Young Americans

This is one of those Bowie albums that's on the outside looking in when I consider my favorites. I love the singles, Fame and Young Americans... though I prefer the single version of the album's title track. I haven't played the rest of the album very much, but there's a lot to like here. I find Win, Fascination, and Right to be the best section of the album, where Bowie's "plastic soul" is really firing on all cylinders. Somebody Up There Likes Me goes on a little too long without doing much... and the Across the Universe cover just doesn't work for me. All in all, this is still a very good record, but I still don't consider it one of Bowie's true essentials.

love me some bowie. didn't love his across the universe cover.. but this is funky, well produced and top tie bowie

RATING: 9/10 HIGHLIGHT: Win LOWLIGHT: Fame

i think this guy might like john lennon

Bowie dabbling with blue-eyed soul, or as he apparently called it, "plastic soul", is interesting. Starts pretty strong, gets a little bit repetitive. Solid overall though. The cover of "Across the Universe" is pretty solid, I like the guitar flourishes they added. Other standouts: "Young Americans", "Somebody Up There Likes Me", "Fame".

not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue

Kind of an entry level Bowie album...good, but nothing too far out. "Fame" and "Right" are probably my faves off this one.

Always think I like Bowie less than I actually do

God, I love short LPs. Both Young Americans and Fame are in this. Those two songs got this album 4/5 stars.

Obviously a classic and a well-rounded album

Te amo david bowie, espectacular como siempre

enjoyable music lyrics barely hearable but the whole product is solid id rate it a 7 out of 10 and i bet it can be heard anytime unlike trend songs

This always felt like a strange direction for him to take, considering what had come previously but he was never straightforward obviously. Although there are some classics here that join his diverse greatest hits, this isn’t one of his that I would reach for as often.

Has the classic bowie sound, a few songs are bangers, the others fine

Great album, even if it's not my favourite from Bowie. I've never been able to understand the need to cover "Across the Universe", though.

Really enjoyed this ! Need to listen to more Bowie

I'm very surprised at how much I enjoyed this album. Different then a lot of other Bowie albums. Probably because he was hanging out with John Lennon a lot during this time in his career.

Almost every song is a hit but what is this Across the Universe cover?

646/1001 2026.06.29 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

With rock I came before to this site, it came to me with soul, and now it presents in front of me with an album combining this new match made in heaven for me, all from a legendary artist I have yet not listened to the rightfully way and amount. Now I saw that this is a little more different than the other albums of his, and I can't wait to have them waiting on this list.

Bowie is a musical genius. Always happy when him albums pop up on this list. This album is a solid album, not my favorite and not his worse.

A good sample of what was to come

Young Americans was always one of my least favorite of the Bowie singles. (Fame is a favorite! Though there’s a later mix I like - Freedom 90 Gass Mix) Since I don’t like the song all that much, I assumed I wouldn’t like the album. I was wrong.

Bowie is altijd tof en afwisselend

What a killer Bowie album, a departure from the glam and into the funky rock soul and R&B. Love when an artist opens and closes an album with great tunes. Really sets the tone to start and ends leaving the listener wanting more. Love his experimentation with all the different instruments and he has a great blue eyed soul voice.

7/10

Album très court période où il en sortait un par an très cool style jazz rock Mention honorable pour l'enchainement Right / SUTLM / Across the universe / Can you hear me / Fame (pour bien finir)

Fantastic album

Yayyyy David Bowie made an album about ✨️me✨️

In the titular song I appreciate the approach to criticize the "American dream" especially from within by a citizen who was able to all the good and bad cause it's not solely pessimistic but rather it acts as a grounding force for the country at the time through the lense of David Bowie the album is clearly influenced by the soul genre very clearly and it is used tastefully but I don't fully know if it should be spread into nearly all the songs as much as it is, there is so much fun being had. 0 skips in the album, not everything is perfect but nothing is below a 6 and that is enough.

You know what, this Bowie chap is alright

Oh yeah, this is hitting today.

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21488-young-americans/

4/5

Not as good as expected

That’s a great one!

Great, great album. Still not my favourite work of his though.

groovy

Fantastic jazzy rnb from Bowie crazy how he changed styles

Album was pretty good. 80's hotel lobby vibes (in a good way), would listen to again. Leah - 6/7 Leprechauns - Favourite - Fascination Austin - 6/7 Leprechauns - Favourite - Young Americans

It's a fun Bowie album, but I think it's inaccurate to call it a "soul" album.

Not quite 5*, my favourite Bowie albums are probably the previous glam rock ones, but this is still very enjoyable and marks a turn towards more genre diversity in his music. There are some good tunes here but I thought others were a little forgettable

After the massive success of Hunky, Ziggy and Aladdin, Bowie had the confidence to keep trying his Chameleon act, and it always produced something on interest. Young Americans was one of the lesser reinventions - There's still good stuff, but it doesn't reach the heights of previous LPs. 3.5 stars

It’s a good album. It doesn’t really come anywhere close to some of the other albums Bowie was dishing out during this decade, like the Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Station to Station and Low, though. I can see why they would put this album on the list but at the same time I feel like there could have been more exclusivity to Bowie’s absolute, irrefutable best albums. Bowie is a great artist but I can’t really say there’d be much of a loss of leaving out this Bowie album to free up space for other artists (who might not even have a singular album on the list). Also, some tracks were pretty filler (namely ‘Right’ and Somebody Up There Likes Me’) in comparison to other Bowie albums where the tracklists are solid throughout (especially the Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars). However, with all the bad stuff out of the way, this is still a great album. ‘Young Americans’ is one of Bowie’s most lighthearted, fun songs; I absolutely love it. Bowie’s cover of ‘Across the Universe,’ whilst not being better than the original in my opinion, was very charming and unique and did justice to the original. ‘Fame’ is also just an amazing song, definitely amongst Bowie’s most underrated songs and the history of that song originating from a jam with John Lennon simply makes it even cooler. Also, Bowie being the first white artist on the show ‘Soul Train’ in which he performed ‘Fame’ one of the countless examples of Bowie being a pioneer, and ahead of his time, and simply iconic. Great album.

There's been a lot written about David Bowie - and justifiably so - but I feel like some people don't realize that for a white British bisexual, the man could get FUNKY. This album is a prime example of that. "Fame" is the most obvious example, but there are others scattered across the album. This is the first appearance of what would become his "DAM trio" rhythm section, consisting of drummer Dennis Davis, guitarist Carlos Alomar, and bassist George Murray, who recorded together on seven of Bowie's classic albums in the '70s. "Can You Hear Me" feels almost shockingly modern, like a contemporary gospel track. All in all, this is a great album by a master musician in his prime.

After so many glam rock Bowie albums, this was a refreshing change of pace. I really enjoy the funk influences throughout the album, and honestly, this style suits him better than a lot of his earlier work. The songs feel looser, warmer, and more natural than some of the characters and concepts he was leaning on during the glam years. That said, his cover of “Across the Universe” is absolute garbage. I have no idea why it made the album other than the fact that John Lennon was around the studio at the time. It sticks out for all the wrong reasons and feels completely unnecessary on an otherwise enjoyable record. Thankfully, the rest of the album is strong enough that one bad decision doesn’t sink it.

It's great because it's Bowie. Less of the groundbreaking energy that his glam stuff had, but his range and enthusiasm for new approaches was amazing.

Nice groove

Mostly great, opener track is a little tacky. But there’s some damn jams in this album and the band can play. Who’s on the rhythm section? There great. I do love how Bowie went with a soul-influenced theme, most of the sax could go though…

David Arquilo lo hace nuevamente. Groovy, sabroso. Por momentos me pierde

Great album. Sounds like the precursor to New Wave.

I enjoyed this

This is a really nicely executed genre-album. Two of the hit songs, Young Americans and Fame, are five-star songs.

Really outstanding from beginning to end. Each song is a journey. The attention to detail and amount of layering is phenomenal. Bowie was in a league of his own.

Great record. Not my favorite Bowie record, but the hits absolute rip on this record.

another first timer for me. this album is like one long comedown. on other Bowie records I've listened to, you get at least a track or two that's fiery and maybe uplifting. Young Americans gives me the feeling of that emotional drain after the fun has worn off. lots of soul here. lots of saxophone to push the music forward. the only part of this that I could do without is the "Across the Universe" cover, but it was fine -- just felt inessential. also, I didn't realize how Beck seemingly lifted "Win" for his song "Debra"

I love the general sound Bowie works with on this album. The title track is especially exciting. “Fame” is a song I’ve heard enough and I find kinda annoying, but in the context of the album it really works.

I felt like an American teen from the 70s. Cool.

What I like about this album has more to do with the non-Bowie contributions. I love the backup singers. I don't love Bowie's voice. Also I just generally love funk and groove. Thanks to the Black artists who made funk and groove possible!

This album has an amazing sound. The saxofone is brillant. It gets better in the second part. Some songs are monotonous but has one of the best 70s song "Somebody up Theres like me"

Funky Bowie with gospel backup singers? Yes please. Favorite track: Fame

Love it but not a Everyday listen so probably a 4 or 5

Fascination - I really like the intro groove here Somebody Up There Likes Me - Nice Sax Can you Here Me - Amazing Fame - Very Funky

Love this album, but whoever said this is blue eyed soul is the whitest person ever.

FAAAAAMEe! 7/10

Classic Bowie, great mix of songs, incredible voice, young Americans is a great way to open an album with a few lovely ballad types thrown in.

Very nice, suprised by the funk sonority.

Really solid, quite different to anything else he's done. Fame is such a good closer. The version of Across the Universe is interesting, not bad

funky!

Need to revisit this album more fully, but every song so far has been a banger

this is a relatively middling bowie album, which by basically all known standards still means it's like an 8/10. carlos alomar is on it, which, like... you know, say no more. there's a lot of fun trivia about this album that i think is more interesting than the record itself. for example: a then-unknown luther vandross is on this, and you could argue that it's the session/album that got him his big break! also: john lennon plays guitar on this record's cover of "across the universe", which unfortunately does not redeem it from being a total embarrassment, the worst song on the album, and a complete mood-killer coming off of "somebody up there likes me". the hits on this one are SERIOUS hits, though, to a degree that almost overwhelms the sense of self-consciousness in bowie's blue-eyed soul. "can you hear me", "fascination", and especially "fame", which is such a masterpiece that george clinton and james brown ripped it off basically wholesale for two of their own singles. i like to think that bowie was woke enough back then to feel kind of weird about being a white guy taking up all that airtime on soul train, but maybe i'm writing fanfiction there.

pretty good innit

Great album!

Creo la primera canción es la peor y siempre me había alejado de escucharlo por eso, solo conociendo 1 o 2, pero la mayoría del disco fue muy bueno. Sinceramente es otro mood para ponerlo, se nota la época mucho, lo cual no es malo pero si muy notorio

Сара 4 Марко 4

Pretty damn great

It seemed to me like this was easily the weakest Bowie included on the list, but it turns out... I really love this one too, even if it IS probably the weakest one on here.

Its goooddddd

Not my favorite Bowie album (Diamond Dogs): but even so, it's still a pretty great album. Of his late 70s albums, I prefer Low. 4 "disco-balled" stars.

The Beatles' cover sucks, the rest is pretty fantastic.

Not always a Bowie fan but this has a jazz meets country style that really works.

And lo, I have completed the David albums upon the Project. From the only quite highs of Heroes to the insurmountable highs of Hunky Dory, this falls...about in the middle. It's a tiny weeny bit pastiche-y, and not as powerful as his early 70s pomp, but it's still absolutely tremendous in places. Lennon's lovely little fingers are in David's pies across the board here - most notably in Fame, but also with the really glorious bit towards the end of the title track when the opening line of A Day In The Life is belted out by the backing singers.

Not bad, actually kind of fun. Pretty solid.

Good album.

Songs were mostly good, some vocal performances were stronger than others, but mostly good!

An under appreciated album in his discography, I only knew Young Americans and Fame (and Across the Universe via The Beatles). This is a super solid album, but at 8 songs, I would want a little more. 8/10

First very good album

muy bueno, me acompañó en mi mañana yendo a la facu, y no decepcionó. fue una linda sorpresa encontrar la inspiración de love me de the 1975 en fame (y de no ser así, es un choreo cósmico de los muchachos). tengo que escuchar más bowie.

trying a bit too hard to be wacky

Very good album, the musicality is off the charts, soulful songs and great rythm all the way through, and a Beatles cover to complete. No notes, very good.

A first listen for me and besides the opener and closer, it's all new to me. Bowie's first sojourn into soul music is a positive one. His chameleon like tendencies allow him to switch quite dramatically at times and still it sounds like a Bowie album. Not my personal fave but there's a level of quality you tend to get with Bowie and this falls well within that range.

Mitt første møte med David Bowie var "Somebody Up There Likes Me" på K-DST i GTA San Andreas. Det er nok fortsatt en av mine favoritter av Bowie. Ellers låter plata like glossy som coveret ser ut. Smooth sax og discogitar for alle penga. De låtene som er bra er veldig bra, mens feks coverversjonen av "Across the Universe" låter uinspirert. "Can You Hear Me" låter som en Marvin Gaye-pastisj, men funker særs dårlig for Bowie. Men plata starter med en sterk låt og slutter med en sterk låt. Det er kanskje derfor det etterlatte inntrykket er så bra?

J'aime bien David Bowie!

really nice

I enjoyed it it was pretty good

Nearly made it through the album without hearing a Beatles song (it was a good cover tho)

No surprise but pretty great all the way through - another one I need to listen to more.

I can see why he called it "Plastic Funk" it does feel more commercial than other funk music I've listened to. I still thought it was a lot of fun. I like the backup singers and the saxophone. Would probably listen again. Fav song: Fascination Least fav: Across the Universe

Have gone after him for some of his other albums, and I still think that 7 is too many for one person, but there are some absolute bangers on here. First and last are top tier. Didn’t rate the Beatles cover. Specific rating - 4.3 Fav song - Young Americans Least fav - across the universe

Young Americans and Fame are really great songs, but the rest of the album doesn't reach the same heights. Never knew that Lennon helped write Fame, puts the Beatles cover into context (although it's still not great). Favourite song: Young Americans Least: Across The Universe

This is a really cool album. Enjoyed it. Bowie has proved me wrong with some of his albums. He was great. Stand out songs - Young Americans and Fame. Leave out the beatles cover. Unneeded. I'll give a 4

Enjoyed this one! It was my background music for Saturday morning chores and it kept my energy up

I wuld smoke david browies sigret bro

thoroughly enjoyed, wonderful. very different from the last album i got from him, ‘heroes’. a great time

David goes soul, sometimes great, sometimes not so great.

A funky and heartfelt album from an absolute icon of music

Not my fave Bowie album, but still great. 4.2/5.

very good but the across the universe cover is criminal

Am getting slack with these notes. Too busy recently. Anyway i dont know this album well. I know a few tracks but never listened to whole album. I think i like r&b soul Bowie more than regular Bowie and i like regular Bowie a lot. This album hangs together really well. Some great backing support to his non-r&b type vocals which are remarkably suited to r&b soul. Extremely well rounded for a dip into the different from him.

Similarly to 'The Next Day', this is a great Bowie album but I'm not sure why it necessarily deserves a place on the list. It's a softer, more easy listening album. A really chilled listen, but there's just so many Bowie albums that are better and more interesting! Not to take away from this. Favourites: Young Americans Fascination Fame

Great album. Some absolutely ironic tracks. 3.7/5.

Beatles reference feel good amazing!!!

Loving this album

I only knew the radio songs (Young Americans and Fame) before listening. The rest was good too. There was an unexpected Beatles cover (Across the Universe), which was fun.

grande album, n ouviria normalmente mas se estivesse tocando em algum lugar eu ouviria feliz, FAAAAAAAME 💃💃

A couple big hits and a pretty good album overall. 4 stars or B+.

es que arrancaste muy bien

Deze zou ik wellicht nog een keer luisteren. Maar niet heel bijzonder.

nice jazz influences and harmonies. typical david bowie, who maybe isn't as bad as I thought.

It's David Bowie

A few really known classics here, and the others are also cool. I like Bowie a lot.

Love Bowie RIP

Good, but isn't something I would put to listen to voluntarily.

Heard a lot of Arctic Monkeys Tranquility Base source content! Very different from other Bowie stuff.

I've never listened to a Bowie album before. This was very cool.

Groovy, record full of energy that makes you want to move. For some reason though, on a close listen I noticed something that never really registered before. Bowie’s vocals hop from breathy exasperation to warbling vibrato, and it started to bug the hell out of me. “Is David Bowie a bad singer?”, I wondered. Charisma- 9.5/10 Vocals - 5.5/10 Instrumental arrangement/ production - 10/10 The man and whatever musician team and producers he worked with created an undeniably brilliant rock and roll album

True confession...I can give or take Bowie. I never really feel one way or another about his music. But I can honestly say this if the first album of his in this project that's completely listenable from front to back. Sure, his lyrics remain pretty nonsensical to me, but damn does this album jam. And Luther Vandross on backing vocals?! Who would've known?

love

Cocaine era Bowie could get pretty aimless but sometimes he hit. This is a definite hit. It's so corny, it's hard not to love

Shall we have a bash at Philly soul then? Yeah, why not, even if it’s just passing through. Handful of absolute belters here, but not a full album worth.

Great album to have just playing in the backround. Favourite song: Fascination Some great feel-good tunes in there and is a perfect example of David Bowie’s style

Si es bueno me gustó mucho, tiene un ritmo muy bueno

Really pretty record. Bowie stripped of theatrics but not losing any sense of purpose or presence.

Skvelý album. Ale mám radšej iné jeho albumy. Preto len 4.

I knew more songs on this album than I knew I would know, lol. I think my mom has this album when I was a kid. Young Americans, Fame, I think it's cool that he references other songs with some lines he has in these songs, or maybe it's the other way round, and the other songs reference this album.

I never really knew that David Bowie made more soulful funk music before listening to this album but he is a lot better at it than i thought he would be, my favorites were Young Americans, Fascination, and Somebody Up There Likes Me 88/100 1. Young Americans - 91/100 2. Win - 86/100 3. Fascination - 94/100 4. Right - 84/100 5. Somebody up There Likes Me - 90/100 6. Across the Universe - 85/100 7. Can You Hear Me - 86/100 8. Fame - 87/100

Bowie on top form

Does not hold up as well as many of Bowie’s other 70s albums (Ziggy, Low, Hunky Dory, Station to Station, Heroes etc), but there are a few great songs here, especially Fascination. It also has a pretty bad cover of Across the Universe, though, and the extremely cheesy Can You Hear Me.

Class Bowie - Fame etc. Flight of the concords would have based their parody on this Bowie.

I prefer other Bowie albums but I enjoyed this in the end. “Right” is very good and should get some more recognition radio play.

Great Album, lots of jazz influences. Very soft and easy to listen to. 8/10

You can't go wrong with Bowie 4/5.

Timeless classic, my favourite is “Fame”!

win would be so good while dissociating at the ceiling/ stars in bed

Love it

Really enjoyed listening to this. The band and singing are excellent. Saw him live years ago, surprised how much ass he kicked. Should have listened to this sooner than now.

Not my fave but there's so many hits

7/10 solid album not really a particular song that sticks but solid album

8/10

Fame made the album

Better than heroes, a bit short

nice cool 4

Ziggy Stardust and glam rock was out and 'plastic soul' was in by the time David Bowie emerged with 'Young Americans' in 1975, an album that would prove to be his first hit in the US and his second major stylistic shift. 'Young Americans' sees Bowie delve deeply into the R&B/soul sounds inspired by his ventures through Philadelphia and New York, and the result is a funky, often stylish set of material with plenty of danceable groove. The best tunes on this record are the two that bookend it: 'Young Americans' and 'Fame'. The former is a cynical dissection of the American dream, the latter expressing the isolating nature of stardom. 'Fame' ended up becoming Bowie's first number one hit in the US, and was co-written with John Lennon, who befriended Bowie around this time. The pair also collaborated on a cover of the Lennon-penned Beatles track 'Across the Universe'. What's noticeable about 'Young Americans' is the raft of talented new musicians who joined Bowie for this dramatic change in his career, including guitarists Carlos Alomar and Earl Slick (who'd continue with Bowie on and off into the 2000s), a large raft of backing vocalists led by Luther Vandross, Ava Cherry and Robin Clark, and the impressive saxophonist David Sanborn. These new musicians helped Bowie fully realise his attempt at soul music, and while there's moments where he doesn't sound entirely comfortable in the genre, he performs admirably as always. It's hard to think of 'Young Americans' as anything more than a transitional record for Bowie. He was done with glam rock and wanted to reinvent himself for different audiences. Given the success of this record in the US, the rebrand as a soul singer did work for him, but Bowie's personal struggles and growing reliance on cocaine would ensure he wouldn't get too comfortable with soul. Best songs: Young Americans, Fascination, Fame

imma be rlly honest David was a fantastic artist and a visionary but I never was a big fan of his voice. I do recognize a master at his work when I see one

Great album

Kinda forgot that Young Americans was such a good song. Not my favorite Bowie album but still really good

Solid

A completely different side of David Bowie from Ziggy Stardust. Much bigger fan of David Bowie’s weirder songs, but the ones on this album are still great.

Does 70s soul beautifully 4.3

What happens when you mix Bowie with funk, soul, and disco? You get this album. Pretty enjoyable all around. Young Americans and Fame stand out here.

The typical David bowie, exactly what you'd expect. Still solid.

Funkified Bowie slaps pretty good. The music on this album is a little all over the place and the songs are pretty diverse, but the influence of black musical styles is a unifying theme that ties it together. Special mention for the sax throughout the album.

Глянцевый постмодернизм, будто произведенный на Фабрике Энди Уорхола Кайфовый кавер на Across the Universe, прелестные кривляния, идеальная адаптация под более циничные и беспринципные времена, когда nothing’s gonna change my world начинает звучать мрачно и безвыходно

Думала, что после очередного пика снова станут персохейтером Боуи. Утомило. Но норм.

кавер на битлз немного отдавал пыткой, а так fame - одна из любимейших песен боуи, альбом по большей части приятный

За несколько месяцев челленджа я уже прослушала в разы больше треков Боуи, чем за всю остальную жизнь. Если от Hunky Dory мне было физически плохо, а Low и Station to Station показались нормиком, то этот альбом пока самый любимый. В очередной раз удивляюсь, какой большой простор для творчества был у исполнителей минувших лет, что можно было вот так запросто решить записать альбом в несвойственном стиле соула и даже не попасть в Khia Asylum после смешанных отзывов (возможно, спас прорыв на американском рынке)

Some great moments.

Young Americans is the seventh David Bowie album to pop up on this 1001 list—seven, which already feels excessive. Even more unbelievable, there are still two more waiting in the wings, bringing the total to nine. But I didn’t sit down this morning just to complain (well, not only to complain). I get it—Bowie is revered. He’s just usually not my thing. I respect what he’s done, and I like enough to own a greatest hits album, but let’s not go overboard. That said, Young Americans is probably his most accessible record for a non-devotee, which makes sense given the stylistic pivot. Instead of glam rock, Bowie leans hard into soul and R&B—an unexpected move for a very white, very odd British rock star. Interestingly, that shift is also why many Bowie diehards seem lukewarm on it. The songs are largely easy to digest, with the exception of the odd "Across the Universe" cover, which doesn’t quite land—at least for me. Still, anchored by the standout singles "Young Americans" and "Fame," the album works better than expected—and might be the first Bowie record here to earn a 3.5 from me. Whether it pushes to a 4 when I make it official tomorrow… we’ll see.

I guess I don't know David Bowie music. This was much different than I imagined.

Goofy rocky cool creative mess

Buen disco! Ideal para los usuarios de la discografía de Stevie Wonder

By the end of 1974, David Bowie had grown tired of the Ziggy Stardust image he'd created (knowing the artist's love of change, he held on for a long time), and then, during a US tour, a fortunate stop in Philadelphia, where soul music reigned supreme, came up. "This is what I'll make my next album like," the maestro decided. He did. My feelings after listening to it are mixed. I'm not really into soul music in general, and this one feels strange somehow; even Bowie himself called it "plastic." The Beatles cover here is perhaps one of the most disgusting I've heard. Half the album is practically filler (though that's often the case with Bowie). On the other hand, it's not bad as a backdrop to a party, and there are a couple of strong hits. And it turns out that a three is not enough, and a four is too much... But for the smart move to put the two best songs first and last, so that the album starts off strong and leaves a good aftertaste, I give it a higher mark!

I am a Bowie hater but I’m also a fair reviewer, and I thought this particular style was much more enjoyable than the glam stuff.

In retrospect, Young Americans was something of a way station for David Bowie between his Ziggy Stardust persona and Thin White Duke/Berlin era. So the “plastic soul” on offer here is kind of an oddity in his catalog. I don’t rank it among my favorite Bowie albums, but it certainly has its high points, including the title cut, the astral funk of “Fame” and “Fascination,” co-written by Luther Vandross. As usual, Bowie surrounds himself with incredible musical talent.

The most saxophone-forward of all the Bowie records? I feel like this is the least "Bowie persona" record, and sometimes that makes it harder to get into, but when it clicks, its pretty great.

Good but not all songs are great.

Great David Bowie album. Love his blend of funk and rock and great supporting instruments as well

Good album but I prefer other albums.

David bowie. This is actually my first time listening to a david bowie album! This album was generally very nice to listen to. As ive been listening to albums, ive discovered a greater appreciation for blues and this feels like Bowies blue hour. my only gripe is that it feels like an ode to the genre rather than trying to make a more unqiue experience, which I may be wrong about, since im . Which is overall, not bad, but make it a tad shallow at times for my taste, there are alot of moments where it feels like im listening to the intro to a 90s show. But for someone who is a fan of bowie, i can see how theyd be a big fan

Decent album bookended by a couple amazing songs. The middle songs sorta just pass me by though. I think I still like the album, but it's by no means in the running for best Bowie. 3.5/5

Dig the “Plastic Soul!” You were truly one of a kind Mr. David Robert Jones!

hat schon bangers

Do I not like Bowie’s voice? Is that it? Other than some hits, I have not dug deep into Bowie. Most of these songs started with a decent groove and some sax too…Bowie’s voice didn’t make them better. (Although Fame is an absolute banggggger). 3.6

Beatles remake and Fame - love it David Sanborn on sax

Very cool. First introduced to this album with Somebody Out There on GTA San Andreas and when I was a little bit older, I ventured to hear the rest and it's pretty strong. The saxophone feels stylish over superfluous and it has a great feel.

god

Great music, but wasn't as memorable as the first album of his I listened to.

Not my favourite Bowie album, but still great

(V) I mean, it’s Bowie. Great record

Love it

Is it a very white man singing soul? yes, but it's Bowie. Bowie wins.

I never listened to much Bowie. This is the second or third album I've listened to of his thanks to this website. I'm always so impressed and intrigued by his work. What an artist. You can see his impact on contemporary artists who are so thoughtful with each album release and how they plan the aesthetic of each project.

Great tunes and lyrics thx !

Bookends were shoe ins, I wanted to like the middle ones more- esp the someone up there likes me, but as someone down here- I didn’t like it darn

Hard to believe this was not an 80’s album.

Great gospel backing vocals

Bowie's jump towards soul is sometimes met with derision or muted disinterest, but I find it fascinating and refreshing. Maybe it's my hometown love of Philly soul, but the title track that kicks this thing off is so vibrant, smoky and smooth that I can't help but love it to death.

Love Bowie, own this album, it's not my favorite of his. Young Americans and Fame are both phenomenal. Yeah

Such a great listen beginning to end with a number of classics.

Hell yeah! Had fun with this one

el saxo me enloqueció en cada canción pero bajon las letras no me terminaron de enganchar~

muy bueno

Znowu Bowie. Z tych płyt, które już tu spotkałam ta jest gdzieś w środku. Dość zachowawcza, krótsza chyba, miejscami wręcz popowa. Nie ma specjalnego miejsca w moim sercu, nie zabrała mnie w inne stany świadomości, ale zasługuje na naciągane 7/10

Wunbdervolle Mujsik, habe nicht mal bemerkt das es BNowie ist

I like 'Right'. Never heard this album fully through - even though I've been a fan of Fame and John I'm Only Dancing. Funky Bowie!

Im a fan of all things Bowie, obviously considering this project, so this being the first album given on this project is fantastic. Never heard the album in full before, feel like I missed out

Love David as always

Creatieve genie

Solid David Bowie album. 4/5

Bowie is always a banger. This isn't my favorite album ever but it's definitely fantastic.

I LOVE DAVID BOWIE

Very enjoyable funky vibes

Probably guilty of initially overlooking this album with it not being one of his classics, but this is another side to Bowie and an enjoyable take on funky soul.

3,5

While this is not really a top tier Bowie album and not very representative of his sound, it's still a pretty great one. It predates my favorite Bowie album (Station to Station) by a year and it's in a way a prelude to that record. With it's massive soul and funk vibes it feels like a gateway to that record, not as polished and strong on the songwriting but still really good. Fascination and Fame are total bangers that are really on par with Station to Station. The opener title track is also a classic and I love the ballad Win, always been underrated to me. The album is not flawless, I think he overdoes it a bit vocally on Across the Universe and a few others are a little bland, but it remains a respectable and underrated Bowie record.

Much better album than I expected a 3 matter 4 his disco album but he carries it off.

Really good David Bowie album. My favourite song is Fame

Not his best but enjoyable, pretty good soul record

++*: Fame ++: Young Americans, Fascination, Somebody Up There Likes Me, Across the Universe +: Win, Right, Can You Hear Me? 8,2/10

A song or two I had heard parts of before but did not realize was Bowie. Liked it more than I expected to having very little knowledge of his work, much more Rock than the Pop I expected. A lot of sounds I recognize from Killers songs and I have to imagine this is an influence on them.

#2/1089 ------ Favorites: Young Americans, Fame Least favorites: Across The Universe, Right Rating (out of 10): 8/10

This is one of the few Bowie albums I’d never sat down and listened to in its entirety and I’m so glad I did. A favourite would be the cover of Across the Universe especially as it led me to discover John Lennon did the backing vocals for Fame! Definitely a fun listen.

A great album if only didn’t had the worst cover of across the universe I ever heard, like man how could yo go wrong with that song? He really try so hard to the point that sounded like the song was about to explote in a bad way, other than that I love the rest of the songs and the concept of being a plastic soul album

I don't hate it

It's whimsical and creative in every way, because David is an artist in the first place. Always love his manneurism and text delivery, he would convince me in anything if he wanted to. The gospel elements are the perfect component of the songs. Overall funky impression, especially in "Fascination". This version of "Across the Universe" has so much determination and positivity compared to the Beatles original and I think it's a very Bowie thing to do. "Fame" is a timeless hit!

Good album. Love Bowie

Fantastic album, has some great jazzy elements

Young Americans is a great combination of Soul and Rock classic David Bowie Win is much slower but still such a soulful piece the backup singers are just amazing Fascination is another great jam not as strong as the first two but it still has that groove so far so good Right is a perfect blend of the slower pace Bowie established earlier and transforming it further that saxophone is just amazing Somebody up there likes me is not as strong as the songs before it for me but it still keep the motif Bowie is going for very strongly the last 1:30 is my favorite A great cover of a already great song. If I never heard the beatles version I'd assume this was an original Bowie song just by how much he imports his own essence into it. Can you hear me is exactly why I love David Bowie he just know how every note is supposed to hit its not my favorite song but it's classic David Bowie magic Fame is the only song I've heard before listening to this album and I can say for sure I see it much more positively now as a closer to the album. Its such a good jam and I could imagine so much when listening to it. 1. Right 2. Young Americans 3. Win 4. Across the Universe 5.Fame 6. Fascination 7. Can you hear me 8. Somebody Up there likes me

The B in R&B stands for Bowie ----------------------------------------- Wasn't too sure about this one at first but it's really grown on me. I'm not too well acquainted with David Bowie's work generally, but this was shockingly unlike the music of his that I did know. The schmoozing blues-y/souls-y sound is kind of infectious. The interpolation of A Day In The Life on the title track was stuck in my head all day, and those first three tracks in general are really great Fav Track 1 - Young Americans Best Three Track Run 1, 2, 3

If this album consisted of just the title track alone repeated 8 times it would still stand as an almighty pop music masterpiece. 'Young Americans' (the song) is as close to a perfect song as I have heard, each tiny element tuned to absolute perfection, the track unfurls over 5 something minutes of scintilating, luxuriating, envigorating bliss. The rest of the album does a gallant if not entirely as captivating job of following such a peerless opening act. Rich, textural production, smooth rhythms and harmonies, ineffeble sex appeal and sophistication. A sleek, stylish and satisfying cocktail shaken and served by the master Himself.

Classic Bowie. All the sounds. One of his many great records.

More 3.5 but I actually enjoyed

Not a Bowie record I had even heard of before, but thoroughly enjoyed! A very cohesive album and sounds so sure of itself despite being a diversion from the usual Bowie sound. Good fun

Another great album from David Bowie

¡Me encantó! Es un disco buenísimo (ya tenía algunos temas conocidos) la experiencia de escucharlos todos juntos te pone en contexto de como trabajo el ritmo y te invita a bailar con casi todas las canciones. ¡Muy Bueno para subir la energía!

Not his best, but very good album. Best Song: Fame.

Álbum soul e rnb do Bowie. Não curto tanto soul mas é Bowie.

Not my fav David Bowie but a great one nonetheless. Kept listening out for Luther

Bowie goes funky soul. A couple clunkers on this one, but the good ones sound SO GOOD and more than make up for it. I was head-bobbin hard. YA and Fame are all-timers.

Not as well written as diamond dogs….not as fascist as station to station. Still pretty damn good. Fascination is a truly great track

This one was always a "lesser" Bowie album for me growing up but I appreciate it more now. Yes, he does "appropriate" the Philly soul sound ...but he does it so damn well and with the right backing singers and players. There are some great songs on here like the title track, "Fascination," "Right," and "Fame." Also like the cover of "Across the Universe." It may have been "plastic soul," as he put it, but, for a shape-shifting rocker who loved to change genres, he nailed this transition.

Was there anything this guy couldn't do? From reading a bit about it, Bowie was uncharacteristically self conscious about this one, calling it plastic soul, but at least this pasty brit went to the source. The backing band sounds terrific, and Luther Vandross and the other vocalists bolster a lot of tracks here. For me, the deeper cuts aren't as memorable as deeper cuts on his other classics, but I do love Fascination, giving it his best James Brown. And this record is bookended by two fantastic singles, especially the title track - one of my favorite Bowie songs, so much fun

I’ve never been the biggest Bowie fan and the last album which came up here left me feeling as though I didn’t know what all the fuss was. Turns out you just needed the right album. I wasn’t at all familiar with this one (aside from “Fame”), but when the title track began, and it oozed that mid-70s soul vibe, I was hooked. It only got better as the tracks continued and I’d realised I could hear the might of the fabulous Luther Vandross on backing vocals - it’s not a surprise that my favourite track, “Fascination”, also has a Vandross writing credit, I suppose. Surprisingly (or not, as I’ve come to find with my Bowie relationship), “Fame” was a bit of a let down compared to the rest of the album - and I thought that prior to learning that it was a John Lennon co-write. I wasn’t really fussed on the penultimate track either. But the first 6 tracks getting a rare repeated play from me is what earns this album its 4*. My dad always said I’d get the Bowie thing - turns out he was right.

3.5/5

pretty good his vocals are pretty good especially with the effect

I love Bowie still, wonder how many times he will pop up

Love some Bowie

Soort Funkadelic Bowie, heel nice gitaren

Hadn't ever listened to this album all the way through!! Brilliant stuff- Fascination is a new find, and the album is very aptly named, I can feel the different observations of American culture in every song

This is one of Bowie's better album. The title track is a classic and one of my favorites.

Here’s an artist with a deep discography that I’ve barely touched but I have heard this one many times and it’s a good one! Surprisingly very funky but in a psychedelic way. His vocals are sometimes a bit unhinged which gives it a sort of avant-garde edge but you can tell he’s really trying to channel some sort of soul here. There’s a lot of great moments here. It was great to listen to this again and I know that there will be some more spins in the future.

Very good, but not his best

It's really worth noting that I got an album that Bowie himself describes as "Plastic Soul" on MLK Day after getting a much more fitting for the album for the holiday literally yesterday. That being said, Bowie is surprisingly good at making Soul music, but being a sax player makes you innately soulful, so he only gets half-points. He still gets the full share of saxophone bonus points, though. I read another review on this album that brought up a good point, that this album, quote, "[shined] a light on music that hadn't reached white suburbanites before - at least not in a way that could have been considered acceptable at the time." With that kind of frame of mind, it's a pretty good album, especially for what it does, although I'm glad he moved on to the Berlin Trilogy immediately after this album. I see this as more of a love letter to Soul than something he could've made a career continuing.

Alright - listened to this for the first time. Beginning to end. First time through thought it sounded super jazzy. The second time funky. Better the second time

Legend

This album is smooth. From the guitar, vocals, and the saxophone, this album gives you a little bit of everything. I enjoyed a lot of the background vocals that brought an inviting presence to Bowie’s sharp tone. It does have a touch of a gospel in the way that it can be repetitive with the background singers and it has a big band feel. You still feel the funk of the 70’s but elevated into something bigger. The big hit songs Young Americans and Fame make this shorter album a good listen and make you want some more. Short but sweet listen.

Great album. I haven’t listened to much Bowie but I think I will be now

A very decent album with a consistent sound

something gay!! yes!! really good sounds and messaging. strong

3.8

Liked this more than i thought i would. Some good songs that i wasn't really familiar with

It's a solid, albeit it not my favorite, entry in Bowie's catalogue. I understand it's historical and contextual importance, but I think it's more interesting the way that he embraces 70s funk/R&B pastiche in a high camp way while celebrating it, similar to Todd Haynes movies.

Ei parast Mut Bowie...

8/10

David Chad

Start of soul phase. 2 huge songs, a couple weak ones. Across the Universe is a bad cover.

EXCELLENT album. Just superb. Bowie at his most-Bowie. The mix of soul and funk really set this album apart. I love his use of a gospel choir, really paying homage to African-American influence in western music. There's a great use of jazz style guitar, bass, and horns, too. Really makes for great listening. While I love the title hit "Young Americans," my favorite track by far is "Somebody up There Likes Me." Essential listening for any Bowie fan.

Good album, not too familiar with his records tbh so had to do a bit of research here. "Fame" on this album was apparently his 1st US number on, it is a great song. Rest of the album is good too, quite easy listening

Some Funky Bowie. Young Americans is great and there’s some other cool stuff in there too.

#5/1001 🇬🇧👨‍🎤 Bowie's Soul album. A re-invention coming off the back of his Glam rock phase. The beauty of this album is mostly in the band and singers assembled. I love that a young Luther Vandross is one of the backing singers. The breathless title track and Fame are brilliant. Track 2 - Win is a standout for me too, but i'm not so keen on the cover of Across the Universe. It's not my favourite Bowie album by a long stretch but there is a lot to love about it.

Very nice soundscape

I thought this album was outstanding. My first Bowie album. Bowie's vocals are very unique and my kind of campy. I enjoyed the soul/R&B vibe. I know this album is a style outlier, though I haven't heard his other works yet. I'm still trying to take it at face value. I really enjoyed the moments in this album that leaned more towards rock, and I thought his voice with the backing vocals was really brilliant and just sounded really good. The songs are long, but the album is paced very well. I think the first half is a weaker than the second half. Win, Fascination, and Right are somewhat forgettable, but still enjoyable. The final four songs are a powerful journey. There is so much love and light in these songs and they almost tell a story together. Lyricism is outstanding. As a person who has discovered joy, I always get really excited when I find someone who has also figured it out. Really, really beautiful messages throughout this album. 5+ stars for that. Overall, 4.4/5, rounded down for the first half.

3.9

Young Americans, Across the Universe and Fame. 4/5

yurp

4.5 classic with some less known gems

4.5

this is very jazzy and dare i say funky for a 70’s david bowie album.. which is why i liked it. it had almost no skips, maybe a few but the rest is immaculate. the first four songs are a blast to hear and every one of them highers the expectation for the next. peak songwriting, great flutes, great job bowie!

This was my first Bowie album. I recognized a few of the songs.

Album #20: Young Americans - David Bowie Genre (according to Wikipedia): Blue-eyed soul, R&B, funk Singles: Title track, Fame I have not listened to this album before, but I know the song “Fame”. Thoughts?: I love the fact that David Bowie was willing to be so risky with his discography. Even if it may have been hit-or-miss, his willingness should be commended. I think Young Americans is unfairly judged with other Bowie albums, because I truly love the R&B influences! Favorite songs: Side One, Somebody Up There Likes Me, Across the Universe, Fame Writer’s landscape: A groovy cityscape. Honking cars, flashing lights, and an overall cacophonous yet Vegas-like party atmosphere! File correlations: File #005: Red X

What a joyous listen! Bowie looking and sounding fit, great songwriting, a little help from Lennon, and smooth as a lake on a wind-free day.

More soul than expected! Can’t go wrong with any amount of saxophone

can clearly feel the soul and r&b influence, two genres that i love, and bowie did it so well that it's hard not to like it.. LOVE

Any album that can have hits from Young Americans and Fame sure covers lots of ground

1st time listening to this album, Fame is the only song I knew for sure going in. It’s funky, has that soul that Bowie was able to throw down. I’m not Ieducated much in his discography, it was fun but I don’t think I’d visit a whole album listen again? 3.5/5

A solid post-Ziggy Stardust record.

Enjoyable and early Bowie is always worth a listen.

Over his career Bowie created some truly amazing music, especially in the 70s. I have copies of Space Oddity, Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, Pinups, Diamond Dogs, Low & Scary Monsters, all of which I would score 5 out of 5., Young Americans though, with Bowie trying to be a soul artist, doesn't work for me. If it wasn't for Fame, I might well have gone with a 3!

My favourite Bowie album. Love the soul elements on the album. Favourite Track - Young Americans 9/10

Solid album. Really enjoyed it

Love Fame and the title track!

Obviously have heard of Bowie but haven’t listened to any albums. Young American is a classic. Not the best of all time tho. Great trumpet. Win is fine. Not my style. Fascination is pretty catchy, but definitely dated. Cool guitar for sure. Production as a whole is really good, again it’s just a little dated. Right is also a bit dated but the music is so good. I love the layers of instruments used on all of the songs so far. Somebody up there is good not great. Very well written, cool sax. This is just not the Bowie I’m used too, incredible range which hands to add points. Ending is really good. Not really a fan of across the universe, it’s fine but don’t need to hear it again. It did not ch age my world. Can you hear me is so good. Not my style at all but it just makes me feel something. Guitar and bass are so good. Ending with fame (a classic) is such a good way to close this album. I immediately want to listen again, it just kept getting better as it goes. Do yourself a favor and listen. 3.6 stars on the first listen.

Enjoyed this more than some other Bowie albums. Production is tight, songs are great and interestingly quite long. Fame is such a great song.

Even if not groundbreaking, could be most artists' best album. But as this is David Bowie, then it's four stars only.

Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Fascination, Across The Universe, Fame There are some catchy pop tunes on this album, and Across the Universe is an interesting cover. Fame in particular has a really good funky beat going on, right out of the gate.

hey, I’m one of those!!!

(78/100)

Bowie jak to Bowie. Genialny jak zawsze. Znałam wcześniej tylko jedną piosenkę ale pokochałam tytułową. Naprawdę dobry album chociaż Bowiego nie można za długo na raz słuchać

I do like it! the instrumental is interesting, should listen again

Too much sax, oh my god