Blackstar

Meh... Has its moments. But it's also a weird mixed bag.

This packs a huge additional emotional punch as it is still, to me, Bowie's "Death Album" and brings back memories of that time and the national, if not global mourning, and my partner, who was a massive fan of him, being hit by it. I am not a huge fan. I don't really know his albums very well, but I know they were good to start with and he hit a bit of a shit patch from the 80s onward. This and "The Next Day" seem different though. Somehow the weird melodies and embrace of modern electronic sounds and jazz saxophones add up to something rather beautiful and an emotional goodbye.

Raw, heartfelt….

before i listen to the album i was like omg i love david bowie in the labyrinth but never actually listened to his music properly im in for a treat! but i was so confused when i listened to this cause it’s so… all over the place? i feel like i’m missing something everyone understood like this is objectively bad… what’s going on? so uh yeah i’m a bit disappointed

Bowie was certainly an experimenter right to the end of his life. Of course this is very poignant and the context is hard to disregard when considering the music. His use of horns is interesting, sometimes they create a mournful atmosphere, and sometimes they sound in the brink of reaching a mad crescendo, a bit like Radiohead's The National Anthem. I also find the lyrics to be self reflective and interesting. Probably not an album I'd listen to endlessly but certainly impressive that he created this while dying of cancer

Creative, but not my style

YOOOOOOO star- 6 or 7 tis a pity she was a whore- 6 lazarus- 6 or 7. "i was looking for your ass" sue- 6 girl loves me- "where the fuck did monday go" 6 or 7 dollar days- 6 or 7 i cant give everything away- :( 7 rest in peace, i miss you man

The last Bowie album and the lyrics are just as weird as ever. You can hear a difference in his voice. There is a lot of saxophone on this album. You can definitely hear a sadness in the songs, the title of Lazarus gives that one away, but there's a quality to the music that conveys the feeling too. I listened to this album right after he died and remembered liking it much more than I do now. I love the sound of the album, but the individual songs are kind of up and down. I Can't Give Everything feels like a perfect ending to an amazing career.

Nice, a bit too jazzy/experimental sometimes

I’m sure it’s brilliant. It feels brilliant. It just. Is hard to enjoy.

- Personal impression: Fantastic album, very "David Bowie" in style - Described as weird, experimental, and a pleasure to listen to - Awareness of David Bowie's famous songs, but not a regular listener - Belief that the album was recorded just before David Bowie's passing - Plans to explore more of David Bowie's work - Rating: Four out of five stars

Laatste Bowie album ooit. Interessant, super moody ook, tenminste de opener Blackstar is een heel duistere plaat. Sowieso is het album iets meer jazzy dan andere Bowie albums die meer poppy kunnen zijn. Het album is veel duisterder, met veel referenties naar de dood. Dan te bedenken dat hij overleed 2 dagen na release, best wel heftig eigenlijk... Als je het album hoort zou ik zeggen dat hij precies wist dat ie niet lang meer had. De muziek hoort daar ook bij, met veel strijkers en een soort trage jazz. Heel indrukwekkend album! FAVO: Blackstar, Lazarus, I cant give everything away

That was something really strange for my. Moreover, there was no deep feelings or special experience, only pain and yearning from my unconsciousness

I'm not a Bowie fan. A few songs of him are ok, but there's nothing of that on this album. More often than not I had the impression that Bowie's voice track was overlayed over some random music, especially in Sue. Music and the singing weren't connected at all. More parts on this album are similar. Then there is his way of singing. I can't stand it for a longer period.

A truly sad and amazing album. Sometimes very hard to listen, if you cared for Bowie.

Great album. Very dark though.

This was beautiful and chaotic and discordant.

Bowie can and did do whatever he wants, but this was upsetting at release and is more so now for different reasons

This certainly was David Bowie! I was honestly impressed with this album bc normally later albums made by "legacy acts" aren't all that great, but I thought this was a solid piece of work. It just wasn't my favorite.

3.5

meme photo: lie down - try not to cry - cry a lot this album project has easily led to the most David Bowie I've listened to since his death, because that was the first celebrity/public figure death that really deeply upset me and I didn't like to be reminded about it. I had to take a couple of breaks during Blackstar and it reminded me of all the conversations I had with friends where we went from just talking about the album and videos to talking about how it was a secret farewell message. Life is hard! Death is hard! It feels trite to say that so much of this album is haunting, but it is - the vocals and the machinelike-but-human drumming especially. I do think the title and closing tracks are stronger than the rest, except for maybe Lazarus.

Weird and depressing

Very depressing album. But he was dying when he wrote and recorded it. But beautiful all the same.

Odd - clearly there's a context here, but the music doesn't feel too dark. Or too inspiring. Late period Bowie is different from most old man rocker stuff, but it still doesn't grab me

A little too artsy fartsy for my taste, but not terrible.

In the 80s this album might be acceptable. And the 2010s it's absolute trash.

Incredible final send off to a once in a lifetime artist.

I respect the art. Of course. You have to; it's Bowie. Still creating experimental and unpredictable music on his deathbed. So it's hard to separate this album from its context and story. I am trying to be really objective though and honestly, this isn't an album that I feel I'll be coming back to for regular replays. Once again, Bowie creates great tunes but buries them in a more ambitious and grandiose work of art. So yes, I can appreciate how GOOD this is, in spite of the fact that it's not really for me.

Really boring.

3.

I have nothing good to say about this album. Personal enjoyment: 2/5 Relevance to this list: 2/5

3.5★. Third Bowie prompt on this list so far (The other two being Young Americans and Heroes) and it's easily my favorite of the small bunch. Not a revelation by any means though as I've listened to it a couple of times before. It's not an album that admittedly moves me deeply like it undoubtedly does many Bowie fans (and it's easy to see why, Cohen's last album does the same thing for me) but it's an album I enjoy/admire a lot, and I love how dire and grave it sounds.

staring death to in the face

Absolutely Epic

I love Bowie and I love this album. I've said a lot about Bowie so far in my reviews for the other albums that have come up so far for me on the list. But this album means so much to me. To all of us Bowie fans. It was his final gift to us. To the world. And I love him all the more for it.

Tulee mieleen joku salapoliisisarja tai dekkari. En tykkää laulusta.

I liked this album. Some parts reminded me of Radiohead, or Peter Gabriel. It's a high 3 and might go to a 4 with more listens.

Probably a 3.5 without context, but the details surrounding its release and Bowie's passing give it a level of mournful poignancy that elevates it to a 4.

I suspect that if I gave this more than 2 listens, it might creep up in my estimation. But while this is unmistakably Bowie, it's definitely a more challenging listen (that first, nearly 10 minute song) with a heavy jazz/horn sound I wasn't expecting. Perhaps compelling as a deathbed album, but not something I'd feel drawn to venerate and listen to outside of this exercise.

ジャケットアートがかっこいい。 ボウイの訃報と同時に知ったこのアルバム、死を意識せざるを得なかったことを思い出す。

Hard Pass

I love Bowie but this late career avant garde stuff aint it

nice to have some contemporary bowie to listen to, just a shame that it's only kind of ok. best track Lazarus. 2

"F 2016, 2016 SUCKS" they said. It turns out people die. There were worse years to come that weren't ruined by old, heavily drugged people dying. I hope all the people who pretended to have loved David Bowie as soon as he died listened to this album as punishment. It's not even the worst, but nowhere near what this list should be.

The album has some great moments but fails to stack up against Bowie's classics

His Bowieness👑 shows his creativity and talent and will to reinvent himself for the last time. Not his best but still a pretty strong album. "Sue..." costs him the ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for me. Beyond that it´s a great production. 4,5

Delightfully eclectic and experimental, with just the right touch of jazz influences

Awful drivel

I enjoyed this more than I expected to. As I've mentioned in other reviews, I don't generally care for Bowie as much as I feel like I should, particularly from Aladdin Sane on. This one was the right kind of weird and dark, I guess.

David Bowie was an underrated superstar. No big hits on this album, but it is a really great album. Tiz a Pity She was a Whore and Lazarus are well written and they just suck you into their magic. I love it.

I haven’t explored much of David Bowie's music before, and in fact, Blackstar is the first Bowie album I’ve listened to from start to finish. So, what’s my take on it? Simply put, it’s incredible. As I mentioned, my experience with Bowie has been limited—I've probably only heard about ten of his songs in total. I always associated him with a jazzy, disco-infused glam rock vibe. But this album took me by surprise with its art rock and experimental sound. Blackstar is a no-skip album for me. Every track is solid, with none dipping below an 8/10 in my book. The album's second single, 'Lazarus,' and the closing track, 'I Can't Give Everything Away,' are particular standouts. The latter, especially, has a serene, haunting quality that feels poignant without being overly somber. In short, Blackstar blew me away. It’s inspired me to dive deeper into Bowie’s discography.

It’s difficult to know how the reception of this album would have been if he hadn’t died just after the release. I think that there are some good songs on here, but overall it’s too messy for me to really enjoy. The songs that stand out are Lazarus, Dollar Days and I Can’t Give Everything Away

Interesting interpretation of rock and combination, couple of great tracks

Never liked him much

this album is what i imagine taking psychedelics to feel like, and i am positive bowie was under the effect of some sort of drug when this was written. i did really like “lazarus”, which made up for the fact that the first track made me want to rip my ears off. everything else was ok, they had moments of good and bad for me personally. i did love the transition between “dollar days” and “i can’t give everything”. honestly i was disappointed because i normally like bowie, but i didn’t like this as much as i thought i would. i might give it another listen to make sure

Yet another album recorded by a man that KNEW he was dying. Written and recorded as his literal swan song- I love this record. Bowie meets NIN meets the grim reaper. All of that said it is definitely an album you have to be prepared for, in the mood for, to really be enjoyed. The opening track sounds absolutely nothing like what you would expect from David Bowie and it’s almost 10 minutes long. That is a statement in itself. there’s a handful of songs that sound more reminiscence of his older material, but the point of this record was to explore something new because he knew, at least in his own mind, that he was about to go on the greatest exploration he had ever gone on. When I am in the correct mindset to listen to this record and feel it, and hear his words, to connect with it and therefore him it’s a five star album. The rest of the time it sits between a three and four.

Great

I miss him.

Wanted to give it 5 stars but just falls short. A really good album filled with interesting songs and influences. One that I will go back to regularly.

Довольно странный альбом, не без шарма, да и посыл какой-никакой у него есть, но высший балл ему точно ставить сложно.

Such an incredible insight into what an artist things, feels, desires, reflects on and shares when he know he’s close to dying. That alone makes this album so extremely memorable, with Lazarus really digging in deep.

B+

This album managed to be quite different from other things I've listened so far, and it quite fits being Bowie's last album

Really great late Bowie - interesting and challenging. It was his best for ages, ir really only a minor classic by his standards.

The context of this album being finished and released just before Bowie's death adds a weight to the whole production, but Blackstar presents an understanding of mortality that would've been just as poignant even if he had lived longer. Blackstar is an incredible song but Lazarus feels heavy and personal. The final song being I Can't Give Everything Away is beautiful. The richness of that song is one you can get lost in. The part that grabs my attention the most is the minor moment partway through when the instrumentals fall back and it's just Bowie singing with a simple bassline until everything else rebuilds. The way it balances harmony and outbursts and rising and falling feels incredibly purposeful and I feel pretentious for writing this but it hits me as a reflection on what it feels like to experience a lifetime. Bowie's my favourite artist and this album feels like one I'll listen to for years and keep finding intriguing. Production, instrumental work, and mixing are all stunning; the vocals are masterful.

First thing that hit me is top tier production. Next the use of use of classic formulas for the foundation of each of the songs. Like the break beat on track two. The bass on track three. Not a fan of the saxophone usually but it works well all over this album. The meaty guitar near the end of Lazarus. Girl Loves Me sounds influenced by hip hop without being something I feel I've heard before in a very interesting way. Dollar Days is a great evolution of a style of song that would be at home in the 1970s but with modern production it doesn't feel dated. Harmonica. As always with Bowie for me even the tracks that don't work as strong for me on first exposure they leave me with curiosity. This might be my favorite Bowie album now or at least up there. This album assures me that I have lots of time to keep creating.

Really solid last album from Bowie. Probably needs a couple of listens. I remember hearing about this album when it was released and gave it a listen but didn’t really connect with it. Totally different impression second time around though.

When I first heard all of these Bowie albums in this book, I didn't really like any of them fully. Great songs but never a great album. Once I got to Blackstar though, everything changed. This is a masterpiece. I have since relistened and relistened to the Bowie albums and I now actually really like 3 others he made. Blackstar is a rare album. I'm just speechless coming up with anything else to say about it. It just left me stunned. By far my favorite Bowie album, I know he has a lot of albums on this list but Blackstar is one that can never be argued to take off. It's too good, and too important

Tough album to rate, because all the context around it makes it 1000x more interesting and kind of awe-inspiring with respect to David Bowie as an artist. The fact that he could make this album, in secret, while ill, experimenting with some of the most modern sounds around at the time, is just incredible. The songs themselves are haunting, unique, and generally listenable. His voice still seems pristine, and you feel that if he had lived another ten years we'd have ten more albums that were just as innovative.

Don’t understand the hype at all with this

Very spacey and repetitive. Good for edgy background music

Interesting sound!

Bowie is a genius. However, this isn't really my taste for what makes him great. Too much jam band/acid jazz going on. That said, there are some interesting moments and top notch musicians here, so it's not bad either.

Takie 4/5. Dobry.

Hard to listen to, weird for no reason, not very good

some cool stuff and a lot of schlock

amazing last album by bowie RIP

Amazing.

This is my 7th David Bowie album so far. Two more to go. I’m tired, boss. Evidently, I was born missing the gene responsible for appreciating David Bowie. I’ve tried, I honestly have. I respect him as an artist but I don’t hear what everyone else hears. He has a couple songs I don’t mind but the rest of it, I don’t get the appeal. I’m not a music snob, contrarian, or gatekeeper. I like most of the all-time greats, and I like a lot the stuff people love to hate. I don’t know, man. Maybe one day, David Bowie will click for me, but it’s not looking likely at this point.

Like a lot of Bowie’s later LPs - I like it, it’s sonically solid, and it has a few standouts. But I find it bland and uninventive in a lot of places. I don’t mind it being self indulgent (he’s one of the few artists out there who has earned it for sure), but his death definitely elevated this release.

I've been a massive Bowie fan from early days onwards but honestly there's nothing on this album that's worthy of his name apart from (perhaps fittingly) the final track, which just scrapes this an extremely generous 3 stars.

On his 26th album Bowie knew he was dying and still reinvented his sound and message. The artistry is on full display, although this was somewhat of a hard listen for me on a Monday going to work. Dark and moody, reflective, and at times sonically dissonant, but his genius still shines through. A struggle to start with Blackstar at ten minutes, but Dollar Days and I Can’t Give Everything Away are a strong close on the coda of an amazing lifetime of music.

It's hard to listen to this album outside its context - Bowie knew he was dying and turned it into a beautiful album. 'Lazarus' and 'I can't give everything away' are just incredible.

I love this album. Bowie, making it happen until the very end.

So, this is it, Bowie's last album. The album that ended off his legendary career. I've heard some people claim that it's his best, which I find to be extremely far fetched, and feels like people find this release to be more tragic and impactful than it actually was because it came out only 2 days before his death. But with that being said, this is still a fantastic album. I'm not so familiar with his later works, so I can only really compare this to his 70s/80s material. And it sounds surprisingly good even compared to some of his absolute best. But this fusion of experimental art rock and jazz sounds about as good as it can, and this is a great way to end a discography as legendary as Bowie's.

May one of the best rock musicians of the 20th century rest in peace.

Definitiv eines der besseren Alben von Bowie. 3,4

Cool album considering his age.

I don’t know what to say about this one but 5 stars. It’s a hard listen for a lot of people just because of what it is, but many people have better things to say on it than I ever could.

Niet heel erg Bowie fan Niet slecht 3/5

Now this is how you go out. With a bang. David Bowie had a very long career with many albums. I would know, as this is the fourth one I've gotten for this project, and there's still 5 I haven't gotten yet. And that's not even half of all the albums he released! Anyways, Blackstar was the last one he released in his lifetime, as Bowie would tragically pass away just two days after this album's release and his 69th birthday. Of course, the close proximity of Bowie's death and this album release have affected how people view this album. This feels intentional to me. This is clearly a swan song, and David Bowie knew this. This feels like a final album. Death does appear as a theme in this album. But does the album hold up on its own? Absolutely. This album is just phenomenal. Bowie's voice aged very well, as it still sounds quite good here despite him being in his late 60s at this time. The instrumental sound is also quite interesting. The influences come from many different place. There's a clear jazz influence on this thing and even an influence from contemporary hip-hop artists like Kendrick Lamar and Death Grips. That's just awesome. All 7 songs on this album are amazing. There's not a single bad one or even a bad moment in one of the songs. Blackstar manages to have some energy while still being incredibly emotional. There's so much more I could say, but I'm not sure I could put it in to words. This album, and what it represents, are immensely meaningful and create a truly fantastic experience that deserves all of the praise it can get. 5/5. R.I.P. David Bowie.

meh

Anyone who gives this a 5 is a pretentious fuck

Perhaps the greatest and most gracious swan song of all time.

“Look up here, I’m in heaven” It might not have been intentional, but releasing those words just days before your death … That really hits hard. Inspired by both jazz ans hip hop artists, Blackstar perfectly exhibits the ever-evolving, curious and experimenting artist that Bowie was right until his final moments.

I always appreciate an artist who pushes their creative boundaries, but Bowie's Blackstar did not really take to this one. Admittedly it was shortly before his death, which explains the somber mood of the album. But it was saxophone heavy, so best I can award it is 3/5 #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie

Pretty good, but not ground breaking.

'Tis a pity she was a whore is an actual track name.

Bit too jazzy for me. Echoes of previous triumphs fail to elevate this beyond mediocrity.

Muy pocos artistas se van bajo sus propios términos, dejando un micdrop que se oye a través del universo.

Was a good listen after a slow start

Poeh bijzonde album, had deze ook nooit helemaal geluisterd

Heel goeie

Crazy album at lave lige inden sin død. Meget cool at være så grænsesøgende på trods af sin alder og sangene er både banging og meget rørende synes jeg :)

Hørt på bilturen hjem fra Østrig Det er vel okay? Har ikke hørt et Bowie album fra ende til anden før, og mathilde siger at hun ikke er så glad for det. Men synes det er okay 😇 3/5

A varied medley of songs that all seem to work from one to the next. One of his most well executed albums I feel.

eh

David Bowie's last masterpiece.

Easy 5 stars even if I don't really like Bowie

Not bad. Kind of gives me Radiohead vibes at times (sort of eclectic electronica-meets-rock).

Blackstar Lazarus Sue (Or in a Season of Crime) I Can't Give Everything Away

Art rock. A beautifully human album. Really enjoyed it. 5/5

i’ve been meaning to relisten to this album for a while now… forgot how good it is. the title track is easily one of my favorite bowie songs (and one of his very best). 4.5 but rounding up since i enjoyed this one so much

I like Bowie and I understand the circumstances around this album's release, but it just didn't register with me.

Not my favorite of his but good

Interesting

It's Bowie, of course it's good, but it's not my favorite. I know I listened to it before this, and I couldn't remember a single thing from it.

A lot of people have and will argue that "this album is considered to be a critical success only because Bowie died, without his death, no one would care!". Well, yeah, the entire point of the album is how Bowie accepts his inevitable demise and uses it to produce his final record. Its pretty decent, with Blackstar and Tis a Pitty She Was a Whore being the weakest tracks on the album, but it picks up and stays hard and solid until the end. Even if musically you may not like it, there is something haunting about anticipating death and creating something for the very last time, especially for an artistic person such as him. YYM

Wut.

I would normally highly rate David Bowie but not this album. I would give 1-star but he’s David Fucking Bowie.

WOW! Very Poignant. I did not love the first track, but loved the rest of the album and therefore enjoyed it overall. Each time I listen to another Bowie album, I’m impressed with how much I enjoy his work. I have never listened to a full Bowie album before I started this journey. Now I regret that I haven’t done it before this. His catalogue of music is awesome and deserves numerous listens.

I just thought it was fine. I did not love it, especially compared to some of his other albums.

I thought that is was gonna be a hard listen and boy I was right. Just didn’t really connect with the album as a whole. I know a lot of people love it but I guess it’s just not my bag. Apple Music Rating was 3.6/5

One of the greatest albums ever done. The swan song of one of music's finest performers ever.

RYM.com has this up there with Bowie's best work. Records like Low, Ziggy, HonkeyDory, I get, although I don't love Bowie. This, however I do not get, I feel people rate this with their heart not thier ears

Very experimental, very David Bowie. All good things!

The poignancy of Bowie essentially writing his own requiem here will always be a huge part of this album's effectiveness. But it also seems like there's very little that's memorable enough here to to stand in the truly top tier of Bowie albums, especially to those who are not already huge fans. He was a genius, and this might very well be a work of genius. But it's also, sadly, largely forgettable when held up against the larger Bowie pantheon.

Þetta er bara hin prýðilegasta plata með David Bowie. Ég hef aldrei verið mikill aðdáandi þótt ég hafi alveg hlustað oft og mörgum sinnum á hann. Ég held að það muni koma í veg fyrir að ég hlusti á þessa plötu aftur en ég var samt hrifinn af henni.

Some really creative stuff here, but again I don’t prefer his voice.

Whilst Bowies music is inspired, his voice grates on me and makes it turn it off

I am not a good enough writer or thinker to say anything cogent about this masterpiece immediately after hearing it for the first time. Notes: - Bowie is in a bad mood - Theorem: David Bowie can do no wrong (musically). - Dimery wrote a couple books about Bowie, IIRC? - Fan fiction/speculative: Bowie actually is an alien or possibly a returned jesus and we (earth-based humans/mortals) are tested with determining this to be true. We are given some clues, all of them in musical form. This album is the final one. Our literal last chance to save ourselves, but we must first decipher the music. A sad and brilliant album with amazing musicians. Heavy and very very dark in places. Throughout, I get the impression that Bowie just really likes to sing. There are some subtleties in his voice here that are really interesting, and absolutely on par with much of his earlier work. NOT THE SAME, different, but on par. Enjoyed this a lot, lives up to the accoades for sure. Bowie is still with us.

riese album glaub? mega big jazz people wo druf spieled. erste song bitz weird aber halt so nu jazz type drums und so. no cool aber nöd mis ding. zmitzt drin ischs plötzlich en song mit mega typische melancholische chords. aber de vocoder type stuff isch huere geil. de song au. er singt no recht guet findi. tis a pity und so foht reeecht geil ah d chords glnd dumm. de bassist (tim levebvre) hani mol als bassist vom chris potter gseh, siech isch guet. song isch schöön. jo finds geil. lazarus wieder bitz moody noisy und sehr viem höchi sache wo umetätsched. d blöser sind cool i guess aber finds etz nöd wooow. sue isch au wirder huuere dark. aber drums eaaasy geil. de djenty teil easy geil. girl loves me au uuuhuere harmonisch dicht und dark. de bass isch huere cool. s ganze isch mega unruhig. aber geil. dollar days sehr bowie irgendwie. doubletracked akustischi gitti am afang vorallem. gitti wiicht striicher und s wurd offner. hübsche song, meega sad.

SCHWARZERS STERN sehr geile ahfang, ich lieb d drums uhuere geile opener, alles flüsst innenand inne und da störts au nöd, dass es langs lied isch DRUMS ja s whore hetmi nöd umghaue lazarus het ultraaaschöni blöser omg lazarus isch super gsi allgemein werded d blöser sehr gezielt und mega würgigsvoll ihgsetzt girl loves me super wies immer ähnlich tönt aber d drums mached sache, geil dollar daysssss chli "normaler" falls das sinn macht uhuere schöns solo I can't give everything away wieder huere guete closener puuuh bin zwüscheme 4 und 5

There’s a really interesting video I saw at some point that looked at the harmony Bowie used in the title track, which I thought was particularly fascinating because I was having a thing about Suede’s Dog Man Star at the time I listened to it, and one of my favourite songs, The Power, uses the same harmony during the middle eight. It became an interesting chicken or egg question in my mind. Was Bowie inspired to use the harmony because of Suede’s use of it, or were Suede, in their unwavering Bowie admiration, inspired by an instance when Bowie used the harmony in some other period? I still don’t have an answer. I feel as if everyone has a story attached to ★. When they first listened to it, how soon before or after Bowie’s death it was. The Monday that the news broke, I was woken up by my Mother, who broke the news to me. I listened to it on the walk into Sixth Form, and I’ve not listened to it since. It’s been eight years, and I’ve not heard a note. And a part of me doesn’t want to. The memory of listening to it in that moment is so perfect and bittersweet that I almost don’t want to tarnish it. But, having done so… I’m struggling to find a way of ending this review, because I do think this is a very good album, and an even better piece of art, a reflection on life and mortality, and more importantly a life in stardom. And I have a lot of thoughts about it, but they’re not easy to untangle from my own messy thoughts and feelings about death and legacy and art itself. And the fact that it has this effect on me is evidence of it’s greatness

Even removed from the context of Bowie's legacy and his passing the weekend after its release, this is still an incredible jazz rock album. Combined with those things, it earns its spot as one of the decade's best releases, and one of the finest send-offs that popular rock music's most eccentric figure could have asked for.

Legend. Release music right up till the end.

Major pass, please stop giving me David Bowie albums. Didn't enjoy any of the songs.

Bett than i remembered

Perfect 6/5

Lots of sax. 3.8

The music itself is really fascinating, but after reading that he died 2 days after release, and was recorded knowing that Bowie has cancer…wow. Not many pieces of art could say to have that sort of significance.

Haunting even without the context in which it was written and released. If only we all could get a swan song like that.

Bowie is fantastic and the emotions in this album are really raw. 4.2 stars

Nice Bowie

It’s hard to separate this album from Bowie’s death 2 days after release - but I guess that was his intention. Musically, this album is a solid 3. But the emotional heft and the inescapable feeling of listening to art from beyond the grave elevate this to a 4.

Excellent final album from the superstar of music

Out there but not graceful

I still feel the same way about David Bowie as I have with all his other albums on here; I see, respect, and fully understand the talent and why people consider him to be one of their favorite of favorites. But it just isn't for me But I will say that using the portions of the stars to spell out "BOWIE" is galaxy-brain levels of graphic designs. I'll never get tired of this artwork

Never liked his music. Still don't.

This is pretty experimental stuff, but isn't that what Bowie was all about? I really like it. I had this idea in my head that Bowie had died in like 2008, so when I read this was from 2016 I thought it was a re-release. Glad to hear I was wrong.

like most Bowie, I appreciate it more than I feel it. Lazarus and I Can't Give Everything Away are great though.

A bit crap for Bowie

Top album 🤟 rip music legend 😢

Incredibile

Poignant given the circumstances but I didn’t really like it - sorry

So first up, I don’t think listening to this album on one of the first decent summers days of the year is a good mix. Buzzkill either way. I know I’ve liked this more when I’ve listened to it previously, but today I just found it all too melancholy/depressing (which I know is kind of expected/the point given the circumstances of its making) and nothing really grabbed me. Well, other than Lazarus which is the standout track. So I’ll give it a 3, but probably more a mark of respect for the artist than this particular offering.

Not convinced by this and whilst it sounds harsh, it's experimental self indulgentness. I suppose that is ok if it's your parting gift but clearly clouded the judgement of some critics. Some decent jazzy moments but won't be revisiting.

I like the kind of 80s futuristic vibe of the first half of Blackstar - it’s very smooth. The break is cool, and I don’t understand what this song is about but I enjoy the sound. I wasn’t really listening to the lyrics of Tis A Pity She Was A Whore but the vibes felt pretty rancid. I like Lazarus, and love the riff at the end. Sue is dark and weird in the best way. I love the drums and guitar. Girl Loves Me is so creepy and I’m into it. Dollar Days feels like a swan song, and that makes it very powerful and affecting. It’s very striking. And I think that I Can’t Give Everything Away was a cool final song! Overall, I liked this album and can see myself listening to it again!!

90/100 Fantastique. The Best Bowie album I've heard (so far).

There's something to be said for saving the best for last. A perfect sendoff to a brilliant career. Still gives me chills every time I listen

I like David Bowie but this was difficult to listen to.

This is an incredible work, and I do believe it will join the list of best Bowie albums. Moving, experimental, haunting, even familiar in places. What a swan song!

Loved this one from the first listen, and it only gets better with age. Miss you, Mr Bowie.

Yeah this goes crazy

Lo mejor de lo mejor

I guess I can see it's appeal for really big fans of Bowie, as some sort of concept jazz album. But I didn't think it was very good.

Pretty good. I remember when this was released but I don’t recall if I listened to it or not back then.

Not sure why this is my first listen, but I was certainly aware of it. It is a gorgeous album, very good in places, though even with the baggage of it being Bowie’s farewell, I was mostly lukewarm on it. There’s Bowie I love and Bowie I like just fine, and this is the latter.

I remember when this came out and Bowie died. A pretty interesting entry in the “This is my mortality album” genre, as nobody knew he was dying. Along those lines, I’d like to impartially recommend Seven Psalms by Paul Simon. It’s a 30 minute song about how he’s scared to die. And it’s great.

The drums on this album are absolutely incredible. Now take that jazzy sound that this album offers and mix it with the icon swagger of Bowie and you have a pretty solid goodbye project to the industry. Would absolutely listen again! 7.8/10

Top notch album, title track is once again my favourite

look up here, i'm in heaven 👨🏻‍🚀🎷🪦🏆🛸 highlights: blackstar; lazurus. see also: the rise and fall of ziggy stardust and the spiders from mars; part 8: gotta light? (david lynch, 2017); cancer; the idiot (iggy pop, 1977); john 11:1–44.

This is not music, this is art. If you decide to listen to this album, make sure that this is what you do. Get your self some beer or wine and focus on the music. This is not for casual listening.

I never listened to this album on release, and having played it, didn't find it an engaging album.I suspect many rated this highly owing to the sad circumstances of its release.

Different sound from Bowie, but good.

One of the best reflections on death ever recorded in any art medium.

Bowie's ★ final album, is emotional. A stark contrast to his 70-80s glam rock. I prefer the glam, but in the right mood this would do nicely.

Definitely an experience. Kinda to hard to rate without a few more listens.

Very weird will listen again

Experimental. I appreciate what Bowie was going through when he recorded this, and this album is definitely deep and melancholy. It's brilliant, but I definitely would not recommend it as an everyday listen.

Will likely get better with every listen.

I wanted to like this more than I did.

Beautiful and haunting. Incredible that people can approach death in the way he did.

THe deathly hallows of his career. The fact he was dying when he made this does not excuse the general level of dark crappiness. Maybe he wasnt thinking straight. Should be remembered for some of his much, much better stuff. THere are one or two ok tracks and it is Bowie thus the 3

Title track is a great song to end Bowies magnificent career, but happily it’s only the beginning of this beautiful final hurrah for the spaceman. Lazurus is an epic track that is probably my favourite of them all. The whole album is a somber affair of Bowie and his struggles with cancer and accepting death. It is probably his best writing and musical ideas put into a final goodbye of one of the best and most influential artists ever.

Rocking, introspective, dark

Notable tracks: Blackstar, I Can’t Give Everything Away

Liked the mix of bowies style and jazz. Just not my style.

As I’ve said before about Bowie when he’s popped up on my list, I cannot throw myself into being an enthusiastic fan. Some of his stuff is brilliant and others not so. Of all his albums I’m familiar with this comes in at number two behind Ziggy. I remember listening to one of the lead singles taken from this album - Lazarus and not being impressed at all. When this full album dropped I streamed it and again it did not grab me fully. It was only two days later that Bowie died and like most of the musical population I turned on his music in homage to the man. The more I played Black Star the more I liked it. It certainly is a grower but Lazarus still goes above my head. Prior to listening again I had a 4/5 in my head but I’ve given it another two listens and again it’s grown on me. I wouldn’t put the album anywhere near my top 50 or 100 even but some albums should be held in high esteem because of their standing in musical history. Bowie has made a few of these which have already appeared on my list but I never marked higher than 4/5. In reverence to Bowie I give it full marks as in my opinion it is a remarkable album, recorded maybe when he knew he didn’t have long to live so should be regarded highly even though one or two tracks do not personally click with me. 5/5 10/6/24

In 2016, this was my introduction to David Bowie. I have always respected his ability to release one of his best projects days before his death. Upon revisiting, there are a few low points, but the other songs are incredible. The low points aren’t bad, but get overshadowed by stronger tracks (some of Bowie’s best ever).

A perfect parting album and some of his most interesting music.

A different sounding Bowie album than what I was expecting. Very good.

So good so far... where did the Monday go smh I cant give everything favorite

one of those albums that's amazing on its own, but the story behind its creation magnifies it multitudes higher. the jazz quartet sells that deathly sound so well. seriously something magical

Been one of my favorites for a while now

Bowie is a weirdo, this album evokes his iconic strange vibes. I liked it reasonably well.

What a sendoff for a legend might be first 5 if not 4 definitely a 5 bonafide banger david bowie the goat

so weird, I feel like you'd have to be on the trip with Bowie to really get deep into this one

Yessss! I loved this album when it came out. It is so interesting how albums are associated with memories. This album (particularly the Lazarus song) is haunting because it came out 2 days before he died. From what I remember learning about this album is that he knew he was at the end when he recorded these songs. I always take this album in from the perspective of a dying man. Lazarus carries this album from a 2 to a 3 for me.

This sounds like David Bowie said. I need money. Let’s just go in the studio for a few hours and I’ll sing and play random shit and we’ll put it out. “I’m so high it makes my brain whirl”

Love Bowie! This was his last album before he passed, and you can hear/feel his decline on this record. Made me sad, but also such a beautiful album.. definitely not my favorite album of Bowies, but still enjoyed listening. Bowie is surely missed.

Bowie's last ever album released 2 days before he died, Never had a death in the music world but me so hard since Freddie Mercury. For me David Bowie was a genius and this is the work of a genius and I love this album. It skews more towards Bowie's electronic music which dominated his later years but it also has call backs to his whole catalogue and all the different kind of genres that he covered. As for the songs the title track, Lazarus & I Can't Give You Everything are highlights but all the tracks are great as Bowie sings about life and as only a few people at the time new his impending death. Its beautiful and it's heartbreaking and must be one of the 1001 Albums you must here before you die.

Arty and Jazzy. Big beats.

Perhaps the worst album of D.B.

Another experimental album by David Bowie where you can't decide if it's good or not.

I've had so many Bowie albums on this list so far and nothing has topped Station to Station. This one was another weird, unsettling one. Didn't like. Stand-out: Dollar Days

Once I was working at a bike shop with a couple other people with some recent non-Bowie thing, kinda groovy slightly pop leaning indie rock with subtle electronics, and one asked "is this the latest David Bowie album?". It was in earnest but it occurred to me that this is a very funny damning-with-faint-praise kind of thing to say. My friend who had whatever band on replied "I hear what you're saying, and I don't like it." After listening I find it even funnier. music: acknowledged. (⌐★_★)

I can’t believe this is already like 8 years ago. This is my first listen! The cool thing (of course) about Bowie is that he was never very stagnant. This one continues that line, and it’s good and interesting, like they usually are. It’s hard to detach it from the context of its release. Would it be as beloved by people without it? Hard to say. If this were the second last album instead of the last one, it might hold a different place. Nonetheless I enjoyed it, it’s sad to hear, and I’ll probably listen to it again some day.

I wonder how well this album would've been received had Bowie not died as it released. It feels like the music and the vocals were recorded without either party knowing what the other was doing. The only well recorded song is Lazarus

It's so short. It's amazing.

26.(!) platan og hann var ennþá listamaður í þróun. Mér fannst hún þung og erfið þegar hún kom fyrst út. Kannski sérstaklega í skugga andláts Bowie. Með tímanum hef ég reglulega hent plötunni á og hún er frábær tónsmíði. Pólíseruð kveðja eins stærsta tónlistarmanns sögunnar.

Ótrúlega flott plata. Magnaður svanasöngur eins besta tónlistarmanns allra tíma.

I probably like David Bowie as much as the average person who has a reasonable knowledge about music. I vaguely know his hits but I’ve not actively listened to him, despite my mum and partner being fans. I’d heard mixed reviews about this album, some saying it’s not his best and others saying it’s a great last record for him to have released. I definitely like it more than I dislike it - some really good music behind the lyrics. I think this is another artist where I’m not sure about his vocals! But overall, a decent enough listen. Middling rated.

"I see The Sword of Damocles is right above your head They're trying a new treatment to get you out of bed But radiation kills both bad and good, it can not differentiate So to cure you, they must kill you The Sword of Damocles hangs above your head"-Lou Reed Lou Reed would be the first gone. I wonder if Bowie listened to Magic and Loss as he privately battled liver cancer, an organ, like Reed, he had abused more than his own cock, and was finally giving up. I can speculate that this is likely the case, but then again, who really knows? There are plenty of theories about Bowie's last album, though Jude Moore's 2016 assertion in The Guardian that the key to the album is an Elvis deep cut remains my favorite. This one made sense to me. I can't really theorize it though; Bowie's death took a pound of soul out of me, one, now two, Angels of Weird no longer available to comment to astonishment about the world I must now live in, and make sense of, on my own. So I haven't made sense of this puzzle poem of an album, aside from it seems to be the panoply of human experience and aspiration and desperation and ultimately, illumination. There is revelation here, though don’t expect the universe; the revelations are personal, and Bowie is pointing you in the direction. A life of art is LIFE-everything else is on the order of barely sentient means of production. I write this one without re-listening, because I don't have all day to contemplate the journey of the album, the insights therein or can be illuminated. The banal requires attention. The apostolic will have to wait. But you don't have to. Go be with this. And remember: IGGY STILL LIVES. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jan/21/final-mysteries-david-bowie-blackstar-elvis-crowley-villa-of-ormen

cannot even tell if i enjoyed this or not i felt like i was in a vacuum tube.

David Bowie is one of my favorite artists, but this is not my favorite album of his. I am partial to the older albums, but I still enjoyed listening to this because it’s been a little while since I have. The standouts for me were Lazarus and I Can’t Give Everything Away.

If i knew i'd be leaving this world soon, i'd also hire tim lefebvre and mark guiliana to play on the best goddamn album im ever gonna make

This album is David Bowie's last set of songs. I really wanted to like it, but unfortunately I didn't. The songs were just not for me with the exception of "Dollar Days" and "I Can't Give Everything Away" which I thought were pretty good. The mix of really good and bad make this a 3/5 in my eyes.

De laatste adem van Bowie wordt op dit album uitgeblazen. Ik heb destijds het album geluisterd en sindsdien nooit meer opgezet. In het album laat Bowie maar voor de laatste keer zien dat hij een meester is van vele genres. Rock gaat moeiteloos over in jazz en postpunk. Synths, stemvervormingen, epische saxofoons, alles wordt uit de kast getrokken om een spectaculair einde aan te kondigen. En het werkt. Ik vind het ook wel lekker dat het album iets onheilspellends over vrijwel ieder nummer heeft hangen. Uiteindelijk ben ik meer fan van het oude werk van Bowie, maar dit album doet het echt best goed, mede omdat Bowie veel genres toont te beheersen. Ik vind ★ echt fantastisch. Bowie is ook gewoon een steunpilaar en katalysator geweest voor zo veel bands. Voorbeeld: LCD Soundsystem. Zonder Bowie hadden ze niet meer bestaan. Bedankt en vaarwel David. Rating: 8/10 Highlights: ★, Lazarus

Na de zwanenzang van Leonard nog een album dat dient als een laatste testament van een grootheid van de 20e eeuwse muziekwereld. De ingenieuze kameleon Bowie perst het restant aan creatieve energie uit zijn verkankerende lichaam, wat een plaat achterlaat die nog eenmaal de grenzen verlegd en genres verbuigd. Met een fusie van synthpop, post-punk en free jazz blikt David terug op het verleden, maar blijft hij ook vooral bij het heden, zijn mortaliteit in het gezicht starende. Soms op een nogal indiscrete wijze, met lyrics die er niet om heen draaien. Het had van mij wel wat subtieler mogen zijn, maarja, de beste man had nog maar één moment om zijn hart te luchten. Het zijn voor mij vooral de progressieve productie en de mixing van allerlei elementen uit zijn illustere carriere, van glam rock tot ambient, van new wave tot electronica, die van ''Blackstar'' een intrigerend project maken. Elk nummer heeft instrumenteel wel iets unieks en boeiends te bieden, wat een ontzettend consistent album tot gevolg heeft. De titelsong en 'Lazarus' zijn de obvious stand-outs, waar vooral de tweede een speciale plek in zijn discografie heeft weten te winnen. Als er één nummer aangewezen kan worden als slotsluk van zijn leven, dan is dit het. Een soortgelijk effect als 'Hurt' van Mr. Cash. Toch zijn het twee minder spraakmakende stukken die mijn aandacht vooral weten te pakken. 'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore' is een ontzettende banger, met een drive waar je u tegen zegt. 'Dollar Days' is wat minder in your face, en zoekt de intieme kant op. Voelt als 70s Bowie, in een nieuw jasje. Het album bevat maar 7 songs, waarvan er geen een echt volledig in de schaduw van de singles staat. Ondanks de moeilijke segmenten, waar duizelingwekkende jazz-ritmes worden bijgestaan door buitenaardse geluiden, fiets je als luisteraar best makkelijk door dit album heen. Het doet me soms denken aan het latere werk van het fenomeen Scott Walker, al is dit popmuziek vergeleken met de avant garde sound die hij uiteindelijk produceert. De thematiek van het album is duidelijk, er is geen ontkomen aan. Het had van mij wel iets subtieler gebracht mogen worden, al is dat een onrealistische wens bij een album dat geldt als zwanenzang van een expressieve artiest als David Bowie. Één ding is zeker, dit is by far zijn beste werk sinds de jaren 80, al was dat ook niet zo moeilijk. Nogmaals, net als bij Cohen, een meer dan waardige laatste toegift. 8/10 Highlights: Lazarus Tis a Pity She Was a Whore Dollar Days

Prachtige zwanenzang en nog knap staaltje vernieuwing van een man die zich zijn hele leven wist te vernieuwen. Totdat het niet meer kon. RIP. 8/10 Highlights Black Star Lazarus

Is it genius, or is Uncle David just having a another series of breakdowns? "He's not feeling well! If it makes him happy you leave him alone!" "Yeah, but it's not even like music. It's like 5 chimps in a room of instruments, half the time." "He's on a lot of pain killers and the music represents how he is feeling." "Well I guess I don't understand Cancer or Music, then do I?" "No! You don't. Now back to your ignorance with you!"

Don't usually like Bowie, but this was good.

Where the f*** did Monday go?

weird and interesting. i like it

Interesting album. Odd most of the time, but surprisingly pleasant listen. Not my favorite Bowie effort.

Good album, not sure if I’m giving it rating because it’s what I really think about it because of the history of Bowie.

It is Bowie, it is always going to be good. But there wasn’t anything that really stood out to bring it all the way up to a five for me.

Iconic

85/100

Potentially the best swansong of the 21st Century so far. Bowie bowed out in magnificent fashion with a heart-wrenching, yet extremely well put-together and thoroughly entertaining jazz rock record.

Amazing

A great album from a man staring into the eyes of death. Way better than anything he had done in a few decades, this took me by surprise when it came out and it still holds up

Bowie sucks

The atmosphere on this album is fantastic, but I feel that the songs themselves are a bit lackluster. I can't help but think this album is over hyped because of the circumstances.

This album makes so much more sense when you know it was his last album. Though none of the catchy hooks or choruses, it still flows beautifully and for a final album ever is up there.

Prefer other Bowie albums

Came out as he was dying so holds sentimental value but the music is not his best.

This album wouldn't be so special if Bowie had not died so close to the release, but the fact of the matter is that Bowie did die within days of the release and he knew it. Honestly, the MFer was so dramatic I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't holding out for release day and mad that his timing was off. That's what we loved about him. This is a beautiful, weird, rocking swan song from Bowie. I held off on listening to it when it came out because apart from a few singles, I'd never listened to the man or any of his personas before. I still have a ton of discography to go, but I know enough to feel like I can read the ending, so to speak. There isn't a single skip on this album. It's experimental and a little weird, but easy to digest. I wouldn't put this on for a party, but I'll probably listen to it a few more times and I'll think about it a lot. Lazarus, Sue, and I Can't Give Everything Away are all fantastic tracks. Particularly the last one. There's so much meaning in that simple line. "I'm dying so I can't give you all the things I have left". "I can't give you everything or I'd have nothing left". "I'm not going to share my secrets because the mystery is part of the fun". It'll stick with me for a minute. If Bowie had a made a miraculous recovery and didn't actually die after this swansong, I don't know if it would have as much impact. There are moments where musically things don't work as well as I'd like. The title track in particular is a bit long and meandering, but this is an easy five stars.

Not bad for a guy who knew he was on his way out. 3.5/5

Where the fuck did Monday go? Four Black Stars.

Some good tunes

Second Bowie album on the list so far, and this one, doesn't make the cut. It's Bowie, so an extra star.

Pretty Good.

hemaal niks

Bowles’s swan song. Literally.

Bowie's ability to push boundaries and innovate shines through, making this album a fitting conclusion to his legendary career.

What an amazing way to leave this world. Unforgettable.

Gear: Focal Clear Artwork: ★★★ Production: 🕳️🛏️🌌 Music: 🔮🕯️🌟 Rating: ★★★★★/5

Already loved the song Girl Loves Me from when it came out. Listening again, I can appreciate the length (pretty concise). It’s also just great!

Ugh - how many more Bowie albums am I going to have to work through? I get it, a HUGELY significant artist to many, even more so given the timing of the release of this one, but had to stop halfway though because of the vocal histrionics. Just unlistenable. Sorry.

Good quality compositions. Arrangements rather too opulent. Will never get used to Bowie's voice. Is it just me or does he always sound like he's bored?

Ramblings of a dying man

Another David Bowie album....I think this is the 3rd one. Oh this one is way newer. 2016. I like the sinister feel to the first track. That sinister vibe persists through out! Black Star is getting 3 stars.

There was so many Bowies: the Hippie; Ziggy; Aladdin Sane; The Duke; Garreth the Goblin King. This album was the diary of a man named David Jones dying of cancer. It’s a powerful view of his reality and fears. He yelps in “Tis a Pity…” in such a way that you can hear both the pain of his illness was and the pleasure of doing something he loves. Key track for me is Lazarus. I’m convinced that Bowie didn’t die. Instead the Starman just went home, leaving us this final opus of everything he loved from jazz to saxophone, to storytelling.

Bowie made the best Radiohead album on the 2010s. This is pretty dark but I assume it was meant to be since he was dying. It felt a little hard listening through this one. Blackstar is a standout track. Plus there is one line in "Tis a Pity She Was a Whore" that cracked me up. I'll go back to Hunky Dory way sooner than I'll head back to this one.

I can appreciate what Bowie was going for here, but I'm not really trying to listen to experimental rock from a 68 year old Bowie.

this sounds amazing, like true artistry, pushing yourself in your late 60's to make a life-defining work. Praise to the creatives and long live Bowie

Weinerlicher Experimental Rock. Like the album Cover suggests: 1 Star.

It's bowie, just not my favorite bowie

I had never listened the whole way through. The band was incredible on a few of these tracks and really made the difference. Bowie was a creative genius.

That guy was great 'till the end. An artist to the core.

This might be considered a hot-take, but I don't care : this is my favorite David Bowie's album. The music is just another thing, dark and depressive (but uplifting) progressive jazz-rock from outer space. A world apart album.

impresionante, jamas pensaria que bowie usaria estos tipos de recursos musicales, experimentacion total, excelente final. solido 4.5/5

Gave me feels.

Brilliant. Wonderful and morbid at the same time.

I heard this album quite a long time ago so I was very much excited to revisit the other songs from here that weren't 'Lazarus'. This album is famously legend David Bowie's final album before his unfortunate passing just a few days later, and its themes and atmosphere certainly reflect that. Despite its unfortunate context, listening to this album never really made me sad. I hope that doesn't come off the wrong way, but to me, it seemed like Bowie had this firm grasp on the idea of his life and death. It's certainly dark in many of its themes, but also enigmatic in what exactly Bowie was trying to say in a lot of these songs relating to himself, his relationships, and his legacy. I for one, always had trouble trying to decypher some of the lyrics on the title track. The imagery of something eternal, unknown, and looming is ever-present in the lyrics, but the idea of a "black star" I feel is overly ambigous and left up to the interpretation of the listener. This album's jazz fusions are its standout, mainly with the saxophone cropping up all over these tracks. There's a very unique sound being adapted here, one that's clean, calculated, and electronic, but also orchestral and larger than life in its presentation. The title track for instance feels like you're floating in an endless vacuum, especially with Bowie's echoey and distant howls and cries over these spacious synths fluttering the background. The following "Tis' Was a Pity She Was a Whore" is more direct in its potency and contains one of my favorite vocal performances by Bowie. "Lazarus" is my undeniable favorite track here. An existentially horrifying depiction of falling into an unknown plane, not knowing what you've left behind nor what's in store for you. His screams of "Look up here man, I'm in danger" under these crashing guitar hits always harrowed me. The saxophone sending off the song is great too. The first three tracks are utterly perfect and all the following ones are still pretty great. I especially love "Girl Loves Me", it's another more abstract track that's harder to understand but the refrain further reinforces some of this album's existentially harrowing themes. I love the airy synths on the closer "I Can't Give Everything Away", Bowie's Swan song, and one that never fails to make me misty-eyed. Its lyrics are partially regretful but also show Bowie accepting the inevitable. While not every song here lands for me, this album is *truly* one of a kind. It tells the story of a legend who kept giving to his last moments, through a medium that he's always been undoubtedly passionate about. David Bowie's legacy will continue to live on through his music, but this album in particular is an intricate snapshot of the star's final moments, wrapped in something truly other-worldly and beautiful.

Oooooh, su último disco.

Beautiful. A jewel Bowie left right before he died.

My Favorite Bowie record.

Fuck cancer.

I am not a Bowie fan but… this is cool. Detailed, deep, interesting. I think people who really love him didn’t like this so much - makes sense I suppose. It’s the most I’ve ever enjoyed old DB. I didn’t enjoy every track but enough to listen again, I think.

Holds up incredibly well. Music video to title track is peak Nick Cave.

This album had a deep story, Bowie releasing it on his birthday and then passing away just two days later, so there was a bit of a swan song/introspective vibe, but with that being said it didn’t resonate with me whatsoever. RIP to the starman.

Weird Bowie is still good. Might be the Bowie-est Bowie album so far

I was surprised how good this was when it came out, and I'm still surprised that it somehow feels better and better each time.

I rate Bowie very highly but this album being labeled as a perfect 5/5 just doesn’t make sense, you’re diminishing his other, better albums this way in my opinion. That being said, Lazarus is a really, really good song.

This will take Bowie, from my favorite artist, to my most controversial here. What I can I say his best work wasn’t his last work

Bowie was amazing until the very end. This is just another great look into his creative mind.

Very dark

7/10. Super interesting album. The first 3 songs imparticular. The first two I couldn’t decide if I loved them or if it was too much for me, which i think was good. Added Lazarus to my 5⭐️ song list. But after that it started to get less interesting for me.

I do love David Bowie. I saw him in Auckland once but this is not great

co to za szajs

Blackstars. Because there are 2 from me.

This was weird in an annoying way.

I thought it was really good. Bowie with stage 4 liver cancer wondering where Monday went. He died on a Sunday too. Yeah idk super emotional and impactful

David Bowie's swansong has been conceived partially at the decline of his health, partially at its recovery. The rollercoaster of fear and torture has marked the final product immensely. Bowie this channels most of his efforts into near-academic exploration of instrumental and compositional newness, lyrical mysticism, and influential hullabaloo. What becomes of this avant-pro-avant-garde fusion is a masterful and haunting work that can truly only come once in a lifetime. A d what a lifetime it has been.

Heard the singles but first time listening to album…. Lazarus stood out

Not my favorite Bowie record, as it probably is one of his least accessible. But still, as a last word , literally from the grave as he died before it was released, it still has a haunting presence. What it does to a great extent, is show how Bowie even til his last breath was evolving and changing his style.

A swansong from one of the greatest artists to have ever lived. RIP DB.

It grew on me after a couple of listens.

1. blackztar - 0 2. uuhore - 0 3. lazaruz - 1 4. ZUE - 0 5. girl lovez me - 0 6. dollar dayz - 0 7. everything auuay - 0

Bliver helt sikkert mere betydningsfuld når man ved, hvor kort tid han havde tilbage. Det er sjældent at man hører musikere lige til deres sidste på den måde, men jeg er endeløst fascineret af den kategori af albums (se: den Leonard Cohen vi havde for et par dage siden)

100% med på hvorfor den her er på listen, det var hans bedste album i enten 20 eller 35 år alt efter hvilket humør jeg er i, og der er noget ret magisk ved at pladen handler så meget om døden givet, you know. Godt companion album til You Want It Darker på den måde. Produktionen er så fed.

Jeg forstår godt hvorfor den her plade er på listen, men jeg har virkelig svært ved at komme ind i musikken. Hørte den i '16 og der sagde den mig ikke noget, det gør den desværre stadig ikke, på trods af at jeg hørte hele pladen 2 gange.

Excepcional final jazzistico del gran David Bowie ya enfermo.

Whew that was tough. Art pop is such an interesting genre and albums are either really likeable or just awful (to yourself) some of my favourite albums are art pop and they are usually rated highly because it is super difficult to produce a good art pop album. This album is no stranger it is top 75 albums on rym. But I did not feel that at all, like Robert Wyatt this was just super difficult for me. I really need someone to explain what is so good about it I mean are they just pity points for him really it isn't even like it reminds people of his old music. I thought his voice was poor, half the songs were just annoying and I felt no flow at all. Clearly critics disagree with me but not an album I will go back to, I'll just stick to the hits. There was one stand out ish song which redeemed it slightly but doesn't save the 1 star. Stand Out Song: Lazarus

Unsettling

Didn’t love this.

I remember when this came out and then Bowie died a few days later. Then and now I appreciate the album dealing with his death so close to the event. Listened to it twice this weekend, and on second listen decided to bump it from 3 to 4. Some catchy and nicely atmospheric tracks. The video for the title track is a trip #buttoneyes