Blackstar

Nice

I love David Bowie. I dislike aging rockstars. I should have known that David Bowie is not like other aging rockstars. This was experimental and haunting with interesting soundscapes. A few too many bad words for my liking but overall glad i was brought to this album.

The Jazz combo backing was an excellent touch. A lovely goodbye album from a music icon.

Pure vibes

Overall Rating - 3.93/5 (7.86/10). In a lot of ways, this is classic Bowie. Never quite what you expect, but always well done and experimental. You can tell that he knew he was dying when he recorded it.

I really like this album. I haven't listened too much David Bowie before this but I liked this album a lot. The jazz and rock elements were really nice, also since they are to of my favorite genres.

Not Bowie’s best work in my opinion. But still truly incredible and just shows how he never stopped evolving.

Heartbreaking, a great sendoff to a legend.

Interesting that we got 2 final albums in a row from legendary artists released shortly before their deaths, this one extremely so Beyond the almost mythical status of the album at this point, it's an extremely experimental and bold delve into jazziness from an artist that historically always leaned more towards rock, surely made possible by being led trustingly by his contributors. I think this might be the first time I've heard this since it came out (10 years ago!), appreciated it a lot more this time around

This was truly sad but good album! Love David Bowie and hearing his last album was pretty haunting, had some good stuff on it

Bowie has always been weird, this is one of his weirdest albums yet. In a good way.

Definitely an album I had no idea existed, I have to say I’m more into his older stuff, but of course there were some great songs on this record as well.

Hard to be objective about this one. It's great, not amazing, but the circumstances of its release gives it that extra feels edge.

This was like weird, but in a good way. I really liked this and crazier to realize that Bowie died a week or so after it's release. The instrumentals were a lot of fun! This was great. Liked Songs: " 'Tis A Pity She Was A Whore" , "Lazarus" , "Sue (Or In a Season of Crime)" , "Dollar Days" , "I Can't Give Everything Away"

Very odd, very Bowie, I really like this album 4

almost a 5 but the first song is kinda annoying

Ooohhh, my first Bowie album! Exciting! Initial thoughts of ⭐️, it’s… interesting. It has a funky kind of feel to it. I started to get a bit of a feel for it 5 minutes in when the drumbeat kicked in. It’s slightly eclectic, but enjoyable. ‘Tis a pity she was a whore honestly just made me laugh at the name. It’s a decent track. I love the horns and the dance vibes. I’ve just looked at the lyrics and I laughed out loud. I don’t know what this is in the context of his career, but this is so funny. The way he sings Whore is absolutely golden. Lazarus was a good track. I enjoyed it. Sue, I liked the music, but the vocals seem slightly washed out? I’ve noticed that with this album. I also find he sings a lot of runs of the same note in this song, which is slightly taxing on the ears. Girl loves me. I immediately opened the lyrics on starting this song and was not disappointed. The lyrical entertainment value from this album is high. I can hear the hip hop influences and I actually think it’s pretty cool. Dollar days was beautiful. I think in the context to when this album was released, it’s a heartbreaking piece of music. I can’t give everything away was a nice enough closer. Overall, I can’t help but feel that this was not the first full Bowie album I should’ve listened to. I think this album would do best in the full context of his whole career, as I read it was his kind of “swan song”. At this moment it’s going to be a 7/10 or a 4/5 ⭐️. 22/1089

Not his best album but I always loved Bowie. He’s always interesting especially this goodbye album.

Bowie’s shit has always been too weird for me, but something about this album (except the first two songs) resonated with me. A lot of hauntingly beautiful instrumentals and effects used, plus I teared up at the last song. Maybe I get it now

A living relic of the before-times.

Very difficult to separate from the circumstances of it's release. Deeply melancholic. From Lazarus to the end is excellent and right up there with the best he ever did. The first 2 songs are not my favorites.

I liked the expiramental sounds of this, it was really a journey and every song felt individual. Dollar days was may favorite

Good production, starts a little slow but it might grow on me on subsequent listens. A good send off to Bowie

This would have been a good album even if he hadn't died a week later. I think it's going in my regular rotation.

Nice drum 'n bass, great lyrics, reinventing once more before the end.

The master at work

It's a great fucking album, I honestly didn't think it will be that good, so i was pleasantly surprised throughout listening. The blackstar song deserves to be mentioned as one of the highlights of the album(the best song on the album imo)

Not sure about this album some good tracks

8.5/10

The sax in this album is unreal, loved the whole process of this album from start to finish♥️

I enjoyed the music, but would find myself drifting off mentally and couldn’t stay focused. Would relisten, I have heard this before but never made it thru the entire project

Very torn because I really liked most of this but hating 2 songs on a 7 song album isn’t great. Some of the production was overstimulating at times but I did enjoy it in some songs. Giving it a 3.5 but rounding up to 4 here

fun but not my style

not my favorite Bowie album, and thats saying something because i LOVEEE David Bovie.

This was my favorite one from him.

got better as it went on- liked last 2 songs 4/5

On ne va pas se mentir mais l'année 2016 a commencé avec un sale goût dans la bouche. Je me souviens très bien de ce matin de janvier où j'écoutais encore le disque d'une oreille distraite, en me demandant ce que le vieux caméléon essayait de me vendre cette fois-ci, et paf... Le communiqué tombe, le duc est mort. Et soudain, tout ce fatras sonore, tout ce jazz torturé, toute cette mise en scène cryptique prend un sens macabre. C’est le coup de théâtre ultime, chapeau l’artiste, tu as réussi à transformer ta propre mort en happening artistique. C'est du grand art, ou du grand cynisme, je ne sais pas encore trancher. J'ai toujours eu un problème avec Bowie... Il est trop sophistiqué à mes yeux. J'ai grandi avec des sons qui sentaient la crasse, la cave humide, le larsen incontrôlé. J'aime quand ça saigne, quand c'est rugueux, quand l'urgence prime sur la pose. Bowie, lui, c'est l'anti-Ian Curtis par excellence. Là où Curtis hurlait sa douleur parce qu'il n'avait pas le choix, Bowie a toujours semblé "jouer" la douleur. C’est un acteur, un mime, un alien de synthèse. Cette sophistication c'est ce vernis glacé qui a souvent empêché un gars comme moi de vraiment entrer dans son monde. J'ai bossé chez un disquaire, j'ai vu les fans se prosterner devant "Let's Dance" ou "Ziggy", et je restais là, un peu dubitatif, à préférer remettre une face de The Cure période "Pornography". Trop propre, le David, trop calculé, toujours en contrôle, même quand il faisait semblant d'être défoncé. Et pourtant... "Blackstar". Ce disque, c'est une anomalie. C'est peut-être la première fois depuis les années 70, ou peut-être depuis "1. Outside", que la "sophistication" de Bowie sert réellement le propos au lieu de le masquer. Pourquoi ? Parce que le propos, c'est la fin et la fin, ça ne se maquille pas. Enfin, si, lui il l'a maquillée, mais avec des bandages et des boutons à la place des yeux. Musicalement, on est loin de la pop radiophonique et c'est là que ça devient intéressant pour des oreilles comme les miennes. Bowie a viré son groupe de rock habituel pour embaucher des jazzmen new-yorkais, la bande à Donny McCaslin. Ce n'est pas du jazz d'ascenseur, c'est un jazz sombre, urbain, nerveux qui suinte l'inquiétude. Le morceau titre, "Blackstar", c'est dix minutes de messe noire bizarre. Il y a des cassures rythmiques, des changements d'ambiance, une voix qui chevrote, qui incante. On n'est pas si loin de l'ambiance rituelle de certains trucs de Current 93 ou de l'expérimentation d'un Scott Walker sur "The Drift" (même si Bowie reste plus accessible, faut pas déconner). Les saxophones ne sont pas là pour faire joli, ils sont là pour créer du malaise, des textures. Mais voilà, on en revient à mon problème initial, c'est trop bien fait, c'est trop propre dans la saleté. Même en train de crever d'un cancer du foie, Bowie ne peut pas s'empêcher d'être "sophistiqué". Il ne lâche jamais prise et il contrôle l'image, le son, le timing de la sortie. Il n'y a pas ce moment de vérité crue, de fragilité totale que je pourrais trouver chez un Nick Cave (surtout sur "Skeleton Tree" sorti la même année, où la douleur est insoutenable de réalisme). Chez Bowie, la mort est stylisée. "Blackstar" c'est 2 ou 3 très bons morceaux, un "Blackstar" monumental, un "Lazarus" glaçant, surtout quand on connaît le contexte. Et "Look up here, I'm in heaven", putain, le mec a écrit son épitaphe et nous la chante alors qu'il est encore chaud. C'est d'une audace folle et c'est peut-être le clip le plus flippant de l'histoire du rock, ce vieux mec dans son lit d'hôpital qui tremble. Mais le reste de l'album ? "Sue (Or In a Season of Crime)", c'est du drum'n'bass jazzifié un peu bordélique. "Girl Loves Me" avec son argot Nadsat (celui d'Orange Mécanique), c'est brillant intellectuellement, mais est-ce que ça me prend aux tripes ? Pas sûr. J'admire l'architecture, je hoche la tête devant la complexité harmonique, mais je ne pleure pas. Je reste spectateur d'une performance. C'est là tout le paradoxe de ma note, de ce 4 sur 5. Si cet album avait été sorti par un inconnu en pleine santé, je lui aurais mis un 3 et j'aurais dit : "Intéressant, belles textures, un peu prétentieux sur les bords, quelques longueurs". Mais voilà, c'est Bowie, c'est le dernier souffle d'un géant, le contexte écrase la musique. Je ne peux pas écouter "Blackstar" sans voir le fantôme. Je mets 4 parce qu'il faut avoir des corones en acier trempé pour transformer sa propre agonie en œuvre d'art. Je mets 4 parce que, pour une fois, sa sophistication n'est pas une barrière, mais un linceul. Il a organisé ses funérailles et il nous a invité au premier rang. C'est un album froid, clinique par moments, mais habité par une urgence vitale. Il savait que le sablier était vide alors il a tout mis : le jazz, l'électro, le rock, l'avant-garde. C'est un disque "somme". Est-ce que je vais le réécouter souvent ? Probablement pas. C'est lourd, c'est chargé et j'ai du mal avec ce côté "regardez comme je suis intelligent" qui transpire parfois de la production. Je préfère mille fois me remettre "Unknown Pleasures" pour la millionième fois, parce que Curtis ne cherchait pas à être intelligent, il cherchait juste à survivre. Mais il faut rendre à César ce qui est à César. David Bowie a réussi sa sortie, il ne s'est pas éteint comme une vieille bougie dans un hospice en chantant ses vieux tubes pour payer ses impôts. Il est parti en supernova, en laissant derrière lui une énigme noire, une étoile noire. Donc va pour le 4/5. Pas pour les mélodies, pas parce que je suis devenu un fan transis sur le tard. Mais pour le panache, pour ce doigt d'honneur ultime à la faucheuse : "Tu vas m'avoir, mais c'est moi qui décide de la bande-son".

1st January depression, thanks

Pretty good beats & guitars for a dying man's last words.

¿Pero como vas a publicar un disco así dos días antes de morir? Pura brujería, la verdad

So I knew the context of this one and how Bowie was writing this in light of his imminent death, but had not actually ever listened to it before now - some stunning moments here to be sure. The opening track is absolutely haunting - the mental imagery of a solitary candle "in the middle of it all" (what does the villa in Ormen mean?!) really stuck with me for some reason. Musically it's very cool as well. Lazarus is clearly another high point. This seems like the sort of album that rewards repeat listens and parsing the subtext of the lyrics, which I haven't really had time to do, but overall feel this is quite good.

An imposing and dark album. Whilst lacking the catchy numbers which defined most of his career, it's excellent.

it can appreciate that this is good but maybe not really my style. star is a really cool song name

Tragic cause he knew he was dying when producing the album, just full of ache and love and I dig it. 3.6

Big fan of this album

Hits in more ways than one 🙏🏼.

I don't hate this, which is weird because historically I have hated every Bowie song I've heard. Every time my husband was playing music on his phone and there was a track I just COULDN'T STAND, it ended up being Bowie. Anyway. This is a pretty good album with reduced theatrics. Confusingly, I immediately want to give it another listen.

Not my taste but i think it's a good album. My favourite track is dollar days

Actually enjoyed it

I heard the first song, but I’ll be back!

love love love

I really vividly remember when David Bowie died (not that it was that long ago). it was such a weird vacuum of time. I was a teenager. somehow, though, I'd never listened to this album. it was a weird, meditative experience.

Phenomenal

Strange, interesting and good enough.

David Bowie

Feels like a bit of a companion release to The Next Day and has a real mix of sounds Bowie used throughout his career. Poignant and contemplative it is worth a listen.

Day 158 Bowie's final masterpiece, I love the melancholy in his voice.

I listened to the two singles before Bowie passed but after he did pass away I just couldn't listen to the project as a whole. It has great moments indeed and it is poignant, but not the best Bowie album.

ethereal, haunting. rating this feels like rating bowie's death.

Probably the best Bowie album. I'm not a fan of his normal repertoire but this record manages to hit every time. Maybe it's the fact that he died two days after release but these songs feel very dreary and contemplative. Not that great for a casual listen but certainly a thought-provoking experience if you have 40 minutes to spare.

A fitting conclusion to a legendary career

This is the album of a man who knows he's about to die.

There's no-one else like Bowie. Clearly the context surrounding this album is more important that others on the 1001, but even without that it's a deep and interesting album. Need to listen to it more.

Classic Bowie Album - RIP

Воно цікаво звучить, але ніц не зберегла

Poignant and stunning.

Seeing the reviews im surprised it got this high. My mother been a Bowie fan all her life and hated this album. It is a very personal album probably because it was his last. It is very different and more rooted in progressive rock(Not as inaccessible as some prog rock though) and sounds like a last chance to explore a genre he never really got to do when it was at it's peak in the 60s-70s. It is a historical album but a personal and quite inaccessible to the avverage listener so i can't give it a 5.

Good

not what he used to be, 4 (black) stars

Have been aware of this album but never listened. It didn't have as big of an impact on me as it had on others, but I have to commend Bowie for going out on such a high note. He really didn't want to put out something run of the mill and successfully made it fully interesting and even experimental up until his very last moments alive. It's a good album, and weight of his death aside, that's a great accomplishment.

I’m still discovering new things on this album.

When David Bowie passed away, I wasn't really a big fan of all of his music. I had listened to Ziggy Stardust a bunch, and that's still one of my favorite all time albums, but I didn't really know much outside of that album and one or two others. A few years after he had passed away, I decided to listen to all of his albums as they had released. I finished with this album blackstar as it was obvious the last he ever put out while alive. I have it a 5 back then, I can't say I feel the same now purely on the basis of the music alone, but it's still a 5 in my heart. I think that a lot of the album blends together in a good way, but still in a way that works well for what he was going for when he was putting the album together. It's a really strong 8, maybe leaning toward a 9. It's very much an essential Bowie album, but after listening for the second time, I wouldn't put it in the absolutely essential albums that I would recommend if that makes sense. It's still is great, and should be appreciated for what it artistically represents as far as the career of one of the best to ever do it goes

Straight walk off

Avant-garde, jazzy, musical. Bowie’s voice sounds like it was made for this setting. What an amazing way to end a brilliant career! “I Can't Give Everything Away” is top-, top-notch.

This album was released unexpectedly. Despite the many hints within the album (for example, David Bowie himself was always pictured on the cover, and now there was a death star on the cover), no one anticipated that David Bowie would die a few days later. This made the album especially impactful.

Title track is far too long and not very good. Everything else is pretty good

he really went sicko mode on this one

Dark, haunting and beautiful.

Enjoyed it!

Bowie but more conceptual.

Album 52/1001 💀 ⚰️👨‍🎤 ⚰️ 💀 Favourite lyrics: GIRL LOVES ME* "Cheena so sound, so titty up this Malchick, say Party up moodge, nanti vellocet round on Tuesday Real bad dizzy snatch, making all the omies mad, Thursday Popo blind to the polly in the hole by Friday Where the fuck did Monday go?" "You viddy at the cheena Choodesny with the red rot Libbilubbing litso-fitso Devotchka watch her garbles Spatchko at the rozz-shop Split a ded from his deng, deng Viddy, viddy at the cheena" *The lyrics to this song are a mix of: • Nadsat (a fictional register or argot used by the teenage gang members in Anthony Burgess' dystopian novel A Clockwork Orange. Burgess was a linguist and he used this background to depict his characters as speaking a form of Russian-influenced English) & • Polari -(a secret slang language with a history as a coded form of communication primarily used by gay men in the UK when homosexuality was illegal. It draws from a mix of sources, including Italian, Romany, Yiddish, and Cockney rhyming slang, and was used for secrecy, social bonding, and as a form of humor) Favourite song: Lazarus ☁️🗽🐦⚰️ (also one of the greatest, and eeriest, videos of all time) Honourable mention: Dollar Days 💲🗓 Blackstar ☆ Girl Loves Me 👩‍🎤❤️👨‍🎤 I Can't Give Everything Away 💀👞 4½ / 5

If there is a time that calls for self-indulgence, it's when you are one of the most famous musicians of all time and you are about to die. I thought this album was genuinely beautiful. Lazarus and I Can't Give Everything Away are just plain good songs. Maybe not the most revolutionary piece of music, but an album that did speak to me.

Album is the epitome of "too weird to live; too beautiful to die". Lazarus and Dollar Days make me want to weep and weep and weep, whereas the rest of the album is a saxophonical cacophony of echoes and warbling. ★ out of ten for the man and the legacy. (and a high 7 for this album)

Each song leaves me with a groove, a thought and an emotion.

I guess this was an unfinished album. I remember vividly when Blackstar was released and when Bowie died. That song is epic and incredible. This album is great but I'm assuming he needed more time to finish it to his liking. I like it, but it's not quite a 5.

This could be a five star album for me on further listens. Bowie’s voice is ominous and otherworldly, and the freestyle avant-garde jazz is disconcerting. And the context that Bowie started writing this when he was diagnosed with cancer, and only lived a few days past its release, adds another level to baleful atmosphere - reminding me of Mozart’s Requiem and the fact Mozart believed he was writing it for his own death. I think the AllMusic review says it best: “it is music for the dead of night but not moments of desolation; it's created for the moment when reflection can't be avoided”.

Man I miss this guy. Really good and it ended up being his swan song. There is a lot of beauty in this. He always exuded confidence. It’s hard to imagine him being frail and vulnerable.

So close to a 5. Love many of the songs but Sue

So beautiful. Don’t love every song but “I can’t give everything away” is a 5 on its own. I love you, David Bowie.

#164/1001. I've had a few familiar DB albums here before, and will probably have a few more later. I don't know why, but the classics I had to review for me sounded nowadays fake and too theatrical. And theatrical is again a key word here, but fake? No way. Fragile and weird perhaps, the songs and the blackstar video kind of convinces is that David Bowie's overtheatricality is not fake acting, that's who he is (was). The album is at times aged and uses sounds and instruments which are not in any way current - even sounding at times like they are from a wrong era - but still there is an interesting mystic atmosphere fluttering around. As a final word, a manifesto some parts of the album make sense, then again it has some out of the context diibadaaba songs, which I guess he wanted to include since this would be the last shot. I mean, (gangsta rap aside) how many living musicians would get away with a song title such as "'tis a pity she was a whore?" But yes, this album did speak to me, like a Greek drama. But would I want to watch /listen to the same drama again and again? But suddenly this was raised high in my Bowie album lists.

Blackstar

Pushing boundaries and blowing minds right to the end.

I came in thinking this album would be here because Bowie died two days later. In a sense, I was right, but what an album. Thematically it is incredible, talking about death and the place of the author in history. Musically it is Bowie meets Radiohead in a way, and it sounds tired in an interesting way. You have earned your rest Bowie, thank you.

Death is a tough subject. Shout out Frank who loves Death. Very impressed with this and as is often the case with Art Rock, will need more time to digest. Tis a Pity She Was a Whore was a highlight. Two whores in one review! Horns and drums also stood out. If it wasn’t Bowie I may go 3, but it is.

Surprisingly good and a bit „Radioheadish“. Angenehme Länge, abwechslungsreich.

This is the second David Bowie Album i got

Primera canción y ya me estoy emocionando. Si alguien tenía que hacer un testamento/carta de despedida en forma de album ese era Bowie. Las tres o cuatro que te sacuden con la instrumental constante y letras devastadoras son todo un viaje, gut-wrenching como dicen los anglos. Lo difícil que es inventar cosas nuevas en música y este señor no hizo otra cosa en toda su carrera. Ganas de que salgan otras muchas joyas suyas en la lista. Favs: Blackstar, Lazarus, Dollar Days D.E.P. </3

Pues mi primerito álbum de Bowie (no me peguéis!!) a excepción de Outside que quiero escucharlo de nuevo. Me dice AOTY que hay UNOS 25 ÁLBUMES DE ESTE HOMBRE. Y resulta que este es el último de su discografía. Eso lo sabía, y la verdad es que sin haber escuchado el resto, más allá de algunas canciones aquí y allá, es difícil juzgar este álbum dentro de un contexto autoral, así que me limito a analizarlo desde el POV de listener casual. Así a bote pronto, Lazarus es una de las mejores canciones que he escuchado en mi vida. Suena honesta y desgarradora a partes iguales, y me parece la highlight del álbum. Aún así, las otras seis canciones no están exentas de genialidad, y aunque algunas me gustan menos que otras (no soy muy fan de Girl Loves Me), hay algo en la variedad musical que lo convierte en una escucha interesante en todo momento. Creo que la creatividad conceptual de Bowie es lo que más me va a gustar de su discografía cuando me ponga a escucharla entera. Sé que es uno de esos artistas responsables de ampliar las miras de la gente en lo que a experiencias musicales respecta, así que tengo ganas de conocer a fondo su influencia a lo largo de los años. Si todo suena tan bien como Blackstar, we're in for a ride. Favs: Lazarus, Dollar Days, I Can't Give Everything Away

Understandably dark, I'm quite a fan of Bowie's work. For me this is not one of the best, but it was interesting.

Ive heard of Bowie and heard a few of his songs growing up in the late 90s early 2000's. Ive watched the labyrinth as well. I think this was my first bowie album front to back. What a trip.

Brooding, alienating, spooky, conflicted. This is record is of the outré arty Bowie and while I appreciate it as such, especially given it being part and parcel of his mortality, I'm not sure when I would choose it instead of Ziggy, Hunky Dory, or several other great Bowie records.

Poignant and moving, and wonderfully creative. Plus it’s not every day that a song is named after a seventeenth-century revenge tragedy!

gött att sitta i ett groove länge o verkligen gosa in sig i det

Fint album, mange gode spor. Treffer meg aldri helt første gang, men gjør det ved flere lytt og litt mer kontekst for plata. Laterlus har jeg hørt en del før. 3-4, tror jeg må lande på 4 ut fra hva jeg har gitt andre album

"look up here, I'm in Heaven" okay. damn.

Definitely a concept album, from the title track to Lazarus thru Gril Loves Me. Not an album a casual Bowie fan would listen to, but shows the mind of David and that he did not care about being popular, he cared about creating. Some good music, not for everyone.

me gustó bastante

> The Beatles

RIP Bowie

3.5/5

Bom!

The starman’s last album. The greatness is palpable. I really like girl loves me for some reason.

More mellow than I expected but good

muito mais inclinado prum jazzinho do que eu esperava não eh dos melhores trabalhos dele, mas eh bem marcante, né, o mano morreu dois dias depois disso aqui ter saído. uma ótima despedida, que deus o tenha

This album has slowly grown on me overtime, but I still don't love it as much as I wish I did. Even if it hasn't completely clicked with me yet I still have nothing but respect and appreciation for how triumphant this album is. Bowie really went out with a bang here and in a way that really only he could've. RIP to the goat. Favorite track: I Can't Give Everything Away ★★★½

Bowies letztes Album - zwei Tage vor seinem Tad veröffentlicht. Rock mit elektronischen & Jazz Einflüssen. Spannend zu hören. 4/5

Strong 4

4,5

Better than I remember. Finally listened to the lyrics more closely. So good. Really enjoyed this.

I decided to open my mind to this album and so here we go! From the first note I felt like I was on to something special. I believe because I had zero positive expectations of connecting with it. Oh boy this is a vibe!

Powerful last album by David Bowie — his death came as complete shock as the album was bursting with creativity and freshness.

Finally gave it a spin. This record deserves a praise for being one of a kind. Opening track is like nothing I've ever heard before, not even in David's discography, and other than that, context behind the album is great. Always crashing in the same car sample really sells it.

One of his best records but not quite perfect IMHO. Features two of his best songs I feel he's written with the opening and closing tracks and the themes and timing of the release and his passing are beyond eerie. When he left this plane so did sanity and decency in society.

Mukavan psykedeelistä meininkiä, varsinkin Girl Loves Me on loistava!

This album was a great listen. Bowie's emotions are raw, potent and present throughout this album. The production was a highlight. I just loved how diverse it felt. The structure within the songs and album as a whole strayed a little and muddied how the album came together. Barring that small complaint, this was about as a good of a final show as any generational artist could possibly give. Even if Bowie himself meant to end it off with a follow up. He is a Blackstar. Top 4: Blackstar, Lazarus, Dollar Days, and I Can't Give Everything Away 3.75-4.25

This list is a little too Bowie-heavy for my taste, but I prefer this one to most of his output from the 40-ish years prior. Does some interesting experimentation while still creating some catchy and enjoyable music.

Very interesting yet dark album

3.5 - Weniger experimentierfreudig, dafür aber gekonnt emotional und packend Highlights: Lazarus, Girl Loves Me

different, but never boring. themes of mortality and isolation. this album was bowie’s swan song, as it was released literally two days before his death. highlights: “lazarus” “girl loves me” “i can’t give everything away”

I feel like I need more listens to digest it all

This album is unique and pretty intense. It acts as David Bowie's swan song because he released it two days before he died of cancer. The songs on this album are darker and even more bizarre than his earlier music, though they still have his signature sound. I'm a fan of David Bowie so I actually really enjoyed this one! I like almost all of the songs. My favorite is probably Dollar Days because I love the saxophone. 8/10.

The best thing about Bowie is he always remained relevant. This album is no exception. A great record and a wonderful swansong capping off a brilliant career. It made me realize how much I miss Bowie already.

Electronic jazz, pop beats, sometimes like a twisted version of Sade. Interesting album. Almost mythological due to Bowie’s death and the record’s eerie sounds. Also written with humour, which helps to lighten it up a bit. Album as a whole doesn’t feel as depressing as it could have. Favourite track: Lazarus. 4/5

Jazzy and experimental with lots of dissonant and haunting sounds. None of the songs are hooky or catchy but it was interesting enough that I already want to listen to it again.

Hard to know what to do with this. This is art and Bowie was try to say... Something. It will take a few more listens until I can form an opinion.

That was surprising. David Bowie is more miss than hit with me but this was surprisingly enjoyable. It was also varied and interresting which I didn't expect. To call it his Magnum Opus seems a bit much but it is pretty good. Just misses out on 5 stars but by only by a tiny margin.

A very discordant Bowie, I think I like the second half more than the first, not without its catchy moments despite the discordance.

Au sommet du game jusqu’à la toute fin. C’est une fin très glauque et sinistre comparativement au reste de son riche catalogue, mais ça ne pouvait que finir comme ça. Je me souviens encore de la frayeur que j’ai eu la première fois que j’ai vu le vidéoclip de Lazarus, il a toujours su transposer son message à travers ses costumes autant qu’à travers sa musique, je te donne ça! Godspeed, Ziggy!

Brilliant album with such a strong lock on my memory and an incredible project. Loved having a reason to relisten today.

Nice

Not as mind-blowing as some of his career’s work, but still very good for his final album.

Probably only on here because of the connection to his death & I do think the context doubles the haunting quality of this album, but I think a lot of it stands on its own. Maybe wouldn’t have put this one on the list personally, but I’m happy I went back & listened to it.

This one is hard to rate. I don't know if it's so smart that I don't get it, or if there is not really much there to get. It's an interesting album, especially with Bowie's death surrounding its release. I've listened to it twice and have yet to form a solid opinion about it. I'm going with a 4 because it's Bowie's goodbye to the world and it's fascinating.

A unique album experience. Far from my favourite of Bowie's but it holds a special spot. I thought about this work when dad passed. The experimentalism and longevity of Bowie — who created this work while dying — this really is like a time capsule or message from beyond. 4/5

+ Lazarus, I Can't Give Everything Away

I've had Alanis Morissette and Sheryl Crow on the last two Sundays so was fully preparing myself for some Aimee, Liz, Fiona or Bjork but instead I got the final studio album by Bowie. He was of course a master of re-invention during his career, but was never to my knowledge never eligible for a Lilith Fair bill. He did die on a Sunday though so kind of apt I suppose I remember doing an early shift the next day and waking up to the news of his death, which came just a few days after the release of this album and it was a heavy mood. It's a wonderful elegiac record and the sax playing from Donny McCaslin is a standout. Was tempted to give this a 5 for Lazarus alone, yet I only gave Aladin Same a 4 so can't quite place this above his early 70s output but the fact he was still making records almost as good four decades later is remarkable really.

Ok, DB again. My favorite of his last album is the cover

Spooky. Released 2 days before his death. He knew.

Very clear that this album was made by a talented musician who spent years perfecting his craft. I believe that there is some sort of story behind the album? I should find out.

Excellent. But dark. He is clearly dying and is close to the exit. That permeates the album but in neither a maudlin or defiant way. Stoical. Appreciative, yet tinged with sadness but no regret. A challenging listen.

Egentlig et vanskelig album å vurdere fordi det er så tett knyttet til Bowies bortgang. Men uansett et sterkt album. For meg i grenselandet mellom 4 og 5. Velger sterk 4’er i dag. I morgen er det gjerne 5. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Rating: 3.9 This was exemplary. I thought people were playing up how haunting this album is, but the fact you can hear his labored breathing and shaky voice at several points throughout conveys a profound sense of finality. I guess I’ll find myself going backwards through Bowie’s long ass catalog since this is the first of his I’ve heard all the way through.

dark, jazzy, artful, angry. great final note for david bowie. crazy lore that it came out on his birthday and 2 days before he died.

Listened in the truck via YouTube music. This is the second Bowie album in a row. Blackstar was unique but so are all of his albums. Great send off for a legend.

Fantastic goodbye album by the master, that I don't play very often though. It's maybe too dark, too jazzy? Very nice lyrics though

Two days after the release of Blackstar, I was zoning out to a radio DJ set, floating somewhere between wakefulness and dreamstate, when the DJ interrupted his program to tell us that David Bowie had died. Denial spewed illogically from my brain. "No, he can't be dead, he just released an album on Friday." He had written and planned the release of this album to coincide with the end of his life. A last gift to the world from a legendary master of reinvention, a symbol of how his legacy will far outlast the limited lifespan of his mortal being. Kind of fitting and beautiful, isn't it?

RIP Bowie, you went out with a banger 4/5

Crazy to read that he died 2 days after the release of the album. It was a mix of rock and jazz that I did not hear before. I am not sure I woud listen to it again but it was a nice discovery, it felt very nostalgic!

Favorite songs: Blackstar, Lazarus, Girl Loves Me Least favorite songs: Sue (Or In a Season of Crime) 4/5

Some flashes of brilliance for sure. Heartbreaking and driving.

I own this CD. Great production. Somber. Music is moody and beautiful - Saxaphone is gorgeous. I love the jazz movements mixed with melody. Lyrics are sad and tragic. Much discussion and many questions. Favorite tracks: Lazarus, Dollar Days, and I Can't Give Everything Away

Perfect requiem. Love Bowie

Zero bad tracks and a fitting farewell

Тимати - не завидуй

Always loved Bowie but never listened to this one. Really enjoyed, very beautiful, sad and jazzy in places as well.

no estaba mal

Dark, melancholy, and downright sad. Bowie's final album may not rank with his greatest achievements, but it certainly is a worthy send-off. 4/5 #130

Amazing that Bowie made this Album while he knew he was dying. It comes through in the music, so haunting.

A beatiful way to say goodbye.. warm atmospheric art-rock RIP David Bowie

Pretty good

"Look up here, I'm in heaven I've got scars that can't be seen I've got drama, can't be stolen Everybody knows me now" Honestly, this album starts off rough. The title track is a ten-minute fever dream that meanders its way around being worth listening to, never quite getting there. "Tis' A Pity She Was A Whore" is actually awful. But then, something wonderful happens. Lazarus is wonderful. Sue is the kind of experimental that doesn't make me wish I was deaf. Girl Loves Me interrupts the good album that's hiding inside the album as a whole. It's like if someone told MGK to write a Bowie song. What the fuck is this. Dollar Days and I Can't Give Everything Away round out the four songs worth listening to. But honestly, those four songs make the whole thing worth listening to. I'll just skip the others.

8/10 Favorites: ⭐️, Sue

I don’t know what this guys talking about most of the time but this album is excellent. Takes me back! Killer last track!

This album feels massive to me. Makes the early Bowie albums all the more disappointing because of how well this holds up

One of the first proper album's of Bowie's I got into. I will never forget listening to the closing track in Europe and all the Bowie parties that were happening all around. As close to a classic farewell/posthumous album as there ever will be for an absolute legend.

This was cool, I liked what he did on this a lot more than what I've heard from Bowie in the past. There were a couple of tracks that felt a little undercooked but overall I thought it was cool

This is a wild ride, especially comparing with Bowie’s previous album the next day. Very 80s style arranging but with a modern feel and tone that shares a lot in common with a lot of current R&B and soul records. 2016 was an outstanding year for music and this album is a big contributor.

Alright

Not my favorite Bowie album, and not very familiar sounding in a lot of places. But the man still had it.

Solid late career album

найс, прикольно звучит.

Ich mochte die düstere Atmosphäre sehr und dass es etwas jazzig ist

I would never call any of these ground breaking , especially in context to the rest of his catalog. But it’s definitely a defiant album from a legendary musician. Honestly, if you told me Brand New was the band behind this I’d totally believe you. RIP to the legend himself

me gusta mucho y encima su ultimo disco q penita, lo amo

Pretty rad - might listen to again

Interesting experience.

siento que a pesar de que me gustaron algunas de sus canciones más que otras, de manera objetiva es un álbum muy consistente y su concepto es una pasada. me hace mucha gracia que bowie tomara inspiración de death grips para su ultimo proyecto.

Really good but there’s better Bowie.

Kyllä bowie osaa tehdä musiikkia

Bowie's poignant swan song. I enjoyed this, particularly the title track. Certainly not Bowie's best work but is interesting enough to keep your attention.

A strange but good album with a unique sound. Not every song is great, but it’s a strong final work.

Blackstar is a monumental album. Bowie was infinitely innovative, and this record is a great showcase of this, being a blend of experimental/jazz rock, where he mixes different styles and concepts. It's all used in the service of a very deep, moving concept: Bowie's impending death. It's a profound artistic choice, and it's even more remarkable how well Bowie manages to execute the concept. He delivers a thoughtful, innovative and often eerie album. The performances are great, the drumming and sax are standouts, and Bowie's vocals capture perfectly the concept. My favourite song was "Lazarus", but I feel that the record works much better as whole than as songs by themselves.

4/5. A haunting and yet relaxing, for the most part, album on death, stardom, and a possible fake play? Not sure I fully understand that last one. It is a weird and jazzy album, abstract yet structured here and there, as if the norm was complexity. They are not rock songs or even pop songs, they seem to be studies on sounds. I am hyping this album up but I don't think it was perfect. It is unique and important, in regards to its relationship with its creator. But I think not all of the songs are classics or interesting enough to impress me. Best Song: Tis A Pity She Was A Whore, Blackstar, Girl Loves Me

Shorter than I thought, beautiful parting gift.

This is one of those albums that instantly takes me back to the first time I heard it and how moving it was

Blackstar reminds me of Leonard Cohen's last gasp on You Want it Darker - both artists embrace their age and feebleness, and by doing so, engender something far more powerful than forced strength. 'At the centre of it all' is a Bowie still as vibrant and addicted to imaginative production as the early incarnations, but death challenges him to be upfront and intimate in ways honestly not employed by his previous personas: 'I'm so high, it makes my brain whirl / Dropped my cellphone down below.' Especially stunning are the horns, provided by Donny McCaslin, but really the whole experience is instrumentally rich. He claims to have been inspired by Kendrick Lamar and Death Grips. I can see it: particularly K.Dot, the lyricism and riskiness.

4/7

4 maybe 5

This grew on me as I went

Long live Bowie. There is some fucking awesome instrumentation in this album. Dude was pushing the boundaries up until the end

Typically I'm not really a David Bowie guy and I was very lukewarm on this album when it came out but listening to it ten years later good gravy does it hold up. Probably a 4.5/5 but the title track is as good a song as any popular musician has made the last 50 years.

What a death march. It is a somber album, but that sax keeps it Bowie-dacious. So very different from his early work, but I really like it.

I mean this is a masterpiece. Madness to compose the music to your own passing. I don’t care if it is pretentious. Genius is not too strong a word. Strong 4

When this came out I really enjoyed it. Doesn’t hit the same for me but such a distinctive mood. This is what an end of life album sounds like.

always cool

wow. can’t think of a swan song like this that both encapsulates an artists career while adding something entirely new to it. very impressed, but not surprised mister bowie

I like how jazz leaning it is. I love the saxophone. Okay there are points where it gets a bit squeaky for me, but still. I’m not a huge fan of some of the effects they’ve put over his voice, particularly on the first track and the songs occasionally get too experimental for me. But on the whole I really enjoyed it. Fav song: Lazarus Least fav: Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)

A final wonderful note before the end.

After a brilliant, and sadly underappreciated comeback album in The Next Day, David Bowie clearly felt he needed to deliver something more ambitious for what he understood would be his final album. The Next Day has a comparatively packed tracklist - 14 songs to Blackstar’s 7. What Blackstar loses in length it gains in the scope and scale of the songs themselves. This is not a straightforward pop album. The title track is a multi-layered odyssey. I remember a friend of mine describing it as “weird” and not being sure about it when it was first released. Months later after Bowie's death they hailed it as “genius” and “very clever.” Well, I agree with their revised opinion. How the hell do you have a song like Blackstar in the tank while nearing end of life care? He had more energy and creativity at 69 than nearly anyone has in their prime of life. For the bulk of this album (Lazarus, Dollar Days, I Can’t Give Anything Away), after a career of writing from the perspective of different characters and rarely autobiographically, Bowie talks from the first person, as someone who is either dead or dying. Given that no-one knew about his diagnosis for the first 2 days of this LP’s release, he essentially chose to present himself to the audience as one of his characters. It's a powerful and very considered choice. He sounds mournful, nostalgic and appreciative. More than that, each of these songs are beautifully melodic with a striking central performance. The jazz musicians working around Bowie enhance every move he makes. Girl Loves Me stands out, not just as part of Blackstar, but across Bowie’s entire discography. It has an edgy, jumpy quality to it. Flirtatious and scary. He is almost rapping nonsense rhymes, which makes for a nice antidote to a lot of the more reflective and sombre songs elsewhere. There are two tracks which, for me, pull Blackstar back from being a masterpiece. Sue and ‘Tis a Pity are a rerecorded single and b-side from two years prior, both in my mind feel like a significant step down from the album as a whole. But forget that and think about this. He lived to see rave reviews from critics. He will have predicted the compound public interest ultimately generated by his death. He knew that, unlike The Next Day, this album was one of his biggest hits.

Very cool album and one of the greatest final albums by an artist ever. I don’t love everything but it’s solid for sure and I should go back and listen to Lazarus more.

Okay so this was my fourth Bowie album, and I had been rating on a downward trend. But honestly I really liked this album pretty much just as much as the first one I listened to. From what I gathered Bowie recorded this one just before he died, and I could hear the more depth to the album. (Except for the whore song that was a curveball.)

Giving this a first proper listen to be honest....the reputation of it being a heavy listen putting me off for years. Was struck much it sparkles out of the dark backdrop. It's got Jazzy elements and reminds me of Kid A era Radiohead at times as well. Meanwhile there is the sense of echos of years gone by in the production. His voice is waning - and that gives it a weird power. All in all, a fascinating listen. I'm pleased I invested the time into it finally. It's not a heavy rotation album, but I can see me coming back to this from occasionally from now on. Hell of a full stop of a hell of a career.

oh my gosh!i cant believe that i slept on this album for this long.made my sunday!

A crazy and honest moment in a sad time

I like this a lot. It's not too Bowie a Bowie, though I do also like Bowie Bowie. Blackstar itself is incredible. Enjoyed this when it came out and still do now.

Excellent

This feels really experimental and I like it. It’s clunky and nuanced and interesting in every moment. Perhaps, however, due to its extreme foreignness in sound I’m not quite accustomed to its complexities so it isn’t exactly the most enjoyable thing to listen to. But it is a fulfilling and rewarding listen and something I’m sure I could really love with time. Bowie ended his legendary legacy well.

Lemppari: Girl Loves Me Vähiten lemppari: ’Tis A Pity She Was A Whore

I never checked this out when it came out. It got a lot of hype but I chalked that up to people wanting it to be good because it was the album Bowie released just before he died. Boy was I wrong! This album is stunning. Bowie never stopped experimenting, he made incredible music right to the end. He didn’t rest on his laurels at all. And this album is a testament to that. What an artist this man was, truly a huge loss to the world of music. And as always, plus one for horns.

Lots of hype about this one, but I’m going to tune it out. Did I enjoy listening to this album. Yea, absolutely.

This is a good album, one I don’t listen to enough

May come back and give it a 5 once I re-listen, but very enjoyable album. A lot of talent for sure.

I quite liked this album. I absolutely love Girl Loves Me, and Black Star was also really good, and so is Dollar Days. This is a dynamic and varied album that is an absolute delight to listen to and I enjoyed myself a lot with this one.

Have I yet learned my lesson that past-their-prime albums can, in fact, be great? Surely now I’ve got that through my head, what with falling deeply in love with this on first listen.

Great last album for a true star.

taitaa näkyä tähtimäärä pikku spoileri albumin alussa taitaa saman verran tähtiä tulla..paskahousulle ei paljoa anneta iloa.. mietippä vanhamies.. bowie ääh ääh en voi laulaa yritän mutta haikea ääni ääh .. leonard cohen.. hineni hineni... no ei mitään heh ei mitään 69 vuotiaana vieläkin huutelee huorista jotain siellä emt en kuunnellu.. ei varmana ole muuten tämä saatananpalvoja taivaassa!! monet ei tiedä että saatana oli semberela.. jumalan kristuksen 9 kuoron johtaja, musiikkimestari saatana ennen kun tippui menetti siipensä ja tuomittiin helvettiin.. monet ei tiedä että ei ole saatana joka näyttää punaiselta pässisarviselta heinähangolliselta pikkuvintiöltä.. näyttää laihalta kalvakalta muusikolta ... BOWIE... bOWIE.. BOWEL.. BOWELS OF HELL... ★

Love this one. A fantastic send off for Bowie. He recorded this as he was dying of cancer of the liver. The whole vibe reflects it, but he still manages to keep his sound interesting and experimental despite the pall over the whole affair. I prefer his previous album before this one, The Next Day since it has a few more radio friendly tunes, but Blackstar is still really special. Highlight for me was Lazarus.

Blackstar is wild.. It’s like watching someone paint their final self-portrait with a busted brush, radioactive paint, and zero fucks. It’s theatrical, dark, scattered, and genius - classic endgame energy. A fitting swan song? Or maybe a final middle finger. Either way, it was compelling. Spins: 3 Playlist Additions: - Blackstar - 'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore - Lazarus - I Can't Give Everything Away

Not my fav cure album, but did like The Forest.

4/7

Seems strange that the first Bowie album I get on the list is his last. I’ve always enjoyed Bowies music, he’s always been a favourite of my mums, my introduction to Bowie was actually Labyrinth which also happened to be a favourite of my mums. It wasn’t until semi recently though that I did a deep(ish) dive into his catalogue and actually listened to the big albums outside of his singles and Blackstar was fittingly the most recent one I had listened to before the list. This album is strange, atmospheric, jazzy, funky, contemplative and introspective. And most of all it’s pretty great, it’s difficult to analyse this album without considering it in the context of Bowie’s death. It ultimately feels very prescient and intentional as a swan song. Without beating you over the head with it the album is about Bowies impending demise, despite the almost morbid subject matter he still musters every ounce of his enigmatic charisma to keep the experience enjoyable. Standout tracks are ★, Lazarus, Girl Loves Me, Dollar Days and I Can’t Give Everything Away. Weakest track for me is probably ‘Tis A Pity She Was A Whore. Overall 4/5

Very very beautiful even if I didn't love every single song. The opening and closing tracks in particular are gorgeous.

One for the fans but commendable nonetheless

Didn’t expect a drum n bass, trip hop/ mo wax type sound. I would have definitely dug an instrument version of this in my DJ days. Overall quite liked this. A surprise for sure

Beautiful and tragic album released only a few days before Bowie's death, I rarely listen to this one as it takes me back to the grief I felt when I learned of his passing in 2016. So it was good this project made me listen again for the first time in years; songs are mournful but a creative and fascinating blend of jazz and industrial art rock.

'Tis a pity there wasn't more.

The greatest life swan song of all time.

i've already listened to this once or twice a few years ago, but i needed a refresher ★ - 4/5 'Tis A Pity She Was A Whore - 2/5 Lazarus - 5/5 Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime) - 4/5 Girl Loves Me - 4/5 Dollar Days - 4/5 I Can't Give Everything Away - 4/5 Total score: 3.8/5 (rounding up) i remember Lazarus the most since i last listened, it's definitely the best track on here, followed by the finishing track. only one i didn't like was 'Tis A Pity, something about the instrumentals and vocals was off-putting (maybe a little too "out there" for me) overall, while this was a hard listen in some spots, i don't think anyone could ask for a better performance given his battle with cancer while making this. i consider this a beautiful farewell album from such a legendary artist

8/10 Haunting and close to the bone. damn. 3-14-2025

Not his best album but was the best thing he’d done for a long while. Poignant because of its time of release

big bowie fan but i have to admit i haven’t *really* listened to blackstar before. good excuse to do it now! it's very nice, i'm glad bowie was able to go out on a high note. not what i personally look for in bowie but very valuable.

To this point I am only familiar with a few Bowie albums so I want to thank this album for helping continue my deep dive into his work. Favorite Songs: ★ / Lazarus

Greatest swan song of all time? Well, it's either him or Dilla. It's truly incredible that as his body was failing him, Bowie thought of music. He thought of us. Looked death in the eye and said I've still got it. Not only that he's still got it but that he was capable of reaching his upper echelon. Not threatened by new challenging artists but instead galvanized. Whatever you may think of this sound or its quality, you must admit it's a testament to what an artist should be. Openminded, unbridled, and thankful for anyone who would lend them an ear. Rating: 8 Favorite Song: Lazarus

8.5/10 Good stuff from Bowie I tend to skew not as great as people think on this one. But still a great album. Favorite song: black star

Haunting, experimental, not something that's an easy listen, definitely an album for a particular mood, but certainly shows what a master Bowie was

I listened to this when it first came out and I wasn’t ready to understand it until now, the day after my father passed away. Thank you universe for this being my album of the day in this moment.

Unique in a different sense from some of the Bowie I have come to know and love. You can hear his age here, and the sounds he's playing with are super interesting, but not necessarily something I enjoy 100 percent of the time. Context helps this albums legacy, and even without it, its still a fine piece of work. Just not my favorite Bowie album

This was good, and not just for the bittersweet reason of it's release and Bowie's death. I liked the jazzy elements.

Remember listening to this first time round and being impressed, still works. Decent but won't be back although I did say that in 2014 so never say never. Mid 4.

Great stuff

This is fine, strange, new territory. What happens when one of the all time greats knows he's dying but can't tell everyone? He gets back in the studio for a final fling as a parting gift to the world. So poignant. And really interesting music. Excellent

# Album Name: Blackstar # Artist: David Bowie # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Bowie is a funny one for me. I love his classics. It just takes a while to warm up to his albums. If i warm up to them i intend to really enjoy them. Low was like that for me. Now i love that album. My first listen to blackstar, and honestly, musically its just not bad. I The depth and meaning behind the tracks is obviously there considering where he was on his journey in life. Blackstar is very radiohead to me. Lazarus is a moving track. Give everything away is a great finale. I'll give this a low 4. # Top Tunes: BS / Laz / Give everything away # Would I listen to it again? Yes

Good, but the first song sucked hot ass cheeks

didn't really know what to expect with this one. i like david bowie but i tend not to like these sort of dour, "end of life" albums that other artists have put out. but this one didn't feel like the others. this one felt uplifting, interesting, and nice. the vibe here is pleasant and feels hopeful. it's not depressing, it just sort of is. and i appreciate that about it.

I really liked this, really wild that this was his final album. A little haunting in some sense listening to Lazarus.

This was good. I remember listening to it when it first came it. It's incredibly well produced.

Eclectic , interesting, not nostalgic.

It’s impossible to separate this album from David Bowie’s death. But if you could take it out of the equation and judge Blackstar on its own merits, how many artists make an album this good and interesting 50 years into their career?

Can really appreciate this album and love Bowie. Would I listen to this on the regular? No I wouldn't but can acknowledge the narrative and work that has gone into it as his goodbye letter to the world. What an artist!

Shades of Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, James Blake, acid jazz, hip hop beats, some overblown theatricality. Interesting experiments-definitely more avant garde than Next Day. Really liked the “Girl Loves Me.” I could see revisiting this album; kind of fun to see how Bowie pushed himself for this swan song of an album. Didn’t really care for “Tis a Pity She’s a Whore,” but found something to enjoy in the rest of this album.

Track 1: ★ (Blackstar) Good use of synth, different from other David Bowie albums and songs I’ve listened to. Good vocals, great brass and good drum loop. Long but not boring. 7.2/10 Track 2: ’Tis a Pity She Was a Whore [Blackstar Version] Strong drums off the bat. Strings are perfect. Background vocal use is good. Love the instrumental after first verse. Great instrumental that’s consistent. Good ending. 8.7/10 Track 3: Lazarus Strong guitar start. Nice brass implementation. Sound effects add to mood. Vocals are good. Good bridge after second verse. Jazzy elements sound great. Strong outro 9/10 Track 4: Sue (Or in a Season of Crime) [Blackstar Version] Strong guitar and drums right off the bat. Straight to the point. Very breathy. Instrumentation between verses is good. Good but not my favorite based on a couple other tracks. 6.7/10 Track 5: Girl Loves Me Voice distortion is a little squeaky at start, after vocals are good. Plus background vocals are in a good area. Verse 2 was good. With the small instrumental break flowed smoothly into next chorus. 6/10 Track 6: Dollar Days Very good start, piano is beautiful. Vocally good. Good guitar. Brass solo is pure perfect. Outro with the alliteration is good. 8.5/10 Track 7: I Can’t Give Everything Away Straight song, good vocals. Vocals go with instrumental well. Good brass. Overall good closing track 8.4/10 Average score per song: 7.8

So sad Rating: 4.1

It's not his best But it's still better than I could've done

4 out of 5. Knowing this was Bowie's last album I was always hesitant to listen to it but now I'm glad I finally did.

Vrhunski album, nema se šta puno o ovome. ⭐ i Girl Loves Me su mi naj. Bowie kralj ♥️

Grande Bowie

A beautiful album! It's not my favorite, but it's very good nonetheless.

Oh I remember when this dropped out of no where. Especially how it came with the news of Bowie being sick and at the end of his life (he died within days of the album's release). What a swan song.

I think the mystic of the album- dropping on Bowie‘s birthday near the end of his life- is what makes the album.

The best

Not listened to this for a while .. a great album, admittedly not Bowie’s best, but great nonetheless. Does make me sad though 😢

Just as this record was released, the news announced of Mr. Bowie's passing after prolonged confidential illness. Blackstar was a sudden secret swan song that all the David Bowie fans and I didn't know we needed or deserved. I remember on that day how I was stunned, dismayed, but intrigued with this truly characteristically progressive farewell revelation. The tone of jazzy crass slam poetry and a cool, austere atmosphere left me feeling that he had departed on his own terms with the opportunity and open channel of expression to bring closure. Instead of feeling that his artistic brilliance had been snatched from us too soon, it felt like his departure was taken perfectly on point. Don't get me wrong, I commiserate for his plight and wish we still had him with us. And this is not my favorite record of his, but it made an impression on me that makes him immortal.

What a bombshell to drop for the first album to listen to. I love it, and obviously heard it before, but man it's a sad piece to listen to. Maybe that's a good thing... It has been a while since I listened to this album, and it does give you perspective. I also realized how much I miss Bowie.

Thoughts before listening: David Bowie's surprise release right before his death. The heaviness of the release of this album scared me away from listening at the time, despite the fact that I am a Bowie fan. I believe I have heard bits and pieces in the years since, but I believe this will be my first complete listen. Review: I am not a huge fan of the sprawling title track on this album, but once that is over, the album gets very good. Nice use of saxophone throughout on some very enjoyable moody, jazz-inspired tracks. The highs on this album are very high, but this is a 4-star Bowie album.

Bowie knew this would be his last album, which definitely affects both the tone of the music and how I listened to it. Musically, loved it. Rock and roll with powerful jazz influence, at times it felt free associative. The whole album had a sad overtone to it - the focus of the album seemed to be his regrets, lost loves, scars that couldn't be seen. In a life such as Bowie's, it's hard to imagine him leaving this world in such an unfulfilled place. Maybe you'll find what you're looking for in the next life - until then, travel well, Starman.

A distinct, discordant, unsettling overtone permeates. Bowie's voice is ghostlike and haunting. I really like it.

Great star

Good enough

This album is otherworldly. Released just before Bowie died, it sounds as if he was already on the other side reaching back into our existence. The title track is brilliant and defies genre. Lazarus is devastating. What a parting gift from one of the best.

Liked the guitar in Lazarus.

Already Listened to this previously. Beautiful album with amazing instrumentation, and lyrics. Best song: I Cant Give Everything Away Runner Up: Lazarus

Very good album. Touching in that it was his last, and he knew that when he made it 4/5

Favorite track: Lazarus other picks: blackstar, a girl loves me, i can't give everything away

50 years deep into his career, it is amazing that Bowie released what I consider to possibly be one of the top 5 albums of his career. Such a creative and singular sounding album. I'm not sure whether or not in a vacuum I would judge it as an instant classic based on quality, but we don't live in a vacuum and I do consider it a late career classic and a worthy final statement before his death.

I have been holding off on this review for a few days. I love a good coincidence, and getting this album on Jan 7th, the day before the anniversary of its fateful release, led me to the decision to really take the time to dig deep into Bowie's discography for the next three days and give him a proper chance. Now, in the past I have not been a fan of Bowie at all. Something about most of his songs I inevitably came across irritated me. It's hard to pin down what exactly the issue was, but I had always been bewildered by his immense success and legacy. After listening to the Blackstar album the first time, I was tempted to leave it at a 2-star rating. Like much of his stuff it is full of dissonance and rhythmic incoherence, and frankly was a slog to get through. Clearly I am not into jazz. But I wouldn't leave it at that. I can respect a swan song, and after spending a full day familiarizing myself with Bowies progression throughout his many studio albums, while listening to the title track again, staring up into a black winter night sky, it started to click. You can't have that sort of versatility without a bit of weirdness. His music is pretty much hit or miss for me, but I've been focusing on the frustration of the misses so much that I overlooked the greatness of the hits. Now, how to rate this album in particular? I can't think of many occasions in which the title track would be enjoyable, but for what it is it is brilliant and I wouldn't want it any other way. Lazarus and Dollar Days are fantastic, as is the drumming throughout the entire album, and the closing track is pretty good albeit a bit long. The issue is that I honestly still can't stand the remaining three songs. Now, normally I'd never consider a 4-star rating for an album with 3/7 somewhat unbearable songs. But if I have been unreasonably harsh to Hunky Dory, which I learned to thoroughly appreciate over the past three days, I can be generous here. I found some fantastic music because while this album might be irritating, it is above all interesting. Maybe Bowie will be my gateway into jazz, who knows. If you read this far, thank you for your time. This turned out longer than I anticipated. I'm not sure if this text is going to be helpful for others, I mostly wrote this for myself to look back upon years later. If I had to give some advice, I guess if you're on the fence about this album, consider giving it another listen. So far I've found something new to appreciate everytime I did. Today is January 10th, and I'm excited about where my musical journey will lead me next. I'm sure there's a lot more to discover. Rest in peace, Starman.

Excellent

Not my favorite Bowie. As a long time fan I was rocked when he died which was two days after this records release. So a listen takes me back. I don't like to go back.

A great album. I really enjoyed it.

Väistämättä artistin kuolema vaikuttaa kaikkien kuuntelukokemukseen. Tää albumi on PR-voitto mutta onneksi ihan hyvä. Kätsy mitta, sama äänimaailma pysyy koko levyn mutta ei ehdi tylsistyttää. Kaipaan kuitenkin koukkuja, ekassa biisissä on mitta sitten pitää hakea enemmän. Ei tämä neroutta ole mutta jees.

Me encantó

Favourite tracks: tis a pity; black star; Lazarus

wow, this one just sailed right thru me. i know it's his last record & i rly vibed with it, i just can't forget the fact he fucked teenagers at his peak! & never will! so 4 stars is all you get, david

Complicated

If I remember correctly, I only listened to the album casually and very superficially when it first came out. It's a good thing I've listened more closely now. As is so often the case with Bowie, it wasn't the music I was expecting from him. And also as so often, I liked it a lot. A great album that I will certainly listen to again. 4/5

Some great, some good

A lot of nice songs

4/5

Found this one very enjoyable! Specifically, really liked the title track - ★

I kind of dig this? But I would never like, listen to it for fun. Is that weird?

I count myself as a mild to moderate Bowie fan, but I’d never listened to Blackstar. It’s predictably great. 4/5 Highlights: Blackstar