Fantastic ranking here, and I love your descriptions. Really glad to see Scary Monsters at 1, and also that you ranked Outside pretty high. Always felt like Outside should one day be recognized alongside the classic run of 70's albums.
I remember crying on my way to work on the grey January morning, when news came on the radio that David Bowie had passed away. They played Space Oddity, which was the first song I had ever heard him sing live, and I was surprised by the deep sadness I felt, confronted with the reality, that from now on I would have to live in a world without David Bowie in it, and that one of the greatest, most recognizable and unique voices of all time would sing and speak no more. I heard the news today, oh boy. He is an artist whose work I returned to time and time again over the years, and whose strange metaphors and detached poetry would spur my own imaginaton in many different ways with each new listen. He has created a musical universe of his own, that somehow never became dated or irrelevant, predictable or boring, And he performed his art with an unmatched elegance. I would have hoped he would return for at least one more brilliant farewell tour after some kind of mysterious miracle cure involving alien blood transfusion or some occult ritual. To me he was one of the greatest artists, singers, and performers of all time and I miss him dearly. I very much like your descriptions, but Let's Dance and Outside above Space Oddity? Come on!
I too was surprised at the deep sorrow I felt when he went, he was the soundtrack to my life but I was never they type of person to have heroes amongst any type of artist or 'celebrity'. I realised when he died that Bowie was much, much more than that. He got me through so much of my existence and the shock was palpable. I still miss him like he was a family member, a soul brother I suppose. There is a huge hole in the universe without this humble and beautiful man.
I felt the same way over his death. It's rare for a performer to have all these decades' worth of material, so I wanted him to keep exploring because his musical adventures were so fascinating.
🥺 For years I fell into a deep dark gloom but the love people demonstrated with endless box sets and tributes has revived me. But even now I'm in tears🥺
I would say Black Star N° 5 not 16. Scary Monsters is good but does not deserve number One, not at all. Ziggy n°1, Stationtostation n°2, Low and Heroes 3 and 4. Hunky Dory 6, Young Americans 7, Lodger 8, Scary Monsters 9 (with the "Heroes" clone, "Teenage Wildlife") and Heathen 10. Following might be The Last Day and Reality (for New killer Star and its gorgeous riff). And to end up with, 1.Outside. I know it's very good but it is not sexy. I don't like deranged people. No melody on it.
@@oswing I never thought Ziggy's Bowie's best album - unless one was a teenager in 1972... (I guess). For a music lover like me who entered the Bowie later, there are many albums in his impressive catalogue that are much more accomplished, musically and artistically
For all the people who want a particular album review. Or want it structured. Here you go: 1:09 Never Let Me Down 2:00 Tonight 2:44 Pin Ups 3:35 Hours... 4:33 Reality 5:46 David Bowie 7:01 Earthling 8:01 Black Tie White Noise 10:00 Heathen 11:24 Blackstar 12:38 The Next Day 13:59 Space Oddity 15:47 Outside 17:25 Lodger 18:46 Lets Dance 22:33 The Man Who Sold The World 24:30 "Heroes" 26:32 Diamond Dogs 28:15 Aladdinsane 30:32 Station To Station 32:48 Hunky Dory 35:21 Ziggy Stardust 36:55 Low 38:37 Scary Monsters (and super creeps)
I think you may be right. It delivered the final new character that has to last us forever and I think he delivered. Everytime I listen to it I find something new.
Interesting, because my favourite is The Man Who Sold The World and when, upon Bowie's death, I obtained and played Blackstar, I was beside myself with joy that (to me) his final album seemed to mirror TMWSTW and I consider Blackstar to be my favourite "runner-up" album, as a result. I really do feel that Bowie, intentionally or otherwise, effectively ended almost where he had begun.
I wouldn’t argue with very many opinions. People have different musical triggers. Bowie hits an awful lot of them. I don’t know that I really have a favorite. I get fixated on different albums at different times.
Heathen leaves me cold....but in a good way. It's haunting. It's like a Sunday afternoon in winter, when the dark is drawing in and you get that awful feeling that you've wasted the weekend and possibly more. Sunday is of course the first song. Then the final song really brings that image home --- the rays of twilight as the sun fades, perhaps for the last time for some... "Have I stared too long??" But then, with that drum beat at the end, there's a feeling of...acceptance? Yes, I have lost the day...but there you go. Also, the bridge on I Demand A Better Future kills me every time.
Even a less than stellar Bowie album, for me, has a gem. ("Thursday's Child" hits me where I live.) He was a chameleon, and I thank him for being that. Also, 'Stay' is the jam of all jams. I still warm up on guitar to that opening riff. Come back in a year or two, and I get a feeling your list will change. He was that clever. His work will always be reconsidered. That's his genius.
This ranking is excellent. My favorite album is also Scary Monsters. This album is iconic, a masterpiece. My favorite song is "IT's no game "part 1and 2. The disharmonic scream is unbelievable and on part2 the japanese voice is great . David Jones was an awesome artist, musician and songwriter. A very long career with a lot of excellent albums. He leaves a big void. R.i.p.
Agreed! In fact I just did "It's No Game Pt 1" at a show a few weeks ago! ("Major Tom" here;) Bowie forever! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WhrWH9Zl9iE.html
I've always thought Hunky Dory was Bowie's best album and Scary Monsters was my favorite album. One thing Bowie was very shrewd about was hiring exceptional musicians. I won't list them here but often imagine how things went in the mid 70's and early 80's: Bowie records Heroes and Robert Fripp plays a huge part in its success with his unreal guitar work. Bowie hires a then little known guitar player, Adrian Belew for the tour who was tasked to replicate Fripps multi track compositions but live with only one guitar....he pulls it off. Bowie uses Belew on Lodger and gives a new meaning to avant garde guitar playing. Bowie hires Fripp for Scary monsters and Fripp says: "Here, hold my beer..."
Fair ranking, pretty close to maistream opinion. There is so much good music to listen to we don't need rankings, every album has gems. There are no bad Bowie albums and about 10 excellent ones that can all be no 1.
Okay, Pinups was an album of covers. But it was a well made album, and the energy just flew off the needle. It was also a Spiders album, more or less. And it was integral to the historic "1980 Floor Show." Probably in the top ten.
One of the best covers albums ever made. All the tracks are amazing but his slow 'I Can't Explain' still shocks me (in a very good way) with how downright filthy it is.
Pin Ups did the impossible in matching if not surpassing the originals. It's full of energy. the production is fantastic and the interpretations flawless and although true to the originals. Brought new and exciting elements to the songs. Deserves to be on the top 10.
" Ziggy " and Station to Station were clearly 2 of his best, but I eventually grew fond of " Let's Dance " mainly because of the SRV addition, a legend in the making.
My Own Personal Top Ten: 1. Station to Station 2. Ziggy Stardust 3. Hunky Dory 4. Low 5. Blackstar 6. Scary Monsters 7. Aladdin 8. Diamond Dogs 9. Heroes 10. Outside
This was an unbelievable ranking. I am so glad to see that you placed Low as high as you did (my personal favorite). I have watched a lot of Bowie ranking videos and yours was (in my opinion) high above them all. Such a wonderful outlook on his catalog. The first Bowie album I purchased was Outside when it was released. I retroactively traveled back in time to enjoy his previous work. Thank you for the stellar review. Absolutely subscribed!
Kudos for not kicking the first 1967 album. I'm sure its dodgy reputation has been down to the rock critic hatred of anything outside of rock's limited ingredients (r&b/country/folk/blues). Hopefully your insightful review will help others grapple with their by-the-book music hall horror and see it for the masterpiece it is. I think his (19 year old) genius is as potent on it as on any of his other monumentally brilliant 70s albums.
Lodger was his best, the rest of the Berlin Trilogy is awesome, Station to Station was epic, and Outside brought me back to him. Still parsing Blackstar - but it's more than intriguing.
Lodger is stunning with Belew the standout with Davis's drumming. The run of songs from Red Sails thru to Repetition is intellectual rock of the highest level. Added to that are the videos of DJ, Look Back In Anger and Boys Keep Swinging. If I Pray Ole made it on rather than just missing it would of propelled Lodger to the heights it deserves.
@@dannymiles6503 If I Pray is not a track I have heard, but I will watch out for it. Regardless, Lodger is up there with the Fripp albums. (Thanks, Adrian.)
Hunky Dory is my number one, I'm sure it was 72 also, but if you say its 71 I'll take your word for it. Not sure that low or station to station would be in my top ten, and while I loved ashes to ashes when it came out, and bought scary monsters on the back of it, it was of its time, and I'm not sure it has weathered well, whereas hunky dory has remained a classic for me. Maybe its because I never really listened to his later work (I no longer have a deck to listen to records properly) that I generally agree with your placement of those albums, I kept feeling I was missing something when listening to blackstar although I really liked it, it didn't do it for me. Perhaps I need to listen to it through the voices drifting out of the open window, whilst lying in the garden on a summer's evening trying to watch the stars as they're spinning above me, or perhaps that's why hunky dory is my number one, we attach times, places, smells and people to songs and I doubt the 70's will happen again in my lifetime.
In 1979 I was 11 years old when my 5 year older sister brought HEROES from a trip to London. This moment, first hearing heroes, changed my world. In this days I have never been to Berlin before, but I felt this is how this city sounds like. Within 2 years I discovered his whole catalogue. Now I'm a musician, actor and speaker.... It's because of him
Due to being part of my youth Ziggy Stardust, Alladin Sane, Diamond Dogs all special to me..Hunky Dory is a classic... . I am more rock rooted and never really travelled into his dance, funk years although many singles like Young Americans, Golden years etc are great....
I thought this might be miles away from my own choices, but not far off at all. I would probably have Low as number 1, Aladdin Sane and Outside a bit higher up - but we are pretty close!
Great Review; you held my attention throughout without paying a single note of music. My favourite would be Hunky Dory, we stayed with relatives in about 1974, my cousin has a collection of vinyl, Dark side of the Moon, some early Bowie, but Hunky Dory struck me as unique. She had a small stereo with tiny speakers, a 12-string acoustic, and a Beatles song book, it was so 1970s. She was hanging out the beach with Jesus freaks, she was searching for something, we all were. Evocative of the times, a Brilliant album, poetic, superlative.
Awesome ranking, Barry. Great pick for number 1. Bowie was such a wonderful artist in every way. He was a trailblazer in music with so much talent. Loved this video so much that I’ll watch it again. 1. Ziggy Stardust 2. Hunky Dory 3. Diamond Dogs 4. Scary Monsters 5. Low 6. Alladdin Sane 7. Heroes 8. Let’s Dance 9. Lodger 10. Young Americans
Interesting order, but of course Ziggy is, and always will be his no. 1 album, and quite rightly so. It's simply unbeatable, and one of the greatest rock albums ever made if not THE greatest. Rolling Stone readers survey and many other polls got it spot on. The sound, production, songman-ship, and performance are untouchable, aided with the fabulous guitar playing and arrangements from the late great Mick Ronson. Most songs achieved in 3 takes or less, it still has a largely live feel, with not a hint of overproduction and every track a winner.
Bowie is definitely an artist where every fan will have a different top 10 list. Hear me out, though. While I certainly agree that NeverLMD doesn't break any ground, and the 80s production is rough, I sometimes see it as one of his brief genre exercises, and I listen to it in the same way I do Earthling. If you strip away the studio gloss, I find the songs to be fun and melodic. Then again, I'm someone that is amused by the Mickey Rourke rap. Again, it definitely belongs on the bottom half of any list, but I think with different production, the tight, melodic songs would have ended up sounding a lot like The Next Day. I will go one step further and say that if I want something from that era, I vastly prefer it to Let's Dance. Really enjoyed your ranking and insights!
Blackstar is an album that pushes the envelope and I think many people are to conformed to see it's genius. It's like Death Grips. The music is too ahead for its time. Some people love it and most people hate it. In the future Blackstar and Death Grips will be praised and the new generations will recognize its genius.
The man who sold the world is 1970, and it's a great, totally underrated album. some apocalyptic lyrics like "saviour machine", for example, and mick ronson in mode "guitar hero" in many songs like the width of a circle, black country rock, the fantastic Running gun blues... and this "I want to ve mad" of "all the Madmen"... furthermore, I see interesting anticipations of the future alternative guitar sound of bands like Dinosaur Jr, and maybe grunge (and not for the version of nirvana) in a couple of songs. (maybe O'm the only one who think it) Fantastic album. one of my five favourites. and in my opinion, better than diamond dogs. I miss mick ronson in that LP.
"Aladdin Sane" is my all time favorite DB album. "Heathen" is very underrated in my opinion. "Let's Dance" is my emotional favorite as it was the album that I became a fan and brings me back to high school and youth. "Blackstar" is an album I've never been able to get into. Maybe one day I'll figure it out. Good job as always, Barry.
Barry , I agree with you Aladdin is my favourite too, although in the past Station to Station and Diamond Dogs were my favourites and years ago Ziggy or Hunky Dory,. The ones I hate , or I should say like less are Tonight and the Dreaded Black Tie , White Noise. Underrated are Outside and Lodger, all his albums are interesting and he’s never been boring and he has formed my early musical life and much of it there after !
In 1977, I was 15 and just getting seriously into rock music. I remember 'Low' getting the worst reviews possible (short, dismissive, mocking). A friend of mine had it on cassette and I thought it was the most interesting music I had ever heard. Still one of my favourite albums.
And that is why it's probably not in a person's best interest to rely too heavily on "professional" reviews. For if you do you may pass up something that truly speaks to and inspires you.
"Incredible" is a bit strong. They're good songs, relatively to the rest of the album, but there is a reason Bowie never played any of them live again after 1987.
We agree on #1. I'll never tire of it. I also like one that didn't qualify, the live Reality Tour album. In particular the DVD showing the incredible performance by Bowie and a great band. Plus the breathtaking performance of Under Pressure done by Bowie and the bassist, Gail Ann Dorsey. Wow.
As a lifelong Bowie fan (met him backstage doing Elephant Man) I found your ranking thought provoking. Glad to see "Man Who Sold The World" rated so highly with you - my all time fave.
Very pleasantly surprised another fan agrees with me about number 1. Scary Monsters is fucking awesome. I never get sick of it, and nothing sounds like it.
Great review as always. Absolutely loved the rush and Jethro Tull reviews you did. I grab something to drink and a dictionary, if you know what I mean, and listen contently.
Nicely done, mate. My top three, nostalgic and autobiographical picks are; Aladdin sane, Let’s dance and Blackstar. But at least half of his albums are stellar.
thanks.. a great summary of bowie. i've never clicked with him, like everyone you have favourite songs but it is hard to access when there is so much out there, but you have given me some good suggestions of where to start.
Sometimes one judges an album simply by how long it stays on the turntable or in the disc player. That’s how I determined “The Next Day” to be one of my favorites.
Call me crazy, but Hours was actually one of my favorites, I always enjoyed it more than Heroes. "Survive" and "The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell" are two of my most favorite Bowie songs.
Back in 1973, being 11 years old, I bought the lp's Aladdin Sane by David Bowie and Billion Dollar Babies by Alice Cooper on the same day. Man ...... I was proud .... 2 vinyl albums. I must say I still like Billion Dollar Babies and some other Alice Cooper albums like Killer and School's Out. But Bowie is the man! I think his Berlin period is his very good period together with Station To Station and Blackstar, but Aladdin Sane is my favourite Bowie one . 1. Outside is a very good album as,well, but it took quite a while to get it.
@@rogeroran2911 ...and whats your top 10? Mine: 1. David Bowie 2. Depeche Mode 3. The Alan Parsons Proyect 4. Mike Oldfield 5. A-ha 6. Peter Gabriel 7. E.L.O. 8. Pink Floyd 9. Dire Straits/Mark Knopfler 10. Bruce Springsteen And close to this top 10 Nik Kershaw, Bee Gees (baroque period), Steely Dan, Chris Rea and Prince. I have another top ten but for metal genre, since is mostly what I listen to..
@@charlesxavier.. I break it down different than you do. I keep solo artists seperate from groups. But groups Top 10, (after the first 3 subject to change depending on mood, day of week, etc. Also I can’t separate the Top 3. It’s like picking a favorite child.) 1 Pink Floyd 1A R.E.M. 1B Rolling Stones 4 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 5 Los Lobos 6 Social Distortion 7 Allman Brothers 8 Tool 9 Green Day 10 AC/DC
Top 10 solo artists 1 Peter Gabriel 2 David Bowie 3 Stevie Ray Vaughan 4 Bryan Ferry 5 Chris Isaak 6 Dwight Yokum 7 Glen Campbell 8 George Harrison 9 Joe Cocker 10 Howlin Wolf
Earthling has a special place in my heart, it was his first album I got at its release, I was a teenager, in my final year at school, it really takes me back.
Love Aladdin Sane his most underrated album raw..Low,hunky dory,and Scary monster'smy favourites..I've always thought that Ziggy stardust and the spiders from Mars is overrated....
I was a huge DB fan in the 70's and early 80's. However, it was only because he was capable of writing great songs with memorable tunes and melodies. Anything that he put out that was experimental or lacked good songs, to my mind was just musical self indulgence. When the songwriting quality was there, it did not matter how he dressed it up, it still shone through. So, Bowie wrote a lot of good songs and these are all that matters and that will be remembered when the dust settles.
Good job you didn't include the Tin Machine album because it would have definitely won that slot! (Fan since the long hot summer of '76) I rate Hours, Reality, Heathen much much higher. Let's dance lower. I agree on ur no.1. Scary Monsters still makes my spine tingle. Black Star I have not listened to. I am saving it like a 80 year single malt. One day I will open the bottle and judge the genie within. I sometimes wonder if someone could organise a playing for those like me who are waiting to savour the last golden drops of nectar.
Mine are: 1. Ziggy Stardust 2. Hunky Dory 3. Blackstar 4. Low 5. Heroes 6. Aladdin Sane 7. Station To Station 8. Scary Monsters 9. The Man Who Sold The World 10. Lodger 11. Diamond Dogs 12. Heathen 13. Reality 14. Outside 15. The Next Day 16. Let’s Dance 17. David Bowie 18. Tin Machine 2 19. Young Americans 20. Space Oddity 21. The Buddha Of Suburbia 22. Tin Machine 23. Earthling 24. Pin Ups 25. Hours... 26. Labyrinth 27. Black Tie White Noise 28. Tonight 29. Never Let Me Down
@@classicalbum I'm guessing you were born in the '90s or '00s. Blackstar would be great - if Scott Walker and Radiohead hadn't been there decades before. With Bowie's classic '70s period he was setting the pace with stuff never done before, not following.
I remember walking into a record store when I was 16 years old in 1980 and they were playing "Scary Monsters" It blew my mind. At the time all I knew of Bowie was "Fame'
Brilliant...great ranking....my fav Bowie album is Hours...I just love the depression of it and it moves along in my opinon like Blackstar with some of the same instrumental bits that beautifuly sound like a duck has swallowed a saxophone...I miss him like I miss Freddie...he should have been allowed to stay like 60 forever and just stay with us...but at least we have his canvas of work lovingly coloured with all the beautiful noise of his majestic talent! Thanks...James...in Sidcup...of all places! Lol 🫡
Bowie's later albums have an emotional depth that surpass his earlier bona fide classics. Of his last four albums, I'd say only Reality does not belong iin his top 10.
One of the best videos this & loved your observation on every album beautifully worded as always..... My Bowie Top 5 1 - Station To Station 2 - Ziggy Stardust 3 - Hunky Dory 4 - Scary Monsters 5 - Blackstar... RIP David.
Station to Station was my favorite, Earl Slick on guitar. Stay is one of his best recordings, the funk bass and drums with that rock lead guitar. Funny to hear this guy call it TVC Fifteen! I always called it TVC One Five.
I agree, Black tie, White noise is so underrated the jazz elements are divine and a wonderful cover of Morrissey's " I know it's going to happen someday". Let's Dance is fabulous...hands down. Young Americans may be my favorite album ( Fascination).
The guy took up a tough task, but he went greatly through it. Although everybody could disagree about some choices, the competence and the motivations are undisputed. My n.1 is Space Oddity because all Bowie's qualities are there "nature". After that he went doing the history of music. Scary Monsters n.1 surprised me a little, but "Ashes to Ashes" is enough to justify it. I knew Bowie through it in 1980 when I was eleven, and it opened up to me a new musical world.
I appreciate the video but I disagree wholeheartedly with many picks here. Scary monsters wouldn't crack my top 5 favorite bowie albums much less #1.Don;t get me wrong it has some good songs, but as a whole album, it doesn't compare to several others that were great start to finish. I would definitely put Earthling in the top 10 no doubt. I think Ziggy Stardust has to be #1, how can it not be? I know it's the obvious pick, but great is great. Hunky dory #2 for my money.
my god i just realized that more than any other artist i have more albums of bowie. we are so fortunate, i am so fortunate, to have this music in my heart. i know he's gone but david thank you and i love you.
Great countdown I really enjoyed listening to that. I would have Pinups a bit higher, it is a key memory from my youth. I’m glad you put Scary Monsters top in many ways as it’s amazing, especially Its No Game pt1 and Up The Hill Backwards. But my go to album and has to be my number one is Ziggy Stardust. It’s perfect, and IMO it has the best intro and closing bars of any album there is - the slow build of Five Years and the finale to Rock n Roll Suicide are just ‘wow’
Diamond Dogs keeps coming up as number one for me,Sweet Thing and We Are the Dead just stunning,Blackstar is in my top 5 as is Station to Station. The others minus Tonight and Never ebb and flow with my mood.The beauty of a Bowie album a masterpiece for every mood.
So many Bowie albums are like abstract works of art, open to different interpretations on every listen. The albums that gave me the most personal pleasure are 3. Station to Station 2. Hunky Dory 1. Low.
@@classicalbum fair call. The best Bowie album is always the one you've just listened to except perhaps for me those two eighties albums post Let's Dance.
Hi guy i appreciated your sequence from worst to best but in fact bowiie is a kind of epic artist and maybe your own sequence can change through the days or years. His discography is constantly change in our minds and everytime we listen to any album e can find a new stuff a new sound a hidden effect or else. Incredible awesome fantastic.
