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

Wow holy shit

Starnan

Yeah, this is one of the all time greats.

melodramatic, with flashes of brilliance

First one ever: Heard of him before but never tried his music before and man I've been missing out. The first track Five years is really nice where the entire song was the crescendo into the main verse of the song of 5 years. In Soul love I really like the underlying saxophone beat. Moongage Daydream's guitar was amazing. I did hear Starman before which did like. It Ain't easy was the first song that really stood out to me with its powerful chorus. Finally, the slow movement of rock n roll suidcide was a great conclusion for the album

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.

Superb

Outstanding record.

Kooky. Some of it seemed kind of aimlessly weird for the sake of weird, but some are great. Best Song: Starman/Ziggy Stardust

I would love to love this, but it just doesn’t resonate heavily with me.

“I’m the space invader, I’ll be a rock ‘n’ roll bitch for you.” I am not sure if there is a better summation of this album than Bowie’s line from Moonage Daydream, which this time was my favorite track. It was-and still might be—It Ain’t Easy. Next listen will be something different I am sure. I have been trying to unlock this album for so long it feels like it has been perpetually part of my life. Hunky Dory was good. Space Oddity was good. This album introduced the world to Ziggy, and Bowie became a rock god himself. What I think made this album amazing was he combined clever storytelling, an unusual sci-fi theme, concept album continuity, psychedelic rock, and quality musicianship but Ronson, Bolder, Bowie and Woodmanskey, all taking on multiple instruments. Bowie even played a little saxophone in tribute to his roots. There’s not really a bad song on the entire album as it all flows into one gigantic super weird story of the rockstar God himself. Starman was also my favorite song at one point. But you can’t go wrong with suffragette city as well, even though I still don’t know exactly what it means. In the annals of rock history, this album definitely deserves a spot in the top.

Random thoughts: * This felt like a total treat to listen to an absolute classic. I was able to play this one 4 or 5 times. There isn't a single bad song on here. * I was really pulled to "Soul Love" and "It Ain't Easy" on this listening. Maybe not my favorites but ones I noticed more on the additional listening. * I would have said my favorite tracks prior to listening this time were: Starman, Ziggy Stardust, and Suffragette City. I think Soul Love might have entered the pantheon on this listening. * We are so lucky to enjoy this Bowie music. It really is a rock masterpiece but might be the peak of all glam rock. * I will probably just end this review here instead of continuing to babble and gush about how great this album is.

Not a fan. Music wise, quite pleasant. Poppy. But not sure about vocal/recording. He can sing but he chose to record the album this way - not the easiest for me to appreciate. Many times I can’t even tell where the correct notes should be. Maybe he sings impeccably, the notes should be in between two black keys in the piano. Starman good. Other tracks are also good. David Bowie is like durians.. you like it or hate it. And this album is like a durian cake. I like cakes, and I don’t durians. But come to think of it, it was released in 70s. So it’s still impressive to challenge what is supposed to be the “right way”. I see the artistry. Although I can’t fully comprehend it but I can recognise it. Still a five for me.

I dig Bowie. I dig this album. Particularly I dig space Bowie. Starman and Ziggy Stardust are jams as far as I’m concerned. It’s a really solid album for vibes, but a lot of his songs are not as noteworthy as I’d like them. Still probably a 5 by most of my reoccurring metrics but a low 5. The story/theme of it being a concept album bring it home though.

man, i am just not a david bowie fan. starman, and lady stardust were fine, but overall this album just didn't do much for me. safe to say, i dont think Bowie is going to be a top artist of mine.

Ya I thought this list would introduce me to more Bowie songs that I would like but unfortunately I guess its just not in the cards. Starman is obvs a banger but as much as I’ve heard about this album, the rest of it was a little bit of a let down. His voice is just not pleasing sometimes and combined with some weird song arrangements I was underwhelmed.

This has to be the most accessible Bowie album we’ve had so far. So much fun to listen to and still holds up so many years later. Starman always makes me want to watch The Martian. I think this album is closer to a 9/10, but I’m gonna round up because this truly is an album everyone should hear.

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.

Iconic!

Took everything great from hunky dory and expands on it, such a fun listen

Veldig kult! Liker det godt

No, this is my favorite Bowie album.

The music was very nice and lively, but the singing didn’t really draw me in like that, the song I liked most was Starman, but idk if I’ll add that to my list

- FIIIIVEEEE YEARS LEFT - there's a STARMAN waiting in the sky Gorgeous amazing beautiful album, will always love bowie

Es Bowie

One of the best albums ever.

Loved it. Never listened to it fully before but this was a great experience through and through

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

Bowie indeed good.

Love this album,classic David Bowie. Finally, a good album.

its hard to say anything new about an absolute classic

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.

A stone cold classic. Ashamed to admit I was previously unfamiliar with this. Five Years is a real huge hook of a song that really sets the mood. This record is a self-defining 'sound', with some compelling sonic moments. Healthy amounts of tension, intrigue, and release.

No fall here.

Just a fantastic album. An era defining work of art. The songs are great and are just relentless in their order. It’s a masterpiece. 5/5 Will definitely listen again

bowie always does it

Let all the children boogie… Not sure I can write a better review than just that . unquestionably innovative and well crafted, a classic. Five Years, is such a great way to start the album, building to a climax. Soul Love, Moonage Daydream and Starman are a great glam rock trio with amazing guitar work from Mick (Ronson). It Ain't Easy, drops the quality a little, but a still a strong middle point of the album before an amazing ballad in Lady Stardust Title Track and Suffragette also a couple of bangers before ending on a sombre note with Rock and Roll Suicide. It’s a 5 obvs

Favourite Track: Moonage Daydream

Perfection!

I'll be a rock 'n' rollin' bitch for you if you give this five stars. This isn't my favorite Bowie album but it's probably his best overall. Straight up classic.

A classic and a pleasure to listen to

Just great all around. Would listen to this over and over.

it’s good, it’s sad

I've just never clicked with Bowie. Objectively I know his stuff is good but subjectively it just never rocks my world. Oh well.

Ziggy definitely played guitar. Guitar heavy classic for a reason. 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

Exciting and eclectic. Bowie at their best.

My first 5/5 album. This is a straight masterpiece from top to bottom. It's how album should be, no fat, just 11 songs that don't miss. 'Five Years' has this slow build and the little repetitive chant that sucks you in, and once you're in, you're sticking around for the whole thing. 'Moonage Daydream', Suffragette City' are the big ones, but this is a no skip album at it's finest and the one Bowie album I will always go back to. You'll come away belting 'It Ain't Easy'.

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

Not really for me but Starman is a classic

I’ve never been a massive fan of David Bowie but I did enjoy a couple of these

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

Pretty fun album. Montage Daydream and and Starman really carrying it I feel

His best album with no misses. Great mixture of good backing track and emotion lyrics. It Ain’t Easy to dislike this album.

Yep. Serious talent. This just one phase…

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

Unreal album - forgot how much I liked it

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

1 good song

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

Bowie is very hit or miss for me, loved moonage daydream to Lady Stardust and Ziggy Stardust to Rock'n'Roll suicide but the rest of the songs don't do much for me.

Great album

I've listened to this six or seven times in the last week (more than any other album in the project so far), hoping to spark a review into life, but it's too overwhelming. All I've got is this: Every time I hear 'Moonage Daydream' and he sings "lay the real thing on me", I cry, and I have no idea why. Five stars

high 5 its funny how complex and sophisticated hunky dory is. tracks like "8 line poem", "life on mars", "the bewlay brothers" - really great, measured, artistic stuff. One album later Davey B throws it all away for pure pop fun, yet of course its just as good. I can't think of anyone else """going backwards""" more effectively. It really shows how "artistic sophistication" is just a matter of flavour. daves mastered all sides and can turn the dial at will, delivering high 5s at both ends. if i had the confidence my perfect karaoke songs are on this album. members of my household regularly enjoy performances of lady stardust, ziggy stardust, 5 years, moonage daydream and rock n roll suicide. theres a really nice ramen place that me and ruth visit regularly on the street where the cover was taken, id highly recommend it. its interesting to see the scourge of on street parking was already uglifying london in 1972. Legal litter i call it. Not davids fault of course, at least the cars were cooler.

B2B bangers It's Bowie's best and it's iconic. So eclectic and so sexy

Classic

Some good songs. Though it’s nothing special.

One of the best songs to ever open an album. One of the best characters ever created to sing an album. One of the best albums.

Multi-genre, experimental rock concept album. Moonage Daydream has nice instrumental interlude. Hang On To Yourself is punky. I did expect a bit more of this album.. Best track (other than Starman) - Moonage Daydream 3 stars

It's freakin Ziggy Stardust...

Starman sempre me dá um feels, a melodia do refrão, a sequência do refrão que começa a crescer, o solo que vem depois, muito bem feito. Acho que foi a única que me tocou mesmo. O resto das músicas são boas, mas nada wow. Bom álbum. 3*

Não conheço muito David Bowie, mas nunca pareceu ser muito meu estilo não. O jeito que ele canta não me agrada tanto não. Apesar disso, acabei adicionando algumas desse álbum. A Starman é sem dúvida a melhorinha do álbum (e talvez da carreira dele?) Essa é realmente muito foda, baita refrão do caralho. A Ziggy Stardust me deu um soco de nostalgia muito bizarro. Nos primeiros 3 segundos já pareceu que uma memória de uns 20 anos atrás foi repentinamente desenterrada pela primeira vez. Aí pesquisei e realmente, tem ela no Guitar Hero 1. Isso fez essa dar um feels agressivo. E é isso, as outras músicas eu achei bem meh, bãozinho, mas nada de mais.

GOATED album

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

My final Bowie album on the list. I'm not sure if it's my favorite, but it has to be in the conversation. It kicks off with some fun glam-rock before reaching the stratosphere with Moonage Daydream and Starman. Lady Stardust kicks off the second side on a more subdued beat but there are still fun rocking numbers. Suffragette City is a personal favorite but they're all good. There's a reason this album is so regarded. It's the perfect mix of mainstream appeal and experimentation. It's the face of a genre. Rating: 4.9

gut, aber nicht zuviel davon.

Killer Bowie.

I mean… it’s perfect

My brain hurts a lot. Just kididng. It’s a fine album, although I don't think it's anything noteworthy as a whole. Starman and Sufragette City are both great though.

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

Classic, iconic and perfect. Listened to it back to back :)

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

I only have 36 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ albums out of 4000 odd on Rateyourmusic, and this is one of them - & the only Bowie. Just perfect.

obviously dude

Yeah sorry this one is great. Complete package. Not a wasted moment and every moment is good and it holds together.

Very David Bowie!

Phwoar

A masterpiece that defies time and space...

One of, if not Bowie's best album, which not only makes it one of the best rock albums of all time, but also in contention for the best British album of all time. The only song i'm not that keen on is Star, but other than that I think pretty much every other track is a classic. 5 Stars.

Probably my favorite Bowie album (and maybe his best?) Great album from beginning to end. Highlights: "Five Years", "Ziggy Stardust" and "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide"

Unequivocally a masterpiece

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

Meh

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

This is the 4th Bowie album I've had. Someone please tell me what I'm missing. I don't get it. None of these have clicked; I feel like I'm supposed to dig David Bowie but I really don't. None of the 4 albums have been terrible, but I haven't been blown away by any of them, either. 3 stars.

An absolute favorite if mine.

A good record, not my favourite of his.

I just dont think I'm a Bowie fan outside of the big singles. I just dont get it.

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

It's difficult to understand the importance of Ziggy at the time when I was only three years of age back in 1973. But it still sounds like the future, more than fifty years later. The album starts in such an understated way with Five Years. It's a softener for what is to come. By the time Starman kicks in, then we're rocking. Despite the WHAM BAM force of nature, it's also a sorrowful record. Lady Stardust in particular always lowers the mood for me. Four songs that have the word star in the title - he was trying to tell us something. My brain hurts a lot. Oh how we miss him.

Like I've never heard this album in my lifetime. Kanye West is a time traveler . 😆

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

This is probably my favorite David Bowie album thus far. I feel I am supposed to like it more than I do. I just can't get his music to click like I feel it does for others.

A classic record for great reason.

Solid. Starman is a highlight 4/5

Good, not great

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.

Klares Ding.

Wenn ich etwas kritisieren müsste, dann, dass das Story-Konzept ziemlich aufgesetzt und nicht zu Ende gedacht wirkt und dass der Closer mich einfach nicht bekommt. Ansonsten ist das schon eine der ganz großen Rock-Platten mit diversen Songs ("Starman", "Ziggy Stardust", "Suffragette City"), welche die restlichen immer noch sehr guten Songs zwangsläufig etwas überschatten, aber kein bisschen schlechter machen. Strong 9!

Schmeckt.

Der kann schon was. Vielleicht traue ich mich doch mal an die Diskografie.

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.

Very classic Bowie being weird and probably high.

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.

I mean come on, it’s Ziggy Stardust

already listened before but i relistened for the sake of this review. still a perfect album every song hits not much more to say

My favourite Bowie album. A classic, so so so good.

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.

Great album. Many great songs and cohesive arrangement

I heard it first time 3 years ago in Almeria, on my 3 month roadtrip to Lisbon.

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

If you've ever wanted to listen to an epic space opera about an awe inspiring alien rockstar that cures the world with their music, then you've come to the right place. Ziggy Stardust is the album of choice for introducing anyone to David Bowie. It encapsulates all of the things that make Bowie so unique and interesting. The music experiments with a variety of instruments to give it that sci-fi atmosphere but still rocks hard with powerful and timely riffs like in Moonage Daydream. The lyrics illustrate a world unseen in the far reaches of the galaxy while still keeping it grounded by capturing relatable experiences and feelings. Bowie's voice can be smooth and cool but it won't take long before he belts into his desperate and cracking bravado like in Five Years. The album is well paced and consistent. Its experimental without being unobtainable. It's good rock and roll. It's very good David Bowie.

Good album.

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

Bowie’s not for me

Bowie, an enigma and inspiration for music. This record really captures much of what I think of when I think of this man. It's eccentric, fun, improvisational, and sometimes zany. It's such a unique sound that he produces. His vocals are iconic and his cadence is uncanny. This record re-affirms my appreciation for this man and the legacy he's left behind for us.

I don’t like glam rock, but I can’t in my right mind give it below a 3 stars

Inarguably his best. All bangers, no chaff. Wham bam, thank you ma’am

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

Some great stuff and some absolute mediocre stuff too. Mick Robson shines.

Starman was my favorite, it's just too good and too much of a classic not to be. The difference between the classic pop and classic rock was interesting.

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.

Oo, ko bo pa to sedl na današnji shitty dan! To je bil včasih moj najljubši Bowie album (zj je Station to Station), velik preposlušan, ampak je pa že mal minil odkar sem ga nazadnje. "Five Years" je tok kul začetek albuma. Odličen komad. Zmer mi je bil všeč stopnjevanje v komadu in končno kričanje. In "Soul Love" je perfektno nadaljevanje. In ma tud neko stopnjevanje. (Prou komi sm čakala Bowiea, ker mislim, da je 9 albumov na seznamu?! Kar je mogoč overkill, čeprav je en mojih najljubših izvajalcev.) Všeč mi je, kako še predn ti možgani dojamejo, da je komada konc, se že najbl udarno začne "Moonage Daydream" z lineom, kot je "I'm an alligator". Plus, ker dober komad no. Tin whistle solo? Amazing. Pa kitarski solo na konc? Uf. "Starman" mi ma čist drug vajb k komadi do zdaj, čeprav tematsko je še kr tam. "It Ain't Easy" je v bistvu cover od Ron Daviesa, kar sm glihkar izvedla. Všeč mi je sicer. "Lady Stardust" je prijeten, "Star" mal nabije ritem pol, "Hang on to Yourself" je hiter za popizdit iiiin " Ziggy Stardust". Ta kitarski riff throughout je tok kul. "Suffragette City" se začne in šopa non stop, dokler te ne proba vržt na foro, da je že konc, po pa še pol minute šopa. In ker dobr konc albuma z "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide". Spet to stopnjevanje, začne se v bistvu sam z akustično kitaro in vokalom, dokler se ne pridružijo ostala glasbila in vse skp počasi crescenda, z zmer bl urgent vokalom in besedili. Pa the final note za zaključek. Prou pika na i.

It’s David Bowie! Great album

The famous songs are great but the album as a whole was ok.

I liked it the vibe overall it was 7/10

Love the album since the first year of uni. Listened again today but was ruined by Microsoft dynamics being shit

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.

Great start to finish.

Iconic for a reason.

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...

Masterpiece of the 70's

Classic album, know well, nothing to add 5 Star

Czasem się zastanawiam czy jestem fanką Bowiego czy jednak Stardusta. Piękny album. Bez żadnego słabego punktu. Wierny sobie. Eksperymentalny ale też komercyjnie przyswajalny. Bez długich instrumentalnych utworów, które mnie gubią. Z ciekawym i spójnym konceptem. 9/10

One of the absolute GOATs, and such an important album for me as I was discovering music. Doubt theres another album with an equally iconic opener/closer as Five Years and Rock and Roll Suicide. Every single song is brilliant, and it is tied together by a fantastic concept and visual style. 10/10

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

Bowie has always been a bit on my periphery. I know the hits and have been aware of the reverence for this album for a long time, but this is the first time I've actually sat down & listened to it. As you may have already figured out, folks, I'm an idiot. This needed to be in my ears long ago. Better late than never, I s'pose, because holy tapdancin' moly what a record this is!

Very underwhelming. Did not have the patience to listen to the whole thing first time round. Then I gathered the patience and braved it, and I genuinely do not understand what the fuss is about. Quite generic, didn't make me feel or think anything. 'Starman' is a pretty good song, but I knew that prior to listening to the album. Perhaps it's just not for me, but I feel it's massively overrated

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

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

AAAGGGGHHHHHHH

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

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.

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.

Hot off the heels of releasing the incredible Hunky Dory, Bowie released another rock masterpiece! Working back to back at SoHo’s Trident Studios with his dutiful Spiders, he crafted a character for the ages, the one and only; Starman!

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

thoughts - can sound kinda creepy/scary sounding - don’t love the actual singing voice - sounds VERY cinematic - guitar riffs are cool current favourite songs: moonage daydream and starman

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Nothing tops Suffragette City and I was ready to be wowed but this is a solid 3.5. Five Years and Soul Love are a great 1-2 opener. I can hear Tedeschi Trucks Band lifting heavily from Soul Love on their Midnight in Harlem.

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.

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!)

It was fine, a few good songs

It was pretty good. Listenability: 5

pretty good

THERE’S A STARMAAAAAAN favorite track: starman (duh)

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

It was okay

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 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

muito bom

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

starman is an okay song but this whole album is so overrated

Already heard this

Waiting for 22

slušo

Good

Funky and fun. A little too funky at times. Several classics and great songs. Several try to hard for the storytelling component and lose the focus on being a song

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.

7/10

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!

Pretty good and star man is a class song. Strong 3 but probably not quite a 4. 7/10

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

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

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.

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

this is better than the other record I heard. Still a child rapist. I did hear a sample Apollo 440 used (hey man), which I enjoyed.

Wondrous!

Enjoyable, especially enjoyed Hang On To Yourself.

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.

Legendary album that really made Bowie a star. Pitchfork: 10.0 Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #40 (2023) Best Songs Five Years Starman Ziggy Stardust Suffragette City

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

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.

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.

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.

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

I like the orchestral nature of a lot of these songs. Overall didn't love it and didn't hate it

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

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...

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

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

soul love

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

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

What a beautiful record by Bowie this is.

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

🦎

rated this one a 3/5 after my first listen in 2022. got this one again as part of the 1001, so deciding i'd give it a skim: It's... not bad. It's just definitely not my thing, it's obviously a classic but that doesn't mean I have to listen to it. Stand-outs include: Moonage Daydream, Starman, and maybe Star

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

Ziggy Stardust is a result of a mother who couldn't stay away from the paracetamol. Not a huge Bowie fan, also not his best album. Moonage Daydream and Starman goes hard.

It's no laughing gnome

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.

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

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.

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.

There are few things i know about David Bowie. I know he's in that 80s movie i will never watch unless under duress, i know he's in that Christopher Nolan movie i like, i know he had a Nazi phase that everyone decided to forget about, i know i like the Steve Zizzou soundtrack by Seu Jorge, I know a lot of people like his music and he's from England because back when i was learning my music taste as a young'n, i learned whenever a lot of people like music and i don't there's an 80% chance they're from England. I don't know why. I assume ancestral trauma? But i just want to acknowledge that all of my reviews come from an anti-british bias before i start. The first two songs, i really like compositionally but i don't like his singing. I don't think Bowie has a bad voice, i just don't like what he's doing with it. I would like them more if someone else sang them which explains seu jorge. Moonage Daydream is a cool song, the lyrics are nonsense, which I like, but that sax solo sounds like an 8th grader played it. Starman is a great Earthbound villain, not a song i like. It Ain't Easy sounds A LOT like him doing blackface and i feel like too many of the albums I've listened to so far have that in common for at least one song. Mostly the British ones. I wish it would stop. Lady Stardust sounds a lot like an Elton John song, i do like Elton John but half way through the song it starts feeling bland and played out like it should've either been shorter or he should've done something different I hate Star but i like the bridge The next few songs are OKAY And i enjoy the last one. I would give it 2 and a half stars but i can't, so 3?

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.

Much better than the other Bowie albums on this list. Maybe the only one I might come back to

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.

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.

3,5 de 5, tem mais musicalidade e cantoria, mas falta alguma coisa

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

Bowie is the most boring artist. The world is fooled and only I can see the truth...this music sucks

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

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

Ucube işi. Tamam farklı, tamam onun gibisi yok, tamam müziği değiştirdin Bowie abi de günlüğünü ve terapistinin önerdiği alter egonu gözümüze soktun. Hiç aynı kafada değiliz. Maalesef bizim yollarımız ayrı. Tam bir ikonsun ama dürüstçe, sen kafayı yemişsin. Zaten kendince takılıyorsun. ⭐️3/5 o da saygımdan.

This made me so happy, truly a masterpiece.

Absolute classic

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

Very good.

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

amazing

bom

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

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

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.

H fav song: Suffagette City H: the album was nice, it had good story telling and had a cohesive overarching sound that changed and flowed throughout the album. 6/10 Z: Surprisingly the first time I’ve listened to this album front to back, having “played” Ziggy Stardust on guitar hero a million times before. This is a production, a play, a vision only David Bowie could put together. Starts off a bit slow but picks up tremendously in the middle section of the album. Such a fun listen. 8/10 Z fav song: Suffragette City

La primera canción me gustó mucho. El eco

Elska ziggy

also nothing really needs to be said.

Hard to talk about this without the word iconic.

i unfortunately do not understand why people think this is so special

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

I wanted to really like this one. And while there are a number of morsels - Ziggy in particular - I found the entire thing hard to reach. Maybe it was the stressful week of work in Singapore? Even on relisten this weekend I couldn't get there. Recognize its impact at the time but I don’t think I’ll be back around. 3/5