DJ Toomp, Eric Hudson, Daft Punk, Edwin Birdsong, Brian Miller, Nottz, Patrick Reynolds, Gee Robertson
Kanye West chronology
Can't Tell Me Nothing
(2007)
Graduation
(2007)
808s & Heartbreak
(2008)
Singles from Graduation
  1. "Can't Tell Me Nothing"
    Released: May 15, 2007
  2. "Stronger"
    Released: July 31, 2007
  3. "Good Life"
    Released: October 2, 2007
  4. "Flashing Lights"
    Released: November 12, 2007
  5. "Homecoming"
    Released: February 18, 2008

Critical reception

change
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic79/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [2]
The A.V. ClubB+[3]
Robert ChristgauA−[4]
The Guardian     [5]
Los Angeles Times    [6]
NME6/10[7]
Pitchfork Media8.7/10[8]
Rolling Stone     [9]
Slant Magazine     [10]
Spin8/10[11]

Graduation received general acclaim from music critics.[12]

Track listing

change
No. TitleProducer(s) Length
1. "Good Morning" (featuring Connie Mitchell, Tony Williams & Jay-Z)Kanye West, Gus Dudgeon 3:15
2. "Champion" (featuring Connie Mitchell)Kanye West, Brian Miller 2:47
3. "Stronger" (featuring Daft Punk)Kanye West, Mike Dean*, Daft Punk, Edwin Birdsong 5:11
4. "I Wonder" (featuring Labi Siffre)Kanye West 4:03
5. "Good Life" (featuring T-Pain, John Legend & Ne-Yo)Kanye West, DJ Toomp, Mike Dean** 3:27
6. "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (featuring Connie Mitchell)Kanye West, DJ Toomp 4:30
7. "Barry Bonds" (featuring Lil Wayne)Nottz, Kanye West* 3:24
8. "Drunk and Hot Girls" (featuring Tanya Herron & Mos Def)Kanye West, Jon Brion** 5:13
9. "Flashing Lights" (featuring Dwele & Connie Mitchell)Kanye West, Eric Hudson 3:57
10. "Everything I Am" (featuring DJ Premier)Kanye West 3:47
11. "The Glory" (featuring John Legend, Mos Def, Jalil Williams & Jehireh Williams)Kanye West, Gee Robertson*, Plain Pat* 3:32
12. "Homecoming" (featuring Chris Martin)Kanye West, Warryn Campbell 3:23
13. "Big Brother"  DJ Toomp 4:47

 • (*) designates co-producer
 • (**) designates additional production

Notes:[17]

Personnel

change

Credits adapted from liner notes.[17]

Charts

change

Certifications

change
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[46] Platinum 70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[47] 2× Platinum 160,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[48] Platinum 20,000 
Ireland (IRMA)[49] Platinum 15,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[50] Gold 0^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[52] Gold 7,500^
Russia (NFPF)[54] Gold 10,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[55] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[57] Platinum 600,000^
United States (RIAA)[58] 2× Platinum 2,700,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

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  1. name=metacritic
  2. Kellman, Andy. Review: Graduation. Allmusic. Retrieved on October 6, 2009.
  3. Rabin, Nathan (September 11, 2007). "Kanye West: Graduation". The A.V. Club. Chicago. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
  4. Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide". MSN Music: October 1, 2007. Archived from the original Archived 2009-12-19 at the Wayback Machine on 2009-10-06.
  5. Lynskey, Dorian (September 7, 2007). "Kanye West, Graduation". The Guardian. London: Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
  6. Powers, Ann. Hip-hop's Man of Two Minds. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on October 6, 2009.
  7. Pattison, Louis (September 13, 2005). "NME Reviews – Kanye West: Graduation". NME. IPC Media. Retrieved September 13, 2007.
  8. Pytlik, Mark. September 11, 2007. Review: Graduation. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved on 2009-10-06.
  9. Brackett, Nathan. Review: Graduation Archived 2012-06-14 at the Wayback Machine. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on October 6, 2009.
  10. Henderson, Eric. Review: Graduation. Slant Magazine. Retrieved on June 13, 2010.
  11. Aaron, Charles (November 2007). "Doo Wah Diddy". Spin. SPIN Media LLC: 114. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  12. Kanye West: Graduation (2007): Reviews. Metacritic. Accessed September 2, 2015.
  13. "Graduation Kanye West - Album, singles et concerts sur Virgin Mega". Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  14. "Graduation (Alternative Business Partners)". January 1, 2007.
  15. "Graduation + 2 remixes Kanye West - Album, singles et concerts sur Virgin Mega". Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  16. "Graduation (French Limited Version)". September 11, 2007 – via open.spotify.com.
  17. 17.0 17.1 Graduation (Media notes). Kanye West. Roc-A-Fella Records. 2007.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. 18.00 18.01 18.02 18.03 18.04 18.05 18.06 18.07 18.08 18.09 18.10 18.11 18.12 18.13 18.14 18.15 "Kanye West – Graduation". aCharts.us. 2007. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved September 29, 2007.
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  48. "Danish album certifications – Kanye West – Graduation". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved October 19, 2019. Scroll through the page-list below until year 2018 to obtain certification.
  49. "2007 Certification Awards – Platinum". The Irish Charts. IRMA. Archived from the original on December 24, 2008. Retrieved December 12, 2008.
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  54. "Russian album certifications – Kanye West – Graduation" (in Russian). National Federation of Phonogram Producers (NFPF). Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  55. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Graduation')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  56. "Swiss Certifications – Awards 2008". SwissCharts.com. Hung Medien. 2008. Archived from the original on May 15, 2011. Retrieved April 26, 2009.
  57. "British album certifications – Kanye West – Graduation". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 19, 2019. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Graduation in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  58. "Gold & Platinum – Graduation". Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Archived from the original on August 6, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2011.