Bowie - An alternate (and prob unpopular) ranking
Context - I wasn't very familiar with Bowie, only knew a few albums, and the singles. So this is a very 3rd impressions list for many of these albums. I didn't include Buddha of Suburbia, I feel like that is its own thing, just like Tin Machine. |
| 25 |  | David Bowie
Black Tie White Noise
This is more sophisticated than some of his lesser work, but at this stage of his career, I feel it was very weak. Clumsy, corny, dated. Worst of all it's boring. |
| 24 |  | David Bowie
Never Let Me Down
This is like a badly decorated children's birthday cake. There might be some good songs buried in here, but it's a sensory overload. |
| 23 |  | David Bowie
David Bowie
This is obviously a bit silly. Bowie was still taking direction from his manager at this stage, according to the wiki entry. |
| 22 |  | David Bowie
Pin Ups
It's just unnecessary. I wouldn't say much on here is an improvement of the originals. I did kind of like the Floyd cover, maybe because I'm not a Floyd fan. |
| 21 |  | David Bowie
Hours
There's a weird Natalie Imbruglia vibe on some of these songs - you know that soft, smoothed out acoustic guitar strum you got alot in the 90's and early 2000's. Overall it's really dull. |
| 20 |  | David Bowie
The Man Who Sold the World
To be fair, the title track is amazing. According to legend, the band just jammed and a disinterested Bowie pitched in when he felt like it. It's generic big dumb hard rock and it doesn't seem like a fit to me. The Spinal Tappiness of 'She shook me cold' is hilarious. |
| 19 |  | David Bowie
Tonight
This is non-essential. The title track isn't really a good song, but it's very soothing and pleasant to listen to - Tina and David's voices sound really good together. |
| 18 |  | David Bowie
Space Oddity
The opener is a classic. The rest is sort of awkward 'Bowie as an earnest troubadour' stuff, which as with the TMWSTW's stylistic choices, doesn't really suit him. |
| 17 |  | David Bowie
Earthling
90's Bowie is tough to rate. This is high energy, relentless, and in many ways lots of fun. It sounds a little dated and he's following at this stage. Some of the better tracks are perhaps too long for my taste. |
| 16 |  | David Bowie
Outside
This is so frustrating, I think there's an amazing album in here, but everything seems to need editing, and it sounds very much of the time. Despite his ability to shift images and musical genres, I'm not sure he really 'gets' the 90's sound - but it does sound like he's having a blast trying it out. |
| 15 |  | David Bowie
Let's Dance
It's got some great moments, but many of the songs overstay their welcome. |
| 14 |  | David Bowie
Reality
A solid record, maybe lacking a little spark. Could shift around in a list just because it doesn't really have a killer song. |
| 13 |  | David Bowie
Heathen
Also a solid record, with a few more powerful moments than Reality. |
| 12 |  | David Bowie
"Heroes"
I'll straight up confess - I don't fully get the Berlin trilogy. To me, this record sounds like two EP's joined together, and unfortunately, I just don't like the ambient one. The opening one is so good it propels this over albums that are more consistent. |
| 11 |  | David Bowie
Lodger
The songs that hit, hit hard. My taste is a little limited so the more world music moments don't really work for me. |
| 10 |  | David Bowie
Scary Monsters
It took me a few listens to warm up to it. Not my favourite, but I can see why some people would love it so much. |
| 9 |  | David Bowie
Blackstar
I love the first three tracks. The rest hasn't fully grown on me, but the opening salvo is monumental, and kind of overpowers you with all the context. |
| 8 |  | David Bowie
Low
See my comment for Heroes. I like a small portion of the ambient stuff, which I didn't for Heroes. |
| 7 |  | David Bowie
Young Americans
This record is pure pleasure to listen to from start to finish. |
| 6 |  | David Bowie
Aladdin Sane
Just a rollicking good time, with some unusual, inspired moments. |
| 5 |  | David Bowie
Diamond Dogs
Immersive. Out of his 'story theme' records, I somehow sensed the vibe of the story most of all in this one (although Outside comes close), which gives it an extra cinematic dimension when you listen to it. A subtle shift from the glam rock thing, and it works. |
| 4 |  | David Bowie
Station to Station
I don't usually like longer tracks, but the opener whizzes by. This album is intense, yet doesn't drag. On a particular day I could see myself liking this one best of all. There's kind of crooner, torch song feel mixed with soul and a slight futuristic sheen. This is Future Americans if it grew up cruel, and I really dig it. |
| 3 |  | David Bowie
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
I don't really need to elaborate on this. It's the first Bowie album I listened to in its entirety, and changed my perception of him - I was a teen in the 90's and his singles (from the 80's and 90's) that saw rotation during that period didn't really speak to me. |
| 2 |  | David Bowie
The Next Day
Fierce, aggressive but expertly controlled. It's mind blowing that this record came so late in his career. Touches on so much of his style and produces on all the groundwork, I find it a blast to listen to, and I also find it rewarding if I zone in on the lyrics. There's an incandescence here - he knows he doesn't have much time. It's a mania, followed by a hollow calm. |
| 1 |  | David Bowie
Hunky Dory
Magical, Technicoloured, so much variety, effortlessly perfects what he was going for. Grand and overblown in parts, but somehow he makes it all sound thrilling rather than corny. Only one song doesn't really land, and I hardly notice that anyway, because the highs are out of this world. |
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