The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

Typically Bowie, some good tracks, others not so. Mick Ronsons guitar is great though. The album generator missed a trick putting this up on 7th January, it should have been the 8th or the 10th.

THERES A STARRRR MANNNNNNNNNNN

8/10

Unique sound! Very enjoyable.

Bowie album number 5, this is getting a little ridiculous. This is one of the two or three that I'd actually put on this list, but that doesn't get rid of the fact that this is the fifth album from this guy I've been given so far. Anyways, It's a good album, even if I prefer his more artsy stuff like Heroes or Blackstar. I like that songs on this album randomly become relevant again every once in a while, like Starman becoming a meme in 2024. As always, saxophone bonus points. I'm struggling to find stuff to say about this one, honestly. It's great, but not eighth best album of the list great.

I didn’t like the first song but the rest were pretty good! 8/10

Five Years sounds like me when I have a mental breakdown down at work. Aside from that, David Bowie always seems to take me on a fun ride when I listen to his music. Wish he was still around to make more music, but I'm glad this list keeps me hooked on David Bowie.

okay

This concept album tells the story of an androgynous alien rock star sent to Earth as a savior in the face of an impending apocalypse. It single-handedly defined the glam rock era, merging high-concept theater with raw rock and roll, and challenging traditional gender norms in pop culture. Guitarist Mick Ronson played a crucial role in shaping the sound, providing the muscular, melodically rich Les Paul riffs that grounded Bowie's theatrical whimsy. The closing track, "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide," serves as a dramatic crescendo, showcasing a masterclass in vocal dynamics from a whispered opening to a screamed finale.

боуи не люблю, но тут есть че послушать

It was good but not necessarily to my tastes. Rock n roll suicide was probably my favorite track.

What I would give to be even 1/4 as cool as Bowie

While I don't think this is Bowie's best work from an artistic perspective, I still have to give this album its flowers for being as close to being a perfect pop/rock record as possible. This album's great and contains some of my favourite songs of Bowie's discography, but on the whole I just don't love it as much as I love his other work. I guess it's just a matter of personal taste. 4.5/5, but rounding it down to a 4. For now, at least. (Fuck Bowie for being an abuser, though. He was a great musician and songwriter, but not a great person, unfortunately.)

The only Bowie album I’m actually excited to hear. I enjoy his output overall, but the majority of his music is not impressive for me. This is the only album of his that combines fun instrumentation with satisfying vocals and does that consistently. Not every song is as fantastic as Moonage Daydream or Starman, but the majority of them are still great and engaging. Not a mind blowing album but still very enjoyable.

I liked this better now than the first time I listened to it.

Classic, but could be....more classic?

Great album! Musically energizing, excellent storytelling, fun, dystopian - Bowie at his best.

Fire to listen to while stoned.

4/5 - fantastic album overall, couple of songs I'm not as big a fan of but no misses

Probably the first time through this album in my life. My parents weren’t big Bowie fans and I never branched out of his hits. Ill cut myself some slack though… Bowie doesn’t seem approachable to most high school students. Im really digging the different sounds here. A lot of really simple percussion backed by super groovy progressions and the occasional riff. Lyrically, it feels like an Elton John record. Sonically, this matches closely what Lennon was doing in the early 70s as well. The vibe I generally hear is folksy, bluesy rock. The whiney backing vocals remind me of 50s/60s rock.

I quite enjoyed this.

There's a lot going on here, most of it good.

Strong.

It’s a classic Bowie album

Not the biggest Bowie fan but this one is solid

Every track on here is perfect except for it ain’t easy and hang on to yourself which pull the album down so much. It also isn’t top 3 Bowie for me. 8.5/10. I’m sorry

Weird album to choose for this list.

Used to think this was the best Bowie album. Not anymore but it still holds up well. Especially side A

Used to love Bowie never listened to this straight through.

Very good and impressive. Need to relisten. Added a few songs to playlist.

Pretty clear why this album is so hugely influential. Really good stuff. Not exactly my sound but still really enjoyable. Favorite tracks were Starman and Suffragette City. 8/10, 4 stars.

This is the type of music I would expect from someone who consumed strictly peppers, milk, and cocaine There’s a time right after the (supposed) lunar landing where a lot of space-themed music was being made. What a mind blowing experience that must have been. It makes sense that David Bowie was able to give life to a rock and roller from space character since both space and rock and roll associate well with the themes of transgressing impermeable barriers, otherness, alienness.

David Bowie’s boundary-bending rock and roller from space persona is very fun. This is the type of music I would expect from someone who survived solely on peppers, milk, and cocaine.

Seeing this album takes me back to when each Friday the local newspaper published the top 40 singles and top ten albums of the week. Ziggy Stardust was the top album for many weeks, and yet there were no singles from it in the top 40 - very unusual. Of course three of these tracks are frequently played on classic rock radio nowadays. This one is one of Bowie’s best albums in my opinion.

Yahoo! I'm almost through my album backlog (thanks, grading). Did you know Mott the Hoople is a band and not a dude?! Anyway, this was fun and I enjoyed it. And it had a Jacques Brel reference, who I now know about thanks to this list! Highlights: 'Five Years' (long been one of my favorite songs, thanks to the very loyal Placebo cover), 'Starman' (where he says "boogie" the same funny way some people say "Bowie"; no wonder Wiki tells me the song "is often linked to Hopemaxxing", which, [insert "I'm like the Cryptkeeper" gif here]), 'Ziggy Stardust', 'Rock 'n' Roll Suicide'

already familiar ♡ soul love starman ziggy stardust

Wenn Bowie singt wqirds Ikonisch. Gute Stücke Melodisch und auf den Punkt gebracht.

faves: five years, starman, rock n roll suicide i can see how this man is such an inspo an icon to so many

Sólido, coerente. 4

reconsdier later 5 or 4

7/10

Weird experimental songwriting and story telling that can only be written by an man as enigmatic as David Bowie

When I listened to Station to Station for the first time on Sunday, I certainly didn’t anticipate that my week would be ending off with David Bowie’s most iconic album! Don’t get me wrong, I’m not mad about it – I’m just surprised to be getting two Bowie albums in the same week when it took listening to 90 albums before I even got the first one. Then again, I got two Paul McCartney albums back-to-back just a few weeks ago, so I suppose these occurrences are bound to happen every now and again. Where do I even begin with Ziggy Stardust? I suppose I’ll just establish that I found the album to be quite good, despite the crushing weight of my expectations (which probably would have been even higher if I hadn’t just come off of a fairly middle-of-the-road David Bowie album)! It’s got a ton of great songs, including the all-time classic “Starman” and the lore-rich “Moonage Daydream.” It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I genuinely enjoyed the album from start to finish. At the same time, I do feel like there’s a discrepancy between the Ziggy Stardust that has lived in the minds of longtime fans and the album I just listened to. People talk about The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars as if it’s this perfectly-executed rock opera that tells the tragic story of an intergalactic rockstar who is destined to herald the Earth’s savior, but ultimately succumbs to the weight of his own ego and popularity. It’s a fair assessment, but only to a certain extent. In my experience, the album was more just a collection of good songs, many of which are loosely tied together through its lore in a somewhat non-sequential way. I did enjoy Ziggy Stardust more than most Book Albums (so far, anyway), but I honestly got more out of the album’s narrative from reading Genius annotations and Wikipedia summaries than from the actual lyrics of the project. I reckon the novelty of David Bowie making a rock opera centered around a character he conceived and then performing on tour as that character for over a year probably overinflated how highly people think of this album. Highlights: Five Years, Soul Love, Moonage Daydream, Starman, It Ain’t Easy, Lady Stardust, Hang on to Yourself, Suffragette City, Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide

Great but did not live up to the hype. Creative story does not equal a 10 out of 10 album. I’d say first listen 8/9 out of 10

melodramatic, with flashes of brilliance

recognize as great but still never going to just go and put on. Also loved the first half not the second as much but may bc I was rancid from work towards the end of the day.

I'm a bit biased on this one. I grew up listening to Bowie. Bowie was my older sister's favorite artists, and one that kicked off my musical tastes. This album has a few hits that have stood the test of time along with some other great tunes like "hang on to yourself" that you don't really hear a lot about unless you are a die hard Bowie fan. For the early 70's this was genre changing stuff and just a great overall listen.

Lady Stardust, one of the best songs I've listened to this year.

I totally understand why people hold this album in such high regard. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would going in. David Bowie is pretty hit or miss for me. I need to listen to this a few more times to truly appreciate it though. I didn't fully comprehend the story that was happening throughout, but the music is solid.

Veldig kult! Liker det godt

I think I'm finally getting what the fuss is about

Bowie indeed good.

A good listen, as you'd expect from Bowie, although I feel some of the earlier songs are a bit inconsistent compared to the singles and the latter half of the album.

No fall here.

Favourite Track: Moonage Daydream

A classic and a pleasure to listen to

4,4 - Das Album hat nicht ein Lied, das kein Knaller ist. Aber die absoluten Highlights sind ein bisschen zu rar, um zum absoluten Klassiker zu werden. Highlights: Moonage Daydream, Starman

What can you say about this album? One of the greatest, by one of the greatest. I wish the musical would have happened.

My second David Bowie album, The Rise Of the longest title name for an album ever. This is a nice bunch of songs that are sometimes cinematic and sometimes just plain happy, like frolicking in the flowers happy. Its nice! 8/10

The crème de la crème of his generation and still worth a listen more than 50 years later.

Some other worldly songs in this album and a classic, despite having some very unusual rhythms in it 8/10

Dirty guitars, raucous rock, pure fun and energy!

blissfully 38 minutes long, wonderful to a level alike divinity for possibly half of them - i have generally not been an 'album' person in my life, and i have no regrets about being inspired to finally listen to stareyed british boy's Full Length Superman (2025) Inspiring Album

Shocked at how short this is considering its status honestly. I think knowing this is top 20 of all time on aoty got my hopes up a bit too high. Love the variety of instruments used, makes every song feel fresh and distinct, but I think it's also pulling a lot of weight. I like Bowie's voice here I think but these soundscapes would benefit from someone with a bit more power in their voice. Highlights were the last 3 tracks.

Standouts: 5 years Moonage Daydream Rock'n'Roll Suicide (Too short!) it's got a distinctly old sound, I wonder how it sounds on original vinyl I'm a fan of how many instrument combinations there are already Wait I've heard Starman before this is wild. Everything was really unique and there was a lot of cool stuff going on I think I probably need to relisten to this to appreciate how good it is. I think the whole album lacked a solid direction. 4/5 is my current opinion

Classic

This one I’ve heard

Great one

An album of foot stomping bangers. Except three songs. Loses a star for having filler. In my own personal Top 1089 Albums of All Time, Ziggy would scrape in at number 846. Not as good as The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Veronica Falls or Young Marble Giants. Soz.

listening when: while journaling in the morning thoughts: first david bowie album cuz i skipped i think 2. does that mean they’re all on here? anyway, it’s exactly what you would expect from david bowie. no notes just bliss rating: 8/10

4/5 stars (8/10) Favourite Song: Starman Least Favourite: Star

Þetta er David Bowie sem ég fíla. Hann kann alveg að semja góð rokklög karlinn. Þótt ég teljist seint vera Bowie-aðdáandi þá hef ég hlustað sjálfviljugur á þessa plötu áður og hún var alveg janfgóð núna

Starman and suffragette city bumps this to a 4. Will listen again as I don’t get the love for it.

Phwoar

PEAK PEAK PEAK Fave track is Suffragette City "Hoo haa!" "AhhhhhhhHHHH WHAM BAM THANK YA MA'AM!!!" Edit Apr 15 2026: 5 --> 4

I wish I was into it as much as Bowie is. Amazing ideas here but a little lost in execution

I am a HUGE Bowie fan. As a fan I can recognize that while this is in fact a classic album it is much like a lot of his albums and that's a roller coaster ride of quality. This is with David Bowie the highs are SOOOOO high you can here pieces of it and its influence in music for decades after. We rarely talk about the swing and misses. More hits than misses on this.

I know I should be giving this a 5, David Bowie and all that. I love David Bowie but he is not consistently great, for me it varies between really good (maybe not genius) and rather average. Same with this album. I do love that this is a concept album and one of the most influential ones, and some songs are stunners (my favourite probably being Suffragette City). Absolutely needs to be on the list.

Great few tracks. Good album

A classic and known as one of the most iconic concept albums ever made. I had no idea of Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust character (the alien androgynous bi-sexual rockstar persona) but hearing the whole album front to back really shows how complete this is. I feel Bowie is the weirdest artist in commercial music, especially at the time. To me that makes him one of a kind. Legendary artist and a legendary album. This is a glam rock opera that shows David Bowie's talent for lyricism, packing as much feeling and soul into each song. It sounds theatrical, glam and full of energy, however still encapsulates deep melancholy underneath all the glam and the glitter. The album captures the rise and fall of fame, alienation, and self destruction. I appreciate the combination of glam rock, art rock, and pop. The instrumentation is tight, the guitar work from Mick Ronson stands out and Bowie’s vocals are confident and emotional. The transitions between songs flow beautifully, making it feel like a full story rather than just a collection of tracks. Even decades later, it seems like it still sounds fresh and inspiring for many people. A defining album of the 70s and one that shaped the identity of glam rock. Overall, this is one of those albums that really grows on you, or to me at least. I had to listen to it a few times to fully grasp it and appreciate everything it’s doing. The more I focused on it, the more it opens up and makes sense. Of course I already knew of Starman which is the iconic track of the record, however apart from that I enjoyed, Five Years, Soul Love, Moonage Daydream, Lady Stardust, Star, Hang on to Yourself, Ziggy Stardust and Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide.

Awesome album, five years is AMAZING, and the rest of the album is really good

A classic record for great reason.

Solid. Starman is a highlight 4/5

Hab mich nie mit Bowie beschäftigt, bis zu diesem sehr guten Album. „Star“ und „Starman“ sind direkt in meine Playlist gewandert. Für 5 Sterne reicht es aber nicht ganz.

Schmeckt.

Hat für mich trotz der kurzen Spielzeit ein paar Längen, aber das macht das Album als ganzes nicht schlecht. Das ist wirklich sehr gut in seinen größten Momenten und von denen gibt es definitiv genug.

Out of the whopping NINE albums Bowie has on the list, this is my first. There's plenty of good stuff here, but some of it isn't exactly my vibe. That's not to say it isn't good, because it is objectively a great album. Musically, it's excellent. Lyrically, it's good but not great(except Rock and Roll Suicide, which probably has the best writing on the album). Whether this truly is his greatest work remains to be seen, as I have many other albums of his to listen to.

It was great to listen to a classic album all the way through that I probably haven't before, but this didn't pull me in like a tractor beam the way Hunky Dory did.

I enjoyed this album more than expected, since I’m not a fan of the title track and early Bowie’s voice is shaky. I found myself grooving along, enjoying gems like Soul Love I’d never heard before, and then along came Suffragette City, which I love but didn’t even realize was on this album.

4,5

One of the few albums that gets better deeper into the album - really takes off in the last third

Lady Stardust has a very similar sound and some lyrics with Young Americans

Really bloody cool vibes. So many songs on there that I knew, several I knew and didn't realise where they were from this album. It did geta little samey by the end (plinky plonk piano and guitars) but overall enjoyed it very much.

This is the third Bowie album here. As I said before, I'm not a fan, but Ziggy Stardust is a completely different thing. It is a loose concept album that conveys its message in 38 minutes, which is exceptional. The production is great, although the instruments are sometimes too dominant. Still, it is a classic for a reason.

Call me a basic Bowie bitch but I just enjoy his pure straight-up rock albums so much more than his other stuff. Give me Starman, It Ain't Easy, Suffragette City or Rock'n'Roll Suicide over every minute of the quirky art rock experiments. I'm glad he made it all, I respect the hell out of him and love that he pushed those boundaries before it was cool but I'm going to rate based on what I want to listen to more than what piques my curiosity and seems clever.

Good but as good as hunky dory

Namensvetter des Hunds von Robin und mit Starman als einer der besten Songs ever! (in my humble opinion) Dass Bowie den Ritterschlag 2003 verweigerte macht alles noch etwas mehr rebelious...

Fun one.

Rating: 3.7 Definitely his best I’ve heard. The singles definitely tower over the other songs here but this is undoubtedly the point in his career where he cared the most before he got older and started doing stupid stuff with drugs and Iggy Pop.

Seminal classic

Very good album, I haven’t listened to this in its entirety before.

Classic Bowie great song writing and production! Brings back memories!

Starman 🥹🥹

Man, Bowie had the magic sauce. Somehow everything he touches turns to rock’n’roll gold! And in the time of studio control and attempts at homogenization he was wholly original on and off the vinyl.

Hur har jag aldrig lyssnat på denna?????????

I'm resisting the default 5 and going with how it felt yesterday.

Wanted to like this more than I did. (First Bowie Album) It started off strong with Five Years (one of the more memorable songs I’ve heard this year), as well as Moonage Daydream, but the excitement quickly dissolved. Would listen again though. (Edit: Listened again and liked it a lot more!)

first album that I know for sure is like a classic classic so I'm excited to hear what all the fuss is about Five Years: cool opener, love a slow build that actually has a payoff. surprised by the screaming, didn't know he was chill like that Soul Love: oh this chorus eatssss. love the lounge-y groove. Moonage Daydream: the vocals are chewing hard on this album. this is what I was expecting to get from a Bowie record (positive) Starman: the mix on this is out of fucking control. good song It Ain't Easy: I love how hair metal his voice is here, and the chorus hits like a truck. sounds like a classic but it's one of the least listened tracks on the album. Lady Stardust: vocals are the star again and again. it's good but it's not a hit to me Star: sounds so much like Billy Joel. or maybe Billy Joel sounds like this, I don't actually know who did it first Hang on to Yourself: insane that this song is over fifty years old. a British post-punk band would drop this shit today zero hesitation. Ziggy Stardust: this is like when people make fun of prog rock. really love the mix on this one though Suffragette City: the guitar tones are suuuuuper nice. great chorus + great energy, big fan of this one Rock 'n' Roll Suicide: his nonchalant delivery at the start really stands out from the rest of the album and then it just builds and builds in intensity until it boils over. this song is fucking amazing genuinely. happy to say that I was not disappointed by this one, I completely understand why it gets glazed so hard. not everything on here is to my taste but the quality is undeniable, and I feel like the songs that I liked will be growers __ SCORE: 7.5/10 ADDED TO PLAYLIST: Soul Love, Moonage Daydream, Starman, It Ain't Easy, Suffragette City, Rock 'n' Roll Suicide

I mean like classic. Starman. Rock n roll suicide. It ain’t easy. Suffragette city. He’s amazing here. I need to listen to this more. 4/5

slušo

Good

It’s giving me “dreams of starting a garage band” “what will life be like in 30 years” “campfire lyrical improv”

- after years of not getting how people enjoy David Bowie, much less revere him... I get it maybe 10% more now - I don't think I'd listen to this album (or any individual song) again by choice, but I didn't actively dislike it, either. this didn't make me a Bowie fan, but I'm curious about his other musical efforts - I get the impression that his musicianship was the avenue in which he was able to become the icon he is today, but it wasn't because of it, if that makes sense

God, 5 Years is a flawless opener, probably my highlight.

I've heard so much about David Bowie, yet never listened to his albums. While the genre is not for me, I did enjoy listening to it. Starman is the highlight for me, that chorus has such a crazy hook.

Got already

Classics on here with Starman and Ziggy Stardust. I love the vibe on this album. Music, vocals, lyrics, the whole shebang. Not his best album, but definitely a 4.

Bowie entering his weird phase. Not my favorite of his album but Suffragette City is easily in the top 10 of best songs ever written.

Good listen. He’s less of a weirdo on full albums than I expected

Rigtig godt album. Har ikke så meget andet at sige

Another great record from Bowie, and it might be the best. Favourite Track(s): Starman, It Ain't Easy Least Favourite Track(s): Soul Love

This album would get five stars from me if it wasn't so "glammy" because I did love several of the tracks on it, of course including the fantastic "Starman".

I haven’t been impressed with Bowie in the past. Everything I've heard from is inoffensive but nothing extraordinary. Pair aggressive mediocrity with the hype surrounding him, I came into this record with some pessimism. But, what a good rock record. Pure fun from the get-go, but it really found its groove and elevated around 3-4 tracks in. Phenomenal pacing on this record; it felt consistent and complete with great variety. There's grit and power while also boasting glam and drama. Instrumentation is a strength of this record. Bright 12 string guitar, sparkling piano riffs, cools synthesizer sounds in tracks like "Suffragette City" and "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide," and love the stylophone(? at least I think its a stylophone). I love cool and unique textures and timbres. Deserves its place on this list. Classic and unique rock 'n' roll record. 8/10 Standouts: Starman It Ain't Easy Suffragette City

4.1 3x better than expected... looking forward to the documentary of the same name

Maybe the only enjoyable Bowie album. Still overrated, but at least listenable.

Very good album, my favorite of Bowie in the Ziggy era

I wonder how many drugs were taken to form the name of this album

Enjoyed this. I love storytelling songs like this. Many Bowie hits on here as well.

I found myself listening to this album over and over again. I am a sucker for the soundscapes of the 70s and suspended chords and this albums delivers on both very well. It’s definitely something I will revisit again.

David Bowie has always been a fun listen for me. Partially, I enjoy that he always makes me think of the Labyrinth and partially just because he has a free-ness about him that I don't know how to articulate. He's a good time listen for me. He's got the story telling, I could 100% picture myself dancing around my house to this (and have with some of these songs), overall I'm into it.

Five Years makes me feel like Bowie was ripping rails listening to Lou Reed Montage Day Dream fuckin rips. Is this album Bowie doing Elton or had Elton been doing Ziggy? There’s something about Bowie that feels so effortless but so meticulous. It’s crisp and thoughtful rock and roll jams but it also feels like he just walked in and started rambling on the mic, I mean that in the best way. Maybe I mean it feels so organic and genuine for Bowie and he’s such a charismatic auteur that it feels like he was born to do this. Hang on to Yourself sounds like the Violent Femmes heard it and decided to make an entire band based on it. The title track rips so hard man. In fact the second half of the album feels so fuckin dope. It’s straight up rock n roll romp. This one feels hard to star. It feels a bit too strong to be a five but it’s a smidge to big for a four.

Almost certainly a 5 to everyone else. Multiple fantastic songs - but would I choose to listen to it as an album? Probably not. Five Yeare, Starman, Moonage Daydream, Suffragette City - some incredible songs, but there's definitely filler in places. A very, very strong 4.

C’est ce qu’on appelle une valeur sûre!

Day and night compared to hunky dory... Is David Bowie finally growing on me? this was the best out of the 3 albums I have heard from him so far :)

A really good rock album. Except for a little dip in the middle of the album, it stats consistently good throughout. Starman is one of the best songs ever written. 8/10

Passionately sentimental I had a bit of a weird day today but listening to this album made it worth while

Great collection of songs and slightly bonkers concept.

Have to say, wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did, it was interesting to hear such a monster as Bowie...

Pretty good

La primera canción me gustó mucho. El eco

Bowie's best? Certainly the most iconic. I love this album.

David Bowie can do no wrong. Fave: Moonage Daydream HMs: Starman, Suffragette City

The 1001 album exercise has shown me that the double-edged sword of growing up with Bowie (and Elton and many other rock stars of this era) is that I fell in love with the greatest hits without ever listening to the albums they came from. As a result, I'm sometimes disappointed by the "lesser" songs that I'm not familiar with, at least at first. I really enjoyed this album, but I need to spend more time absorbing it before it can earn my full five stars.

One of the greatest concept albums of all time.

The album title is a bit of a mouthful, but that's about all I can say negatively about this. Although he has some other great albums, this remains Bowie's best record.

Incredible album. Previous I'd only heard Starman but this album rules. 4/5

Album #2 I listen for this project. I'll start this one by saying that I had a prejudice against Bowie. He was my ex fav artist, to an insane degree, and that was off-putting even if I liked his music. In this album, I only knew Starman. I very much liked how ominous, absurd and, in a strange way, optimistically nihilistic Five Years was. I liked the album quite a lot, but I would benefit from listening it several times and becoming more familiar with it. Added to my library and will revisit for sure.

This was the Bowie record I've been waiting for. It sounds classic from the start. Repeated listens reveal hidden gems within already solid rock and roll compositions. There's details that are easy to remember, catchy enough to have you singing along without the music playing. This project explains the David Bowie hype in a way I can accept, and maybe even lean into. I actually want this record in my collection, I look forward to giving it an occasional listen in the future. On a personal note, this is one of the few records where I'm a much bigger fan of the A-side than the B-side. The latter half definitely stands on its own, but that's probably because it feels like a project with the structure of a well told story. As a concept album it doesn't struggle to hold itself up. It doesn't feel like anything is sacrificed for the sake of the story, and the story isn't imposed in a way that could ruin the effort, either. Masterful. 3.8/5

bell

"Liev stu disc, miett c ualler nella recensione" cit mia madre.

peak?

Really liked it. I already liked Bowie but this was different and great.

Standouts Moonage Daydream Starman Ziggy Stardust Suffragette City

A good one

"A cop knelt and kissed the feet of a priest And a queer threw up at the sight of that" Everytime I see a Bowie album, I think "fuck yes I love Bowie" then I listen to it and remember that I don't actually love Bowie, but I want to because of lyrics like the above lyric. Sometimes he's just annoying though :/

To some, the apex of Bowie. For me, not quite, but still good nonetheless. This album has it all. It has a story that's to be respected, and the musicianship is a benchmark on how to create an album with a timeless quality mixed with a lot of memorable riffs and passages. It perfectly mixes being an album with a lot of mainstream ease to it, but also being admirable from a “musical wanker” standpoint with the reinvention of the psychedelic sound on Moonage Daydream, rock n roll on Suffragette City, or because of the sheer amount of depth it possesses. From any point you look at it, a stone-cold classic.

One of my all-time favorite Bowie tracks is on this album, which is "Moonage Daydream"! Back when I first got into David Bowie a little over 20 years ago, this was the first album I listened to, and I was hooked. Thanks to this album, I've dug deeper and deeper into his discography and have been a fan ever since.

*listened before the project* I don’t hate him but No more David Bowie plz

It's started out ok. Then banger after banger. 4.25*

This was an album I had already heard numerous times before starting this list of 1001 albums, so I knew I was in for a good listening experience. Not sure there's much I can say about this album that hasn't already been said. It's clear to see how this is the album that kicked off Bowies album. It's really only an album he could create. Not sure where we can go from here as this was the first album of all 1001 that I pulled. Strong start.

I liked this one a lot, and had previously only heard Starman and Suffragette City. I have a hunch this is one that would grow on me. 4 stars for now.

Nu har jag lyssnat massor på denna skiva. Tycker det är stor skillnad från förra albumet (young American). Ett annat sound (inga blåsinstrument tex :) ). Första låten, five years, är nåt annat..möjligen att "across the universe" på förra skivan liknar musiken på detta album. Hur som helst detta var betydligt bättre, alla låtar är mer eller mindre bra! Kul.

Classic Bowie album. Half the album are tracks I’ve listened to so many times since I first heard this album like 15 years ago. The other half never really stuck with me on the same level. Favorite tracks: “Five Years”, “Moonage Daydream”, “Rock and Roll Suicide”

Woah

Brilliant album by a transcendent artist and his Martian spider friends.

Great album with a few of my favorite Bowie songs on it.

Stærk start

David Bowies voice is so unique and the way he switches up his tone is interesing. There were a few songs that I listen to growing up on the album and I still really like them! But truth be told I was not a fan of most of the songs.. the instrumentals in the songs really did not stand out with the exception of the guitar in Ziggy Stardust and a couple others. Over all the albums is worth the few classics on it.

Overall, solid tracks on this album. Classics like star man and new tracks for me like rock n roll suicide. I like the changes throughout the album from faster tracks to slower ballads. I can certainly hear the inspirations modern bands took from David Bowie!

Groundbreaking sound. Only wish I could have seen him in person to enjoy the show.

I love the instrumentals and everything :3

Brought me back. Fun album.

Quite the stuff.

Prime stuff. Funky and unusual and silly and cool and narrative. Such an inimitable voice. (4.5 stars)

daddy david i love you

I listened it a while ago and it is not one of my favorite albums made by Bowie it's just okay. Fav. tracks: Five Years Moonage daydream Starman

This must have been mind-blowing to hear at the time but it doesn't quite stand up to his later peak. He must not have discovered quite the right cocktail of drugs yet.

I generally love every David Bowie song. I have not listened to this particular album in the past but loved it just as I expected. When it came up I was genuinely excited. He just brings the perfect energy. I hesitate to give this a 5 though because I know he has more gems.

Best Bowie album I have heard so far. This makes a lot of sense given that this is the most acclaimed Bowie album. Cool jams and wacky vocal performances. Also I really like the chord progressions on the title track Ziggy Stardust, it reminds me of a progression you would hear Led Zeppelin do, just much less hard rock.

Excellent and not even his best stuff

Catchy stuff

I liked this a lot more than I thought. No misses and a real fun time all the way through. Suffragette City is such a banger by the end in context.

a classic

We love David bowie

Definitely my favorite of Bowie's albums.

4 sterne

Rock, 1972 -> 4

Good album. I knew a few songs.

*1972 - Bowie's 5th studio album. *Really enjoyed this, especially the first half. *Fave track - Five Years is the opening track, and hooked me immediately. *Will be relistening. RATING - 8/10

Al bekend, het lukt me nooit om helemaal in to Bowie te raken.

I am not a DB superfan and I might be being rude to folk music but he has that style of singing which does grate on me at times. Anyway that said in terms of a mega pop album I think this sets itself aside from others. Intersting as not long listened to Abbey Road / Beatles which is arguably another masterpeice of pop history. I personaly rate this higher as it is more engaging as an album and the songs entirely complement each other (And extremely limited weakness across the range). It was immediately striking how the simplicity of the first song started with the bass hits on the drums. It sounded great and hooked me in. Slow plod that then eventually burst and that theme came in and out which I liked across the album. I dont think I have heard DB push the limits of his voice to quite such an extent. The last song was an example of this. He must have given it his all. His voice was to be celebrated mostly on this album in its own right which is not my normal go to statement for DB. Pop Album mastery of the Beatles, Edgy vision and musical / songwriting gift of Prince and just managed better than both. If there is a better pop album I am not sure. Maybe Elton John??? Looking forward to hearing more DB. Has every right to be on this list.

Don't mind relistening to this one. There isn't a bad song. 8.5/10 for me.

Excellent train listen on the way to see John Cena lose at summerslam

Listening to the first few songs, I didn’t think this was going to be for me which was surprising because I’m a fan of David Bowie and rock operas. But then the album hit stride around “It Ain’t Easy” and it swept me away from there. It gives vibes of Rocky Horror with the dramatics and story. Most definitely will listen to this again.

Some very good songs here, pretty consistent quality throughout, love that it ends with a repetition of "you're not alone"

1) Five Years - Hmm welll .... apocalyptic and ecological grief 2) Soul Love - 3) Moonage Daydream 4) Starman - 5) It Ain't Easy 6) Lady Stardust 7) Star 8) Hang on to Yourself - "Come, on, ah" 9) Ziggy Stardust 10) Suffragette City 11) Rock 'n' Roll Suicide Umm samajh nahi aaya zyada. Eccentric Album. Bisexual Alien saving the earth from apocalypse. I guess that is the theme.

Finally! Anothee Bowie album I really like. Everything about this just works. It's fun, danceable, a vibe.

I enjoyed this.

A solid glam album and tbh Bowie at his best for me. A great album

Classic Bowie

solid 4. always loved Suffragette City.

I think this is the David Bowie I've been wanting to discover (I've had a few of his albums generated but they were newer). This helped me understand him as an artist a little more. I really liked the music in this album.

Zig stars

С годами стал больше любить глэм начала 70-х, но, конечно, не весь. Этот хорош.

First time hearing this album in full. Pretty cool. Favorites: Soul Love, Ziggy Stardust, Suffragette City Would I listen to it again: Yes

Ich tu mich weiterhin schwer mit David Bowie, aber dies hier war wenigstens durchgehend angenehm zu hören. Habe mir das Album tatsächlich 2x angehört und beim zweiten Mal die Story des Concept Albums durchgelesen und die Songtexte durchgelesen. Macht danach mehr Sinn und eine spannende Sache. Allerdings reicht es vom "Feeling" bei mir niemals für 5 Sterne. Starman ist aber ein absoluter Banger

Was fun would listen again but I’m not a huge Bowie fan I probably lack context because I feel like I really should love him

Already listened ❤️

Iconic reputation, but the reality of the matter is the music is great, but even for the time not especially innovative. Still, it is a great album 4.0/5.0: Great

classic bowie

A true must listen. I'm not a big 70's music fan, but this is genuinely a great album.

It's really great. I'm a sucker for a concept album and love Bowie. It's not my favorite thing of his (Black Star is a perfect album), but this is certainly some of his most iconic stuff. 4.5/5

Bien sympa

I think I finally figured out my odd relationship to David Bowie. It lies in the idea that I am still like a kid listening to an adult who is trying to get me to understand a concept I am not quite grasping. He was, and still is ahead of his time. Often music is dated or placed in time and space or "timeless" but I feel like David Bowie's collective works have not even quite landed yet. It is like my mind has not yet expanded enough to fully comprehend his life lessons, but that I catch glimpses of meaning now and then and he is most definitely deep and profound on a next level basis. Guess I have to keep listening...

Bingus

Great album. Obviously a huge influence on most of the bands I like today.

I now get the hype behind David Bowie. Much like with The Beatles, I never understood why people really enjoyed Bowie and saw his work as archaic. I had only listened to Starman, Fame and the singles from his last album in 2016. Now, after going through his most popular album I can confidently say I understand why people ride on his dick and balls. The songwriting is on point throughout every song, I wasn't disinterested for a single second. I love a good concept album (Tommy, The Wall and To Pimp A Butterfly were heavily influential to my music taste), and the story here of a bisexual jesus-like rock and roller is so unique to the time I can't help but be enthralled. All the musicians are giving their all the entire record. Bowie is giving an amazing vocal performance that's at once silky smooth and has the edge of the punk movement that's still half a decade away. The drums are never overplayed, the guitar solos are sublime, and the basslines underneath carry the record to a somewhat funky territory. Overall, I'm kinda sad i haven't pulled the trigger on discovering this album earlier. I always thought I'd just think it was eh, but I'm certain that late highschool, stoned me would've listened this to with such fervor as I did with The Wall. An absolutely astounding album I've neglected for too long

The album was good! I thought I wasn’t a huge fan of the record, but I was really wrong. The only song that I thought was ok was Star, but other than that, all the tracks were great! The lyrics, production, and instrumentation make the songs stand out. This is truly an amazing album.

Super fun, what else is there to say?

8/10 Un discazo, no hay con que darle

Great. First Bowie album that’s come up and I’ve been like “every song a banger”

David Bowie always offers some interesting listening.

I went in not wanting to like it, didn't like it initially, but was then won over by the songs "It Ain't Easy" and "Suffragette City."

Great album. Obviously Ziggy and Suffragette are classic but Five Years, Soul Love, Starman stuck out to me too!

Lovely album, some good hits

Very good album from an artist whose body of work is overrated

8.8

Iconic and great album.

9/10

maestralno!

Might be 5* after repeat listening

I think this one is 3 stars. I'm sure it's an artistic choice but the music is so much louder than the vocals until middle of Ziggy Stardust just randomly gets loud vocals. Actually, I think I'm dropping to 2 stars. I don't think I like it. Found out my headphones were only plugged in halfway while listening to this (I'm an idiot) Giving it another listen... Yeah, hearing it all the way in my head this time I'm thinking 4 stars for sure. Weird what the entire sound will do.

3.5

Another classic

Solid album!

Dope listen, could vibe

I get to hear this almost every week as Beth has it on our shared playlists. Great album but the utter strangeness Is unmatched

Gotta love Starman which was used in that movie with Matt Damon. Love David'd style in general, maybe not necessarily the whole album

All around great album. Enjoyed every song through, the lyrics were meaningful the melodies were unique and I really enjoyed it. I've never really listened to David Bowie before and this was a perfect first impression

Classic!

It my personal favourite Bowie album but an artistic statement at the time.

Did I absolutely love it, no. Does it deserve a high rating because it is to the point, and a true classic, yes.

had some bangers, overall pretty dang good

i cant listen to this and not think of rocky horror picture show....sorry not sorry.....

I think I've called you shite before. I'm sorry man! This was actually ok

I mean what can I say? This may be Bowie at his best, with much more consistency than some of his other albums (no laughing gnome here). I don't think the whole album shines but there's nothing bad. An amazing artist but the wealth of releases meant you're often comparing some of his more "okay" songs to 30 better ones.

Pretty good rock album. A few good classics.

Luv me Ziggy dawg

When I think of early David Bowie I am always in awe of how brave someone has to be to get up on a stage and do this type of music and theatrics. Amazing really

Mui tranquilito k lo podrias escuchas metido de tripis la vd. Entiendo porque esta en esta lista, que buen artista. Punto macarrilla como él mismo. 7/10

I feel really bad for anyone who gets this album as their first David Bowie on here. Imagine staring with peak like this and then never quite hitting it for the plethora of other David Bowie albums. Ok, I’ll say this now. I don’t personally consider this one of my favorite albums of all time. It doesn’t quite hit that “5-star” caliber for me that some others had. Is this my favorite Bowie album? Hard to say, this was only my fourth from him on here and I still have plenty to go. But it is for sure a contender and I can see why it is considered a classic. Honestly, if I can’t rate the album 5 stars, I can rate some of the songs 5 stars. The whole “bisexual alien rockstar saves the Earth from the apocalypse” puts a really creative backdrop for the album. I know it’s been said a hundred times, but the bookends songs, Five Years and Rock n’ Roll Suicide are excellent. Starman is one of Bowie’s absolute best songs, with Ziggy Stardust and Suffragette City not fear behind. If some of the lesser songs were a little tighter (in my opinion), I would have definitely put this up on my summary. But this is the magnum opus for Bowie so far for me. It’ll be interesting to see if it gets topped. Favorite track: Starman Other hits: Ziggurat Stardust, Suffragette City, Rock n’ Roll Suicide, Five Years

Undoubtedly iconic in every way. Even though a centrepiece, I am not particularly crazy about the It Ain’t Easy cover or Mooanage Daydream. The latter has got a great feeling to it and was probably an amazing live show staple, but I am slightly underwhelmed from a songwriting perspective given Bowie’s generational talent. It will probably grow on me… However, that’s nitpicking and the highs of this record (basically every other song), elevate this project to the top of Bowie’s - and mostly everyone else’s - oeuvre.

Ashamed to say that was my first time giving this album a full listen This was very good. The opening and ending tracks were great, Starman is a certified banger, and some of the guitar work on this is really good, especially at the end of Moonage Daydream Perhaps overrated, especially with the "greatest album of all time" remarks, but still very good

We had this album poster in our living room at my old house. Would you BELIEVE i haven’t listened to this album full way through ever… i know shoot me. To be honest in my head i don’t really like bowie… BUT i take it back! You CANNOT argue with this album, it’s actually amazing (no shit sherlock)! I don’t know if i can pick a top 3 at the moment as i think it requires more listens but i love rock n roll suicide!

First time ever listening to this and I wasn’t disappointed. Great album overall with consistent quality across the tracks.

Starman

This was very good.

This album is fantastic, it is full of bangers and with some of the bests David Bowie's songs. It is really catchy, creative and consistent. My only problem with this album is that some songs don't really stick to me as the others, for example, Lady Stardust, but even the lowest points in this record are still really good.

our second bowie

4/5

Jepp

Great stuff altogether. Five Years is a masterpiece. However, for me it kind of loses slight interest by the end. 4.5*

Star man is an iconic song but otherwise the album felt a little boring to me. It might be because David Bowie has a signature style that is amazing when you see it live but loses some of its charm when you simply listen to the music without his stage presence. HOWEVER, the bass was lovely throughout which is always a plus. It is an objectively good album, just not for me.

One of the best Bowie albums, really enjoyed listening to this again

Great record

An all time favourite for me! Bowie is electrifying… and the DRUMS! THE DRUMS!1!1!!1!1!

Belle découverte à réécouter. Fin du fmd et open 35 Ave Hélène

A very good album. I can begin to appreciate, particularly after watching the series on 1971 quite how innovative and subversive Bowie was then and to a degree still is. Music has to a degree been tamed, maybe it’s all been said or has become more diffuse. This stands as one of peaks of a different vision music as a social statement and movement not just personal reflection.

Here's the thing...I didn't love this. But I couldn't help but really be drawn in by its concept and really far out lyrics. Musically the middling songs are just middling. But when the hits hit, it's a rocker. Suffragette City is a banger that's still stuck on the brain.

Did this put david bowie on the map?

Bowie is not my favorite but this is a great album

Kedvenc/Favourite: Rock 'n' Roll Suicide Jó album összességében is és több szám tényleg kiemelkedően jó, de összességében szerintem vannak jobb David Bowie albumok (vagy legalábbis amik nekem jobban tetszenek). Mindenképp meg fogom még többször hallgatni, mert szerintem el kell gondolkodni, kicsit el kell mélyedni a számokban. El tudom képzelni, hogy többszöri meghallgatásra még jobban meg fogom szeretni. It’s a good album overall, and several tracks are truly outstanding, but on the whole, I think there are better David Bowie albums (or at least ones I like better). I’ll definitely listen to it many more times, because I think you have to really think about it and delve a little deeper into the songs. I can imagine that I’ll come to love it even more with repeated listens.

I'm liking the tone of the album, the overdriven guitar, orchestral and grand melodies, and ambiance that adds to the overall theme. Bowie's voice also does a wonderful job at sounding out of this world and spacy itself. Seems like he was able to find his sound a bit between Hunky Dory and this album as this has a more refined sound and actual substance. There are times where the excessive use of reverb/ delay/ chorus/ etc. become a bit distracting.

Great album

I've not listened but Emily used to listen to it loads and rates it.

I kinda liked it overall. Fits better as a full concept album than individual songs.

I did 1 listen through. It has hits for sure but i wasn’t grooving as much i expected. Expectations might have been too high.

Really great and powerful sounding album. Lots of great songs.

I love the 60’s-70’s space race aesthetic so much!

Solid album. Not quite memorable enough start to finish to earn the full 5 stars.

I have always been put off by the Bowie love as someone who was not around when he was at his peak and knew him more as a personality. That being said this album is worthy of the hype. I can't give it 5 but it's a 4.25/5 for me.

The 1001 list editor wrote a biography of David Bowie and in his enthusiasm allowed far too many Bowie albums on the list. This one definitely belongs however: Bowie is at the top of his game with "Starman," "Ziggy Stardust," and "Suffragette City." These are well known, stand-out tracks, and a few others are immediately accessible including "Soul Love," "Five Years," and "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide." On the first go-round at least, I found some tracks were weak and forgettable. "Ziggy Stardust" is so tight and self-contained, it makes most of the other songs that make up this glam rock story arc feel superfluous. Not a Bowie fan boy, but some great songs are stored here.

Creative and interesting, happy to see this as my first david bowie album in this app

Destaques - Hang on to Yourself - Starman - Rock 'n' Roll Suicide - Five Years

FIIIIIIIVE YEARS esse bateu ihgual um caminhão no inicio starman muito foda só ouvia a versão do seu jorge, ele teve uma interpretação mt dahora album gostosinho de ouvir, vou ouvir dnv 8/10

Certo. Ziggy Stardust. Eu não sou muito fã das múltiplas personalidades que o Bowie criou, mas aqui não tem como, ele foi gênial. Se apresentando por baixo do gênero Glam Rock, em 1972 já demonstrava a força eclética que ele teve ao longo de sua carreira inteira.Gritando, esperneiando e chorando, mas sem deixar de fazer uma apresentação digna de um rockstar, ele te direciona ao longo do album a diversas narrativas, sendo uma delas sobre querer/ser um rockstar em um período de guerra, até a história do "Starman" astronauta e como ele é incrível.Tendo 38 minutos totais de album, me deixou a desejar por mais, porém entrega tudo o que tem com uma maestria do seu rock dramático e glamuroso que é Ziggy Stardust. Eu poderia entrar em uma tângencia sobre a super saturação dos clássicos do rock atualmente, mas a verdade é que para quem realmente gosta, continua sendo muito bom. Um adendo: não esperava coro religioso nem saxofones.

Wonderful album! Filled with Bowie hits like "Ziggy Stardust" and "Suffragette City", along with great songs like "Five Years", and "Soul Love". Always puts me in a good mood. 4/5

Maybe a concept album, or an album with a concept written after it was recorded- doesn’t really matter. It’s a unique album that builds as it moves from track to track. suffragette city is the star track - chef’s kiss of a song. Rock n roll suicide is so musical theater, it gives off the rock opera vibe!

Amazing album, probably the best by bowie.

I think this is the only Bowie album without any songs I'd prefer to skip.

Another good Bowie album. Mostly upbeat tracks and a fun short listen

you already know icl this is not probably not even top 3 bowie for me anymore, low, station to station and blackstar are just far more interesting for me, but this definitely has a great replay value and is just rlly solid. not necessarily as amazing as some claim it to be tho

This is a mad space age concept album with some of Bowie’s best songwriting on it (Starman, Rock & Roll Suicide). What more can be said?!

3.5/5

Had to give this one 4 just cause the singing style isn't a fave/not as polished as expected. The writing on this album is great though! Every track has a unique groove and some interesting instrumentals. The percussion in Soul Love punctuated by the brass and the sax interludes, the piano in Moonage Daydream holding everything down plus the lovely winds and brass interlude with the long, hypnotic guitar finish of the song. In Starman it's the stretching vocals that stand out while in Rock and Roll Suicide the guitar and brass ensemble really brings it all together. Would listen again, good writing.

Funny how not random true-random feels. Got Bowie's Heroes yesterday, and today Ziggy Stardust. Anyways, went into this expecting a very easy 5/5 and while it's still a classic, surprised at myself for not liking it quite as much as I was expecting. Still a fantastic album with no bad songs, but mostly I just enjoy the big hits like Moonage Daydream, Ziggy Stardust, and Suffragette City. But this album has the classic Bowie acoustic guitar sound, so it's great.

bowie do be doin bowie things

Great album, the Bowie/Ronson collaboration resulted in Bowie's best output.

Heard it before. Quite enjoyable. Moved pretty quickly despite not being super familiar with some songs. A Solid 7

I love David Bowie but I've never fully understood why this album is so lauded. I do like it so I don't want to sound like a contrarian or anything, but I think he's got plenty of more creative and interesting albums (Low, Station To Station, Blackstar etc). Some of the deeper tracks (like Soul Love and Star) aren't as strong as the more well-known ones, for me anyway. That keeps it from being top tier I think part of it is his vocals as well. After this, he adopted a lower style compared to the more shrill and kind of nasally style that he uses on here. I much prefer how he sounds from Young Americans onwards Just so I'm not shitting on a beloved album for the entire review - the big hitters are fully deserving of the praise. Ziggy Stardust and Starman are huge anthems and Suffragette City is a banger. Mick Ronson's slick guitar playing is absolutely stellar as well. There's also signature Bowie weirdness to be found, like the pennywhistle around 2 minutes into Moonage Daydream Something has just never fully clicked with me. Half of the album is perfect, the other half is just decent. It definitely belongs on the list though Highlights: Suffragette City, Ziggy Stardust, Starman