On This Day: Paul Simon Turns 85

Paul Simon turns 85 on October 13, 2026. His official website marked his 75th birthday on this date in 2016, placing his birth on October 13, 1941. It is an occasion to revisit a songwriter whose work invites attention well beyond the best-known choruses.

A catalogue built to last

Simon’s official biography spans “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Graceland” and the later Seven Psalms. His recognition includes two Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions: with Simon & Garfunkel in 1990, then as a solo artist in 2001. The Library of Congress awarded him its inaugural Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in 2007.

A reason to return to the acoustic work

Released on May 19, 2023, Seven Psalms offers a particularly direct starting point for guitar-minded listeners. Simon’s official album page describes a 33-minute composition in seven movements, designed for continuous listening. It was recorded entirely with acoustic instruments and performed predominantly by Simon.

Try giving that uninterrupted format room to work, then return to a favourite earlier song. The birthday is a prompt to explore the writing, rather than a reason to reduce a long catalogue to a single hit.

Want to dig deeper into another chapter? Read our look at Graceland’s UK chart milestone.

AI-assisted editorial illustration based on Paul Simon’s June 12, 1982 appearance. References by Rob Bogaerts / Anefo, Nationaal Archief: Paul Simon in 1982 and Simon and Garfunkel in Rotterdam, dedicated under CC0 1.0. Changes: original illustrated pose, lighting, background and typography; proportional export. Retrospective appearance, not a photograph of a 2026 event.