The Concert in Central Park album was released. The film was later released for sale in VHS, CED Videodisc, Laserdisc, and DVD formats. It sold more than 50,000 copies in the US, where it earned Gold certification for a music longform video. It was broadcast on PBS on August 22, 1988, and again on August 8, 2015. The concert and recordings were positively received by music critics. Stephen Holden praised the performance in "The New York Times" the day after the concert; he subsequently praised the live album in "Rolling Stone" magazine. He wrote that Simon and Garfunkel were successful in reviving their sound, that
The Concert in Central Park Your Lover" was replaced with a Latin arrangement that included brass. Garfunkel had difficulties in the rehearsals. Both men easily recalled their songs from the 1960s, but Garfunkel had to learn the harmonies and arrangements for Simon's solo songs, as modified for the reunion concert. He was also uncomfortable that Simon had rewritten some of the lyrics for their old songs. Despite the need to adapt to Simon and his style, Garfunkel enjoyed some of the songs, and was glad to perform a duet version of Simon's "American Tune". News reports and the Michael Doret-designed posters of the Central Park