They didn’t have one dramatic accident or scandal; Simon & Garfunkel slowly drifted apart around 1969–1970 because of creative tension, unequal roles in the duo, and clashing career priorities, especially as Art Garfunkel pursued acting while Paul Simon wrote and arranged the songs.

Quick Scoop: What Happened?

  • Simon & Garfunkel officially split around 1970, shortly after the huge success of their album “Bridge over Troubled Water.”
  • The breakup grew out of long‑running tension over who had creative control, whose name and work got more attention, and how decisions were made.
  • Both went on to solo careers: Paul Simon as a successful solo singer‑songwriter and Art Garfunkel as both a singer and an actor.
  • They have reunited several times for concerts and tours (famously the 1981 Central Park concert) but never permanently re‑formed as a full‑time duo.

How They Got There

  • Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel met as kids in Queens, New York, started performing as teenagers under the name “Tom & Jerry,” and had their first minor hit with “Hey Schoolgirl” in the 1950s.
  • In the mid‑1960s they hit it big when “The Sound of Silence” (with added electric instruments) unexpectedly became a number‑one hit, leading to a run of classic albums and singles.
  • By the time of “Bookends” and “Bridge over Troubled Water,” they were one of the most famous folk‑rock duos in the world, but also under enormous pressure and frequently disagreeing about direction and control.

Why They Broke Up

Several factors combined into what Paul Simon has later called a kind of “recipe” for a breakup:

  1. Creative imbalance
    • Simon was writing and arranging most of the material, while Garfunkel was more the featured vocalist, which created a feeling of uneven power and recognition.
 * Decisions in the studio could become a tug‑of‑war over whose judgment ultimately counted.
  1. Garfunkel’s acting career
    • During the “Bridge over Troubled Water” period, Garfunkel accepted acting roles (notably in films like “Catch‑22”), which pulled him away from the duo’s recording schedule.
 * Simon has said he felt abandoned and frustrated when key music projects had to wait while Garfunkel focused on movies.
  1. Personality and ego clashes
    • Long‑time friends can develop long‑standing resentments: who gets lead vocals, who is on the album cover, who gets critical praise, and whose name is mentioned first.
 * Interviews and fan discussions over the years often describe a mix of admiration and irritation between them—close but competitive.
  1. Success pressure
    • “Bridge over Troubled Water” was a massive hit, winning Grammys and selling millions, which raised expectations and stress at the very moment their relationship was most strained.

After the Split & Latest Vibes

  • After 1970, Paul Simon built a major solo career with albums like “Paul Simon” and “Graceland,” while Art Garfunkel released his own records and continued acting.
  • They reunited for big moments, including the 1981 free concert in New York’s Central Park that drew a huge crowd, and later tours in the 2000s, but each time the partnership remained temporary.
  • In more recent interviews, Simon has talked openly about how their friendship turned complicated around “Bridge over Troubled Water,” acknowledging both affection and old wounds rather than one single dramatic incident.

In fan forums and comment sections, people still debate who was “right,” but the general consensus is that it wasn’t one villain and one victim—just two strong personalities whose partnership couldn’t survive the pressure of massive success.

TL;DR: Simon & Garfunkel didn’t explode over one big fight; they slowly broke up around 1970 as creative imbalance, ego clashes, and Garfunkel’s acting commitments pulled the duo apart, and they’ve only reunited off and on ever since.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.