Simon scoffed and viewed it as charging a premium on "what was sure to be that year's best-selling Columbia album". According to biographer Marc Eliot, Davis was "offended by what he perceived as their lack of gratitude for what he believed was his role in turning them into superstars". Rather than implement Davis' price increase plan, Simon & Garfunkel signed a contract extension with Columbia that guaranteed them a higher royalty rate. Reviews of "Bookends" upon its release in 1968 were largely positive. Allen Evans of the British publication "New Musical Express" (NME) gave the record four out of five stars and called it "inspiring, descriptive music," while noting the album is "Imaginative and at times confusing to know what the composer is getting at, if anything." Rival newspaper "Melody Maker" did not use a ratings system, but called "Bookends" a "thoughtful, clever and well-produced album." Reviewer Chris Welch criticized the songs as "not particularly tuneful," but performed with "Beatles fervour and Beatles conviction," praising the lyricism, opining that "The words capture part of America today, a lot of its sickness and tragedy." In the US, "Rolling Stone" reviewer Arthur Schmidt wrote that "The music is, for me, questionable, but I've always found their music questionable. It is nice enough, and I admit to liking it, but it exudes a sense of process, and it is slick, and nothing too much happens." Later reviews were more positive. "In just over 29 minutes, "Bookends" is stunning in its vision of a bewildered America in search of itself", said AllMusic writer Thom Jurek, who gave it five stars out of five. Pitchfork Media's Stephen M. Deusner called "Bookends" the moment in which the duo "were settling into themselves, losing their folk revival pretensions and emphasizing quirky production techniques to match their soaring vocals". "The A.V. Club" called it the group's "most musically and conceptually daring album". Robinson" became the first rock and roll song to win Record of the Year at the 11th Annual Grammy Awards in 1969; it was also afforded the honor of Best Contemporary Pop Performance by a Duo or Group. In 2000 it was voted number 338 in Colin Larkin's "All Time Top 1000 Albums". The album, alongside "The Graduate" soundtrack, propelled Simon & Garfunkel to become the biggest rock duo in the world.