Graduation (album)

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 Kanye West
Released	September 11, 2007
Recorded	2005–2007
Studio	Chung King Studios (New York) Sony Music Studios (New York) Chalice Studios (Los Angeles) Record Plant (Los Angeles)
Genre	Hip hop electronica R&B
Length	51:12
Label	Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
Producer	Kanye 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
"Can't Tell Me Nothing" Released: May 15, 2007 "Stronger" Released: July 31, 2007 "Good Life" Released: October 2, 2007 "Flashing Lights" Released: November 12, 2007 "Homecoming" Released: February 18, 2008

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	79/100[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The A.V. Club	B+[3]
Robert Christgau	A−[4]
The Guardian	[5]
Los Angeles Times	[6]
NME	6/10[7]
Pitchfork Media	8.7/10[8]
Rolling Stone	[9]
Slant Magazine	[10]
Spin	8/10[11]

Graduation received general acclaim from music critics.^[12]

Track listing

No.	Title	Producer(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

iTunes bonus track
No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
14.	"Good Night" (featuring Al Be Back & Mos Def)	Kanye West	3:06

Alternative Business Partners bonus track[13][14]
No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
14.	"Can't Tell Me Nothing" (Remix featuring Connie Mitchell & Young Jeezy)	Kanye West, DJ Toomp	4:08

UK bonus tracks
No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
14.	"Good Night" (featuring Al Be Back & Mos Def)	Kanye West	3:06
15.	"Stronger" (featuring Daft Punk) (A-Trak Remix)	Kanye West, Mike Dean*, Daft Punk, Edwin Birdsong	4:34

Japan bonus tracks
No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
14.	"Good Night" (featuring Al Be Back & Mos Def)	Kanye West	3:06
15.	"Bittersweet Poetry" (featuring John Mayer)	Kanye West	4:01

France & Spotify bonus tracks[15][16]
No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
14.	"Stronger" (featuring Daft Punk) (A-Trak Remix)	Kanye West, Mike Dean*, Daft Punk, Edwin Birdsong	4:34
15.	"Stronger" (featuring Daft Punk) (Ad Remix Main)	Kanye West, Mike Dean*, Daft Punk, Edwin Birdsong	4:48

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

Notes:^[17]

• "Good Morning" contains samples of "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" by Elton John
• "Champion" contains elements of "Kid Charlemagne" by Steely Dan
• "Stronger" contains samples of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" by Daft Punk
• "I Wonder" contains samples of "My Song" by Labi Siffre
• "Good Life" contains samples of "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" by Michael Jackson
• "Barry Bonds" contains samples of "Long Red" by Mountain
• "Drunk and Hot Girls" contains elements of "Sing Swan Song" performed by Can
• "Everything I Am" contains elements of "If We Can't Be Lovers" by Prince Phillip Mitchell and "Bring the Noise" by Public Enemy
• "The Glory" contains samples of "Save the Country" by Laura Nyro, "Long Red" by Mountain
• "Good Night" contains samples of "Nuff Man a Dead" by Super Cat, "Wake The Town" by U-Roy
• "Bittersweet Poetry" interpolates "Bittersweet" by Chairmen of the Board

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.^[17]

Kanye West – executive producer, primary artist (All Tracks), producer (All Tracks except 13) Lil Wayne - featured artist (Track 7) Mos Def – featured artist (Track 8), backing vocals (8, 11) T-Pain – featured artist (Track 5) Dwele – featured artist (Track 9) DJ Premier – featured artist (Track 10) Jay-Z – featured artist, additional rap vocals (Track 1) Chris Martin – featured artist, additional vocals (sung by) (Track 12) Connie Mitchell – featured artist, additional vocals (Tracks 1-2, 6, 9) Tanya Herron – featured artist, additional vocals (Track 8) John Legend – featured artist, backing vocals (Tracks 5, 11) Ne-Yo – featured artist, backing vocals (Track 5) Jalil Williams – featured artist, additional backing vocals (Track 11) Jehireh Williams – featured artist, additional backing vocals (Track 11) Daphne Chen – violin (Tracks 5, 8) Eric Gorfain – violin (Tracks 5, 8) Luigi Mazzocchi – violin (Tracks 4, 9) Charles Parker – violin (Tracks 4, 9) Igor Szwec – violin (Tracks 4, 9) Emma Kummrow – violin (Tracks 4, 9) Olga Konopelsky – violin (Tracks 4, 9) Gloria Justen – violin (Tracks 4, 9) Peter Nocella – viola (Tracks 4, 9) Leah Katz – viola (Tracks 5, 8) Alexandra Leem – viola (Tracks 4, 9) Alma Fernandez – viola (Track 5) Mike Dean – keyboards (Track 3, 7), music arranger (3), string arrangements (5, 8), recording engineer (3), guitar (3), mixing (5-8, 10, 12), producer (3, 5) Jon Brion – keyboards (Track 4), percussion (12), record producer (8) Darryl Beaton – keyboards (Track 6) Andy Chatterly – keyboards (Tracks 1, 3, 8, 11) Chris Rob – keyboards (Track 6) Richard Dodd – cello (Tracks 5, 8) John Krovoza – cello (Track 5) Jennie Lorenzo – cello (Tracks 4, 9) Tim Resler – bass (Tracks 4, 9) Omar Edwards – piano (Tracks 4-5, 10), keyboards (3, 11) synthesizer (4-5, 8), synthesizer bass (8).

Nottz Raw –producer (Track 7), recording engineer (Track 7) Tony Rey – recording engineer (Track 6) Seiji Sekine – recording engineer (Track 3) Greg Koller – recording engineer (Tracks 4, 8, 12) Bruce Buechner – recording engineer (Track 12) Andrew Dawson – recording engineer (All Tracks), mixing (Tracks 2, 4-6, 9, 12-13) Anthony Kilhoffer – recording engineer (Tracks 1-6, 9-12), mixing (1, 11) Anthony Palazzole – assistant recording engineer (Track 2, 5-10, 12) Andy Marcinkowski – assistant recording engineer (Tracks 2, 5-10, 12-13) Richard Reitz – assistant recording engineer (Tracks 3, 6) Jared Robbins – assistant recording engineer (Track 3) Kengo Sakura – assistant recording engineer (Track 3) Bram Tobey – assistant recording engineer (Tracks 1-6, 8, 10-11) Matty Green – assistant recording engineer (Tracks 1, 9, 11-12) Nate Hertweck – assistant recording engineer (Tracks 1-6, 10-11) Jason Agel – assistant recording engineer (Tracks 1-6, 8, 10-11) Tracey Waples – marketing Al Brancch – marketing Takashi Murakami – artwork Carol Corless – package production Eric Hudson – all other instruments (Track 9), producer (9) Warryn Campbell – producer (Track 12) Larry Gold – string arrangements, string conductor (Tracks 4, 9) Rosie Danvers – string arrangements (Track 11) Sandra Campbell - project coordinator Sean Cooper – sound designer (Track 12) Tommy D – string section producer (Track 11) Vlado Meller – mastering Terese Joseph – A&R Kyambo Joshua – executive producer Manny Marroquin – mixing (Track 3) Kazuhiro Mizuno – design Patrick "Plain Pat" Reynolds – A&R, producer (Track 11) Timbaland – additional drum machine (Track 5), additional music programming (3) Gus Dudgeon - producer (Track 1) Daft Punk - music arranger (Track 3), producer (3) Edwin Birdsong - music arranger (Track 3), producer (3)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2007) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[18] 2 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[18] 26 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[18] 11 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[19] 49 Canadian Albums (Billboard)[20] 1 Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[18] 10 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[18] 11 European Albums (Billboard)[21] 3 Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[18] 16 French Albums (SNEP)[18] 9 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[18] 10 Irish Albums (IRMA)[18] 2 Italian Albums (FIMI)[18] 33 Japanese Albums (Oricon)[22] 13 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[18] 2 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[18] 2 Portuguese Albums (AFP)[18] 30 Scottish Albums (OCC)[23] 3 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[18] 6 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[18] 3 UK Albums (OCC)[18] 1 UK R&B Albums (OCC)[24] 1 US Billboard 200[25] 1 US Top Catalog Albums (Billboard)[26] 15 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[27] 1 Chart (2012) Peak position Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[28] 37 Chart (2019) Peak position Canadian Albums (Billboard) 144 Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[29] 94 US Billboard 200 154 US Rolling Stone 200[30] 144

Year-end charts Chart (2007) Position Australian Albums (ARIA)[31] 88 European Albums (Billboard)[32] 75 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[33] 93 UK Albums (OCC)[34] 59 US Billboard 200[35] 12 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[36] 4 Worldwide Charts (IFPI)[37] 17 Chart (2008) Position Australian Urban Albums (ARIA)[38] 19 UK Albums (OCC)[39] 121 US Billboard 200[40] 79 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[41] 29 Chart (2016) Position US Billboard 200[42] 157 Chart (2017) Position Australian Urban Albums (ARIA)[43] 82 Chart (2018) Position Australian Urban Albums (ARIA)[44] 78 Chart (2019) Position Australian Urban Albums (ARIA)[45] 70

Certifications

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)[51]	Gold	7,500^
Russia (NFPF)[52]	Gold	10,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[53]	Gold	15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[54]	Platinum	600,000^
United States (RIAA)[55]	2× Platinum	2,700,000^
*sales figures based on certification alone ^shipments figures based on certification alone