#46 Paul Simon, 'Graceland' (1986)

Following the deterioration of his friendship with Garfunkel, the dissolution of his marriage to Carrie Fisher and the commercial failure of his album, ‘Hearts and Bones,’ Paul Simon suffered a bout of depression. During this time, he managed to get hold of the South African compilation, 'The Indestructible Beat of Soweto’ (#497), a collection of Mbaqanga songs that fascinated Simon. He hopped on a plane and visited Johannesburg, where he spent two weeks recording with some of the very best South African musicians, the likes of Bakithi Khumalo, Ray Phiri, Isaac Mtshali and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, amongst others.