I don’t mean to sound disrespectful, but I’ve always felt that Bowie's mythical status overshadows his actual musical achievements. "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" is a good example of this. While the album is widely regarded as a milestone in rock music, to me it's just average glam rock, sometimes with orchestral accompaniment, featuring songs that try too hard to be edgy. The story of "Ziggy Stardust" seems more important than the music itself. Above all, Bowie’s vocals are simply too theatrical and over the top here. I realise that Ziggy Stardust's stage persona, image and provocatively presented, ambivalent sexuality were a welcome break with convention for young people of that era, offering an alternative to post-war prudery. However, when "Ziggy Stardust" was released, I was only five years old. This album has never held any significance in my personal history; other Bowie albums played a much greater role in my youth. Musically, the album simply leaves me baffled. What’s so great about it? Would it be as well known today if it had been released by other glam rockers, such as Slade or Mott the Hoople? Hardly. Once again, Bowie’s image (or more precisely, Ziggy's stage persona) outshines the music itself. Of all Bowie's overrated albums, this is perhaps the most overrated of all. Sorry folks.