"Searching for Sugar Man" is the soundtrack album for the 2012 Oscar-winning documentary film of the same name. The soundtrack is by Sixto Rodriguez, a Detroit-based singer-songwriter whose music, although failed to achieve success in the United States, unexpectedly gained popularity in South Africa. Rodriguez didn't even know about his success due to a lack of communication and royalties.
The album includes a collection of Rodriguez’s songs from his albums "Cold Fact" (1970) and "Coming from Reality" (1971). The album's title, "Searching for Sugar Man," refers to Rodriguez's song "Sugar Man," one of his most popular tracks. The story behind the album, and indeed Rodriguez himself, had remained obscure until the release of the documentary.
The documentary and soundtrack helped to revive Sixto Rodriguez's musical career, as he was mostly unknown in his home country. As such, the album serves as both a soundtrack to a compelling story of elusive success and as an introduction to Rodriguez's distinctive blend of folk and psychedelic rock music.
Touching upon themes of love, loss, and social distress, the album is widely praised for its gritty lyricism, emotive sound, and Rodriguez's unique musically artistic perspective. Since the release of the documentary and its soundtrack, Rodriguez's music has seen a worldwide resurgence and has inspired a new generation of listeners.
