In 1970, This Iconic Folk Duo Landed Their Third No. 1 Hit — Just Months Before Splitting Up

On March 28, 1970, beloved folk duo Simon & Garfunkel landed their third and final Billboard No. 1 single, "Bridge Over Troubled Water".

The folk ballad is a warm, optimsitic song about offering unwavering support to those going through tough times, and instantly became one of Simon & Garfunkel's most iconic and recognizable hits.

The duo had topped the Billboard Hot 100 twice before, firstly with "The Sound of Silence" in 1965 and later with the much more upbeat "Mrs. Robinson" in 1968. The latter, much like "Bridge Over Troubled Later", won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year.

"Homeward Bound", "I Am A Rock", and "The Boxer" had all broken into the Top 10 in previous years. They were widely recognized as one of the best-selling musical acts of the 1960s, especially in the folk scene—which is why it came as such a surprise when the pair officially parted ways just six months after releasing "Bridge Over Troubled Water".

Despite working together so effectively throughout the '60s, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel's relationship reached a breaking point at the end of the decade as they both realized they wanted very different careers. While Simon was happy with the direction of their musical career, Garfunkel was growing increasingly unhappy with their output and wanted to pursue a career in acting instead.

The pair delivered their final performance in July 1970, just six months after their final record, Bridge Over Troubled Water, was released. The album climbed to No. 1 in the United States and United Kingdom, powered by the enduring popularity of its lead single of the same title.

The album took home the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, sold over 25 million copies worldwide, and became the best-selling album ever at the time of its release.

While Simon and Garfunkel never officially released any more music together, the pair have reunited on several occasions for one-off concerts and media appearances in the decades that followed. Paul Simon became arguably even more popular as a solo artist, with albums such as Graceland frequently cited among the best records ever written.

Art Garfunkel pursued his acting career, landing roles in Mike Nichols' Catch-22 and Nicolas Roeg's Bad Timing. He received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars following his role in Nichols' 1971 comedy Carnal Knowledge.