Blackstar

I listened to this when it came out and then set it aside. Now, as then, I really like Lazarus and don’t care for much else on it.

I didn't like it much. The instrumentals were nice but that's about it.

None of the tracks really stood out for me

Bowie har gjort mycket bra, men vet inte om jag fastnade för detta.

One of the best examples of the exploration of death in music. Yea, the context matters a lot to this album, but why should that detract from it?

Another attempt at listening to David Bowie. I still don't understand it.

A pretty great swan song from Mr Bowie

3/5

I really like the second half of the title track. The first half feels a bit monotone, but I don't mind it as much the second time around because it transitions quite smoothly. I liked the last song best (I Can't Give Everything Away)

Disco último y una despedida secreta de Bowie de este plano para volver a la galaxia de la que vino. Siempre sentí que el tipo directamente no era humano. ¿Cómo explicar su genialidad, su vanguardia constante, si no es en términos sobrenaturales? Un trabajo oscuro, jazzero, rockero, experimental, con su voz magistral y sensible, que siempre dijo más de lo que decía.

Very good

Wow. I like 60s70s English Rock. But not in particular David Bowie. I like Jazz and I like Radiohead. This album is great, no bullshit , not just another copy/past form the past years. Highly innovative, risky. I learn after listening it that was his last work. 4.5/5. Thank you David for giving us this last Gift.

Very different. Not my cup of tea.

Probably the weirdest one yet from this gentleman

J'aime Bowie, mais je n'ai pas trippé sur cet album.

Almost exactly what one would expect from Bowie. Inventive and unconventional But this is far from my favorite work of his.

Some of the instrumentation was kind of nice, but in general I was ready for this album to be over.

Felt very "meh" for a Bowie album.

Lol...another late stage Bowie that really isn't good? come on.

I remember when this got released, I was just diving into his discography, starting to really get into him years before. I thought this was a very interesting album at the time, especially coming out of what I knew of his earlier stuff. I really dug this album.

Why on earth is this in this list? This has to be Bowie's worst album, and it's not even close. I'm going to be real happy never listening to this again.

delightful last album by amazing iconic rock and roll star

Blackstar (★) is the 26th and final album by the English musician David Bowie. It was recorded in secret and released on Bowie's 69th birthday - two days before he died of liver cancer. This album was his swan song and was an award winning album met with commercial success and critical acclaim. Blackstar is an art rock album with experimental jazz elements, incorporating use of the saxophone as well as elements from rock, pop, and hip hop. This is one of the greatest albums of the 2010's, and the fifth best-selling in 2016. It has been certified gold in Germany, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, & the US, platinum in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, & the UK, and double platinum in the Netherlands. This is a phenomenal piece of music and was a joy to listen to. Bowie was always the "Starman" from another world because of his engaging production of intricate rock music. With this farewell album, he returned to the stars leaving fans with one last amazing album. RIP David Bowie ★

Felt at times more like a jazz record than a Bowie record. Somber and mournful it’s very much a record about life and death.

I liked parts of this album a lot and other parts were a little bit too weird for me. The song Lazarus is absolutely awesome. Other songs didn’t resonate with me as much. Not a bad effort, but mostly something that I found forgettable. Bowie has better albums out there.

love u bowie

Just not my thing

Meh. I liked a couple of songs a lot. The rest were fine. I felt they all kind of sounded the same.

Blackstar // Lazarus // Girl Loves Me

I love this album so much and it deserves all the stars. If you take in this album as just an album, it’s an extraordinary soundscape and adventurous musical journey. When you add the context that Bowie knew he was dying and created this album (one of the best of his insane career) as a parting gift to the world, it’s utterly mind blowing. In classic Bowie fashion, it doesn’t really sound like anything else in his discography. I’m not aware of many albums that sound like it either. I love that the title track is just a star symbol. I love that Girl Loves Me sounds a little like a rap song. I love everything about Lazarus. When I first heard Dollar Days I interpreted the lyric as “I’m dying to” but it’s written as “I’m dying too”, which is haunting and brilliant. I Can’t Give Everything Away is probably the best album closer of his career (Fame being the only song I can think of that’s close). Bowie’s swan song is an impossibly beautiful parting gift to the world.

Great

Als geheel mwah, maar lazarus is een 10/10.

This is a legacy album. It isn't Bowie's best work, but I feel privileged that he could share one last album as a star in its final throws of life. I distinctly remember the weekend that I heard the title track on the radio. Bowie had just died and I was melancholy for two days. This music reflects that kinda vibe.

Creepy, cool, tragic, fun, all the best bits of the man who we knew and loved and lost just two days later.

Heard of the guy, and this album too, although never properly listened. Nice chilled album and kinda sad that it was probably produced when he knew he was dying. Low 4.

It's certainly a lot more experimental than I was expecting, in a great way. I always knew Bowie was known for trying new things musically, but I didn't expect this sound at all. Definitely was pleasantly surprised by this album. I'm not sure if it's a regular listener, but it's fascinating to listen to. It's enough to make me consider giving Bowie's newer work a more thorough listen.

Weird. I imagine if you are a Bowie fan that you’d love this

Another artist who sits above reproach. I was raised on Ziggy Stardust and have loved the music ever since. This final chapter in his discography is a worthy finale and it is a marks of the man's inability to do anything undramatically that he died straight after it's release. On revisiting the album, it is dense and textured with lots of modernity about it despite his age. The voice holds well and it sounds great. If it was to be rated at the top of his discography it could benefit from a couple of slightly more accessible or poppy songs but that wouldnt be the point now would it. RIP David

This is an album that goes beyond just being a collection of songs. Especially enjoyable when listened loud, it's easy to feel surrounded by the experience of this album. The best of Bowie's later work and an excellent send off.

Not my favorite Bowie but still Bowie.

just the act of creating this was poetry. could i write poetry to this? y

I avoided listening to this for a long time. Not exactly sure why. Maybe I thought it would be too depressing, or maybe I was already burned out on Bowie and didn't want to force myself to enjoy it. Turns out this is an excellent album. One hell of a swan song.

This album reminds me my friend's assessment of post Kid A Radiohead: I liked them more when they made songs. Ended up enjoying it more than I did when it first came out, but I don't love it. 2.5

Big fan of Bowie, but never really liked this, and obviously just brings sadness as he died soon after it was released. 2.5 stars, but rounded up.

Love how his inspirations for this album are some of my all time favorites. What an amazing album to go out on. RIP to such an influential artist.

First album of the generator. Mind blown

There were one or two songs that were good, but honestly this album's rating seems a bit overblown.

Parts made me uneasy, had a bit of a wobble about my own mortality which I'm sure Mr Bowie would consider a job well done.

There were nice moments within songs but I didn’t like any songs start to finish.

Definitely not a favorite Bowie album

While I actually don't love David Bowie much except for select songs, I always try to approach his albums with my mind completely open knowing how many people I love love David Bowie. So I did that and I found a few songs here that were really interesting and enjoyable. I think I need to sit down and hear this album several more times. Really interesting.

Gotta give it up to Bowie here. You can sometimes clearly tell it’s him, but really only when the vocals are so very… Bowie. But it consistently sounds and feels very 2016. It doesn’t sound like an aging nostalgia act pumping out the same old stuff. It sounds fresh and fitting the times. Like he’d been listening to TV on the Radio, Animal Collective, and other 21st century indie rock.

I like some of the electronic elements of this album but I don’t hear what is so special. I think without Bowie’s name attached to it, it would be a nothingburger.

4/5 Best Track: Blackstar

Haunting. It sounds like New York. If I'm being honest, this album had way more sax than I needed. Still, Bowie was one of a kind and he was true to himself. He allowed himself to express his feelings, even if it didn't create massive hits- even if it was uncomfortable. Incredibly, he still made massive hits. He was just too good to not be noticed.

Amazing, didn’t even feel like it was 40 minutes. Also, if you liked this, absolutely check out black midi.

Classic

Important work from Bowie, even if not my favorite. I love the whole concept. It could grow on me. 3+.

очень дэвидобоуиевски

Genial, aber etwas morbid.

fuck DB

Bowie meets Jazz. A pleasant compilation of sounds, but feels a few layers deeper than my comprehension.

Not really my vibe, but I appreciated the slightly darker messages. Also clockwork orange song is always a good move

Very sad at times, a few really good songs on it, a couple that I'm less into as well but what a way to end your career

Poignant and beautiful, A powerful goodbye.

Awesome!

I've never really listened to Bowie, so this being my first full album was probably not the best one to start with. Didn't click, but knowing the circumstances I'll come back to it eventually. Still don't think this is an album that people must listen to... But one Bowie fans should.

An artist of sound and scape through and forever.

Bowie kept the quality great all the way til the end. A really good rock/electronic album

I was never a Bowie zealot, although I knew a lot of persons who were. I didn't like his voice for some reason and couldn't get past it. But I grew to like him as time passed and I heard his later stuff. He really sounds like an old guy here. But the band is great, his arrangements are stellar, and I love the techno sounds placed perfectly in the songs. I was completely drawn in, and will listen again with lyrics highlighted. A rousing goodby to us all. Rest in peace, dear David.

Man I remember when this came out. Bowie and I share a birthday, and it was so exciting for one of my favorites to release his new album on our birthday! And then it was so good! Everyone was playing it through that weekend, and going l “Wow, amazing work….hmm seems to kinda be about him dying though.” And then he was gone two days later. Two days. He gave us just enough time to realize what the album was about. And then he left. I can’t imagine what it is like to record an album about your death. But that was just Bowie. And it’s one of his best. Literally releasing vital, amazing work until hours before his passing. That was Bowie.

this album is bad. not worth the hype

Bowie’s death album - it’s hard to decouple this album from that. The album is haunting, the effect to which is enhanced by his passing. This album gives songs room to breathe, but still has interesting production/arrangements and nice flourishes to fill out. Drums on this album make some interesting beats and stand out more than other Bowie albums. Singing is often slower, longer, and with lots of vibrato. The title/first track “Blackstar” is a standout that brings the listener along on its journey, and that and “I can’t give everything away” are phenomenal bookends to the album.

Muy interesante pero no sé si lo escucharía regularmente, aún así me parece digno de análisis y comprensión más profunda

lazarus

Just not my type of music

Didn’t love this as much as some other Bowie projects

Musik halt

Tja.. Det er Bowie.. Det skal være skabet, og det skal være nysgerrige lydbilleder.. Jeg er ikke blevet fan på grund af det her album endnu.

Bowies afskedsgave til verdenen. En legende og undersøgende plade hvor han samlede jazz-musikkere til at spille rock. Bowie fik skabt sit sidste mesterværk. Mande gik ud på toppen ⭐️

Blackstar is undoubtedly a poignant farewell from a legendary artist, and it's clear that a lot of thought and emotion went into its creation. However, while it's visually captivating and the vinyl edition's artwork isa glorious surprise, I found the overall tone of the album not to my taste. Bowie's voice, while undoubtedly iconic, didn't resonate with me personally, and I struggled to connect with some of the tracks on a visceral level. Despite this, I appreciate the experimental nature of the album and Bowie's willingness to push boundaries even in his final work. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 0 STAND OUT TRACK - None

Torn between 4 and 5, very close

Not his finest work

Just listen to it! The perfect epitaph. Just listen to how much he is enjoying himself on side B!

Listening to this album makes me want to go and listen to Bowie's full discography in chronological order. I felt like I couldn't get the full force of the importance of this music having only really listened his hit top hits in the past. I was kind of into it, it's dark, ethereal and a bit haphazardly confusing (to my ears) - but I think its a bit outside my usual 'Bowie zone'. One of the things I loved was the cover - love the typography! I'm giving this 3.5 stars, but I'll round it up! Given I'm reviewing this on a Monday - "Where the fuck did Monday go?'

Bowie was never the strongest singer and even production tricks can't hide his voice getting weaker with age. It's cool to hear him going back to a more classic Bowie sound post-hiatus. That said, this album was average at best and for a legend like Bowie, I was expecting much better.

I do not know much of Bowie's work post 1990s, so this was an interesting listen. Very ominous, depressing, and introspective throughout, which makes sense given the state of Bowie's health at the time (and ultimately his passing a few days after this album). "Lazarus" and "I Can't Give Everything Away" were standout examples of those aforementioned themes. I'd be lying if I said this was Bowie's best work, though

Every song is about 2 min too long and repetitive. I have no emotional connection to Bowie's music so this being his swan song death bed album album doesn't sway me either. It only gets 2 stars because 1 star is reserved for those truly terrible albums

Just didn’t vibe with this album, a little too dour and never picked up in energy or quality.

Musically this wasn't Bowie's strongest album and I don't see myself coming back to listen to it again. With that said, this very much is a goodbye album from a man who was dying. The fact that Bowie died two days after releasing this album and recorded it while having cancer shows that he viewed this as his last task and once it was done, he was free to go. From that perspective it is an interesting album to listen to as you can see the influence of his knowledge that he will die after this album. I want to give this a higher score but the music just wasn't there for me.

I can't put my finger on what exactly I loved, but it all just came together so well.

This was my first ever David Bowie album and I kind of hated it.

A haunted presence Another reinvention Bleakly beautiful

Mos Def, Talib Kweli and David Bowie, LET'S GO!!! Wait what, I'm wrong, it's about what? Oh dear lord, here comes the waterworks!

Not my favorite of the Bowies

Kind of eerie. Loved it.

no comment

Bowie's posthumous album. His final gift to the world. Given the setting and the lyrical composition the album gets extra points. Its not a regular listen, but it is impactful and gets played at least on his death-aversary if not a few other times each year. Missing Bowie every day.

I liked this album pretty well. Some of the singing and music really stood out.

No. I listened to it when it came out and I hated it.

Superb

There’s so much mystique surrounding this album. This is the only Bowie work where I’m caught up in the non-music considerations associated with it: he knew he had cancer, he kept it a secret from the public, and he made this album while in considerable pain and suffering, the title track and “Lazarus” being clear meditations not only on death but on the imminent end to his artistic voice. This is my Kennedy assassination album. My mom tells me that everyone from her generation knows exactly where they were the moment they heard about the murder. The events of my life at the death of David Bowie are etched into my memory. The night before I heard the news, I was playing D&D with my friends. I was playing a flamboyant bard based on Bowie’s illimitable stage role-playing ability. Some of my friends weren’t too familiar with Bowie’s different stage looks, so I got my phone out, googled him, and was showing his photos around the table. And then I just gushed on and on about what wonderful an artist—not just singer but artist—Bowie is. It didn’t take long for eyes to glaze over. Oh well. The next morning I was at the store and got a message from my friend telling me Bowie had died. I just stopped stunned in the aisle. And can you believe it: “Space Oddity” was playing on the store’s system. My wife, who shops there often, told me the song was part of that month’s rotation, so it wasn’t like the manager threw on some Bowie in tribute. It was just a coincidence, but it was one with powerful meaning for me. I was playing a Bowie character, had just been praising him, now to find out he’s dead, with one of his songs playing in a random place. Later that evening, my friend brought over a bottle of whiskey, and we drank it while listening to our favorite Bowie songs. He actually has more songs about death / transcendence than one might realize. Anyway, about this album: it’s got it all. Bowie doesn’t stick to one style but uses his swan song to do what he’s always done—stretch his wings and not be content with one thing. He mixes jazz and even electronic into the tracks. By the way, if you’re into vinyl, the LP packaging is lovely, including a beautiful booklet with some fine art and photography.

WTF is this doing here? Provocative choice for this list but it needs another decade of maceration before it can be fairly evaluated. This is Bowie's last album, made when he was terminally ill, though as I understand it he didn't disclose that to the backing band, which happens to be the one that jazz saxophonist and fellow Berklee alum Donny McCaslin was leading at that time when Bowie saw them play at a club and invited them into the studio. Every time I listen to this record it sucks me in deeper, but putting stars on this feels weird. My 1 star is for the editors of this list.

I'd always meant to listen to this album, given how wide-ranging David Bowie has been over his music career, so I'm glad to have an excuse to listen to it. It's interesting enough, I suppose, but I wonder if this is really even one of his better albums? (It appears that music critics would beg to differ with me on that point, so I guess I'll just have to accept its greatness.) It *is* interesting to (literally) see how much music videos are an integral part of a few of the songs on this album, and "Blackstar" (the song) seems like a weird compendium of his style and sound over the decades (sort of). I think I enjoyed "Lazarus" the most. But overall it didn't really engage me. And sad knowing this was his last album, as he clearly had plenty more to contribute into the 21st century.

It’s Bowie all right. Eerie ghostly wailing. Last song is pretty mellow ambient.

Very good. Etherial.

Maybe not his best, but all things considered still a very fine piece of work

Bowies experimentiert in seinem letzten Album mit Artrock, Jazz und Blues Elementen. Auch wenn Bowie ein großartiger Künstler war, inspiriert mich fast kein Song seines Albums zur Wiederholung mit Ausnahme „Dollar Days“. RIP lieber David.

Rating: 8.5/10 Great album overall, consistently high-quality songwriting throughout. This album has a lot of beautiful arrangements, instrumentally and musically it is very diverse and interesting to listen to. I really enjoyed the experimental nature of it, the mix of rock and jazz (and other genres) was done exceptionally well and the songwriting is unpredictable, making it a very enjoyable listen. I was not always a fan of the ideas on here but it works and sounds fantastic the vast majority of the time. Favorite songs: Blackstar, 'Tis A Pity She Was A Whore, Lazarus, Girl Loves Me, I Can't Get Away, With Everything. Least favorite song: Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime).

What an unimaginable send-off! Imagine knowing you're actively dying and releasing a goodbye album two days before your passing. It gives me chills. You can practically hear Bowie slipping away in the opening track. His voice sounded more gravelly than usual. I was interested to find out that James Murphy, Kendrick Lamar, and other big names worked on this album. The context, Bowie's legacy, and his collaborators make the album. I genuinely don't think it would've charted otherwise, given how experimental it is.

Great David

Not my favourite but since it’s his last it’s dear to my heart.

very interesting love ‘tis a pity she was a whore i would give db a listen again ngl

Don't know if I really needed this one but I suppose anything from a 69 year old David Bowie is at least owed a listen. So i did. Now back to my originally scheduled programming.

This is like the 6th Bowie album I've gotten, and I'm glad I got lots of his earlier stuff first, so I could appreciate this more. Cool to hear him on a modern album, still making elevated pop, not just radio hits. Lots of saxophone in this. Songs were a bit same-y throughout, but still enjoyable.

Ignoring the death of the artist, it's a stellar album with varied, cool songs, great drums and instrumentation, and interesting themes.

10/10

This is a heartbreaking listen if you have context around what was going on with Bowie when he wrote it. Hauntingly beautiful. That being said, as much as I appreciate this album for what it is, if I’m gonna listen to Bowie, I’ll pick almost every other one of his albums before this. Makes it hard to rate, but tipped to a 4 because ultimately, it’s a special piece of art.

This is such a hard album to review. It is super hard to get into and Bowie sounds off tempo at points, but the instrumentation and lyrics are amazing

Classic David Bowie. Great Album

I wasn't feeling the title track until about two-thirds of the way through its 9:57 run time. It being Bowie's last album, the sounds are a bit more haunting than they normally would be. There's a lot of classic Bowie themes in the music but it feels sad, like he's saying goodbye

what happened?

This album feels like watching paint dry, because nothing happens. If you listen to the first 10 seconds of one song you basically listened to the whole song, because there is barely any sonic variations in the songs. This album drags itself through your ears for 45 minutes with the best moment being the end.

Not a single bad song on this album that grabs back to his Berlin trilogy time. Marvelous.

There was a manic saxophone player loose in the studio during the entire recording sessions. I love him.

Listening to this album is almost unbearably poignant. I can’t help remembering the first time I heard it, sharing the experience with friends on the internet, thrilled that we were hearing a new Bowie album. We puzzled at the lyrics, especially the references to death, and enjoyed the cheeky bits about someone grabbing his cock. There were even callbacks to his very first album that we had listened to not long ago. Then we got the news …

THAT is what I call a swansong. This album is close to perfect and shows well what Bowie could do, even close to the end. I like the fact that it is very jazzy, the electronic bits were less a novelty in his career but still enjoyable. I find the opening track a bit irritating though.

I don't know Bowie very well, but this album is remarkable.

I could fill pages talking about this album. But, in short, this is the definition of ‘masterpiece’. Bowie’s greatest, imho. I was lucky enough to see the band (Donny McCaslin’s quartet) live the year after this came out, was one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to.

Really cool music on this one

good music, bowie boring

not a huge fan tbh.

Quality music, but not my thing.

Poor

Solid lyrics and creative arrangements.

What a fantastic album.

Haunting

He has a unique sound of rock.

Realizing it makes a big difference to review and album when I've experienced its release first hand. This one will always feel eerie. Probably what he had intended. Hearing his fragile, old voice and breathing, yet still singing about infinity and his dick, I'm just grateful he was able to give his catalogue some kind of closure. May we all burn out!

I like Bowie, but this definitely wasn't as good as most of his other stuff.

I guess when you've already done everything you can possibly do within the realm of creating music, but you still want to do more, the only thing left is to make is experimental weirdness. This is the 8th(!) Bowie album I'm reviewing for this project and it's easily the one I like the least. While I can see some artistic merit in it, I simply don't think it's enjoyable music. The best parts of the album are probably those harking back to his more accessible, straight-up pop rock past.

No sé. No es mal disco, pero tampoco es interesante.

i just love when bowie

really liked the instrumentals

Blackstar is such a weird song, and I love parts of it and others I did not. Bummed, cause I thought about this as the song I would add to my playlist, but ultimately decided on Dollar Days. I enjoyed the album on the whole and with the context that he died 2 days later, it definitely gives it an eerie tone. I kiked the Alladin Sane album more, but this was still good.

Some really good moments!

Using a jazz band for rock gave it an interesting sound. Especially the drums are wild. Opinion is significantly influenced by Bowie's death two days later.

I was listening to this (had just bought it on vinyl) when I got the news he died. I didn't want to believe it at first. I was sad for a long time after. I still don't want to believe it. But he left us this beautiful parting gift. This

I listened to this album shortly after it came out. I've been a casual fan of David Bowie's hits since around high school, but this was the first time I listened to one of his full albums. I remember being sad that he had passed away, but I also remember being hit with the regret that I didn't see him in concert in 2004 when he came through town. This is my sixth Bowie album to review, and I've been all over the map with how I've felt about his albums. Blackstar is really good, and while it's not a five star album for me, I think it's one of his better albums. It's weird and experimental, but the sound is still incredibly accessible, because of its overall beauty and haunting melodies. The instrumentation is all fantastic. There's great guitar playing, great drumming (I love James Murphy), and of course Bowie's fantastic vocals. The string, saxophone, and piano arrangements are great too, and they really enhance the deathly mood of this album, while still giving it a "trademark Bowie" sound. The lyrics on this album are haunting, and it's really sombre to listen to what are essentially David Bowie's last words for the world, even eight years after this album's release and his passing. "I Can't Give Everything Away" is a perfect closer to this album, giving us a bittersweet hint that if it weren't for his illness, Bowie felt like he still had more in the tank. While this isn't my favorite album from Bowie, I still think it's really good. As the last effort from one of popular music's biggest forces, I think it's a fantastic listen for any fan of music.

Weird. Lots of swearing. Sounds bad.

Fucking weird, innit?

Bowie is always a solid choice. Not my favorite by him but still enjoyable.

Bowie's music certainly covers a wide variety of styles. He's obviously very talented.

Excellent Outro to an amazing Career and a great way to bow out. Thank you Bowie for this!!!! You really gave everything away.

I think it is good, although it's an over loved album imo. Will I listen to again: 30%

Not my style

i am completely blown away by how much i misinterpreted this album when i first listened to it couple years ago. its so different from anything else and colourful in so many ways while having the darknes you'd expect from someone as close to death as bowie was at the time. absolutely loving it, the rythm section on the first song for an exemple is still the hardest to get used to for me. such a crazy rythm in that drum part... but its a 5 to me on this very second listen and im sure it will eventually be a perfect one to my ears. and good lord, I Can't Give Everything Away is such a perfect closer.

Great if you're a Bowie fan

In the context of how this album came to be, it is heartbreaking. It's surprisingly positive music whilst also sounding incredibly depressing. Great stuff, but it isn't something I will come back to time and again.

One of the best albums of this century. The Album: A collection of avant-garde, profound, and introspective songs that never bore the listener. It's unpredictable and engaging. The Lyrics: Complex and multi-layered. Reflecting the album's themes of mortality and spirituality. The Context: An album to say goodbye. Have you watched the Lazarus video? All those references are sprinkled over five minutes. The suit, his eyes, his moves... David Bowie is a legend, and this is one of the many works that prove it.

A lot of pressure on this one, what with the praise and the grief from all corners of the world. I probably need to listen more attentively and more often, but it's a 2 at this time.

Perhaps an unpopular opinion, but this album makes me wish that Spotify had a 2x option like Audible does.

David Bowie is one of the three most important musicians EVER in my life. I named my dog Bowie for god sakes. I remember the excitement of new music coming from him, a beautiful surprise in early January, only to be crushed that he was dead two days later. How could that possibly be, and yet of course he had given us a masterpiece final gift. I have spent many hours with this album. The musicians are superb, including the amazing drummer Mark Guiliana. All pulled together in NYC in secret to hear demos put together by the then reclusive Bowie and to work with him full force, full of creative energy, and always reinventing to some new place. The man is a fucking genius smarter than all of us put together the way he weaves art, history, metaphysical/ spiritual/ magical/ darkness/ light into one. I grieve. But I love going back to learn what was top of mind inspiring him and driving him throughout the years. It is impossible to separate the quality of the music from the totality of being the art he created while dying of cancer. It certainly colors how I feel about it, but goddammit the music, lyrics, and creativity are as good as anything he ever did. You can learn a lot more about the backstories here: https://bowiesongs.wordpress.com/category/blackstar-2016/

Should be in the 1001 albums not to listen to before you die. Typically I like Bowie.

Return to the home planet. Listen to this one with headphones, a lot is going on there.

helt ok, men noen bangers

Not my thing but it's good for what it was. 3/5.

DB doing what he does

Incredible, the fact that he pjt this out so close to death and it still sound fresh as hell is insane.

Tragic masterpiece.

sad, sad

Some good, some bad

Apologies to teary eyed Bowie devotees, especially the enforcers of the Bowie Orthodoxy on BBC 6Music and even R3. This is not very amazing. It's the same formula of 'get some already out of date eclectronic-lite rhythms and then do-a-Bow-eee-voice all over them' that haunts a lot of his later work. It's inoffensive and has it's moments. The eponymous opener does sound like the soundtrack to some as yet unmade space opera, Dollar Days is very nearly a nice song to go out on. I don't know, I was honestly expecting more given the extreme reverence this one gained, I hoped it would be a touching or disturbing goodbye from one of our greatest music icons. Really, it's just more of the same.

An ok album

David Bowie was born in 1947. Raquel Welch was born in 1940. David Bowie released Ziggy Stardust in 1972 when he was 25 years old. Raquel Welch was in the film where her famed doe-skinned bikini shot was taken in 1966 when she was 26 years old. Raquel Welch Was 69 years old in 2009. David Bowie was 69 years old in 2016 when Blackstar was released. If you want to listen to a David Bowie album made in 2016, do you want to look at a poster of Raquel Welch in a bikini from 2009? I’m sure Raquel Welch was interesting and charming and insightful at 69 years of age, and I may have loved reading an article she wrote or watching an interview with her at that age, but I wouldn’t want to see Raquel Welch bikini-modeling in 2009, and I don’t want to listen to Blackstar. Obviously, bikini-modeling and making music are not the same thing, but I would argue that, while older people can still enjoy it, rock and roll music is primarily made by and for young people, just as posters of women in bikinis are. And even if this album can’t be classified as rock and roll, that’s what Bowie was famous for doing (I know, I know, Low etc., still) and so what makes his ambient, jazz noise album any more desirable to listen to than any other 69-year old’s? I am a firm believer in Sick Boy’s Unifying Theory of Life: “at one point, you’ve got it, then you lose it. Then it’s gone forever, all walks of life. . . ‘The Name of the Rose’ is merely a blip on an otherwise uninterrupted downward trajectory.” We all get old if we live long enough. Some of us, like Bowie, achieve greatness for a brief period if we are exceedingly talented and brave and lucky. Bowie was brilliant when he was brilliant, but in 2016 he was decades past his prime. Blackstar is an interesting artifact and I suppose a nice “parting gift to his fans” (they still had to buy it though didn’t they) but it’s not for me, and I suspect that it’s not really for most people, if they’re being honest with themselves.

Snooze

Not a fan. How can someone say this album is one that you need to listen to before you die? JFC I feel bad for the people that truly like this music.

I heard this one upon release, I think it was a Friday. It proved to me quite inaccessible. I liked that ‘TAPSWAW song because, after 8 months I was still quite heartbroken. On Saturday I went out to a “trajinera” afternoon with my family and out to drink with college friends and acquaintances that night. It was the golden years and being heartbroken really gave me a cynicism those people really enjoyed. Me and my friend took some numbers and quite stole the party. while I was hungover reminiscing the night and deciding whether to text that curled haired girl I learned about Bowies passing. I did not considered myself quite the big fan, but it was definitely a blow. I did not text her and went out to listen to the album once again while walking my now gone too, dog. I let myself feel the sorrow one more time and did not listen to the album in full again until I guess a couple years ago. I make playlists of the best of the year and the chosen song from this was ‘TAPSWAW. Listening to the album today I wish I was in a better place to listen to if 8 years ago, but I guess no one choses such things. It’s a great goodbye and, even if it’s not my favorite, this album is just excellent. My favorite song now is ICGEA.

This album hits harder as his last.

Never listened to this one. I enjoyed most of it. A bit uneven though. Probably won't listen to this again.

Bowie is no doubt on this list for multiple albums. This one is probably here, in my opinion, because it gives witness to such an amazing and creative artist who was able to keep reinventing his persona and work for such a long and successful career as rock’s more glamorous and artistic personalities.

It's haunting, dark, self-reflective... the perfect swan song for Bowie. I only really got into Bowie's music right after his passing in early 2016, and yet I avoided this album in particular. Maybe I was worried that it would be too depressing, shining in a completely different light once Bowie passed away several days after its release. The album is, for lack of a better word, a masterpiece. All seven tracks are intense, creative, incredibly unique-sounding, and somehow both chart-topping and genre-avoidant (they definitely aren't pop songs). They're also some of Bowie's most complex compositions, delving into wacky time signatures, complicated percussive rhythms, and prog-esque multi-part experiences. It's an experience you can't miss. 5/5

Yes - I recall the release in 2016, and it was a sad day. Bowie was a creative genius, not necessarily loved or appreciated by many, but he was not afraid to try new things and present how he felt. I recall when this came out, I listened a few times, but did not give it a solid try - I think the title cut :BlackStar" turned me off. However, years later as I list to this, I have a newfound respect. Take the "swan song" out of the equation and just enjoy. I find it interesting that the final track "I Can't Give Everything Back" that turns out to be his last recorded track. is so sad, poignant, and personal = . A farewell song that now climbs to the top as one of my favorite Bowie song.

Probably my favorite bowie album. Liked the electronic portions

Honestly I think I would have enjoyed this album much more if it was an instrumental. Bowie really did not add much to this, only bizarre barely sung spoken word poetry of nonsense

I have to say it was just okay. I'm not a big Bowie fan. I like him more in Labyrinth than from his music. That's a me thing, I know.

Es una joya de Bowie, quizás su disco que más me gustó. El saxo es tremendo.

emotionally charged because this is his last album, but . . .ugh

Bowies last album, can tell he knew he was going out and this was going to be it. A treat to listen to

Pretty enjoyable. Some of it felt directionless.

4.5/5. Wanna cry? Dude made an album for his fans two days before his own death, what a sweet parting gift. Fascinating that Kendrick Lamar and Death Grips of all people had a large influence on this record.

Dosyć mroczny. Nie najlepsze dzieło Dawida Bowie. Ale nie było to rozczarowanie. Myślę, że mogę do niego kiedyś wrócić

we love bowie

This was actually pretty cool. I like Bowie when he’s not singing too much. I looved the drumming

Surprised by how much I enjoyed this one! A pretty cohesive quick album, w/ Lazarus being a big standout for me.

Разъёб. Лучшая песня - I Can't Give Everything Away

With the heavy jazz elements and the sound on this record, it is one of the most emotive releases in Bowie's collection. Having listened to this for the first time right after his death, I still am struck with the sense of finality he put into this work.

Bowie songs are always hit or miss for me. I’m normally a lyrics person, but being classically trained in music theory I notice when things don’t exactly fit the “norm.” Overall, the long minutes with a pre-made beat from GarageBand and various instruments going all over the place was a miss on this album. Dollar Days is the only song I would willingly give a second listen.

Not my cup of tea.

I love David Bowie, and I remember when this came out really being excited to listen to it because it was kind of a surprise, but then hating it, and why it was so dark. He died a couple of days later if I am not wrong and then it kind of made sense, I don't think I ever listened to it again after that, and not my favorite stuff of him, but you can almost feel like he knew wasn't going to be around for long...

Wow! I've been listening to this on repeat all day on the best speakers I have. It's pretty amazing. With the album being what it is -- made for his fans once he knew he was going to die soon -- we have the ability to remove some level of listener interpretation and just listen to this honestly. Take it in, and don't overanalyze the genre, the lyrics, the playing, the songwriting ... just take it in. It sounds amazing. It feels transcendent. I think it's beautiful. If I were to overthink it though, I would say that the tracking is interesting, starting with the most challenging track and then working its way to more comfortable, accessible tracks. Maybe this mirrors his acceptance of his fate? Also, if I were to overthink another thing, I would mention how this band absolutely crushes every wrinkle Bowie throws at them. But I'm totally not doing that. If art is the transference of a feeling or an idea through an artist's creation, then this album is absolutely a masterpiece.

It’s great

I like Bowie and most of his work. But with his latest album, I don't feel any connection at all. I think it's overhyped following his death.

Starts off ominous, strong Radiohead vibes. Experimental. Production is interesting. Vocals leave something to be desired - has a "ghost of Christmas past" vibe. Has the vibe of a fading artist grasping at trying to be hip and modern, but it comes out a bit clunky. Gets into a nice little groove, but doesn't seem to lock you in. There are a few moments throughout that stand out, a few things that wow you, but overall those moments are erased by vocals or shrill horn that comes out of nowhere. I enjoy experimental music/jazz, but the whole album feels like it's trying to be something that it's not.

A wonderful mix of jazz and rock. Definitely my favourite in this list until now. Will be listening a lot to it in the future.

I'd avoided listening to Blackstar for a long time. I was deeply saddened by Bowie's passing and didn't want my view of the album tainted by that, and all the acclaim for Blackstar fed my suspicions that would happen. I think it's been long enough now where I can listen to this as an album first and a Final Album second. It's a joy to hear Bowie explore so many genres and production approaches. He was adventurous, up to the end. While I don't know what to do with lyrics like "I was looking for your ass", I do think Blackstar is great outside the context of Bowie's passing.

2/5. Meh

I came to this with pretty low expectations, not being a big fan of David Bowie and his other work. However, I really enjoyed this and will probably listen to it again at least once. Not much else to say, it was interesting and not as depressing as I figured it might be, almost uplifting in parts. 4 stars.

i love him

Me gusta un poco místico, creo que tiene álbumes mejores

Ok

It was okay, not my favorite David Bowie album, sometimes it felt like it was out of tune, or not pleasant to listen to

not my skeez

I can appreciate it as an art piece but it’s really far from my favorite Bowie record in terms of enjoying the listen

One of those albums I will always remember listening to for the first time. Listened to it two days after it was released, when it was announced he had passed. The opening line of Lazarus truly accurate at that point.

There were some songs that were okay. I didn't love it.

Review very helpful, thanks!

Da e nåken godinga her, men når ikkje heilt opp diverre

Second best David Bowie album

Too experimantle

the first song being 8 minutes…boy shut up. liked the sax in “lazarus”

6,5/10

Makes me anxious.

What a way to go out. I didn’t want to believe this was the last we’d ever hear from one of the all time greats when this album first dropped. But it’s settled in for me as not only one of Bowie’s best, but one of THE best records ever made. If we could all come to terms with death the way Ziggy does on this record, how much better of a place would this be?

I can't even think of this album, let alone listen to it, without tearing up; the artistic intention in its creation and release as a final statement and parting gift to the world is, and will forever be, heartbreakingly transcendent.

I remember this releasing and his death closely following. It was a real historical moment for culture. Given this album strongly takes from his back catalogue and the lyrical thematics, plus the strength and longevity of my love for David Bowie, it's always a warm and emotional listen.

Not Bowie's best work, admittedly. It probably got the shining reviews it did just for his recent passing. It's a good album, but I wouldn't call it the best thing he ever did. Lazarus is a standout track, and probably the best out of this whole record. Overall, it's a good listen.

I didn't really like later Bowie. There's a lot of emotional weight on this record, but I just did not enjoy listening to it.

Nach einmal Hören sicherlich nicht zu erfassen. In jedem Fall Bowie-Schräg. Thumbs up!

David Bowie was a very talented artist, I enjoyed this.

Fine. Sounds like Bowie.

I feel bad giving such a legend such a low score. But I wonder if the hype around this album was largely tied to his death. This is way too obtuse an album. Like overly-complicated Radiohead (and overly-complicated is Radiohead’s thing but they make it engaging).

Album started and I immediately hated it. Then I listened more and it starts to form this eerie and cohesive melancholy and dark album of chanting and echoey saxophones and beats. The production is outstanding. Album is interesting from beginning to end, as it starts to lighten up and become more hopeful. I wouldn't have listened past the first 3 mins if it wasn't for the challenge of listening to this album. Glad I stuck through it.

I am not a Bowie fan so this is not appreciated by me.

I know this was his last album, but there's no way it belongs on this list.

No me gusta la voz de Bowie, mucho vibrato. Como esforzándose. No me gusta el álbum, la instrumentación está buena pero se nota que son músicos de sesión y no siento que transmitan algo auténtico. Sino algo más pretencioso.

This album is fucking awesome it sounds like modern post punk music or whatever tf black country new road is. Yeah just so weird awesome I have been relistening soooo much

Yeah, I'm only giving this 5 stars because it's Bowie, keep scrolling Kidding, I was very trepidatious going into this album, and it's certainly his weakest project to me. But it's still beautifully done by the greatest chameleon in the history of music. Favorite track: Lazarus

Blackstar is the final album of David Bowie. It can be considered as a farewell statement. It's quite strange most of the critics did not inmediately got the message as the looks of Bowie in the video of Lazarus really gave me the creeps. I felt a disturbance and sadness that was confirmed a few days later. Apart from the lyrical content of the album the songs are also very impressive combining rock and experimental jazzy elements. I did not know he still had such a great album in him.

The first, and last, Bowie album I got to experience while it dropped. It started with promises that his next album would be jazzier, as ambitious as his legendary work. Bits and pieces of the title track would appear, before the glorious full ten minutes dropped in November. I instantly fell in love with it; it sounded so fresh, so creatively rejuvenated, yet also familiar; the mysterious sound and lyics evocative of Bowie's previous occult masterpiece Station to Station. "In the villa of Ormen, stands a solitary candle." What did the lyrics mean? Is Bowie gonna release more creepy, artsy music videos? How was the rest of the album gonna build off this epic sound? Needless to say, I was properly hyped. In December, Lazarus dropped. It was a bit slower, more straightforward than Blackstar. Bowie's vocals were more direct and impassionate. Yet, foolishly, I didn't get what he was trying to say. "Look up here, man, I'm in danger." On January 8th, the full album dropped, and I listened to it for the first time as I went back home from college. 'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore sounds energetic and propulsive, while Bowie sang smokey cool lyrics. Sue (Or in a Season of Crime) is frantic and off-kilter. Girl Loves Me is creepy. I got what I wanted, but it also felt in a way overwhelming. And then, like the clouds parting, Dollar Days and I Can't Give Everything came up. The former is melancholic, while the latter is hopeful, yet also whistful at the same time. This was a great album and a new second wind, I thought, and I hope Bowie would make more great music in the future. I went online and read some reviews. One of them even commenting on how obtuse the album was, in a positive manner, and how we may never decode the meaning of the album... Next Monday, news broke that David Bowie had died. Suddenly, the message of the album snapped into focus. Bowie was saying goodbye, making one final album as a parting gift, to prove himself for the last time and try to make amends for the Grim Reaper. Like doofuses, we all had missed the lyrical content and musical ambition for what they really were, too late to really appreciate the great work and the great artist while we still had it. Bowie knew however, and even he, like all artists in their final years, felt regret that there was not enough time to say everything he wanted and could say before the end. Cherish the moment.

It was ok, kind of weird not really for me but listened throughout the whole thing

You simply cannot listen to the title track without getting chills

I hadn’t ever listened to David Bowie before this album so I had no idea what to expect when I hit play. That being said I absolutely did not expect a wild ride through an experimental jazz rock fusion led by an absolute musical madman who, I am now thoroughly convinced, is not just a master musician but an alien that gifted us with something that would never have come to fruition without the express efforts of David Bowie. My mind is blown. Favorite songs - Lazarus, Sue (Or in a Season of Crime), I Can’t Give Everything Away 5/5. This parting album was a fitting and amazing goodbye from a true master.

3.5 ... it's more than just the music on this one.

I really like Bowie, but I think this album is only regarded so highly because it was his parting gift to his fans before his death. The man made some very good music, but this album is not.

A classic. One of my favorite Bowie albums.

So bored

Haven’t had a to of exposure to Bowie, so not a huge fan… I don’t dislike his music, just never really gave a good listen. Now I’m hunting for a copy of this to add to the collection. Pretty good stuff. Love the Jazz aspect.

I'm assuming a Brit created this 1001 list. How in the world is this even in the top 10,000 to listen to? I'd have rather listened to Cold Slither on repeat for 24 hours.

Look, I appreciate David Bowie, the "Hunky Dory" album is terrific. But there is no reason for him to have NINE albums in this list. Smh... Girl Loves Me is catchy

Benefit of this little project, I hadn't given this a listen. Now I have.

Excellent. Modern yet still Bowie. Look into if he knew he was dying, would make it much more haunting.

Lazarus

Meh meh meh meh meh meh

A little strange for my tastes.

Tengo un recuerdo muy triste de este álbum, de poco antes de morir Bowie. El legado de un genio, no se puede escuchar sin tenerlo en mente.

Honestly, I'm not feeling it. Bowie's style, in general, just doesn't appeal to me. Sometimes it can grate on me, similar to Bjork.

Not my favorite but nice orchestral build ups.

Demasiado experimental para mí gusto...

He was very expressive

Not my thing at all ... I hated it

This is a very interesting album. No big singles or hits. I know this was released right around the time Bowie died. It is very avant garde. jazzy.

Not for me. It was moody and depressing. I struggled through it. I know this was his last album. I haven’t listened to much of David Bowie’s music. Perhaps I will like some of his other albums more.

I don't think I'd heard anything from this album before. I enjoy most of David Bowie's music so I looked forward to listening when this showed up today. At least upon my first listening, I found this to be one of my favorite Bowie albums so far. I can't remove whatever biases I formed because I knew this was his final studio album before his death, so I can't know how much of my interpreting the composition of these songs, musically and lyrically, through the lens of someone aware of his impending death is my preconceived notions and how much is the artist's intent. Either way, this album resonates with me on the level of a music fan and a deeper reflective level. It's superb. Truly superb.

2/10 Riktigt flummig, lite coola trummor, annars ganska platt och överskattat. Fattar inte grejen med David Bowie riktigt.

The best epilogue album any artist could come up with. A very adequate final note on the discography of David Bowie. He kept experimenting and refusing to settle on a single sound until his last years. Fascinating stuff.

I'm not sure what I did to deserve this, but I was given my second Bowie album in a row. I'm not sure if this gets great reviews because it was his final release before his death or because it actually resonated with "music critics?" But I can say that it isn't for me. I'm not a fan of art rock or avant guard music. The one highlight I enjoyed was the song Lazarus. The music was so good and the lyrics work so well. While Bowie sings, "Where the fuck did Monday go?" on the song Sue (or in a season of crime) I find myself saying "Where the fuck did my 41 minutes and 17 seconds go at I listened to this album?" But as work all music, what I might not enjoy it I know someone else probably loves it. 2 out of 4 stars

Pretty good album

this is a 10/5

Truly amazing to record this in secret then release it two days before his untimely death. A very good album.

This album is highly regarded but to me it just sounded erratic and depressing.

This is the first time I've heard this and honestly, Bowie's done better. It has its moments (Lazarus and I Can’t Give Everything Away stand out to me) but nothing on here comes close to the magic of 70's Bowie.

not my lane

admittedly have never listened to much Bowie but this really hit me, definitely will be returning

I don’t know much about David Bowie, but if i were a musician and this would be my last album before i died, i would be proud. It’s not really my kind of music at the moment but it’s an artistic and very good sounding album.

See this is what I don’t like about this thing. Because yesterday I just wasn’t feeling it for various reasons. And this would possibly replay more listening and I might well return to it. Nothing really grabbed me on first listen though

It's Bowie. He doesn't speak to me in quite the way he speaks to others (like my siblings) but he's so talented still. 4.5 for me.

01) ★ - 8,5 02) 'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore - 8,0 03) Lazarus - 9,5 04) Sue (Or in a Season of Crime) - 8,5 05) Girl Loves Me - 9,0 06) Dollar Days - 8,5 07) I Can't Give Everything Away - 9,5 TOTAL: 8,79 (88/100) I didn't like it much when it first came out, it was too dark, too experimental for me. But now, after few years, it sort of sits with me a bit more. "Lazarus" is my favorite track, followed by "I Can't Give Everything Away" and "Girl Loves Me".

Definitely a new sound for him, but I always love good Bowie.

When put in the context of David bowie dying shortly after, this album gains a lot of intrigue. Def a lot of modern hiphop influence, i hear some TPAB in there for sure. Sad though, its kinda giving a "How do you do fellow kids" vibe. If he hadn't died two days after I would have an easier time disliking this work but given the circumstances it was made, and a definite bias bc Bowie is a huge artist, its a toss up for what i'm gonna be ranking this.

Not that food

I didn't think I'd like it but it was fairly cool, artsy and interesting.

The energy and intention in this album is stunningly Bowie. It knocks my socks off to know how his health must have been when he was making it. Man, who among us hasn’t felt “Where the fuck did Monday go?” So good.

I love the album cover really much! Simple but at the same time really complicated and abstract. I thought that because of being an album of David Bowie, one of the biggest music stars in the world, it would be a really cool album, and, actually, it is a good album, it has amazing songs, and, as his last work before he died it makes it a little more important because it feels like a goodbye with the rhytm of the songs, specially with the principal song "Blackstar", but i expected just a little bit more. Even tho, i liked it.

Sometimes an album is more than a record it is an event. Sometimes an artist is more then a person they are an event. Bowie’s Blackstar is just that. It’s impossible to see it as anything other than a musical last will and testament. It’s like its predecessor, The Next Day. Recorded in total secrecy and dropped on his birthday with no publicity. Dark star. Released 8/1/66 on his 69th birthday. He died two days later on the 10th. And so it is difficult to see the half dozen songs beyond the funereal come wake 10 minute title track. It has everything. Techno beats, an uplifting passage to seque into acid jazz funk. It’s ten minutes of Bowie’s most perfect music. Which is saying something. Lazarus is on a par with the title track. And equally prophetic and classic. “Tis a Pity She Wa A Whore” , “Girl Lives Me” and “sue” are shorter, more jazz and superior for so far into a career. But not to the same level as the 2 genuine classics above. “Dollar Days” is the closest we get to melancholy on an overall dark yet upbeat album. Gentle and resigned it is, again, the voice of a man “am dying too.” He may say “it’s nothing to me” but we don’t believe him. The album ends with the most lacklustre song here. I can’t give everything away he sings. Yet two days later, of course, he does. An event more than judt a record and we are so lucky to have it.

I know this is Bowie's 26th album, and his last, but it is nowhere near his best. But even Bowie at his worst is better than 95% of artists at their best. There is no mistaking his voice and his trademark musical style. Wasn't expecting the swearing, but I haven't listened to the other 25 albums, so I'm not sure if this was normal, although that seems unlikely.

Top album, huge Bowie fan

Pretty dark themes

NTF

Weird album even for Bowie

Minus 1 black star for just SO many saxophone solos. SO. MANY. It's just way too much saxophone. Eugh. Other than than that, it was pretty alright. More than a bit chaotic, though. Far more chaotic than I'd prefer, if I'm being honest. It's a good thing it was balanced by Bowie's weird, alien genius. "Lazarus" is an absolute jam (despite the saxophones) and the production is top-notch. And ending with "I Can't Give Everything Away" is such a hauntingly perfect goodbye (aside from the completely unnecessary saxophone solo, of course) from one of the greatest musical talents... ever. Shame about all those damn saxophones, though.

Certainly different for a Bowie record. Plenty of interesting songs, even though he sounds a bit old and there was some variation of an Amen break every few minutes. Still solid, just not one of his more outstanding releases

👍

Wirklich sehr experimentell.

Love it, obviously. Clearly inextricably linked with his death. Bookended by two fabulous songs that couldn't be more different to eachother. The closer gets me right in the feels. A beautifully buried guitar solo. The album is jazz heavy. There's sooo much sax, which I am absolutely here for. It's also not morose. Even Lazarus, which could be the saddest song, has humour. I'm less fond of the abstract drum n bass of Sue, have always found that one hard to love, but honestly everything else is top, top class. People overlook The Next Day, which I really enjoyed, but this really is up there with Bowie's all time best.

A quality lineup of songs with extremely good production. I was drawn to the drums through the course of this album, they sounded crisp, tight and interesting.

5.5/10

Haunting, sad, a little unsettling. I liked it. I remember the day Bowie died; I had never actively listened to his music, but my friends were talking about it during one of our weekly meetups at a dumpling restaurant. The person I liked was especially upset by his passing, which surprised me, because I had never given much thought to Bowie’s music career. I became more interested after that, and I learned there was a greater depth to his music than I assumed. Anyway, that’s all an aside, but this album put me in a mindset to mourn the loss of that part of my life.

I don’t really understand Bowie’s music. It’s an acquired taste, I think. Maybe better with more listen. Not really understanding the whore song Is Bowie part of the glam rock movement? Lazarus is good vibes

A very gloomy album. It's an album that shows the feelings of David Bowie at the end of his life, raw and unfiltered. But musically it is not that accessible. Very artsy feel, his falsetto flips are questionable, he definitly made better albums. But there are still good songs on here, Lazerus is a banger and blackstar isn't that bad either.