Blackstar

3,5

Nice easy listening but to be honest I'm not sure I understand the hype.

He went for something different and I appreciate he tried to keep growing with his sound. Ultimately it's not my cup of tea but a single listen wasnt bad

Initially it felt weird and experimental. Thought it was just okay but on following relistens, a few songs stuck out as earworms.

So not what I expected, not sure if the experimentation sits well with me

I actually enjoyed this album more than I expected. It was weird but not too out there that it lost track of the musicality. But this is like the 4th or 5th Bowie album we've gotten on this list, and we still haven't heard Hunky Dory or Ziggy Stardust

Not the mood I was looking for, fine album

This felt kinda relentless and intense, but at the same time I don’t feel like a lot of moments jumped out at me. Lazarus and Sue (Or In A Season of Crime) were my favourites

This is a very haunting album. The first time I heard it, I was not a fan. Now a few songs really jump out. Girl Loves Me is amazing. Such a complex album that requires multiple listens. A three for now, but I bet I will like it more and more as time goes on.

David Bowie died on January 10th, two days after the release of Blackstar. And I believe the fact that it's his swan song is the only reason it's even on this list. I can just imagine the editors thinking, "We've added eight Bowie albums to the book, so how can we not include the last one?" There's nothing wrong with that, but it's important to keep this in mind — personally, I found almost nothing I liked about Bowie here. The album is too experimental, even for him; the saxophone wafts through almost every song, and if you add some distortion to some of the tracks, you'd almost sound like Lightning Bolt. But what really gets you through the album is that you can hear Bowie's weight in his vocals, how he knows he doesn't have much time left in this world. I didn't really experience anything special while listening, but I can't give it a lower rating.

no es lo mío

I tried to look past my affection and nostalgia for the artist and listen to it as if it had not been his final album. There are some really interesting and lovely moments on this album, but also a lot that is atonal. There are times when his voice came through beautifully, and other songs which were just uncomfortable to listen to. It would take a couple listens to identify 2 out of the 7 songs here that I'd want to revisit regularly.

Not the genius he once was

It's not his best but it's still bowie

Dollar days was my favourite. An interesting sound but not my favourite side of Bowie. A bit too odd for me

Bowie didn’t die, he just went home.

Bowie is always interesting.

Feeky album. Blackstar en Lazarus zijn wel super vet, maar wetende dat dit het album was voordat hij stierf maakt het wel een beetje creepy

I had only heard the first song which was pretty intense. The others are more accessible. His band are jazz guys playing rock. It probably requires more listens to appreciate.

I'd listen again. 3.5

Dark and sad, but not my jam. Bowie being Bowie is the best way for him to go out, though.

Ok, really long songs had their fair share in the 70s, but 2016? Cmon now. Its not that I am so against long songs, I just do not like it when a song is dragged out to that runtime when it doesn't have the need for that. In most cases, the song would have benefited from being shorter. I can assure you it is not my Gen Z fried attention span. If new elements are introduced throughout the song, I can get on board. But in some cases, I don't know, I just don't vibe with it. It is a nice song, but in my opinion I would have enjoyed it a lot more if it were shorter. I was never a Bowie fan. It is not that I hated him, I just grew up not listening to tons of music. That is why I want to do this challenge, to expand my musical horizons. Since I was not a fan, I cannot say I was truly affected by his death, which was unfortunate nonetheless. I am saying this because I think that may play a role in the love people have for this album, being his last and released not long before he died. So for me, the album is fine. Just that. It clearly does not sound like something from 2016. I was kind of shocked when I checked the year. This album is nice, but it is just not it for me. I did enjoy it to some extent, but the main issue, in my opinion, is that it becomes stale at times. That is just something I personally do not enjoy. Lazarus is pretty much the best song on the album. No doubt it is also the most popular. You can truly feel his emotions while he is singing it. It is honestly an incredible song. Again, it is hard to believe it came out in 2016, the same year as Love Yourself by Justin Bieber and Closer by The Chainsmokers. That comparison is just crazy to think about. The chorus of Girl Loves Me is also quite compelling, I must admit. The same goes for I Can't Give Everything. The other songs just do not hit the same. I either find the vocals slightly out of place or the instruments not that interesting. It is just small things like that which make me not enjoy the album as a whole as much. It is nice overall, but nothing special to me.

So, I liked the first song Blackstar, but the rest was kinda blah for me. This was made in 2016 and I don't know why it made the 1001 most influential albums? I feel like whoever compiled this list was a contrarian. Or maybe I've just been in my own echochamber of pop, rock, and dubstep. .... ah, I see that he died two days after the album released. Which shouldn't bump it up in the ratings right? But that's maybe what happened. 4/10

Love Bowie… but this wasn’t my favorite album of his.

I always find it really impressive when an artist as prolific as someone like Bowie can produce a record in the very late stages of their career that is both a true build upon their lengthy discography while avoiding sounding out of date or grasping for something they once had. Blackstar is absolutely an outlier in Bowie’s sound, but what makes it a true genius brainchild of his is that it also vividly holds a mirror up to the entire career he had behind him. He created this record at a time when he was keenly aware of how much time he had left to live, and you can hear it. I would call this record deeply unique and highly profound. I enjoyed it very much. -Ruby A really cool album that by all metrics (laid out by Ruby above; I’ll add the band (Donny McCaslin’s) is one of the more notable working jazz bands of the mid 2010s) I should like more than I do. Outside of his Berlin era, there is little of Bowie’s discography that really grips me. This album has an eerie and haunting sound that has always intrigued me. I like it.

Considering the circumstances I do find it amazing that he was able to get this album done. Lyrically it was usual Bowie, though I appreciate the brevity and the more jazz sound was interesting.

He’s alright

appreciated the jazz sounds. was an interesting listen-true to Bowie, he experimented with different sounds on this album. still not an artist I really like, but can appreciate him bit more. 3.5 stars

Most Millennials first exposure to David Bowie is through Jim Henson's Labyrinth as Gareth the Goblin King. I dated girl who named her son after him but spelt with a J. Growing up with 3 siblings, we didn't always get to go to the movies much but we did get the comic book adaptation of the movie. That copy got beat to hell, as my sister's & I would read through it & sometimes act it out. When we finally saw it on video, we were already in love with & the music just added to our enjoyment. This is his last album. I've had 3 other Bowie; two of them were surprise 5 star albums. Ziggy Stardust & Young Americans respectively. Heroes I was lukewarm due to the Eno tracks. Bowie is very much living up to his nickname, the Chameleon. The 4 Bowie albums I've listened to are all different. This is Jazz Rock. Blackstar is a weird song that gets good in the middle & back to weird. The album also proves Bowie can still bring it, even when his health is diminishing. I respect him for that. This album is better than Heroes but trails behind the others I've listened to. I Can't Give Everything Away, Blackstar & Girl Loves You are the highlights to me 3

I PURPOSEFULLY HAVEN'T LISTENED TO THIS BC OF HIS DEATH UGH Y'ALL T^T yeah on track one i got teary eyed. cool.

Beyond the title track at the start of the album, it doesn't do much else for me.

J'écoute enfin vraiment un album de l'ancien, j'ai bien kiffé je crois. L'intro est énorme, une atmosphère très prenante un peu hypnotique on sent que c'est son ultime album. Après, je trouve que si les deux prochains titres de l'album restent très bon, on perd un peu en qualité au fil de l'album c'est dommage, même si les paroles de I Can’t Give Everything Away sont touchantes. On passe pas loins du 4, mais c'est un peu juste, ça sera un solide 3.

3/5 As faixas iniciais são de qualidade, mas no geral é um trabalho sem o vigor dos anos iniciais de Bowie.

I liked his earlier stuff better, but there were a couple good songs.

This album was a journey. I was unsure of where I stood after the ominous ten minute opening track, but the album grew on me as it went on. To mention the context of this albums release, I do think this is a good album, and a great one to be your last. Three stars. (Favorite track: Lazarus.)

Sammála þér Stefán

Flott, en líka erfið.

Why are all the songs so long. Not quite classic Bowie for me

Reminds me of Labyrith era Bowie. Creepy sax.

Woah this deserves a 3 just for the transition between 'dollar days' and 'i can't give everything away', which are the best songs on the album anyway. Debating between 3 and 4 for this because the music is good but some of the vocals were a bit off putting.

There was a reason I hadn’t re-listened to this album and now I remember. I feel very sorry for whoever’s first impression of Bowie this is but I do love it regardless, despite i think his earlier music being better. Overall it is a great album but I’m stuck between a 3 and a 4 because I do love the vibe but don’t know if the lyrics/ vocals match the level of the actual music

I love Bowie. This album is fun but feels like another case of them wanting to include every album a prominent artist ever made.

Not his finest work imo

fascinating

There's just something about albums that provide an experimental commentary on mortality

Eh I probably wouldn't really care that much for this album if I didn't know about it's history. can appreciate the sound and vibe but it's not really fully my thing sadly

The whole album put me on edge and gave me a feeling of doom and death. I recommend it if you’re in need of a 13th reason. Good artistry though, Bowie still had it up to his deathbed

It was weird idk. Kinda liked the last 2 songs but the album was strange

This came out two days before his death so that’s iconic but also not very good… feeing torn. Also the album cover made me really excited for when they give us Big Star (pleasseeeee)

06/10 22.01.2026

Wie soll man dieses Album bewerten, wenn man die Umstände kennt, in denen es entstanden ist? Beim ersten Song war ich bei fünf Sternen, dann hat mich das Album mit jedem Song immer mehr verloren. Ich bin also bei drei bis dreianhalb gelandet, aber es fühlt sich falsch an, so wenig zu geben. Schade.

Dit album voelt duidelijk sterker en samenhangender dan Bowies vorige plaat. Ik heb het vooral als achtergrond geluisterd (onder de douche), maar het pakte me meer dan verwacht. Het openingsnummer Blackstar nam me mee op een soort reis: lang, psychedelisch en uiteindelijk logischer als geheel, zeker met het ster-symbool en de thematiek in gedachten. Dit voelt meer als de David Bowie die ik herken: experimenterend, gelaagd en bewust bezig met vorm en betekenis. Nog steeds niet helemaal mijn ding, maar absoluut noemenswaardig beter en interessanter.

Montag, 19.01.2025 ~ Nachmittags bis nachts ~ S1 Richtung Nordbahnhof, Freiraum TU - beim Aktzeichnen, Superfit Europacenter, zuhause in meinem Bett.

Dienstag, 20.01.2026 in der Küche am späten Nachmittag, während ich gegessen habe. Mittags in der U3 auf dem Weg in die Uni

There's clearly too many Bowie albums on this list (you could cut that number in half and still have a good idea of who Bowie is), but considering the context, I was curious to hear what this one sounded like. The title song "Blackstar" was amazing - a heavy, emotional piece that cut deep and left me wanting for more. Second track had a solid sax line, reminding me of Bowie's craziest instrumental works. Unfortunately, the remainder of the album was not on par with this magnificent opening. The next few songs were kind of uninspired, feeling like rehashed versions of something Bowie already did many times over during his career. Certainly not bad songs, but nothing truly memorable either. I can only respect someone who was still able to produce an entire album while so close to death ; that's true comitment to music. However, I'm really not sure this album would have gotten so much praise if Bowie didn't die soon afterwards. It's a good album, but not his best work. 6/10

I remembered this album more fondly when it first came out. Listening to it again, my reaction really depends on the track. The electro-rock / free-jazz mix doesn’t always work, but when it does, it’s genuinely powerful. It feels like the kind of record that needs time… more time than I can give it right now. The arrangements are ambitious, and whatever its flaws, there’s real experience and maturity behind it, in service of an honest creative intent. Right up to the very end, Bowie remained fascinating.

You can’t say this is bad, because it’s not. But when side by side with his other albums it simply can’t compare. It’s apples and oranges. It’s just that this is an orange, and I’m an apple kinda gal.

I literally love Bowie, and I think making one final album so close to your death is a legendary move that really showed his love and passion for music. However, I just would not be listening to this regularly...I´m going to pass.

Feels weird listening to this when I missed so much of his discography. T1 sounded like Al green join at like 5:05 T2 SHE WAS A HOOOAH 2:00 Ayo? This guy gay or something? T4 was not expecting this it’s like heavy metal but so, so gay. T6 sax is really nice, think there’s an alto sax in there aswell. I swear I’m getting Pink Floyd’s vibes but I can’t pinpoint it, it’s a bunch of small things that make me feel like there’s a resemblance. T7 2:30 in, definitely favorite instrumental section and prob fav song in album. Really making me want to listen from the beginning.

Felt very powerful and moving at the time. 10 years down the line it doesn't hit as hard. Still some amazing moments, but maybe sags here and there.

2.9 Lazarus and I cant give anything away are standouts. The rest seemed like the songs were small for how much instrumental work was going on.

I wanted to vote it higher, bowie, farewell etc, but it just doesn't speak to me.

transition between dollar days and i can't give everything away added a point all by itself

Not bad...not brilliant. He has done much better than this over the years.

Good never miss end to him bf nice beat

It's so hard to separate this one from its identity as Bowie's swan song. I liked it more this listen than any time before. The title track is a masterful haunted walk through anxiety and perhaps despair. The rest feels uneven, or at least resistant to easy parsing. It makes me think that Bowie wrote and recorded separately from the rest of the band, but reviews suggest that wasn't the case. Ultimately I'm rating it lower than the standard because I'm not sure how much it would mean to me outside of the context and time in which it was created.

Should this be assessed in its sad context or not? I've never been a huge fan but I respect Bowie's influence. As an album alone I can only give this album a mid score.

I went into this thinking I'd like it a lot more than I did, which is so sad because I usually love Bowie's conceptual albums :< Though as far as swan songs go, this was beautifully haunting Best = I can't give everything away Skip = 'Tis a pity she was a whore

3 stars just for the opening of Blackstar. I loved the jazz elements throughout the album especially in Lazarus.

vanguarda gosto dos sax me lembrou maruja

if it wasn't David Bowie, would it be so talked about?

Erster Eindruck: Stimmlage ist nicht meins Lieblingssong: „lazarus“ Overall Rating: 5/10 Andere Anmerkungen: dachte würde mir mehr gefallen

Last Bowie before death, didn't want rock Blackstar Lazurus Girl loves me

I have never listened to a David Bowie album before, so it was nice to finally be able to listen to one fully. At first, the album really drags on with the first track, but as the album goes on the tracks get stronger and stronger. The album standouts for me was I can’t give everything away, and Lazarus. I am definitely looking forward to listening to more of his albums.

My first Bowie-album on this challenge. I wish I would have started with an earlier one (I know he has 9(!) of them here), but anyways. I have never been a big fan of Bowie, and I think it’s partly his voice but also his style - it works sometimes, but it can also be too much. Blackstar can be both also; I enjoy it a lot on some parts, but it can be too much at times. It should really get more than 3 stars, but it is not a 4 star album (3,5/5). Favourite songs: Lazarus and Black Star.

Interesting concept but no one knows any of the songs on it

good album but would not listen to on a regular basis! Lazarus was amazing

Bowie truly came from outer space. he speaks intergalactic. he finally just went back up there to sing to the aliens.

I still don't love Bowie's singing, but thought Lazarus was an awesome song. Also enjoyed the closing track.

A very dark album, perhaps not surprising given that David Bowie probably knew he was dying when the album was made. A lot more experimental than some of his other albums, a bit too experimenyal and Jazzy for my liking. The opening title track echoes one of his earliest albums, The Man Who Sold the World.

This was brighter and more melodic than I was expecting. More enjoyable and easy to listen to as a result. Probably not going to become a regular listen, but glad to have experienced it.

So random. Not very fun to listen to, but Bowie still has that voice. I’m giving 3 cus I can’t really dog on it, just be mad. Waste time with another album

Why are all his albums listed? They aren’t all that good tbh

sympa sans plus

I think this was Bowie's last album and I suppose that it is testament to him as an artist that he was still exploring and trying different things and doing what he wanted to, as I think I have said before something I always admire. But, as with this album, the end result to my ears isn't anything particularly special. Interesting, yes, but just not very special. It plays around with some jazz and dancey almost trip-hop elements so it does sound pretty "modern" but I don't find it particularly exciting. Then I'm also thinking (and showing my lack of Bowie knowledge) he must have been nearly 70, so that is quite an achievement. Lazarus is probably my favourite track.

The musicianship on this album is top-notch, could listen to it all day. But for some reason Bowie's presentations over it are distracting to me. I catch myself humming the tunes but don't want to listen to the album. Cannot put my finger on why though

I love this album cover. I think this received acclaim but I'm thinking I hate Bowie's voice even more than in his previous stuff. The music itself is rich and nice at points and at others, a little scary and off-putting.

Considering it was his last album and he knew he was dying, it’s a bit dark and twisted. Taken at face value, however, it’s nowhere near the top of the list for his discography.

Not a big fan but cool that this was his last statement before he died. Released two days after death.

Bowie interesting

So vibey! I like “‘Tis a Pity She Was a Whore” despite the lyrics. Some of it felt too jazzy for my taste. Crazy he died a couple days after it was released.

I was initially put off at the idea I should listen to any artists 'late era' work... Let's face it, these albums are more about the extra paycheck and feeding ego, right? Well, maybe not. Somehow this album sounds contemporary for 2016, while also calling back Bowie's spacey Ziggy Stardust days. I like the noir jazz stuff (“Lazarus”, “Dollar Days”), more than I like the parts that attempt to be ultra modern (“Girl Loves Me”). There’s a lot about this album that I really like, but I’m sorry to say the vocal performance isn’t at the top of the list. I think my chief complaint is that it’s missing the fullness and presence of a younger singer. I appreciate Bowie’s vision here, but I wish he could’ve tackled it in an earlier era.

This album starts off really rough. The opening couple tracks are just.... Mm. Weird and almost more noise than music. However, I feel like it pulled together as it went and the last tracks are very solid. "Dollar Days" and "I Can't Give Everything Away" are haunting ends to Bowie's life and career.

Liked lots of songs on this album, but don't think I'd decide to listen to the album in full again. Enjoyed the jazzy melancholic/longing vibes the whole album gives. Saved Lazarus, Girl Loves Me, Dollar Days, and I Can't Give Everything Away - all are good listening experiences with strong lyrics. I Can't Give Everything Away is particularly powerful and my favorite from the album.

Not my cup of tea, but I must admit it was an interesting listening experience. Notable track: Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime) There was something really intriguing about this one.

A pretty decent album, with some great songs on it. I thought there was a really good mixture of sounds and styles.

Musically the songs are really nice. The weakest part is David Bowie’s singing. Deathbed or not, his choices and performance here just isn’t great. If he was still alive, people would judge this album way more harshly.

very ethereal vocals. a lot more electronic and polished than the work of his that I’m familiar with. I’m not crazy abt it. faves off the album are dollar days and I can’t give everything away. Solid 3 star. Maybe 2.5 if I’m feeling frugal

this is fun but just a bit too weird for me to enjoy

Quite enjoyed this, more poignant considering the context, especially the final song

I love Bowie, bu this was just too far out there for me.

I really like Bowie… I had “changesonebowie” a greatest hits that I played the life out of it! I also owned and loved -Ziggy Stardust, Alladain Sane, Diamon Dogs, Young Americans, even had Let’s Dance… but this album, though courageous to make, (he was dying of cancer) is not a great example of his catalog. For someone who doesn’t know Bowie this would be a bad introduction to his work. I give the album 3 STARS but he has many albums better than this that I hope are on this list

My journey through the 9 albums David Bowie has on this list begins at the very end. After 20 plus albums over his career I can respect Bowie for experimenting on this album (I'd also be shocked if after that long of a career he didnt experiment in some way). While I didn't dislike the experiments (as some other reviewers seem to) I didn't like it enough to give it anything more than a 3/5.

Full of intriguing symbolism and metaphors about Bowie's life and death, making this album an interesting listen that probably needs to be separated from its musical value to be really appreciated. That being said, I only enjoyed Dollar Days and I Can't Give Everything Away because they were more upbeat and didn't carry the same haunting, slow sounds that the rest of the tracks featured.

Somehow sounds like a Bowie album and nothing like a Bowie album at the same time

I think this probably only makes the list because it came out a couple days before Bowie died. It is an interesting fusion of jazz and drum and bass, but it's far from Bowie at his peak.

Nice! A 4? It’s growing on me. Or a 3.

It was okay. I liked the brass instruments but I don't love Bowie.

This might make me a normie but I prefer Bowie's earlier stuff to this. It was still pretty good though

OK, but not my favorite.

Not a favourite of mine

1. ★ - 4 The song is really three parts. It's very slow and melodic at the start. The beat of the drums and pace of the vocals seem completely out of sync of each other during this part before a second part that sounds a lot like a more classi David Bowie track takes over. This second part is very good and quite enjoyable before the track returns for a final part where there's a return to the slow and melodic. The slow parts are really unenjoyable. 2. 'Tis A Pity She Was A Whore - 5 Lyrically it's fine. I could do without the really breathy part at the beginning of the track. Instrumentally it's just a bit too all over the place. 3. Lazarus - 11 Art. Phenomenal track with incredible lyrics and vocals. Given this was Bowie's last ever single before he passed, this is an absolutely stunning track. Easily one of his greatest all time tracks. Instrumentally it's incredible. The sax is the star of the show but the guitar strums add so much to the mood and theme. 4. Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime) - 6 Instrumentally very very good. Lyrically it comes and goes in quality at times but is overall a decent track/ 5. Girl Loves Me - 5 The middle part of the song is very enjoyable but the intro and the beginning verse are very hard to listen to. The second verse is not much better but the rest of the track is enjoyable. Instrumentally it's very good and it paces itself very well after the second verse. 6. Dollar Days - 7 Instrumentally it's very good but vocally it's brilliant. The lyrics are superb and it's another homage from David Bowie about, at the time, his rapidly approaching passing much like that in the style of Lazarus. The sax on the track sounds excellent and it a brilliant way to bridge the two lyrical parts of the track before coming back in for the bridge and outro. 7. I Can't Give Everything Away - 8 Brilliant instrumentally. The synth, the drums, the sax, the strings all work perfectly in tandem with each other to produce an excellent track. Lyrically the verses are very good while the chorus is just one line endlessly repeated. Overall, a superb ending track. Average Rating: 6.57 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 3.29 Rounded Down: 3 Stars

Not a great album this if I’m honest. Lazarus is a decent Bowie track but the whole album is decidedly average in my opinion. Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust remain all time classics that he was never gable to replicate unfortunately

Tough call. In each of these songs, there's a lot going on - they certainly have breadth and depth (perhaps moreso than on other latter-day Bowie records like *The Next Day*). It's reminiscent of records like *Station To Station* in its mix of the experimental and the familiar, and also in that he gives the songs room to stretch out. However, there isn't anything here that really rises to the level of compelling. It's a work that's more admirable than absorbing.

Def a little crazy but a couple songs I enjoyed in there, nowhere near as good as some of his other stuff but i love the album cover

Never heard this one before since it’s a newer release. Would give it a 3.5, overall a fun ride.

I like Bowie, but this was even weird for him. Saxophone was nice. Some interesting lyrics, but like others have said probably wouldn’t have been remembered if it wasn’t the fact it was the last album before he died.

too much bowie. i respect the album for wht it is but do not particularly like it

Particularly liked "Lazarus" and "(star)." Dunno how much I'll revisit this, but I enjoyed the listen.

When it works, it's amazing, but I found many of these tracks to be too repetitive, and a few of the effects to be more grating than seems intended.

Hmm à la première écoute j'ai eu du mal à accrocher au côté assez expérimental (le délire jazzy un peu psychadélique / cacophonique avec des influences électro - rnb), mêlé à cette voix chevronnante qui signe bien cet album fin de carrière / fin de vie. Ça faisait beaucoup d'infos et quelque chose d'assez macabre et très entêtant qui m'échappait un peu ; mais à la deuxième écoute j'ai beaucoup plus apprécié la composition instrumentale et l'atmosphère. J'ai pris du plaisir avec les mélodies, les rythmiques et même le chant sur plusieurs titres. Un bon 3,5 pour saluer l'originalité et la recherche, qui donnent un résultat vraiment intéressant et étonnamment apaisant une fois qu'on rentre dedans.

Un album sur lequel je suis vraiment partagée: ça aurait été un 4,5 pour moi s’il avait été purement instrumental. La voix un peu suppliante ruine les sons (sorry not sorry), malgré de très bonnes paroles. I Can’t Give Everything Away et Dollar Days sont les deux morceaux que j’ai réécouté une bonne dizaine de fois (sans exagérer) pour essayer de passer outre le problème de timbre. La mélodie très légère vers la fin, un peu féérique limite m’a vraiment surprise—et je dois dire que je suis assez fan. Par contre le décalage entre ces deux morceaux et les autres sons est assez impressionnant (par exemple Girl Loves Me, des paroles qui pour moi ont très mal vieillies, encore une fois sans voix ça aurait été parfait parce que l’instru est assez intéressante avec des changements de tempo et un rythme haché qui laisse plus de place aux effets de structure du son). Et petite mention pour le titre du tout premier son hehe. Bref ça sera un 3,4 arrondi en-dessous pour moi.

Best Track - "Lazarus"

nice and jazzy

I was solidly whelmed by this. It just sounds like a lot of noise, and not even good noise.

Quite a hard listen. Apparently owes something to Kendrick. He sounds very strung out until the end. The last track drifts out with a sad dreamy mantra.

I know this was his final album before his death, but this album was brutal. It was cold and cryptic. It was draining to listen to.

I've really enjoyed the Bowie experience on this album journey. I don't get this one. I really don't think it would be as acclaimed if he didn't pass away two days later. The back half was much more tolerable, specifically 'Girl Loves Me'

I love Bowie. One of my favorite artists of all time. But, like Prince, I think his unique genius was spurred by wanting to fuck everybody. Once he got old and mellowed out, he became kind of pedestrian. This seems to be the case with 'genius' musicians (bob dylan, bruce springsteen, bowie, paul mccartney) more than any other type of artist. There's nothing wrong with this album, it's just not that compelling. I find that to be the case with most art where 'DEATH' broadly is the theme. Unless you've died and come back from the dead, there's just not much you can say about it that hasn't been said a billion times before, especially if the tone you're taking is one of the obvious choices (mournful, fearful, regretful, spiritual). Maybe when I'm about to die I'll feel more interested in this album. For now, life is for the living.

Liked it. Thought the history made it more interesting. Not like, a favorite, but I threw it on the list. Definitely feels like it was written by a man who knew he was dying, and that's kinda beautiful.

It was fine

Weird and crazy but I like this more than I thought. Still love classic Bowie more

Dark. Bowie has changed a lot over the years, and done other experimental albums. Guess this is on the list because this was his last and he knew this was his last. Fair play to him. Don't like the music much, but there are some poignant lyrics given the timing. Bonus points for being Bowie and the significance of the album.

4/1001 не для меня исполнитель слишком абстрактно, манера исполнения не нравится, хотя инструменталы хорошие можно подумать что слушаешь какую-то искаженную молитву примечательно: blackstar, girl loves me

It's cool but not for me. I remember reading an article about it in the NYT.

I think I don't like Bowie that much

A hell of a performance for a man that was sick and dying. I have mixed feelings about David Bowie, but I was always impressed with his ability to cross genres yet still be himself. May he RIP.

Vet at denne gjerne blir regnet som en moderne klassiker - men skjønner ikke helt hvorfor. Var helt ålreit, ikke noe jeg nødvendigvis kommer til å høre mye på i ettertid da artrock ikke er noe som har interessert meg noe særlig. Dollar Days var kanskje høydepunktet da det minnet litt om Pink Floyd til tider.

Liker det, kanskje ikke like spennende nå som da det kom ut i forbindelse med Bowies død i 2016. Men syntes flere av låtene holder seg godt. Åpningslåten liker jeg veldig godt, men jevnt over lander jeg på 3/5

Look, it's sad and deep. Very poignant. But NINE David Bowie albums on this list? Come on....

Last Bowie Album

Lazarus is one of my fav Bowie songs.

I don't hear Mos Def or Talib Kweli on this anywhere.

Funky, ciekawe teksty, wiele różnych klimatów jednym, podobał mi się, chociaż wolałam niektóre piosenki od strony intrumentalnej niż wokalnej

Half the songs I either liked or didn’t mind (Lazarus, Dollar Days, I Can’t Give Everything Away), the others I felt like I had to drag myself through listening to (Blackstar, Tis a Pity She Was a Whore, Sue, Girl Loves Me). Evens out to three stars - no one needs a 9 minute song, Bowie.

It's just too much hard work. Good musicianship but bleak.

C'est étonnant ca change des turbo tubes de Bowie. Il y a une profondeur intéressante, un truc un peu mystique. Mais ca reste peu accessible je trouve

An easier listen than I was expecting. Heavy Subject matter, but the instrumentation is so interesting, and it provides for a reflective, but not dour, listening experience. RIP Bowie

Not my favorite Bowie album, even when you consider the timing with his death.

M-7/10 S-6/10

Bowie is whiny. Music is pretty good but not great.

I'm not in the best place to be listening to the album a profound man made while he knew he was dying. This was hard to get through, I knew it would be. It's a heavy listen, you can actually feel the weight of it. Maybe I'll revisit it again years from now, when I'm ready to digest this kind of work. Or maybe I won't, and I'm glad to have listened when I did.

Kyllä tässä huokuu Bowien hautajaiset levyä kuunnellessa. Lyriikaltaan taas hienoa Davidia, mutta välillä tuntui jopa hieman tekotaiteelliselta, vai tuntuiko sittenkään, kun miettii ukon historiaa. Hienoja lyriikoita ja levyn ”intro”biisi on todella psykedeelisen melankolinen. Vaikea arvioida vertaamatta siihen millaisen jäljen Bowie on jättänyt musiikkihistoriaan. Levy jää kuitenkin hieman keskiverroksi verrattuna aiempaan tuotantoon. Jäänyt itsellä aika pienelle kuuntelulle ja voisi hyvin nousta jopa neloseen kun kaivautuu syvemmälle levyn sisimpään, mutta nyt tiputetaan 3,5 arvio kolmoseen

Albumin ensimmäistä biisiä kuuntelin kauhuissani, että onko tulossa liian taiteellinen levy itselleni kuunneltavaksi. Onneksi levy kehittyi tästä parempaan suuntaan. David Bowie on legendaarinen musiikintekijä ja tämä albumi ehdottomasti yksi musiikkihistorian karuimmista julkaisuista, kun julkaisu tapahtui käytännössä kuolinvuoteella. Levy ei ollut ihan täysin minun palani kakkua ja tähtiä 2,5, mutta albumin taustatekijöiden ja Bowien takia nostetaan kolmoseen.

Tää menee periaatteessa siihen kategoriaan, että haluaisin tykätä enemmän. Bowie on oikeastaan melkein elämää suurempi hahmo, ja kun tietää että tämän levyn painoi käytännössä kuolinvuoteellaan, niin ei voi muuta sanoo ku hattuu nostaa. Mutta totuuden nimissä Blackstaria ja Lazarusta lukuunottamatta levy ei kuitenkaan ole niin järin hyvä. Tässä kuuluu itselle jopa vähän hiphop-vaikutteita ja kyllähän Bowie (ja tuottaja) mestarillisesti yhdistelee niitä elementtejä saksofonin ja Bowien hienon laulun päälle. Mutta kun tosiaan noissa biiseissä ei kauheasti ole tarttumapintaa. Algoritmi löi tämän levyn jälkeen Spotifystä randomilla Bowien Five Yearsin tulille, ja onhan sekin nyt ihan eri luokan biisi kun yksikään tämän levyn kappale. Arvoin jopa kahta tähteä tähän lottokoneesta, mutta ei nyt sentään. Laitetaan ylimääräinen tähti vaikka sille, että tosiaan aika huuruilla sai tämän vielä julkaistua ennen siirtymistä toisille värähtelytaajuuksille.

It wasn't bad!

Like this one way more 10 years later than I remember from when it came out. It takes some getting used to, because there isn't a lot of that Bowie pop that endeared him for so long. However, the Bowie musicality is in full form here.

Surprising album and more so knowing that he was already sick and knew he was going to die soon. Sadly he died a few days after the release of this record. A bit avant guarde but still David Bowie was always ahead of the curve or trying new things. Not a regular on my rotation but a very good record indeed.

Interesting but disjointed.

ok to listen to once every few years, not amazing lyrics and nothing compared to his earlier works.

Perhaps a bit weird and self indulgent, but I wasnt ever bored listening to it

First songs feel pretty... out there, preachy almost. At time feel like Bowie is just talking and music overlayed over it. It is not bad! Just ... This isn't an album to have just on. You have to sit down and listen to it to get most out of it. It feels old than 2016, moody, but does have some more modern influences. When listening to the album, I thought.... "who is dying?". After reading the wiki, turns out it was him. Makes a lot more sense.

This was an interesting album. Lots of different sounds. It wouldn’t ever be high up on my list of favourites but I’d probably re-listen just to spend more time with the lyrics, like on Lazarus “Look up here, I’m in heaven.”

A very different feeling bowie album. Definitely not my favorite

Surprisingly the first time listening to Bowie, I don't think this was the best album to start with lol. Although I did still like the last 2 songs on the album. Gotta go with the 3 star rating on this one unfortunately. I think its another case of odd vocal patterns, and the off key sounding melodies. The last 2 songs felt a little more connected in terms of the vocals and the other instruments.

Fair play

I found it good but a bit of a difficult album to listen to. I have never been fully onboard with David Bowie. Not a bad album but just not for me.

I -admire- this record as our last official work from Bowie, but I don't particularly -like- it . The first song sounds like a cut from Scott Walker's Tilt, a record I just do not get, despite repeated listens over 3 decades.

Not his best but still interesting as last album

there are some very good moments on this album but also some forgettable ones too. and honestly, i can't stop thinking about the big brother clip.

Not a Bowie fan. I get that he's grappling with his own death, and that this album was very significant to the body of music at large, but none of it hooks me. To all the Bowie fans, I'm sorry you lost your hero and all, but I don't really like any of it. It's too avant garde and jazzy. RIP David, I'm sure you're jamming with the best. My Rating: 3/5

Argh. I'm sorry. I know the conect behind this but I don't think that gives it an auto 5 as a piece of work. It's certainly a haunting and introspective bit of art considering Bowie presumably made this knowing it would be his final work. I appreciate that and at the same time I still found the style, lyrics and listenability of the whole thing to be extremely hard work. It's a historical piece for sure and at the time it came out reviews were all impossible to extract from the context of his death only a few days later. Almost a decade in, assessing the tracks with a clearer mind, this is far from his best musically, perhaps to be expected given the circumstances.

Definitely a David Bowie album. Not his best work but I can't say I'm mad about it.

It's pretty good

This album is good but has received iconic status because of the timing of its release. It is often sloppy and overproduced but still enjoyable because even mid tier Bowie is still solid

5/10 not that great overall, but has some good songs (Lazarus!)

This is more highly thought of than it should be purely down to timing

bit weird but put me through fantastic musical journey. Music tells a story and i like it

Nunca escuché a Bowie. No sé cómo se me escapó… me sorprende no haberlo escuchado considerando lo muy metido que estuve en la música pitera original de bares locales. Es increíble la influencia que tienen todas las bandas piteras. Sin embargo, ya no soy el morrito edgy alternativo que alguna vez fui. Es buen álbum, muy a la dark side of the moon: un proyecto que te lleva caminando a donde te quiere llevar. Me faltó mariguana para escucharlo como se debe. Still: siento que no me perdí de nada al conocerlo hasta ahora. Entiendo que una riatota en su momento, pero hoy yo lo escuché como un montón de synths y guitarras con reverb en acordes disminuídos haciendo cama a un saxofonista bien periqueado. La última rola da buen giro. Still, no soy fan de su voz. Pero neta que WOW con la influencia que noto que derramó a muchísimas bandas posteriores. Aunque, es un álbum de 2016, not sure about that last part.

Weird but interesting

Pretty slow, not my personal kinda vibe

some cool songs but I didn't love it. someone compared this to a Leonhard Cohen album and I thought that was apt

This album is good and a departure from the Bowie I'm used to hearing. I liked the vibe of this album.

Ahh Bowie. So this album is good. It's better if you're into Bowie experimenting with jazz. Overall it's fun and sad at the same time. Fun because it's Bowie playing with jazz, sad because it was his last album. It gets a TON of positive reviews because of this. It's a good album but it's not a great album. I enjoyed it like a lot of his work, and like some of his work I'm going, "What are you trying to accomplish?" Then I have to read a review and listen again to try and grab it. It's good because when it clicks it hits hard, and I will always love his music because dude experiments. He tries and goes for it and I will always love an artist for moving out of their comfort zone. RIP David thanks for the music.

Me aburrio, q raro

Some good moments. Some bad. Some great. Instrumentals are impressive. Most of the singing is pretty good. But some songs have some bad moments that bring them down, and I was rarely wowed.

To be honest, what the fuck were the first two songs. I was on the verge of cutting this album short but gave it the grace of the first songs being so ass that the rest has to catch up. To my surprise Lazarus was an okay song. I could do without David in this entire discography so far because his instrumentalists are CARRYING in this (SO FAR). I can definitely be crucified for this. Sue disappointed me. Girl Loves Me once again has a NICE groove man. I do like the little whimpers he lets out LMAO. Again tho, could do without David's vocals half the time. Dollar Days started so strong, but once again David cannot hang on to a vocal that works for him to save his life. The rest are mid.

I always refused to listen to this record after Bowie's passing. Until today. It's a good record. Nothing incredible but a solid one for sure. 6/10 fav songs : ⭐️ & 'Tis a pity she was a whore.

I was a bit disappointed by this album. Just a couple of songs where I could feel Bowie...

Weird, good. Funny. “Where the fuck did Monday go?” and “I can’t give away everything!” are two good choruses

Weak

Thanks for turning me onto this album. I don't think I would have listened to this - Bowie's newer stuff - but it was good.

Nešto je ok, nešto čisti smor. Ništa nije nadprosječno. Stvarno ne kontam ovu opsesiju Bowiem i na samoj listi i od ljudi koji ocjenjuju. Naumpao mi je ovaj album kad sam se mučila s onim Cohenovim umirućim, barem je značajno bolji od toga (nije teško).

op zich niet slecht, maar ook niet het meesterwerk dat iedereen er van maakt... had hij dit halverwege zijn leven gereleased, waren de reacties minder lovend, denk ik

Wow. Very esoteric. Expected Bowie to explore the fringes and this album has that.

Hmm, it's somewhat a great album but on the other side, it's not that great tbh.

While I love Bowie's earlier works, and Heathen holds a special place in my heart, I just couldn't find the right frame of mind to truly enjoy this album, as haunting and emotional as it is.

I wasn't sure about this at the time, felt it was oversold & everyone being rather sycophantic because he died soon after it's release. However I've listened to it a few times now and it's grown on me. I still don't think it's his best, but it is an interesting listen.

Some really good songs on this made all more visceral by the events around it's release. Definitely a final album but not maudling and typical Bowie continue to progress musically. Interesting

I never liked Bowie's voice very much. Great how he reinvented himself again and again, how over the years he didn't limit himself to music, but also the story and the visual representation. But this album is not for me. Reminds me of Radiohead, but not as good.

l'album est très expérimental, peut être un peu trop à mon goût, je trouve sa voix pas trop adaptée à ce style, mais y'a deux trois chansons pas mal.

It's fine. I like early Bowie more

Not my favorite David Bowie, but I did enjoy most of it. Will revisit. Maybe it'll grow on me a little.

Listens: 4 Standout tracks: Blackstar, Lazarus I've never listened to David Bowie, at least not intentionally, and I don't think I can name any songs by him. I do recognize him by name and I am aware of some of both his tremendous musical career, and through his acting credits, mostly The Prestige, and Labyrinth (though I've never seen the latter). All of this is a long winded way of saying that I therefore think it weird for me to start listening to Bowie by listening to his 26th and final studio album he ever released while alive, rather than, for example, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust..., which I understand to be some of his most highly recognized work. As of listen one I haven't yet formed any strong opinions on the album yet besides enjoying Lazarus. The album feels musically dense, with lots of music transitions happening within songs, and I suspect I'm going to need a few listens to really soak it in. --- A few listens later, I think the album is totally fine. Nothing stands out as particularly bad or offensive, but I am not entirely blown away by any of the tracks. Lazarus and Blackstar is good tracks. I like the alternating between <Blank>-star and Black Star: porn star, gang-star ;) white star, rock star, movie star, etc. I can't help but thinking that "I Can't Give Away Everything" is directly related to the fact that he knew he was going to die soon. Annoyingly, Youtube Music does not have lyrics for this album and so I can't really easily dive into what the song is saying.

Realizing I just kinda cruised through this one without paying attention, I’m sure it was great because Bowie n such, but will need revisit to give an honest review

Overrated due to his death, but still a solid album.

Not my favorite Bowie work. But I didn’t hate it. Just not an album I’d ever put on to enjoy start to finish.

kinda low 3 for me tbh. Strong thematic messaging and music is fine, but it's a little artsy for me. Won't be revisiting much

I get why David Bowie is considered a musical genius. He reinvented himself numerous times over the course of his career, was a huge influence on the culture, and an amazing performer. And this is a good album. I just feel like it's not really my thing and is not something I'd regularly come back to for a listen.

Lazarus and I Can't Give Everything Away were great. The rest didn't do much for me. I appreciate his late life attempt to explore new musical trends, but I personally don't get the hype for this album from a purely musical perspective. Falls a bit flat. His older stuff is of much more interest; one could argue that this album should not be here.

started off weird but i actually ended up enjoying. also pretty short! nice going David Bowie (rip)

Meh. It’s Bowie

Intro recht cool ja

This is very heavy material, and listening through Blackstar does not really make me feel good. I am also fairly meh on it because I don't like jazz. That being said, there are some very interesting things happening in these songs, and it is a fitting end for an excellent career.

I liked the production and I like the album is inspired in Kendrick Lamar. It’s a fine album for me, not my type really I think

Cool bright instrumentals, and callbacks to bigger hits, with a morbid and dark undertone. I appreciated this album, not a fav, but solid send off for the big guy

A strange album, I think I liked parts of it but then others were Bowie doing too much.

I admit I have not had much exposure to Bowie so I don't know how this compares to his other stuff. I liked it though, kinda jazzy. RIP.

If the whole album were closer to it, the last couple of songs were, I would say it was an incredibly touching and emotional album with great music. But the beginning starts off with compressed high vocals that just hit my ears wrong and I couldn’t really get into the first few songs on the album. I know he’s a legend, and there are some great albums by him, but I didn’t think this was one of them.

Definite 3.5 if I could give it. Bowie is amazing. This is not his best by far, but good and interesting.

Fine, haven’t ever “gotten it” with Bowie, probably need more time with it.

what a weird and strange album with unique sound though

Weirdly my first Bowie album that I have listened to fully and enjoyed this. It had a coherent theme (his own mortality lies heavy on this) but I don’t think it was quite straying into indulgent. It’s not necessarily something I’d pick out to listen to but it was definitely engaging and leaves me interested to try more.

Late in career album and I think that steeps this offering. Has the vibe of an experiment about it. I did enjoy it but somehow some things didn't connect perfectly for me like a bad gear change. I actually thought a little nick cave at times with the vocals, style and mortality theme. Bar the odd grating of the gears I will come back to this for sure. I also like the odd jazz double dip have it some energy.

I love the concept of this album. It's so Bowie and a fitting end to his life and career. As with most Bowie, I blow hot and cold with it. Lazarus is a great track but otherwise the album doesn't really grab me. It's dark and uncomfortable (both good things) but I find a lot of it a bit derivative and sounds a bit middle of the road. The main attraction comes from its story, a swansong from an undisputable cultural icon. Worth a critical listen but not an album I'll have on repeat.

Not Bowies best work, too experimental.

7eme album de Bowie. Le morceau 'Blackstar' introduit très bien l'album, l'harmonie est vraiment très originale, et les interventions de sax bienvenues. Les autres morceaux sont assez réussis (ambiance , harmonie, chorus de sax). Par contre je n'aime pas trop sa voix sur cet album, je ne suis pas sur de l'intégrer à ma collection, mais je l'écouterais de nouveau avec plaisir. Il est bien plus intéressant que les 2 derniers proposés par le générateur ('Station To Station' et 'Young Americans'). =>3.5/5

Honestly a little disappointed

david bowie if he made a mediocre black country new road album right before he died, low 3

relaxed, artistic, little bit on the not so easy to listen side.

Not my fave Bowie but it's still Bowie so...

Did not speak to me on first listen. might revisit

I recounted my latter-day conversion to Bowie in my Ziggy Stardust review and this album was part of it. The story of this album is fascinating and the title track is really cool. I have a No Man's Sky playlist that I listen to sometimes when I play and this is on it. Fits well with drifting through space and exploring strange worlds. (P.S. - NMS has a new update today. Woo hoo!) I would give the title track 4 or 5 stars but the rest is a 3, I think.

El "canto de cisne" del faraónico Bowie, lanzado dos días después de su muerte, este es un álbum que dudo que algún crítico pueda valorar objetivamente. Aunque su contexto pueda recordar al You Want It Darker de Cohen, ambos abordan la inminencia de la muerte de formas muy distintas. Aunque emotivo, este no es un álbum especialmente sombrío, más bien lo contrario. Se trata de art rock, más experimental que rockero, bastante animado y que mezcla muchos estilos. Aunque destaca el jazz (con el saxofón como instrumento protagonista), también hay sonidos industriales, pop, rap y, ¿es cosa mía, o hasta se intuye algo de drum and bass a ratos? Un álbum muy creativo, musicalmente excelente, y gran punto y final a la carrera de Bowie. Creo que merece buena nota, aunque no sea muy de mi estilo ni, en mi opinión, de los mejores álbumes de Bowie.

Sehr experimentell, Leider nicht immer erfolgreich aber die vergisst man schnell. läuft gut runter und ist abwechslungsreich vor allem durch die instrumentals. Highlight Lazarus. 3/5

I like his older stuff better.

Totally different from his other work, it's a really interesting listen. Some good stuff and a sort of final send off from this amazing artist. I'm sure I will listen to this again.

I still remember how David Bowie released this album two days before his death. We lost him too soon :( Loved: - Black Star (an odyssey of a title track) - Lazarus (saxophone and vibey guitar!) - Dollar Days (more sax, more love) - I Can't Give Everything Away (the plaintive harmonica moved me to tears, and the lyrics felt like a swan song to us all) Felt fine about: - Sue (a fun experiment that mostly works for me) Did not love: - 'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore (terrible title, and just a little too melodically dissonant) - Girl Loves Me (she may love me, but I don't love this song) Overall I'm really impressed with how experimental Bowie still was in the twilight of his 60s / his life.

what a drag it is getting old

Never really a Bowie fan, but I liked this album overall

The album felt like a dream. A dream where things feel disjointed but also make sense. At times the energy of the instrumentation felt differently paced from the vocals, and vice versa. It was like hearing 2 different songs at the same time, but everything somehow came together. I need to give this another listen.

One of the weirdest albums that I also like! The first time I heard it, I really didn't like it. I was hanging with a friend as he got a new tattoo, but since the tat took several hours there were several cigarette breaks. So between those, being hungover, and the artist's station being in the basement bc he was newer at the shop, I think I wasn't in the right headspace when he put this on. It freaked me out, man. But now, hearing it in a way better headspace, I can appreciate how Bowie just went for it in his swan song, diving headfirst into the abyss of knowing you're going to die soon. It's pretty incredible how he kept experimenting and making interesting music right up until his death. It wouldn't be the first thing I ever put on but I can appreciate how good it is.

Lazarus is big and slow and awesome—interestingly with horns reminiscent of Untitled 4, from pre-Beirut teenaged Zach Condon.

Too much for this old chunk of coal.

The back half of the album was stronger to me. The way the final two songs blend into eachother is awesome. I can definitely hear the influence of death grips and jazz throughout.

Not really my jam, my Bowie favorites aren't on this album. Really enjoyed first and last track tough

2016. Pretty ethereal album with enjoyable mood setting. Significant for being Bowie's last.

So very experimental I liked the bottom 3 tracks more than the first ones; but really enjoyed the into track as well despite how long it is.

They moody reflective tracks are good, let down by a couple of songs. Not as constantly good as The Next Day

Meh. Idk what im missing. I cant give everything away is nice. But for the most part im uninterested. I listened to heros afterwards and liked that a lot.

Decent... but needs multiple listens to get used to the off-timed sax solos

Heard it before. Something happened on the day he died, truly 3/5

I'd say I'm a Bowie fan, he has so many great songs but with such a long career his quality varied. He may have done Space Oddity but he also did The Laughing Gnome. This album from 2 days before his death is decent but nothing amazing. Doesn't get much talk.

The album reminded me of the few songs featured on the lost highway soundtrack. None of his catchier or dancey songs, all a bit somber. I understand how people listened and were able to predict he was about to die. Alright album, but definitely requires a mood, not anything I'd put in heavy rotation

Sounds really depressing and upsetting, but it's a piece of art that got better as the album went on. Probably will rise but for now a 3.

Enjoyed it but nothing memorable. Easy listen 6/10

Put off listening to this previously because of the dour circumstances of its release, fearing that the music would be equally dour, and I was kind of right. It's fine I guess but not the revelation I've seen it described as.

Dissonant and haunting

Mint drums

Ok. Has a lot of meaning as his last album and unmistakably Bowie

It was ok.

Not my favorite Bowie

Dark and unsettling. I get the significance of this album but didn't enjoy it as much as some of Bowie's music.

When I listened to Leonard cohen’s you want it darker, everyone was comparing it to this album and many preferred this one. So to set the story straight, I think you want it darker is much much better, but it’s also one of my favorite albums ever so I listened to this way too many times because I couldn’t really get into it. But by like the fourth listen I appreciated the last three tracks I just don’t care much for the rest of the album. Big fan of the album cover tho.

En general un gran disco de despedida y Lazarus espectacular. Grande la despedida de Bowie.

Half the reviews are acting like he wrote this album from beyond the grave and it's really annoying me: I'm not denying there are references to death- he was sick and processing that- but he was being treated and by the time he finished recording the album he was in remission. He didn't know it would be his last album, he definitely didn't know that he'd die so close to it coming out: so it wasn't written as the "farewell" people are claiming. Worst was someone calling it "dying as performance art", dying wasn't some choice he made to make his music more poignant, he was a real person who was sick! Musically I found the album grew on me as it went on, with the first couple songs being a bit too odd for me. I think the level that people love it being so linked to him dying makes me feel a bit uncomfortable about the whole thing- if his cancer hadn't recurred it would just be one of many many Bowie albums and probably one fairly low down the rankings. Favourite song: Dollar Days Least: Blackstar

Another Bowie, I wonder how many more albums I must endure on this site… Exactly as expected, however Lazarus had an awesome jazz like musical solo toward the end which was special, same as I can’t give anything. These feel unconventional to Bowie and were actually refreshing, bringing the album’s score up to a 7/10.

I’ve been dreading this album a bit — when I started the project I didn’t know when albums would switch over, so there was one day layover that I chose Blackstar randomly to hold me over. This was not exactly how I remember it from back then, but it was fun to revisit. Bowie isn’t my favorite artist but decent enough, 3/5

Lazarus is the best song off the album

Really cool, psychedelic. I appreciate it and Bowie's genius, although the dissonance became a bit hard to bear at times.

Not his best

It was ok. Nothing made me want to hit repeat.

Sounds like Black Midi

Weird but interesting

Not entirely sure what he was going for but I dig it about as much as I enjoy other Bowie albums. It's strange how diverse his material can be but it all ends up at the same rating for me, which I guess is a testament to his consistency? I don't know. This comes across as a very polarising album, that's for sure, I can definitely see why some people would love it and why some would find it self indulgent.

I bought this on vinyl when it was released. And while the production does lend itself to that medium, revisiting it in full still brings in a solid ranking. It’s not his best work but it does provide a really interesting listen, with each round revealing a little more each time.

First off, the rhythm section kills it on this album. If I had to show someone learning to play the bass an example of locking in, laying back but yet keeping things interesting, this is it. Overall, I have mad respect for Bowie’s (probably) unmatched ability to be a chameleon throughout the decades and continue to fit in but also stay true to himself. I enjoyed this sonically but didn’t exactly love the songs.

This is a tough one. I appreciated this and enjoyed some parts. But overall I couldn’t really get into it. Maybe Bowie was hanging out with Thom York as this felt to have some of their vibe at parts. I also liked enjoyed listening to this in the car with my 12 year old son thinking it would be fine. Then hearing a couple choice words and seeing the title: ‘Tis a Pity She Was a Whore. Fortunately I didn’t get too many questions about that. 2.5 but I’m rounding up solely for that song title.

Love me some Bowie but I’m not on board with all the love this album got. It’s good, not great. 3.25/5

This record is strangely fascinating but I struggle to comprehend the vision and I struggle to enjoy it. It’s taxing to listen to. But I can see the musical merit and the mood you’re in when you want to listen to it.

Got some great tracks but not my cup of tea.

Helt solid, det här har inte ännu bara klickat helt. Kräver vidare lyssning

I wish this hadn’t been the first Bowie album I got as part of this project, because it was just okay. I know this album holds a lot of meaning because of Bowie’s death, but as someone not too familiar with his work, it didn’t really catch me. There were some songs I enjoyed, and some that felt long and droning with nothing of interest happening. I know there’s a lot more Bowie albums on this list, and I look forward to hearing any of them over listening to this again.

Purely rated on personal preference, it’s hard to be objective because I don’t enjoy the style of music. It’s very unique and an interesting listen.

The opening and closing tracks are phenomenon. The rest of the album is okay, nothing great, but, the premise elevates the experience. Of course the spaceman died and left us this. High 3s

it's almost emotional to learn that this is bowie's death album... though saying that it's very hit or miss, the hits SLAP but it's a rough start to get there.

Like listening to Acid Jazz while drinking a $60 martini.

The first album on this list that we get from David Bowie is also the last album he ever recorded. Weird place to start listening to him. And it's also the vibes I get: weird. It feels more like the last gasp of inspiration from an artist, which it sadly ended up being.

Listening to this was not a pleasant experience, it is eerie, haunting. Mandatory listening for the context, it is not often we hear the swan song of an artist this way. But I would not revisit this for my enjoyment.

An alright album. Didn't contain any of the Bowie songs that I recognized but maybe that's more on me.

good listen

I love DB, without reservation, and this album is his final swan song right before he died, so it'd particularly sentimental. However, it's still a departure of that which I love about David Bowie, the typical glam rock he mastered early on. Of course, he's done it enough to branch out into this genre of art rock/Alt rock. But that isn't enough for me to push it past 3 stars.

Good

Would be exponentially--near incalculably--better as an instrumental record.

David Bowie back to back. Man hör att det är en modernare DB. Det är dock inget som får mig att känna varken mer eller mindre. Det är helt ok. Puttrar på. Men blir inte sugen att lyssna mer. Det är liksom lågmält. Nästan att jag glömmer bort musiken när jag lyssnar. Det är väl inte ett gott tecken. Inte egentligen dåligt heller. Jaja.

Är fortsatt imponerad över hur otroligt varierad Bowie är som artist. Detta album känns riktat till de riktigt Bowie-konnässörerna och blir i mitt tycke lite väl experimentellt på sina håll, även om det också är mycket som är bra. Lazarus och I can’t give everything away är grymma låtar, medan t ex Sue är rätt svår att älska. Inte gett denna så många genomlyssningar som tidigare skivor av Bowie och kan inte utesluta att den skulle kunna växa mer, men just nu är den en stark trea för mig.

Für Bowies Lebenswerk volle Punktzahl, dieses Album kann ich schwer einschätzen. Hochachtung vor der Kreativität am Ende des eigenen Lebens. Hörgenuss eher weniger, ich brauche Optimismus, nicht Traurigkeit.

3 - it was ok, not great for a Bowie album. Definitely gets more praise just because he died right after release

I respect david bowie, rip, but most of his stuff is performance art but in musical form which I find is the weakest form of performance art. Ill listen to it ... sometimes...

I’m rating this as a 3 simply because I don’t know if I love it or hate it.