On Friday night, Kanye is revisiting the album by performing it in its entirety at the Hollywood Bowl, for two nights - presumably, he’s also aware and proud of its continuing significance. Over time, it’s proved itself to be much more than a fluke, anticipating and influencing the direction popular music would take in the following years.

In hindsight, the album seems like a logical extension of Kanye’s pre-existing interest - on Graduation, most dramatically - in synthesizing pop, indie pop/rock and hip-hop trends. Faithful Kanye devotees who didn’t like 808s prayed that it was a one-off experiment, and many others had to take a little time to let its unique pleasures settle in. Detractors thought Kanye was on the verge of insanity or washed-ness he’d let the massive success of his previous experiments go to his head, and thought an album he’d lobbed off in two months on vacation would be regarded as an instant masterpiece.

A down-tempo album with little in the way of sampling and more singing than rapping - processed through T-Pain’s maligned Autotune patch at that - 808s was perceived as Kanye going “emo” in the wake of the death of his mother and the dissolution of his relationship with Alexis Phifer. Kanye West’s 808s and Heartbreak was, upon its impact almost seven years ago, an instant source of bewilderment and fascination.

808s and heartbreak merch