Hunky Dory

With this album, Bowie really achieved one of the highest accolades he had ever or would ever receive in his life as an artist: having a cover of one of his songs appear in the soundtrack of Shrek 2.

One of my favorite Bowie albums to date. Something about it is especially touching compared to later albumbs. It's tender and understated but also powerful. Bowie's undeniable talent comes through with a strength and softness like a velvet hammer. SO good.

Ziggy Stardust before he became Ziggy Stardust. Inventive, creative, and a joy to listen to. Best track: Life On Mars?

I don't know why everyone hates "Kooks." "Kooks" rules. Without "Kooks," there is no Belle & Sebastian.

I'll admit it, I have never listened to Bowie. I know him more as a pop culture figure and couldn't name a song if you asked. Was pleased to know many songs on this, but didn't know who sang them. Incredible album!

6th Bowie album out of the first 411. Come. On. I don't think I have much effort anymore with Bowie reviews; my last one (which felt like last week) was for Aladdin Sane and I made commentary about how I felt like I could copy/paste my previous Bowie review.... and since that absolutely once again applies here, I'll just *literally* copy/paste, while replacing a few specifics. I stand by it: -------copy/paste------ Without looking, I'd bet I could copy/paste my review from _Aladdin Sane_. It's a catchy-at-first early 70s rock album that I slowly get tired of because I'm just not able to really be moved by Bowie's music. It's fine - starting with "_Changes_" which is perhaps his most famous cut and deservedly-so. It's admittedly timeless and very well-crafted musically ..... And the cut "_Life On Mars?_" is a nice diversion from the initial track - but then it just gets...Bowie-ish. And if you're a Bowie fan I can see how you'd like this but his voice is always a little distracting for me. On a positive note, aside from "Low" which feels to me like an Eno record that Bowie happens to sing on, this is probably one of the more-enjoyable or perhaps immediately-accessible records of his but I'll never voluntarily put it on. It feels like I always use his voice as a cop-out because there are plenty of artists who I listen to that I don't necessarily like the singer's voice and I like the music. It's as simple as this even if I can't articulate it well: I don't connect with his music on any emotional level - can just appreciate it from a distance. -----end self-plagiarism----- TL;DR: I don't hate his music, I just don't really *like* it or ever connect with it and after so many years don't really care that much. 5/10 2 stars

I should really give this a 4 based on individual track ratings, but the peaks on here are elite. Probably 5th or 6th best Bowie album. Life On Mars aside, Queen Bitch has always been the highlight for me. 1. Changes - usually skip this because it's so overplayed but it's shit hot 9.5/10 2. Oh You Pretty Things - a highlight 9.5/10 3. Eight Line Poem - Doesn't do it for me 5/10 4. Life On Mars - possibly the best track of the 70's 11/10 5. Kooks - used to find this kind of annoying but it's harmless enough 7/10 6. Quicksand - forgot about this 8.5/10 7. Fill Your Heart - quirky 7/10 8. Andy Warhol - It's alright 7/10 9. Song For Bob Dylan - another classic 9/10 10. Queen Bitch - Top 10 Bowie tune 10/10 11. Bewley Brothers - Love it man such a unique track. Starving for me gravy - 9/10

My favourite Bowie album. Simple but excellent songwriting. Some lesser known gems on here like Eight Line Poem which has more emotion with only a piano and a guitar in the intro than a lot of other bands have in their entire back catalogue.

Early Bowtie is tough to beat. Changes is an all time classic. This is a solid album all the way through. An easy 5 stars in my book.

David Bowie has a unique sound all to his own and this album is a perfect encapsulation of that

As my Polish friend zbig, may say — This kicks many asses

There's nothing wrong with kooks!

An album that was certainly not up to the standard of singer-songwriters of the time, but it showed that Bowie was more than just a pop singer. (7/10) FT: Changes, Oh You Pretty Thing, Life On Mars, Queen Bitch

Not a big Bowie fan but I appreciate the impact and influence that he had on so many artists. For me, this is fine but not really special.

All y'all not giving this a 5 are the real kooks. This is some peak Bowie, elevated among an already great discography. Not a single weak point on here, and so many moments to savor individually. Album opens on an absolute classic, Changes. A catchy AF ode to the inescapable changes that time renders across us all. This bleeds over into the piano-led melody of Oh! You Pretty Things. Love the off-kilter sway of the chorus here. Built for shouting along to. Life on Mars? is up there with the best songs ever written IMO. And I love that Kooks is a song to his newly born son. Andy Warhol is a kooky one at the outset, but develops into a driven acoustic jam that, interestingly, Metallica interpolated a riff from into Master of Puppets. Queen Bitch is another energetic jam that taps a similar spirit to Suffragette City. I've listened to this album countless times and never tire of it.

Great album, I've listened to it numerous times and it's grown on me, maybe even being better than Ziggy Stardust. Changes is such a great opener, one of the best actually. I also learned that a riff from Andy Warhol was the inspiration for one in Metallica's Master of Puppets. Who knew?

This was an easy 5 for me. Been a Bowie stan for awhile now, and "Queen Bitch" is one of my all time favorite Bowie songs. Plus we got "Changes" and "Life on Mars," so come on we gotta give it up for this record. A lot of interesting subject matter on this one too. The tributes to Andy Warhol and Bobby D were cool to see. Also love hearing Bowie espousing occult teachings and getting freaky on "Quicksand." An all over good time album for me.

This underscores to me that I prefer later Bowie to the earlier stuff. Changes is great, but the rest is nowhere near the highs of Station to Station or Low.

Bowie sucks

How could one give this album less than five stars? It features most of my favourite songs by Bowie where the presence of piano makes every one of them so melodic and interesting, intriguing. Perfection

One of my very favorite albums by one of my very favorite artists. I misheard "Changes" when I was a young child and thought he was singing "Don't let them grow up in Olivette." Olivette is a suburb of St Louis, Missouri and I was amazed that this British bloke would get so specific. Like he was singing just to me. Bowie has somehow managed to maintain that intensely personal intimacy with my soul, even when he is singing about Mars, a place where I've spent much less time than St Louis.

Feels like the last album he did for quite some time with obvious flashes of himself - Bewlay Brothers; Quicksand (both amazing) - in there, rather than whichever persona he had created. It's quite open about his influences, and it also feels like he's still trying on lots of different styles to see what fits. So you get some early glimpses of glam like Oh! You Pretty Things, and a VU homage/parody/rip-off, straight acoustic songs, show songs and all sorts of other stuff chucked into the mix. Also casually in the middle of it all one of the best songs of all time, and it opens with another all-time Bowie classic. Don't much care for Fill Your Heart or Andy Warhol, but I love everything else. It's a 5 alright.

The awe-inspiring ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes, followed by sweet, enjoyable songs.

this wasn't a bad album but this was TWO BOWIE ALBUMS IN A ROW and like the fourth overall so far... I've had enough of Bowie now thanks dickhead author. 2/5 just because the sheer amount of Bowie in this list is starting to annoy me.

Perfect from start to finish and “Quicksand” is one of the greatest songs Bowie ever wrote.

Don't need to relisten, ceritifed hood classic. Every song after Life on Mars could be Bowie farting into a microphone and it's still a Top 50 all time record

My favorite Bowie album. Life on Mars and Kooks are for me the highlights on a great album.

arguably where Bowie reached his full potential. an eclectic mix that isn't incoherent, kind of like a Beatles album

Bowie was the greatest album artist of the 1970s, a period noted for great album artists (Stevie Wonder, Neil Young, The Clash, Led Zeppelin, Kraftwerk...), and Hunky Dory was his first album where he organically combined his varied artistic passions. In the credits, Bowie is credited as "The Actor" (though his films may make you think otherwise). As such, the listener senses a multiplicity to this album, that of numerous roles being adopted. Since this was Bowie's lifelong creative persona, and since this is the first album where he fully expounds on this iridescent philosophy. Indeed, the opening Changes serves as a manifesto. However, don't believe that this album, for all its theatricality, lacks tenderness and heart. The piano-led melodies are at turns bombastic and fragile, and the whole record demonstrates that Bowie settling into the role of Bowie was in pursuit of his muse. Indispensable, and yes, hunky dory.

This was the album that got be into Bowie in the first place. Queen Bitch was the first Bowie song I ever heard that I was consciously aware of as being a Bowie song. This entire album is perfect. Obviously it's full of hits, but even the 'lesser' tracks shine. Quicksand and Andy Warhol are some of my most favorite tracks ever.

5 stars. I’m pretty familiar with this album. I lump it in with Bowie’s other great albums (Ziggy Stardust, Heroes, Station to Station). This one feels more like a collection of songs that some of my other favorites, but maybe I’m being too hard on him

Excellent album top to bottom with great music and clever lyrics describing life and society. Wide variety of themes and styles but it still builds momentum from one song to the next. Changes. Oh you pretty things, life on Mars, kooks, fill your heart. Andy Warhol.

Just an incredible record. A landmark album.

The album where Bowie became Bowie. He then spent the remainder of the decade being anyone BUT Bowie.

I'm glad Bowie started doing cocaine after this album.

A subreddit user recently asked us to provide our 100 favorite albums. I knew Bowie would need to be in the top five, so I put in Low at number 3. Hunky Dory ended up at 17, which in retrospect seems like a mistake. There are plenty of days in which it is my favorite Bowie album and even my favorite album of all time. Why? The same explanation everyone has: this is the album where Bowie becomes Bowie. But it might be more accurate to say it is the album where he most clearly demonstrates the process of becoming Bowie 1.0. Bowie 1.0 (before Berlin) was the changeling who became Ziggy Stardust, The Thin White Duke, and all the less developed characters in between. Bowie 2.0 (Berlin and after) was David Bowie, the man, sharing what it was really like to be him (while also donning occasional costumes). If Bowie 1.0 is Major Tom, Bowie 2.0 is “We know Major Tom’s a junkie.” But David Bowie wasn’t a known quantity before Ziggy Stardust. People still thought he was a novelty artist, a one-hit wonder, a theatrical freak dabbling in rock and roll. He covers a Tiny Tim song on Hunky Dory; listeners wouldn’t have been crazy to group the two together. Looking back, we can see the genius of his earlier output, but very few people were paying that much attention in 1971. (Since I got this one over the weekend, I also listened to Divine Symmetry, a four-disc set that explores the process around “Hunky Dory,” including demos and live performances. You can tell from those sets that while the songs were great, the story of the album or the artist or the band is far from worked out.) So when Bowie sings about “ch-ch-ch-ch-changes,” he isn’t yet referring to his protean public persona. He’s talking about what it is like to be him, or the people around him, or the contact high formed by the connection of the two. There is so much “thou” in this album, whether it is the angelic rising generation of “Oh! You Pretty Things,” his newborn son in “Kooks,” or the grabbag of name checks: Andy Warhol, Lou Reed, Churchill, Himmler, Greta Garbo, Aleister Crowley. Bowie was such a chameleon that he was always afraid of becoming of whoever was around him, yet here he seems to have no shame around it yet. Why not write a song about Bob Dylan the same way Dylan wrote a song about Woody Guthrie — isn’t that just what we artists do? And yet. Dylan’s first album was an unabashed tribute; Bowie is up to something different here. Would you really want to be the object of “Queen Bitch,” “Song for Bob Dylan,” or “Andy Warhol” (which apparently made Andy leave the room the first time he heard it)? Each of these songs shines a spotlight on the difficulty and tension of worshiping other artists. “Andy Warhol, Silver Screen, Can’t tell them apart at all.” It was Warhol’s whole deal, of course, but are you comfortable with someone calling it out so clearly? As others have observed, these references to the pseudo-reality of film are the throughline of “Hunky Dory,” showing up in most of the songs. Bowie is aware that he is seeing, experiencing, projecting, critiquing, all at once, without ever quite making it into a film school seminar (thank God). It’s this detachment that make things like the flirtation with fascism tolerable. This used to bother the shit after me, but the best explanation I’ve read is that Bowie is shocked by the extent to which he is fascinated by the same set of ideas as Himmler and others. He wants to be as pretty as “the coming race” of “Homo superior” yet also frightened about what that means. And eventually that all congealed into the much more accessible character of Ziggy, the self-loathing starman who can’t quite save us. But for now, it’s just Bowie being weird as shit and making it sound like chamber music. I still have no idea what a tactical cactus is, yet the phrase gets stuck in my head all the time. That’s Hunky Dory to me, the crazed hidden notebooks that foreshadow everything yet also refuse to be any one thing themselves.

Wow instant classic

This has never been my favorite of the "classic" Bowie albums, although listening again it seems I'm just being picky. What's a few lesser music-hall numbers when there's "Changes", "Oh! You Pretty Things", "Life On Mars?", and the goddam genius "Bewlay Brothers" ffs? Fun to trace the evolution of "White Light, White Heat" into "Queen Bitch" and then on to "Transformer" in hindsight. It's a 5*, glad to hear it again. Mark - if you like the more spooky/Nietzschean stuff (e.g. "Quicksand") but wished it rocked a bit harder, you'd probably like "The Man Who Sold The World", unlikely to be on here but (gun to the head) the better album

Hunky Dory For a long time this was possibly my favourite Bowie album, although it has been superseded by others, and as a result I haven’t listened to this for quite a while. Of course it still is truly excellent. Despite on the surface being one of his most ‘conventional’ albums it really is full of odd little corners and strange/absorbing/literary/facist*/cryptic lyrics, all the while being carried by a cinematic musical momentum, whether folk, orchestral, music hall or guitar led rock. There are some fantastic strings and horns and brilliant arrangements and instrumentation. Also I only just made the connection that the producer, Ken Scott, is the same Ken Scott who was engineer for quite a few Beatles sessions.
*not really, he just mentions Himmler and homo superior a bit. I won’t necessarily go through song by song, as I genuinely like every one on here, but there are moments throughout that I love. The guitar in the intro of Eight Line Poem for example, or the Dr Who beeps on Andy Warhol and the acoustic guitar line intro. I like the music hall influences too, similar to Macca in that regard. And I’ve always loved the opening stanza of Oh! You Pretty Things. Also I took me a while to appreciate Quicksand, but it really is a superb song. I’ve also never noticed it before but the way he sings ‘still the days seem the same’ at 1.44 in Changes is very very Dylan. Life on Mars stood out today - not because I’m not aware of what an incredible song it is - but sometimes you hear something you’ve heard a thousand times in a slightly different way. Maybe it’s mood, what you are doing or how receptive your brain is but it just seems different and feels fresh. I suppose that’s the thing that separates the truly great artists (your Bowies, your Youngs, your Tamsin Archers, your Beatles, your Dylans) from the good, that the songs endure and evolve as time passes, you find moments or angles you never noticed before and it feels like a new song. It’s of course an easy 5. Not just a transformational album in his career but one of the greatest albums ever recorded. If he only ever released this album he would still be regarded as one of the greatest ever. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

the first of (i assume) many bowie albums. more mellow than his later ziggy and aladdin sane records. beautiful and soulful melodies. the first half is somewhat stronger than the latter.

what a ride. this ablum is like forrest gumps box of chocolates (or paul mersons bag of Revels). you might get an absolute all time belter of a song, you might get a mime stuck in a phone box or you might get a song that didn't make it on to mary poppins. still throroughly enjoyable and it feels weird giving it a high score when there are songs on there that i would happily never hear again but the belters, well they're the reason everyone has such a hard on for Bowie.

This is the first Bowie album we’ve heard that did not raise my appreciation for him in any way. I’m sure I’ll get hate for this but It just doesn’t speak to me lyrically or sonically in any way. I’d rather just hear the Beatles or the Kinks, as this album feels like worse version of their songs. “Queen Bitch” was a highlight for me.

A masterpiece, nothing more to say. Might as well be my favorite Bowie record. Each time I listen to it, it gives me different feelings and emotions. Life on Mars is one of the best songs ever written. Oh, You Pretty Things is my top Bowie track.

It’s David Fucking Bowie. It’s his fourth studio album and the earliest one on the list. It’s unbelievable that we get a great Bowie album every year, like the next year after this masterpiece we got another one, Ziggy Stardust. What a genius omg. Changes — Love the song, love the lyrics, love the Shrek. Yes, the cover of this song with Bowie as participant was in Shrek 2. It’s everything you need to know about it hahahahah lol. It’s basically Bowie’s manifesto, ‘cause he loved changes so much, it was throughout his life, throughout his career and it’s just his performance. I wish to untie this ball and understand why I love the Bowie so much. Is it really since childhood when I saw Shrek or is it because of Elon Bowie & Bach are my two fav musicians (https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1644575182839742464?s=20) — Elon Musk, April 8th, 2023 or is it some other reason? Time may change me. But I can’t trace time. Oh! You Pretty Things — I don’t know, it’s great song. Homo sapiens have outgrown their use. Eight Line Poem — Chill nice song, it’s not in my playlist. Life on Mars? — yes, yes, yes. It’s the first Bowie song I was obsessed with. I heard it in a SpaceX animation video (https://youtu.be/Tk338VXcb24?si=b7z1y9NqnQ5pYGzs) about the Falcon Heavy Launch in 2018 and it’s changed my life. I love Bowie so much since then. Life on Mars is the №4 lifetime song in my Spotify and I streamed it over 80 times. So, yes, I admire this song. The history of creating this song is mind-blowing. There was a French hit song “Comme d’habitude (https://youtu.be/w22haP4hgsQ?si=vPw4-18Xp7Ci9Mis)” by Claude François, Bowie wrote English lyrics for this song “Even a Fool Learns to Love (https://genius.com/David-bowie-even-a-fool-learns-to-love-lyrics)”, but Bowie didn’t like it and the publisher he worked for didn’t like it either, so English lyrics were later written by another dude - Paul Anka. And this song became the famous “My way (https://youtu.be/qQzdAsjWGPg?si=8PCya_GdjyTuk_Ha)” by Frank Sinatra. Later, Bowie listened to it on the radio and wanted to create his own version. So, he created Life on Mars? which is my sort of, you know, revenge trip on My Way Absolute G.O.A.T and legend Kooks — It feels like a balm for the soul, such a nice and warm song, so relaxed, a little cheerful and just personal about his son. Quicksand — so philosophical and deep, great song. I really need to relisten to it more. I’m frightened by the total goal Drawing to the ragged hole And I ain’t got the power anymore No I ain’t got the power anymore Fill Your Heart — It’s not original, it’s a cover of Biff Rose’s song. Easy, positive, nice Andy Warhol — It’s nice trolling song, but not for my playlist. Song for Bob Dylan — It’s very fun to listen how Bowie imitates Dylan’s style hahahaha and it’s great. Also not in my playlist, but it’s really wonderful. Queen Bitch — Glam Rooooock, fuck yeaaah, it already feels like the next album. The Bewlay Brothers — it’s so mysterious, psychedelic and a personal song. Fantastic This is a moment, when Bowie finally finds his voice before becoming Ziggy. The previous three albums are also great for me, as a fan, but there wasn’t so much bangers and hits just in one album. But this is a different one, when Bowie is still Bowie, but already in his Prime! 5/5 —————————————— Liked: — Changes — Oh! You Pretty Things — Life on Mars? — Kooks — Quicksand — Fill You Heart — Queen Bitch — The Bewlay Brothers

It’s amazing to think that David Bowie was still a relative outsider when this album came out and that it sold poorly on first release. There is a lot here that points the way to the directions that his music would take with complex cinematic arrangements on Life on Mars alongside pop classics and lyrics namechecking Warhol, Dylan and the Velvet Underground. My high point is Kooks, an utterly charming song dedicated to his new born son.

Peak Bowie. Doesn’t get better than this.

I have always been a "greatest hits" lover of David Bowie, but never an album listener until I started doing this project. And up until now it has been a major disappointment. Previous albums that have come up have been a mess to me - self indulgent, uneven, unimpressive. But Hunky Dory changed that - really liked this album. There's still plenty of self-indulgence, and there are some songs that just should not have been seen as finished (or as anything more than DB mucking around on a piano) But most of the album is a really good listen. There are strong anchors, interesting musical explorations, weirdness, and much more cohesion that others of his.

The tipping point, where Davy Jones completely disappeared into David Bowie. Inconsistently brilliant, relentlessly creative and idiomatic beyond belief. The best was yet to come, but the high points here are top-tier Bowie. Favourite tracks: Changes, Pretty Things, Life On Mars (!!!!!!!), Queen Bitch

Not all of this works for me, but most does, and those songs are great. The closer, The Bewlay Brothers, has just hit me like some weird force.

Changes is such a jam of a song. Soooo easy to get into. Life on Mars? is also such a jam. I knew those songs pretty well going in but not a whole lot of others. Very different vibes overall from some of the other Bowie albums we've listened to which tracks (and I love). Andy Warhol's intro was a bit loopy I dig it. Also apparently there is a riff in Master of Puppets that paid homage to this song. Went back and listened and it's clear as day. Queen Bitch rules also I know that's a popular one. All in all an above average album with a few serious jams on it. Knocking a star because it doesn't live up to other Bowie I've heard which is probably unfair but it's my rating so suck it.

Oh you pretty thing!

Again, I am surprised how I could miss basically the complete work of David Bowie. It's a great album that had been unknown by me until today.

Very original feeling songs, really enjoyed them. I didn’t like David Bowie before but I do now. I think it’s the fact that the songs are fairly unpredictable in tone and cadence, but at the right amount so it’s not crazy

chchchch changes 🗣️🗣️🗣️ Life on mars? Kooks Quicksand Queen bitch

Third Bowie, and from what I understand there will be about a billion more Gee I can hardly wait. Yawn 3.

I often feel like this is the "listen to the 1001 David Bowie albums that exist" list. There's no fucking way every single Bowie album has a place on this list. No way. This was the best Bowie album I have listened to, but that a pretty low bar. I think if it were the only one I've been subjected to, I'd maybe even like it. But this has to be the 4th one I've had, and there are like 5 more? Unbelievable. I don't get the hype. ⭐⭐⭐

I was late at the Bowie party. Like really late. In 2004 David Bowie canceled a concert at Roskilde Festival. The festival administration had a hard time finding a replacement. But they found a band: Slipknot. Lol! I was excited, 'caus Slipknot was more down my alley. However, at the festival I had a conversation with a girl who was really into Bowie, and she opened up my views on him. In the following years i bought a couple of his albums, and now I really enjoy his musical universe. Honky Dory is one of my favourite albums. For me, the start of the album is the best. My top tracks are "Changes", "Oh, you Pretty Things" and "Life on Mars?".

I'm always going to be happy to see David Bowie on this list. This is early 1970's Bowie, and it feels like a Bowie not fully formed, still exploring and finding his way, with the best of his work ahead of him. I see shades of what's to come, with Bowie exploring themes found in his other work (youth and pop culture, art, politics, philosophy) with the sense of individuality and surrealism/absurdity that became his hallmarks. Many of the songs here feature piano, but a couple of the later tracks show glimpses of glam rock and punk. The songs vary a lot in subject matter and feel, so I don't find it to be a very cohesive album, and there are a few tracks that, while not horrible by any means, I would probably seldom reach for as a Bowie fan, just because there are so many others that I love more. Obviously “Changes” and “Life on Mars?” are classics. I'm glad for the opportunity to hear him in his earlier career even if I consider it before his peak. 3.5 Lyric of note, from “Quicksand”: "I'm not a prophet or a stone age man Just a mortal with potential of a superman, I'm living on I'm tethered to the logic of homo sapien Can't take my eyes from the great salvation of bullshit faith If I don't explain what you ought to know You can tell me all about it on the next bardo I'm sinking in the quicksand of my thought I ain't got the power anymore Don't believe in yourself Don't deceive with believe Knowledge comes with death's release”

Another classic. Pushing boundaries, but not so strange as to be inaccessible or unenjoyable.

Restoring the messy remains of classic rock with pop purpose lovingly swiped from Black sources, at its best this is a signpost for the road too infrequently travelled by proggers. At its worst, he proves susceptible to the same tendencies. In the middle, he pays tribute to Warhol and Dylan by name, but not to Lou Reed, even though Queen Bitch doesn't exist without the Velvets. Then again, two bouts of overt hero-worship is probably enough for one record. Freaks, kooks, and queers everywhere are addressed directly for maybe the first time ever. And how about those camped John Lennon vocals? Some of his best.

Some decent songs, some weird songs. Mixed bag.

Good start. I hate the intro to Andy Warhol I had a bad time with this album

Solidifies that I don’t like Bowie.

Never understand the love this guy gets, there was maybe two or three good songs on this album and the rest were absolute shit

Going through this generator, I got Bowie albums that I didn't like before and somehow the 3rd listen made everything click. I figured the same would happen to this album, but no. This shit sucks. I don't know what it is with the production, I can hear everything perfectly fine, but it feels like there is no air, making it sound....I don't know off? "Changes" for example has what should be a big chorus sounding empty, like something is just missing. The rest afterwords are just dribble. No idea what the hell I listened to because I forgot what it sounded like as soon as it ended. I'm extremely disappointed in this album. "Andy Warhol" is a fucking killer song though, but it doesn't save this album.

To much Bowie on this list.

I can't stand Bowie, and reading all the gushing just makes me dislike him more.

Yep

Amazing

I was not expecting this album to be THIS good. I’m very very pleased with how much I loved it 🤗

My first Bowie on this project, and one of my favorites too. Although I confess that I haven’t listened to it many times, I bought it on CD about 20 years ago, listened to it, loved it, then promptly forgot about it. I have listened a few times since, and it confirms my first impression. Bowie began redefining himself with Hunky Dory, and never stopped. That makes each album, era if you will, unique and memorable. I don’t know how many Bowie albums are on here, but this one definitely deserves a spot. Huh, I just looked it up - He’s got 9, the most of any artist. (Lennon, McCartney, and Neil Young are tied, but include group and solo projects, Bowie stands alone) 5 stars

Own this as a record already :) I luvvvv David Bowie and this one is one of my favourites from him

Yndisleg plata. Ein sú allra besta. Changes, Pretty things og Life on Mars? eru svo generational góð lög. Filler lögin líka áhugaverð.

Það er bara einn David Bowie.

music is love

I love Life on Mars. Thats my highlight. The whole album is incredible. "Take a look at the law man beating up the wrong guy"

The best Bowie record. I'm not taking any second opinions. This is peak Ziggy/Aladdin/Thin White Duke. Blackstar and Ziggy Stardust might lay a semi-legitimate claim to supremacy, but I'll be darned if Hunky Dory doesn't take the musical cake. I wonder if part of my love of this album comes from having associated it with a positive part of my life. When I hear the opening string chords of Changes, man, it just does something. Something indescribable. Speaking of chords, Bowie picks his harmonies excellently throughout this record. Not just in Changes, but in Life On Mars?, Oh! You Pretty Things, Quicksand... even the only noticeably "weaker" track, Song For Bob Dylan I won't repeat what tons of people have said. One interesting thing I've noticed, though, is that Hunky Dory is vaguely a concept album even though it's trying not to be. Side 1 is the self-reflection side, with Bowie looking at the youth of today (including himself), and his own children, and the ever-changing world, and just... pondering. (Also, thinking about cactuses.) Quicksand is such a fantastic culmination of everything "hunky-dory-Bowie" has to offer at this stage in his career. But the other songs are decent too. Especially that Life On Mars?. Time and time again we see a strong correlation between legendary songs and songs containing soaring string arrangements, and LOM is no exception. The reason I mention concept albums is because side 2 is completely different: it's a series of homages. Fill Your Heart is a goofy, light-hearted Biff Rose cover with some seriously great musical comedy. Andy Warhol and Song For Bob Dylan, I think you can work out for yourselves. Queen Bitch pays tribute to the (still-active) Velvet Underground and the quietly emerging pre-punk scene. And The Bewlay Brothers finishes off the album somewhat mysteriously – but after some digging, you'll find that it's a song of love and of regret, written about Bowie's schizophrenic older half-brother, Terry. The song goes all over the place, but lyrically, it's a vivid and heart-wrenching piece of poetry. Another reviewer wrote: "Bowie's undeniable talent comes through with a strength and softness like a velvet hammer." Agreed. This easily holds a candle to the other greats of 1971. In fact, it surpasses most of them. There's a reason Bowie has such a strong legacy. Hunky Dory, for me, is where it all began. 5/5 Key tracks: Changes, Oh! You Pretty Things, Life On Mars?, Kooks, Quicksand, Fill Your Heart, Queen Bitch

Turns out I still like David Bowie

Great album, even with far less glam rock crunch from Mick Ronson in comparison to the albums immediately preceding (Man Who Sold the World) and following (Ziggy Stardust)

I was not familiar with this album but hot damn it was good

Changes - 10/10. Iconic Bowie tune. Everything fits together perfectly. Oh! You Pretty Things - 9/10. Excellent. Classic Bowie sound. Eight Line Poem - 9/10. Excellent, and more of the classic Bowie sound. Life on Mars? - 11/10. Goosebumps from start to finish, especially when the strings come in on the pre-chorus. Rick Wakeman on the piano and David Bowie vocals? This one goes to 11. Kooks - 9/10. Excellent tune, but not up to the quality of Life on Mars? before it. Quicksand - 9/10. Excellent. Fill Your Heart - 9/10. More of Rick Wakeman on the piano. What's not to like? Andy Warhol - 8/10. Weird, but in the Bowie style. Song for Bob Dylan - 9/10. Outstanding. Queen Bitch - 9/10. This cooks. Great guitar work, Bowie switching between low and high energy, all-around banger. The Bewlay Brothers - 8/10. Very good tune. Folk-ish rock. Well done. Overall Rating - 4.55/5 (9.09/10). This album features the collaboration of two of the all-time greats. David Bowie and Rick Wakeman. This album is definitely Bowie becoming Bowie. I hear the start of the Glam-Rock, over-the-top, Ziggy Stardust version of David Bowie. Awesome album.

David Bowie – Hunky Dory (1971) On Day 138, I witnessed the moment "Bowie became Bowie." This album is a perfect shift toward a more singer-songwriter style, and he pulled it off with high-level artistry. It feels raw and introspective, offering a vulnerable look into his talent that differs from the experimental or glam sounds of his other work I’ve heard. The highlights were immense: "Changes," "Oh! You Pretty Things," and the vocal triumph of "Life on Mars?" were outstanding. I also really connected with "Eight Line Poem," "Kooks," and "Queen Bitch." Closing with "The Bewlay Brothers" was a masterclass in concluding a body of work. A definitive 5/5 for a great transition in sound.

Personal favourite Bowie album not one skip it’s the best thing ever

I love this album for so many reasons. Firstly it's just fucking brilliant, I mean just the first few notes of life on mars and changes beat most albums. Incredible. I cannot imagine an album that I would fall in love with as much as this. 5 stars is not enough

There aren't enough words to properly describe this album. Intimate yet grand, soft and tender yet powerful and moving. The range in tone, style and emotion is something only a great like Bowie could pull off. Truly a unique album from a unique voice and a special soul. Utterly brilliant

The first half is some of the best Bowie I've heard ("Life On Mars?" has long been a favorite). The second half has a few tracks that for anyone else would be great, but for Bowie are just alright. Overall, though, a great one. 4 1/2 stars

Hunky Dory is David Bowie's most introspective album, with lyrics that reframe society, influence, and himself

Love the deeper cuts of Quicksand and Queen Bitch. A true classic all the way around. Definitely has stood the test of time.

5/5 for life on mars alone x

Le premier chef d'oeuvre de Bowie.

Pas facile de faire un top Bowie mais celui-ci rank très haut. Tellement original. Hunky Dory par rapport à Ziggy Stardust c'est comme pour Neil Young avec After the Gold Rush par rapport à Harvest. Incidemment, c'est les mêmes années. Rick Wakeman est en feu. 4.75 étoiles

Eccentric. Playful. Unapologetically Bowie. Ladies and gentlemen, this is quintessential Bowie!

Looove 'Changes' and 'Life on Mars'

Potentially in my top 10 albums of all time. Maybe. Every song a belter.

I'm not sure it gets any better than this. In my interchangeable top 3 Bowie albums.

I started this album thinking "come on Phyl you can't score every Bowie album a five". Turns maybe I can. I'm a fan of the early more whimsical Bowie as represented by the second half of the album, but I understand it's not for everyone.

Two Bowie albums in a week, although I knew this one coming into it. As I said for Young Americans, there's a minimum quality I expect with Bowie but he exceeds it here as this is one of my fave albums of his! His early 70s era is my fave, just great tunes and a great sound

wenisimo

With Hunky Dory, David Bowie marks a major stylistic shift toward a more theatrical and artistic sound. The second half of the album is largely made up of tributes and references to influential artistic figures and cultural icons. ++ : Life on Mars? Changes Andy Warhol Oh! You Pretty Things

Masterpiece , new wave , punk , glam , rock n roll dylan all together