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

Just a classic album really, 40 minutes and 11 great songs. Not sure what it's really about, other than rock stars and drugs

124/1001 David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ✅ Perfect. No notes

This album explains to me why Bowie has always been held (in my lifetime) as the epitome of cool. The opening chords of moonage daydream still get me every time and the whole vibe of the album is fresh and full of energy. In anyone else’s hands it wouldn’t be nearly as catchy or interesting. And the songwriting on some of the songs is exceptional.

The more I listen to this album, my appreciation for it grows. An obvious Bowie classic, love the change in the album from Star onwards (the Fall), especially Ziggy Stardust. The songs are fantastic on their own but listening to the whole album end to end, you really can appreciate the story being told.

Classic album

The best of the Bowie albums I've heard so far. The opening track Five Years is epic and sets the scene well. Moonage Daydream is another highlight, as are Starman, Lady Stardust and Ziggy Stardust. Actually it's mostly highlights, with a surprising amount of variety from track-to-track.

Once again I may be committing some kind of sacrilege by saying this, but this is my first time hearing The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars in full. After listening to this album in full I totally understand why this album is so revered, it is an incredible concept album that really pulls no punches and delivers banger track after banger track throughout the entire 38 minute runtime. The instrumentation on this project is truly so special and well organized to the point that I would not change a single thing here, it is all placed so beautifully and has such touching effects on myself when listening through. This projects can jump from very slow and thoughtful tracks like Starman to more hard rocking kickers like Suffragette City in an instant and yet make the transition feel so smooth and deserved. There is so much I can say here but I feel that everything has most likely been picked apart in the 53 years since this album's release, so I will cut myself short and just say to listen to the project if you haven't already. This is one of those albums where it shouldn't even be a question as to why it is a classic, it simply is.

Un peu court peut-être mais tellement bien.

A prefect album by an all time favorite artist. Everything positive anyone has said about this is true. Exceptional.

Like many, many others, this album was my first real introduction to the genius of David Bowie. And glam rock as a whole. I watched the Ziggy Stardust concert film in theaters on a whim with only a cursory knowledge of Bowie's music. And it changed my life! The guitar solo at the end of Moonage Daydream genuinely rewrote my brain. I had never really been into rock music and suddenly a whole new world opened up before me. The music on this album is still changing lives, 50+ years later.

Just perfect

I love this album. It reminds me of 9th grade and all my angst and being friends with Trudie ❤️

For someone who prides himself on listening to a bunch of different artists and kinds of music, I feel like I start everyone of these out with, I never really go into so and so until later. So, I never got into Bowie until the last 20 years or so. I always kind of thought he was weird and I just didn’t get it. Then I listened to Ziggy Stardust and it hit me, Bowie is a genius. Then I listened to Hunky Dory and I was like Bowie is a genius. Then I heard Life on Mars? and I just wanted to cry it was so good. I still get that way everytime I hear it. I keptlistening to Bowie and even his most experiemtnal stuff was so interesting. Bowie is a genius and while Ziggy Stardust might not be his greatest album, though it’s in the running, it’s arguably his most recognized character. Is it character? Or just his most recognizable version of Bowie? That’s what made Bowie a genius. He had a sound, a Bowieness throughout his career, but almost every album sounded different thant the last. And instead of his fans calling him a sellout or saying he should just stick with this kind of music or that kind of music, they just took whatever Bowie offered up. Zigg Stardust is kind of a concept album or rock opera, though it didn’t start that way. It’s about a messiah who comes to earth to save the world only to get so caught up in fame and fortune he alienates his fans and his band before dying on stage. Truthfully, I never paid much attention to the “story” because the songs were so good. Bowie was Ziggy, of course, and The Spiders from Mars were made up of Trevor Bolder on bass, Mick Woodmansey on drums, and one of Bowie’s longtime collaborators Mick Ronson on guitar. Ronson is one of my favorite guitar players. His guitar work on the album is so good. It’s not guitar wankery, all the licks he provides go to help the song. It’s a shame we lost him to cancer before he could truly become one of the most legendary guitarists ever, even though, in my eyes he did. I’m not good at whatever this is that I’ve been doing now for 88 albums. I can only tell you this album is definitely a must hear as there is no song that’s not great. I feel this could be released today and be a hit, especially Starman, Moonage Daydream and Ziggy Stardust, songs I’m quite positive you’ve heard somewhere before. I loved taking this trip down memory lane. If you do nothing after reading this, just remember Mick Ronson is a great guitarist and search his stuff out.

It was pretty good. Listenability: 5

So excited to see this album pop up.I’ve loved most of the songs on this record for years, but I never sat down and listened to it as one piece of music. What a Marvelous experience. A nearly perfect record, and definitely on my top ten.

Classic Bowie … no further comment needed …

I dont think music gets better than Bowie at this point. Absolutely brilliant.

Waiting for 22

Ziggy! I'll admit I was nervous going in. The legend of this album proceeds it. It did disappoint on that front but in the same way that a tinder date becomes a real person instead of a fictionalized fantasy when you finally see them in person. Once I shook off the expectations, the hype was very real. Personally, I think I prefer Hunky Dory but it's cheesecake verse a chocolate mousse. Ziggy is indulgent. It never goes to the point of poor taste and rewards repeat listenings. I just like Bowie at his more personal. He's a hell of a musician. While the theater is fun, it can cover the even more captivating voice of a killer songwriter. All around killer album. Glad I finally broke the seal.

Best Songs: Moonage Daydream, Starman; but honestly, you can't go wrong here Ziggy Stardust is a true rock opera and maybe Bowie's magnum opus; during its runtime it's nothing but excellence in an album that's compact yet full of creativity and flavour.

One of the best albums ever. Simply a masterpiece and songs you can always easily listen to. Simply Bowie's best by default, but it is definitely arguable that this isn't his #1. I once played Five Years in a band and had a great time with that even if its a simple song. I also played Star on the guitar too. Lady Stardust a personal favorite. Such a great record!

If you say it's not perfect or close to it you're lying

So far whenever I've gotten a Bowie album it's had some hits but been meh. Not here though. Absolutle classic I can see why most people think this is his best. 9/10

Still one of the best albums ever made. I bought the album off the back of the single "Starman", but was blown away by the rest of the album, from the opening "Five Years", through "Moonage Daydream", "Starman", "Ziggy Stardust", "Suffragette City", and the closing "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide", this is a great album. "Time takes a cigarette, puts it in your mouth..." - I mean they don't write lyrics like that anymore.

Wondrous!

I loved the kind of edgy glorious aspect of the music? it feels really epic, like you're contemplating a once in a lifetime thing. I've always passed on on this album but I now that I've listened to it consciously I love it.

The definitive Bowie album. Authentically weird, infinitely re-listenable.

This is my favorite Bowie album and a strong contender for my favourite album full stop! When I was 15 my then girlfriends younger brother starred in a school musical based on this album, it was fab and made go out and buy it. That was 1981 and I’ve played it on a regular basis since then and it never gets boring. Thank you David xx

Five Years is like a curtain rising to reveal a man under a spotlight. But Five Years until what, David? Soul Love is serviceable but pretty basic Bowie writing, but it has grown on me with repeat listens. Awful drum sound. Moonage Daydream kicks the album off proper - iconic, exciting, like a science fiction hippie anthem. Starman the same, has me punching the air like a kid in the 70's. It Ain't Easy is a bit dull, bit of a simple palette cleanser? Harpsichord stadium rock. Lady Stardust is a nice ballad demonstrating Bowies distinct vocals. Star is a honky tonk, foot stamper, I enjoyed the bass walking up and down. Hang On blends proto-punk with 50s hand jiving rock and roll but is a bit weak. Title track Ziggy Stardust is awesome, surreal storytelling, iconic guitar riffs. Suffragette City is perfection. And Rock and Roll suicide is an amazing closing track. A crazy cosmic jive all round but if I had to criticise I would have put the songs in a different order. Great album.

Classic

Love this album. awesome bass, great catchy songs, heart wrenching vocals. multiple top songs showing why Bowie was such a star.

Awesome album from the Bowmeister. I don't think I disliked any song. Everything meshed well together and was pleasant on the ears.

As close to a perfect album as can be made. A milestone work by a very strange man. I’m taken aback to realize just how many iconic tracks are on here. Like the Cars’ first album, no misses.

Love love love this album...

Such a good album. I'm ashamed I've never listened to the entire thing until now. So thankful for this site!

pretty fire, would revisit

I finally understand people's Bowie obsession. Great album, no notes. Best Songs: Five Years, Moonage Daytream, Starman, Ziggy Stardust Worst Songs: NA

You can see why this is one of the most influential of all times

What a beautiful record by Bowie this is.

Emotive, melancholic, uplifting. Many musical flavours. Fav track - Soul Love

top 5 noncy musicians of all time

I think I first heard this album when I was around 12 or 13, and it turned me into a full on Bowie obsessive. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a more perfect opening and closing to an album than Five Years and Rock 'n' Roll Suicide at least not in the world of rock operas or theatrical albums. The way it explores Ziggy's journey through identity, gender, isolation, and the pressures of being a personality in a toxic world. Topics that are even more relevant today. Even though David Bowie has been gone for nearly a decade, his work was way ahead of its time and the world still hasn't caught up. This album is perfect to me and is easily one of my top five. It’s special because Ziggy Stardust and Bowie in general made me want to dive deeper into music. I owe so much of my musical journey and discoveries to him and this album. I try to avoid putting musicians on pedestals, but Bowie is one I can make an exception for. Favourite songs: Moonage Daydream, Lady Stardust and Rock 'n' Roll Suicide.

David Bowie? More like David Wowie! Don’t need to write an essay to tell you it’s very good

Can never go wrong with David Bowie.

Definitely in my top 10 Bowie records. Possibly track by track the most consistently great one.

This is a generational album that deserves every bit of praise it gets. The songs are beautiful, well played and he changed the course of pop music with this album. For me, it will always be about my mum. She is of this generation, saw this tour live and played this album loud in the car all through my childhood. One of the better gifts you can get from a parent. Thanks Mum.

A solid album with a few standout hits.

Brilliant concept album from Bowie.

There are way too many Bowie albums on this list, but this one absolutely deserves to be here. Just hit after hit.

Bowie BANGER

Brilliant. Ahead of its time. Wonderful start to finish. Bowie.

>>>>>>>> the Beatles One of the greatest

This made me so happy, truly a masterpiece.

Very good.

amazing

bom

I was waiting for this one to be recommended on here. I think the hype behind it is fair.

Never really listened to Bowie before the albums. I understand the hype around him.

The second Bowie album on this list, and the second Bowie album that I've thoroughly enjoyed. He's unique and very true to himself. This album was so easy to listen to from front to back, and I'm slowly realizing why he is so highly regarded.

Elska ziggy

also nothing really needs to be said.

Hard to talk about this without the word iconic.

Absolute classic masterpiece. So good front to back. Bowie was a true artist. This record is the gold standard for concept albums.

I don't think there are actually spiders on Mars. 4.5/5

-Literally my favorite album ever -Very nostalgic feeling he gives -Love the unique combo of instrumentals he gives to keep it entertaining -Different vibes but same style throughout the songs for consistency

I love Bowie but I’ve never actually listened to this entire album. It was so good, I’m disappointed I hadn’t listened to it earlier. 5 outta 5

So many great, classic songs on here.

Great album. Ziggy stardust ageless guitar riff always makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Not much to say, this is glam rock magic. Bowie is a genius.

Who cares if it's overplayed. Cliches are cliches for a reason.

BANGERRRRRRRRRS

masterclass, starman is the obvious hit but there are so many more good songs in this album

I had high expectations going in and I was not disappointed. Favourite Song: Starman Honourable Mentions: Moonage Daydream, Soul Love, Suffragette City

amazing

Hell yeah, alter ego spaceman sent to save Earth but gets distracted by being famous and playing guitar. Does it make sense? Not really. Do the songs rule? Yeah, definitely. Bowie just did whatever he wanted and kept it catchy the whole way, I love that about him. Nothing was too weird to predicate a song on.

Very influential but still a fun listen today

I already posted about this album before, but I appreciate it even more now. It's another masterpiece from David Bowie.

You already know it’s 10/10

Brilliant, as you'd expect. Apart from the 'obvious' i really thought Five Years & It Ain't Easy were awesome 5/5

There are a few albums on this list that make me question if I really need to hear them before I die. This is not one of those albums.

Now this is a David Bowie album. Some were a little slow, but I still had a good time listening. Some shade to the first album we listened to, I appreciated this wasn't as experimental. When you think of him, this is the album you think of. A great album to spin with a joint while laying on the floor looking at the album art

One of my favorite albums

There's a reason why Bowie has 9 albums. It's because he deserves it. This is great album. Psychedelic, bluesy with interesting lyrics & themes presented. This is my 3rd Bowie in the last 10 albums issued. Keep em coming. Another 5.

From the last 4 albums that i heard by David Bowie, I never would have expected The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars would be one of my favorites by him but here we are. I am somewhat aware of some songs from this album, especially Starman since i have heard John Dolmayan and Serj Tankian's cover of it. I still was not expecting the album to be this good as it had an absolutely perfect mix of punk rock with acoustic rock and a nice amount of orchestral elements too. David Bowie's songwriting was very enjoyable here as well. It is an all around great album that i definitely think is one of Bowie's best. Best Song: Suffragette City Worst Song: It Ain't Easy

Proof that a person can hold two opposite ideas in their head at the same time: 1. There’s too much Bowie on this list. 2. This one of the best albums of all time…full stop. 5⭐️

Ziggy played guitarrrrr ⚡️

vabbè solo iginio massari potrà non mettere 5 comunque non servo io a dire che è un capolavoro se potessi mi inietterei five years e starman nelle vene

Uno degli album migliori di bowie e della storia della musica in generale. Un mix di rock, atmosfere psichedeliche, proto-punk, che per comodità viene etichettato come glam rock. Bowie è un artista eclettico capace di rinnovarsi costantemente, e infatti dopo questo, che è il suo quinto album, arriveranno molti altri successi, tutti diversi gli uni dagli altri.

che dire che dire che dire ottimo e io cummo come disse il famoso totó periodo godo

I always forget how good this album is when I listen to it, and I always wonder why it takes me so long to go back to it. I've only listened to this album all the way through like 3 times, and it's a banger.

classic Bowie!! this is a perfect record front to back

Absolute classic. 5/5. No notes. If I had a chance to hear this album the day it came out, I would take it. It’s scary, beautiful, catchy, poppy, smart, and timeless. From first beats of Five Years to the final notes of Rock N Roll Suicide, there isn’t a disappointing measure on this album. Long Live Ziggy Stardust!

I remember the first time I heard the title track of this album, played by kids in a cover band at music camp, and thought “this is so fucking cool”. I’ve never dug too deep into the Bowie catalog if I’m being honest, but this album is non stop glam rock hits. The space rock savior story woven through the tracks of this record is part audio-biographical and part snap shot into a once in a lifetime brilliant mind bursting at the seams with a definitive sci fi statement. Loved this album even more than the first time I heard it. It inspired me even more this time around.

One of the all time great albums.

I mean they’re just all bangers

Awesome. He's just on a different level

invented bisexuality

Här kan man inte annat än att stämma in i hyllningskören. Otroligt bra skiva från start till mål. Peak Bowie!

Perfect?

David Bowie

Музыка классная - бодрая и интересная. Не всё мне нравится (не всё понимаю), но в общем и целом про альбом можно сказать одним словом - огонь! 9 из 10.

Impossible to bring objectivity to this one, but subjectively speaking it is objectively incredible.

Yes, I also love this album, just like everyone else in here, apparently. I was on the fence about Bowie's voice for the longest time (same thing with David Byrne), but I grew to like it and once that happened, the floodgates opened :) I think I'm partial to Station To Station, but this one is a close second favourite. Just like with Electric Warrior, I love the drum sound. I can't put it into words. Somehow, certain albums from this era have that punchy-and-crisp-in-equal-measure thing going on. Lou Reed's Transformer is another example.

What can I say but thank you for having this on amazing album but I’m a big Bowie fan so I little hard to say anything negative !!!

not much to say about this one.. groundbreaking album, a bunch of amazingly creative songs.. I’m a big Bowie fan, so maybe I’m biased, but this is one of the more influential albums ever imo

Still great! A top 3 Bowie album for me.

Insane.

Some Album are greater than the songs the are made of- the total listen experience sends them to another level. Some are all the way around- the songs inside are awesome but the entire thing doesn't make sense. This one is the rare example of an album that does both. It an amazing experience as a hole but the songs are so great they work as amazing pieces each by itself. I can't forget my listening to this for the first time when I was 12 years old. And I truly believe 12 years old children all around the world will keep having this experience for the entire foreseeable future. And ye, it's a perfect

Great album

This is one of my favorite albums ever, so it’s no surprise I’m giving it a 5. Each song from start to finish is great. Lady Stardust is a fantastic song that I wish I could inject into my veins.

Simplesmente clássico

This will always be brilliant. Wham bam thank you ma'am!

We've got five stars, what a surprise.

An All Time Classic!!!

Have heard half of these songs, never the full album. Expectations were high - and were definitely met. I was kinda meh on Star and Hang onto Yourself, but other than those its banger after banger. Ended up listening to it twice, really helped after the terrible day I've had. 9/10 Favs: Rock ‘N’ Roll Suicide; Five Years; Starman; Lady Stardust

It's impossible to write a review that will make justice to this album

This album will always be special to me because it was mine and my cousin's peak of our Bowie obsession in our tween years. It’s the perfect mix of androgynous, bold, ultimate glam rock.

Just so many iconic tracks, guitar riffs, and lyrics. It's truly one of Bowie's best and one of my personal favorites.

TLDR: As a Bowie fan it was great to listen to this album again! 1001albumsgenerator, you’ve got me! It’s been a great lineup of albums thus far and now we’re at one of my favorite artists - BIG David Bowie fan here. :) “I don’t know where I’m gong from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.” This Bowie quote hangs in my home and holds true for this album and many others by Bowie. He was constantly reinventing himself and Ziggy Stardust is a prime example of that.

Not as high on this as everyone else, but I recognize greatness and know this is the Glam Rock album 5 stars

Hell yeah

This is such a timeless classic. Loved it.

I'll be surprised if there is a better album on this list.

Classic. While I prefer late 70s Bowie. This is legendary for a reason. 5 years is one of the best openers ever. I've now listened to this album 4 times. And it gets better on every listen. Bowie is slowly becoming one of my All time favorites

One of my all time favorites. Idk if it's perfect, because theres a couple just ok songs in the middle. On the other hand, Moonage Daydream is about as good as a song can be

My first experience with this album was with the "Starman" trend on Tiktok, mainly involving edits of Superman with the track Starman in the background, bringing a sense of hope. So I hoped one day. I can relisten to the album. Was it worth it? Yes it was. It is a mix of the hopeful melodies and instrumentals thst got me hooked to the album in the first place. And it does demonstrate a well made story with Ziggy Stardust on the album. A sort of beauty for the whole thing. Overall, not a single skip and a beauty that has to be preserved. A must listen for anyone for fans of any genre, this album is life changing and I cannot underestimate how great it is.

An album that makes me appreciate slow playing one album each day. Absolutely great album. I had never listened to it all the way through (in order). I think the "big" songs on the album (Moonage Daydream, Stardream, Ziggy Stardust) are all great, but the slightly less big (but still big) "Suffragette City" and "Lady Star" are my two tracks to pluck from this album for my 1001 greatest albums playlist. I think Lady Star is just a beautiful 70s piano pop song and Suffragette City is clearly the template for a bon of brit pop and brit rock bands 10 to 20 years later.

Only the greatest glam rock album of all time

loveee

This is another famous album where I mostly knew the well-known singles. Love the tone of Mick Ronson's guitar. It's so cool and recognizable. I'm a fan of Bowie, but don't think I've ever actually listened to this album front-to-back before. Great stuff. The "deep" cuts all deliver. Standout Track(s): Soul Love, Moonage Daydream, Rock 'n' Roll Suicide

THE BEST BOWIE ALBUM EVER

Finally a David Bowie album! and it happens to be his very best! This is just pure perfection. It's been one of my absolute favorites for several years now and it still sounds so fresh to me as if I were hearing it for the first time. I feel pretty confident that this is one of the greatest records ever conceived. Here's my song ranking (1-3 are pretty much tied). 1. Five Years 2. Moonage Daydream 3. Starman 4. Rock 'n' Roll Suicide 5. Suffragette City 6. Soul Love 7. Ziggy Stardust 8. Star 9. Lady Stardust 10. Hang on to Yourself 11. It Ain't Easy

mín fyrsta uppáhalds frá báví. hef hlustað um of mögulega. en samt.

I have never listened to this. First, I listen without paying much attention and I liked it, but not like crazy. Then I read the story of the album and listened paying attention, and now I love it, what a genius.

A classic Bowie and one of my go to albums!!! No fat here!!!

Album by album, I'm starting to think that David Bowie might go to no. 1 on my list of greatest singer-songwriters of all time. This album is a weird journey accompanied by psychadelic, folky and avant-garde rock music. A 5/5 album!

Yes…

dude

4,5/5

What I felt was mod grade experimental rock in the 80s as a kid turned out to be one of the greatest albums Ive heard top 25 for sure. Insane story telling by a master writer. Siemply perfection

So good!!

An album I have loved since I "borrowed" the vinyl from my mother. Iconic.

5 stars.

Everything i needed. also the xx by the xx was amazing

O cara é foda

Superb. I can’t quite describe it, but this album is sort of timeless while also being a lovely time capsule, pulling on influences from the 60s. It sort of ebbs and flows from the dizzying heights (Starman has to be the archetypal pop song and might be my favourite ever, Moonage Daydream you can almost hear echoes of The Eagles but with some passion) through to more (dare I say it!) but each song stands on its own merits. Enjoyed the melodramatic rocky horror-esque ending of Rock n’Roll suicide, felt like the Ziggy - Suffragette City - RnR transition was really smooth. As an album and collection of great songs I can’t really fault it and it’s another album in the pantheon.

It was a slow start albeit it with some proto-glam-rock sounds which I really enjoyed. Then bang: into "Moonage Daydream" followed by "Starman" which are absolute peak Bowie, the latter must be up there with the best tracks ever recorded. The album dips again from its lofty heights, "Hang on to Yourself" being conspicuously mundane before the run of excellence to see out the album. It really is amazing to hear so many truly great songs in one album. Bowie was brilliant. I wonder if the formula for a great music album is to create something that sounds totally fresh whilst still blending influences from great music before it. It's hard for me to imagine how this sounded to people in 1972 but to me it sounds familiar and brand new at the same time. Simultaneously futuristic and nostalgic.

best B side ever

Weird move Bowie

Awesome, from start to finish. Awesome composition, awesome lyrical storytelling, awesome vibes. Had to listen twice.

I don’t know if I’ve ever listened to this front to back before. I can see why people were upset when he killed off Ziggy, but I’m glad he did

Perfect. Just perfect. No notes. I do wish, though, that I had been cool enough to have been listening to this as a teenager. Alas, it came to me later in life.

Good

Better than my last Bowie album

A masterful album, no skips start to finish. Every song absolutely slaps and still feels boundary pushing even today.

Top 3 albums oat for me. Every song is amazing and you're getting bangers like the title track and moonage daydream but also some emotional stuff like rock n roll suicide and five years.The writing is absolutely perfect, great storyline too.

Funnily enough I guessed that this album would come up today, I just KNEW it was going to be Bowie while I’m in such a huge phase for the guy. This made me appreciate this probably is his most important album. Nobody seems to talk about how loose and vague the narrative is here, but I think it works in its favour. And the central conceit - that you can’t tell the difference between a rockstar pretending to be an alien and an alien pretending to be a rockstar - is genius. Five Years and Rock n Roll Suicide are THE perfect bookends.

One of my fave Bowie albums. Far superior to his later material

The greatest album of all time

I love David bowie

My favorite Bowie album.

Great first listen! All the way through felt like summer.

The song Starman is singularly responsible for getting me back into rock music in my mid-teens after hearing it in "The Martian". I will be forever thankful to Bowie for saving me from modern music. Bowie isn't just one of the best musicians of all time, he's one of the most creative artists of all time. This album will always be a 5/5 for me.

It's Ziggy, of course it's phenomenal.

Uffff...que despegue. Después de martirizarne con disparates " musicales", ESTO, si es MUSICA. Vocalmente increíble, Bowie es único, irremplazable. Musicalmente, una joya. Instrumental mente una mina riquísima.

I will forever love this album. My dad gave me this for Christmas in highschool and it truly changed my life. I love every song, I love the concept of it and the tragedy of it. Sharing this album with friends has also helped me strengthen friendships and meet new people.

An undeniable classic 5 star album. I went to a David Bowie DJ set hosted by a drag queen last year (great fun) and they basically played this whole album in full. This is Bowie’s most successfully played out character, and this album really backs up just how well crafted the Ziggy Stardust mythology was. Bowie shows he could do glam rock better than anyone else on these tracks (sorry Marc Bolan), along with real driving rock songs like Suffragette City, and grandiose ballads like 5 Years. This album really is so strong front to back it does make some of Bowie’s other output feel weaker in comparison.

david bowie fuckin rocks what else needs to be said

Certified Classic! Favorite track: Ziggy Stardust other picks: moonage daydream, it ain’t easy, suffragette city

Incredible album many iconic songs and thrust Bowie's career into the stratosphere!

*insert image of superman

I mean yeah it’s grea

I'll go out on a limb and drop a five on this one. Couldn't make up my mind when I listened to it last Friday. Listening to it again today made me realize that I'm vibing all throughout without getting fed up by the end, unlike otherwise good albums I've rolled so far. Actually, I'm finding myself replaying this one. If that ain't a five in my entirely subjective and horrible opinion, then I don't know what is.

This is the easiest 5 I've given yet, and I'm not sure that there's an easier one on the list. I do believe that the classics need to be interrogated a little bit before being handed the perfect score, but I've danced that dance with The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (as it is christened in full) long ago and all that's left for me to do is gush about it for as long as I deem necessary. Ziggy Stardust has earned its reputation in so many ways. The songs are all *at least* great, and most are much better even than that. The concept is innovative and transformed how the idea of "persona" can be handled in a rock context. The performances are legendary, Bowie brings this album to life in a way that no one else could have. Additionally, this is almost certainly the greatest glam rock album ever recorded. Bowie pushed the gaudiness of the genre into genuine grandiosity by mastering an alchemical process which seemingly converts style directly into substance in a way that has not been equaled by any other album prior to, or since the release of Ziggy Stardust. During the first four songs here, from 5 Years through Starman, this is quite possibly the best album ever recorded, and the "drop off" after this point only exists in relative terms (everything else is still great, and the last three tracks just about reach the same highs again). 5 Years is just incredible: Only Bowie could have so successfully captured the weight and existential vastness of the realization of the inevitable, premature end of everything through the medium of a glam rock song. It's really sold by Bowie's vocal performance on the song, which is among the best ever. Soul Love took some time to grow on me, but the smoothness, grooviness and subtle beauty of it is nearly as good. Moonage Daydream is pure Bowie, big and catchy and kind of quirky. And Starman is in the competition for best song here. It is truly quintessential glam. The song's writing serves its hugeness, and there is something subtly sour about it that just makes it sound so bold and interesting. It Ain't Easy is technically the closest we have to a low point here, but like I said, it's all relative, it is still a really great rock song, with just a little more blues influence that feels slightly distinct from everything else here. It is also a cover of a Ron Davies song, which explains why it feels a little different from most of the content here. But it isn't really distracting, Bowie makes it his own here, and frankly, it would be a highlight on most any other album. The pattern continues from here, every song is truly essential and completely distinct. I don't want to just review this track by track, but it is hard not to when everything is *this* good. Lady Stardust is rich and beautiful, Star is a fantastic, driving, piano centric rock song, and Hang On To Yourself pulls from somewhere almost a little punky. After this, the album is just solid gold again. Ziggy Stardust is the closest we have to a title track (I don't think a song toting the album's full name would get quite the airplay) and it is effectively the theme song for Bowie's titular character here. The writing is incredible, it's damn near a character study contained within an album that already has such a strong sense of concept. This is as natural a point I can find to discuss the lyrics across this album, which are consistently fantastic. Bowie has such a strong, consistent voice in his writing, and every song has real stand-out lines. As we close the album out we get Suffragette City, which may be the most fun song here, in the right setting I think the chorus could compel spontaneous dance. And we stick the landing at the end, Rock 'n' Roll Suicide is one of the best album closers of all time. It carries immense gravity, and very neatly ties up all the ideas on the album in a bold way that isn't afraid to explore the subtle sadness of the ideas at the core of Ziggy Stardust, while leaving room for hope and joy at the very end. In a world where I think the idea of a "perfect album" has lost a lot of its meaning and power, Ziggy Stardust is very nearly *truly* perfect. It is nearly perfect as a whole, as a collection of songs, and even on a moment to moment basis. David Bowie was truly one of a kind, and he pulls off a truly generational achievement here.

This album was great Need to listen to more Bowie. Don’t know how I slept on him so long

Probably peak Bowie. Fucking fantastic

9/10 A classic that speaks to me

Ziggy played guitar

This was a clear 5 for me. Absolute bangers and classics here. No bad notes.

It's great

This one holds up. Still love the style, the storytelling from the alternate persona, and the amazing musicality. The hits off this one still slap, and rest is so fun too.

I remember getting this for my birthday one year and being just blown away by the album tracks. I thought it was just the coolest, most edgy thing out there. This is one of the few things I have "nostalgia" for but it really just is a rocking good album.

Turns out I love Bowie. This album is just a great listen. I love the theatricality of it all. His voice is wicked, loads of light and dark, sincerity and feeling and all to an operatic narrative. Yes please!

and all the children boogie Absolute Gold. Like a T Rex fever dream and all the better for it. What an amazing album.

One of the best to ever do it.

Absolute classic, just amazing

absolute wonder

So good. Zero skips. Perhaps his best album. I only own Space Oddity on vinyl so I don’t listen to this one as much. Did he invent punk rock with Hang on to Yourself?!

My personal Bowie favorite and the one that got me started in discography. The concept and melodic themes of the album are all perfectly married to eachother to develop such an iconic and pivotal album. Seeped in such punk, glam rock, art pop, and pop rock sensibilities. It remains in foundations of many rock n roll subcultures. It's dramatic irony of a beloved rock star (who may or may not be an alien) falls into a peril of his career and his own life was a dark look into the instances of rock n roll stardom. A warning of sorts for those who were starstuck by the glamour and adornment. Really "meta" for the time and deeply introspective.

Really set him apart from other artists of the time. Really imaginative work.

AWESOME SAUCE!!!

Not really anything I can add here is there? A triumph of supreme confidence and vision, matched with phenomenal talent. On most, but not all days, my favourite Bowie album, and a serious contender for any top 20 list, never mind 1,001.

This album has a bombastic start, Starman for a cherry on top in the middle, and good, but not great finish. I love that album, couldn't give it less than 5.

david bowie is his own fabulous category. i will never get tired of his artistry and creativity. there will never be another one of him.

Creme da la creme. David Bowie will always be top for me, and this album is one of the best. Have often been to Heddon Street where this cover picture was taken. Since he died a couple of restaurants the that street have been renamed I expect in the hope of pulling the punters in. K.West were unhappy at the time of having their name on the album cover, they didn't last, but Bowie did. Lady Stardust was written about Marc Bolan, and evokes a time of glam rock, flared jeans, platform shoes, a time that was so unique. The 70s was my era of teenage discovery. Carnaby Street, fashion.

Cocaine is a helluva drug.

Great

5 stars, no question. My favorite Bowie album, and in my all-time top 10.

Top 10 album. Every song is amazing.

cmon

Delighted a Bowie album came up. Exactly what I hoped for. So glad to see it early in the process. Exactly the type of music I moulded myself on, though I've never just sat and listened to an album start to finish.

Fantastic. His second best. Just a shame he had to keep changing styles till he found crap ones.

Inte bara ett par hits och utfyllnad utan ett riktigt bra album. Bra ljudbild, musiker och låtar. Överraskande bra, även om jag tror att jag hört skivan innan.

I don’t need to listen to this - but I will! G’dmmit I was at school the first time I borrowed this…… And I missed seeing Bowie at Ebbisham halls due to parental disharmony

Undeniable.

Många superklassiker och även "mellanspåren" riktigt bra!

Den bästa glamrockskivan som någonsin gjorts.

I'm such a sucker for theatrical concept albums. But this album shines with wall to wall bangers. Fast and furious rock and roll masterfully blended with ballads

Having never listened to a full Bowie album before, I feel like I get it now. It makes immediate sense why this one's a classic, and I love it.

Bowie's best rock record, it's literally perfect.

He's just great.

One of the greatest albums of all time. I could (and did) listen to it on repeat.

What a wild ride. This was my first listen beginning to end and I get the hype.

All-time classic

I was happy to see this pop up because I knew I wanted to expose myself to more David Bowie. This album was a fun listen, I loved the spacey rock and roll theme. Moonage Daydream and Starman are so fun.

kind of easy to tune out but really good soft progressive backgound music

9/10

One of my all-time favorite records, front to back.

It's Bowie

This is the hundred thirty second album I’m rating. I've heard this is like the best album of all time but I've never listened to it. Adding to my Playlist - Soul Love, Starman, Lady Stardust, Star, Hang on to Yourself, Ziggy Stardust, and Rock 'n' Roll Suicide. Not Adding to my Playlist - Five Years, Moonage Daydream, It Ain't Easy, and Suffragette City. All in all I liked 7/11 songs. Not as good as everybody said it was but it is still a really good album. I wonder if this was extremely progressive when it came out or if it was just normal California progressive.

How lucky are we that we got to walk the same planet at the same time as David Bowie. Absolute genius.

Favorite Track: Starman

Wow

an ace listen

Zero notes. The creativity of this in '72 cannot be overstated.

lol so what you are trying to tell me is that every time I got assigned an Radiohead album, one of my favs of all time appears next day.(Apart from in rainbows, cause it becomes my album of all time only after I finished it.) me being an theatre kid is somehow the best thing ever because it makes me an total enjoyer of this album with its glam rock aesthetics. And also happy pride month =) 5/5

9/10 Best song - Starman, obviously. A classic Bowie album, and possibly the best? Suffragette City also great

Wam Bam Thank you Mam! God bless David Bowie. The Ziggy Stardust riff is one of the greatest in rock history. Great stuff. 5

One of the masterpieces in music. loved it.

Great album, obvious 5

This is the one

4.5/5

Absolutely peerless. Groundbreaking. Love it love it love it.

I dont think much explanation is needed here.

En av de tre bästa skivorna av den störste av dem alla! Kanske inte alla dagar, men ofta, på min topp5 kanske t o m topp3. Varför? Arrangemangen, gitarrerna, pianot, spretigheten, rösten, melodierna. Tidlöst hantverk och geni. Fem plus!

This is my fourth Bowie album on this list in less than a month, but it’s definitely the best. This is a classic album with familiar tunes and deep creativity. A necessary classic.

Jag behöver inte spela detta albumet för att veta vad jag tycker MEN!!! Detta är inte det bästa albumet han gjort, det bästa är live versionen (typ) av detta albumet som på Spotify heter "Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars: The Motion Picture Soundtrack". Det albumet förändrade mig som människa och jag tror inte det kommer dyka upp här för det är (nästan) live versionen av detta albumet så... Jag behövde få ut mina känslor över det någonstans. iaf.

David Bowie was an artist until the very end of his life. one of the greatest artists of all time. And I don’t just mean musically. He was one of the greatest artists ever, period. This man, this legend, made some of my favorite songs and albums of all time. Out of all of them, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is my favorite Bowie record and obviously one of my favorite albums ever made. Bowie created a whole genre and he didn’t just create it, he defined it. He built his own sound, something completely unique, something that feels timeless. His music is cozy, chill, emotional, and yet larger-than-life at the same time. It gives me every emotion I could possibly want from music. There’s not a single mistake in this album. Don’t even waste time looking for one, it’s flawless. The concept is incredible, genius-level storytelling and execution. The opener, Five Years, is one of the greatest intros ever and Rock n Roll Suicide is the greatest outro ever. Five Years drags you straight into the story he’s about to tell, and the buildup is insane. Every track flows perfectly into the next. The songs themselves are beautiful, Iconic. Five Years, Starman, Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide these aren’t just tracks, they’re some of my favorite songs of all time. They define the glam rock sound Bowie invented, and they’ve inspired countless artists ever since. The production is lush, gorgeous, ahead of its time, and the entire album feels like it was sent down from heaven itself. I’m just grateful I get to be alive in a world where I can listen to this masterpiece. Bowie didn’t just make music, he made art that will last forever.

Genuine masterpiece

9/10 most of this album kicks ass enough for me to survive the just ok songs. 5-16-2025

Repeat listen

Undeniable. Honestly, probably one of the three best albums I’ve listened to for this project thus far. I know that’s saying nothing new, but it’s really that good. So perfect it makes me rethink all the other “5”s I’ve given. It’s an album where each song is arguably better than the last, and it starts with “Five Years,” imo, one of the best songs of all time. Just a beautiful, delight of an album. Perfect in every way. I gleefully listened to it three, four times through yesterday. One of the surest 5 stars I’ve given.

Best Bowie Album, Nuff said

Slow start and didn't think I'd like the album going into it because I don't always love glam rock. After Moonage daydream I thought every song was awesome and was suprised by the hits on this album. 5

Bloody brilliant

Listen, I love Bowie, and this album is great. Is it his best in my opinion? Hardly. Low, Station to Station and Hunky Dory among others have higher highs, but this was the world's full unadulterated intro to Ziggy Stardust, and that, along with the inclusion of Suffragette City, makes it essential.

I absolutely love Hunky Dory, but I've never branched out much beyond that for Bowie, so it's fun to be pushed to expand my horizons. The hits are absolutely fantastic, but the guitar is varied and great on all songs. The album has great range, and cleverly uses a variety of instruments to enable that range. David Bowie's vocals at once complement his songs and are totally unique. I loved this listening experience.

I've been exposed to Bowie in other contexts and mediums (like film), but never really spent much time listening to his music. I'm glad this was a chance to change that. Bowie is an icon for a reason, and this album is part of it. Bowie redefined what musicians can do and can look like or how they present themselves as capital-A Artists in ways that weren't really possible in mainstream music before.

I'm not a massive fan of 1970s Bowie, and glam rock leaves me cold. Having said that, this album is pure perfection, lean and perfectly crafted with so many standout lyrics, musical excellence, texturing, story-telling all crammed into a relatively short album. There's no way I could ever consider giving this less than five full stars.

Celui qui met en dessoys de 4 à ce chef d oeuvre a vraiment des gout discutable. Par exemple avoir David Guetta en top 1 wrap Spotify. Après, ce n'est qu'un exemple.

One of the best ever

Musical Review: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars Artist: David Bowie Release Year: 1972 Genre: Glam rock, proto-punk, art rock Duration: 38:29 Produced by: David Bowie and Ken Scott --- Overview David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust isn't just a concept album — it's a landmark moment in rock history, fusing character-driven performance with a tightly curated sonic narrative. Blurring the lines between artist and persona, it’s where Bowie fully embraced theater, alienation, and apocalypse in a sound both accessible and avant-garde. --- Musical Identity Musically, the album draws from: Glam rock swagger (T. Rex, Mott the Hoople), Proto-punk aggression (anticipating the rawness of Iggy and the Stooges), And space-age balladry (melancholic melodies with sci-fi overtones). Mick Ronson’s guitar is central: thick, fuzzy, and melodic. The rhythm section (Trevor Bolder on bass, Mick Woodmansey on drums) grounds the album with solid rock grooves while Bowie’s vocals veer from androgynous crooning to death

I have always appreciated David Bowie, but I never really got into Ziggy Stardust. I just believed that some things (rightly) belong to a specific time and place, and I did not feel a part of the time or place for this album in my teens (in the 90s) or 20s. I will admit that I was wrong. This was a great listen, and I'm glad I listened to it the whole way through intently. I still won't be adding it to my list, but it deserves all the praise it gets on here and everywhere.

Clearly a top 20 album of all time on almost any list...

David Bowie is an extraordinary legend!!! :)

Liker det

Only an alien could have made glam rock this good

Wonderful in every way.

Usually, I'm more of a glam rock hater. But this is one of my all-time favorite albums, David Bowie gave it his all.

One of the greatest albums of all time. There's not a bad track on it. Bowie , like most artists, is responsible for some absolute rubbish but this is him at his peak. Sheer brilliance

Glam rock!

Obvious 5 star classic

One of Bowies finest

It speaks to the influence and importance of this album that despite never actually listening to it in full I knew most of the songs. It’s one that I don’t think anyone can not like. Also Five Years is a criminally underrated song.

Fantastic

What a start to this adventure. Certainly not new to this one. But always amazing.

Classic. A few I haven't heard as well, but they all sound undeniably like him.

Thoughts before listening: Great album by a great artist. One of the best of all time to be exact. Review: Yeah I love this album. It's just such a cool sound and sets a vibe both in Bowie's performance as well as the story of Ziggy Stardust that would soon come to personify Bowie himself. This is one of those classic albums where there are no "hits", but every song is memorable and iconic in its own way. Best of the best for me are "Five Years", "Moonage Daydream", "Ziggy Stardust", "Suffragette City", and "Rock n Roll Suicide". 5-stars

top tier

Favorite album of all time.

Excellent

Very cool, chill, got me through some tax return sorting

A truly great concept album, probably Bowie's best, there are no fillers on this record, just great songs, Ronson's guitar work is brilliant, loads of great crunchy riffs, production is fantastic, glam rock at its best

A quintessential Bowie album with some of his best songs featured. From start to finish this album is stellar and I would highly recommend it to others! I love me some Bowie and I see myself listening to this album many more times! Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Better than Aladdin Sane, which I gave a 4. Another Bowie record that is almost perfect if it didn't have its three song run in the middle of boring ballady piano rock. Again, reminds me of Elton John and I don't like that sound at all. Wish it was all Moonage Daydream and no Star. But still really, really good.

Perfekter Glam Rock, da schließe ich mich gerne dem Urteil der Mehrheit an :)

own

My 2004 Dodge Neon ate this CD and for years it was the only album I could listen to. Five Stars

This is where it all comes together for me and Bowie. I have had a lot of his albums on 1001 that have left me scratching my head, but this is a fantastic album! Here you have the culmination of Bowie, his personas, themes, sound, and even his grappling with his own view of art, and it just works. Hunky Dory is more singles, but this album demands you take it as the whole. If you do, you won't be disappointed.

Jail time for any reviewers with something negative to say.

Five stars What a surprise

How do I begin with such a perfect album. I’ll never do it justice. David’s absolute best album. Not a single flaw anywhere on here. I have nothing bad. Anything aspect of an album you can think of. On here, perfect. Love it. Love it. Love it. 5/5

The last few songs really pop and show why Bowie became an icon

Classic David Bowie 5/5

This is the best Bowie album. Three great songs to start the album and Starman still on deck. Moonage Daydream is a great song. Starman is the hit from the album, deservedly, but a hit among a lineup of great songs. This might have been the first glam rock album. Again, Bowie creating a genre which is part of why critics love him so much. There isn't a bad song on the album. Ziggy played guitar...he certainly did. This is one of the best albums I've ever heard.

Keep your electric eye on me, baby - one million fives out of five

Bowie

This was just what I needed. An absolute masterpiece in every way.

Bowie at his sparkling best. Enjoyed the entire thing.

I think if every Bowie album sounded like this I would be a Bowie fan. Personal enjoyment: 5/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5

Favourites: Five Years, Soul Love, Starman, Ziggy Stardust, Suffragette City, Rock 'n' Roll Suicide

Magnum opus territory.

Side 1 is pretty good (very good) then side 2 hits you with Ziggy and Suffragette City. Probably only 1 track that could be harshly described as filler and that's perfectly decent

Bowie's masterpiece Rock Opera still holds up incredibly well today. Not surprising, when you have songs like these! At the time of its release, this was possibly the most complete artistic statement in all of rock history, with an entire character with a well-established backstory, which would reinforced by Bowie's theatrical live performances and general public persona. While the whole Ziggy story is interesting, it's not essential to the enjoyment of this record, and now the dust had settle, all we're left with are the songs. Key tracks: Five Years Soul Love Moonage Daydream Starman Ziggy Stardust Suffragette City Rock 'n' Roll Suicide

Upbeat and bright rock tunes with the essential Bowie dramatics, plenty of classics!

Legend obviously

Funky classic.

One of my favorites!

An absolute classic. A sonic oddessey. May he Rest in power.

Never fails to blow my mind.