Individual Artist Poll: David Bowie

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Honorio
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Re: Individual Artist Poll: David Bowie

Post by Honorio »

I realized that, if we exclude live albums, soundtracks, compilations and band projects (Tin Machine), David Bowie released exactly 25 studio albums. So I've decided to rank these 25 albums, even if only the Top 10 is going to take into account. If I would have included the Tin Machine albums, the first album would have been in the Top 20 but the second one probably near the bottom.



Albums:

1. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972, my #1 album of all time)
I can't think of a better example of a beautifully and cleverly sequenced album that my all-time favourite one, "Ziggy Stardust." It opens with a fade-in of the drums in "Five Years" immediately setting an apocalyptic background, followed by three consecutive anthems, the 50s-flavoured "Soul Love," the space-rock anthem "Moonage Daydream" and the delicious "Starman." The B-side songs focus on rock stardom, with peaks as high as "Star" ("I could play the wild mutation as a rock & roll star") or the mythical "Ziggy Stardust" ("He was the nazz / with God given ass, / he took it all too far / but boy could he play guitar"). And then the grand finale with the melodramatic "Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide." This theatrical approach to pop music was his best weapon and is what made this piece of art so unbeatable. Unbeatable? Of course, in my opinion. But it could have been even better changing the Ron Davies cover "It Ain't Easy" for the superb "Velvet Goldmine" from the same sessions.

2. Hunky Dory (1971, #12)
I've got a soft spot for this album. I discovered it when I was a teen and felt this "strange fascination fascinating me." The mix of music hall and folk, the amazing piano work (courtesy of Rick Wakeman in his personal peak), the immortal melodies ("Life on Mars?"), the cryptic but meaningful lyrics, "the mélange of kitsch and class" (quote from Stephen T. Erlewine) captured my heart forever.

3. Scary Monsters (1980, #67)
After the groundbreaking Berlin trilogy Bowie persevered on these sounds but slightly dismissing its avant-garde aspects and incorporating it in more accessible songs. This approach even improved the material, supposing simultaneously the recapitulation and culmination of all sides of 70s Bowie. If he was trying to prove that he didn't need Brian Eno to surpass himself, he obviously succeeded.

4. Low (1977, #139)
5. Station to Station (1976, #151)
6. Aladdin Sane (1973)
7. Blackstar (2016)
8. "Heroes" (1977)
9. Heathen (2002)
10. The Man Who Sold the World (1970)

11. Outside (1995)
12. Lodger (1979)
13. Let's Dance (1983)
14. David Bowie (1969)
15. The Next Day (2013)
16. Diamond Dogs (1974)
17. Young Americans (1975)
18. Earthling (1997)
19. Reality (2003)
20. David Bowie (1967)
21. Hours (1999)
22. Pin Ups (1973)
23. Black Tie, White Noise (1993)
24. Tonight (1984)
25. Never Let Me Down (1987)


And 100 songs (extracted from the more than 300 songs on the David Bowie catalogue), even if only the Top 25 will qualify. I haven't selected a particular version of the song on my list (the date refers to the first released version), anyway you can find my favourite versions on my Spotify list. For this songs list I have included also soundtracks, live songs, collaborations and Tin Machine songs.



Songs:

1. Ashes to Ashes (1980, my #3 song of all time)
Sometimes sequels are actually good. Bowie succeeded with "Ashes to Ashes," a second part better than the first one, "Space Oddity," turning the heroic Major Tom into a junkie "strung out in heaven's high, hitting an all-time low." In Bowie's own words: "Ashes to Ashes deals about the dissolution of the big dream that had send Major Tom to space; ten years later everything's turned bitter because there was no reason to send him there the first time."

2. Life on Mars? (1971, #16)
It's not by chance that one of the very last songs Bowie played live was "Life on Mars?" (at a show with Arcade Fire in 2005). Originally backed by Rick Wakeman's piano and Mick Ronson's string arrangements, Bowie brilliantly croons a cryptic litany about the strange times going on 1971, with "the mice (hippies?) in their million hordes," when "the workers have struck for fame cause Lennon's (Lenin?) on sale again" and "Mickey Mouse's grown up a cow."

3. "Heroes" (1977, #33)
Sometimes fiction surpasses reality. Bowie peeped two lovers embracing by the Berlin wall from the Hansa Studio window (legend says that it was Bowie's producer Tony Visconti having an extramarital affair with German singer Antonia Maaß) and created a heroic lover's tale with "guns shooting above our heads." The atmospheric Eno's dynamics, the awesome Fripp guitar work and the terrific Bowie vocal performance made the rest. Just for one day…

4. Golden Years (1975, #163)
5. Space Oddity (1969)
6. Young Americans (1975)
7. Moonage Daydream (1971)
8. Let's Dance (1983)
9. Where Are We Now? (2013)
10. Subterraneans (1977)
11. Ziggy Stardust (1972)
12. Wild Is the Wind (1976)
13. Changes (1971)
14. Lazarus (2015)
15. The Drowned Girl (1982)
16. Lady Grinning Soul (1973)
17. Blackstar (2015)
18. Five Years (1972)
19. The Man Who Sold the World (1970)
20. Little Wonder (1997)
21. Fashion (1980)
22. Starman (1972)
23. I'm Deranged (1995)
24. Sound and Vision (1977)
25. Repetition (1979)

26. This Is Not America (1985)
27. Fame (1975)
28. Love Is Lost (2013)
29. Sunday (2002)
30. All the Madmen (1970)
31. Rock 'n' Roll Suicide (1972)
32. Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?) (1973)
33. All the Young Dudes (1974)
34. Warszawa (1977)
35. The Jean Genie (1972)
36. Jump They Say (1993)
37. Velvet Goldmine (1975)
38. Sorrow (1973)
39. An Occasional Dream (1969)
40. Quicksand (1971)
41. Loving the Alien (1984)
42. Modern Love (1983)
43. Oh! You Pretty Things (1971)
44. I Can't Read (1989)
45. It's No Game (No. 1) (1980)
46. China Girl (1983)
47. Neuköln (1977)
48. Station to Station (1976)
49. Diamond Dogs (1974)
50. Under Pressure (1981)
51. Absolute Beginners (1986)
52. Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud (1969)
53. Soul Love (1972)
54. The Prettiest Star (1970)
55. Fantastic Voyage (1979)
56. Breaking Glass (1977)
57. Some Are (1991)
58. Fall Dog Bombs the Moon (2003)
59. 'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore (2014)
60. Hallo Spaceboy (1995)
61. Everyone Says 'Hi' (2002)
62. Cat People (Putting Out Fire) (1982)
63. Teenage Wildlife (1980)
64. Rebel Rebel (1974)
65. Sell Me a Coat (1967)
66. Seven (1999)
67. I'm Afraid of Americans (1995)
68. The Stars (Are Out Tonight) (2013)
69. Cracked Actor (1973)
70. Sufragette City (1972)
71. Slow Burn (2002)
72. Always Crashing in the Same Car (1977)
73. The Hearts Filthy Lesson (1995)
74. Cygnet Committee (1969)
75. Sue (Or in a Season of Crime) (2014)
76. Sons of the Silent Age (1977)
77. Boys Keep Swinging (1979)
78. Let Me Sleep Beside You (1970)
79. My Death (1983)
80. Time Will Crawl (1987)
81. The Secret Life of Arabia (1977)
82. Bring Me the Disco King (2003)
83. I Can't Give Everything Away (2016)
84. Strangers When We Meet (1993)
85. Stay (1976)
86. Prisoner of Love (1989)
87. Queen Bitch (1971)
88. Can't Help Thinking About Me (1966)
89. Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) (1980)
90. 5:15 The Angels Have Gone (2002)
91. Silly Boy Blue (1967)
92. Word on a Wing (1976)
93. Red Sails (1979)
94. Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (Reprise) (1974)
95. Right (1975)
96. Look Back in Anger (1979)
97. The Bewlay Brothers (1971)
98. Conversation Piece (1970)
99. Buddah of Suburbia (1993)
100. After All (1970)

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Live in Phoenix
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Re: Individual Artist Poll: David Bowie

Post by Live in Phoenix »

To pass a little time during the tiny wait for the results – favorite song from each David Bowie solely-credited album:

David Bowie (1967): Uncle Arthur
David Bowie/Space Oddity: Space Oddity

The Man Who Sold the World: All the Madmen
Hunky Dory: Life on Mars
…Ziggy Stardust…: Ziggy Stardust
Aladdin Sane: Watch That Man
Pin Ups: See Emily Play
Diamond Dogs: Rebel Rebel
Young Americans: Fame
Station to Station: TVC 15
Low: Sound and Vision
“Heroes”: “Heroes”
Lodger: Yassassin

Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps): Ashes to Ashes
Let’s Dance: Let’s Dance
Tonight: Loving the Alien
Never Let Me Down: Never Let Me Down

Black Tie White Noise: Jump They Say
The Buddha of Suburbia: Buddha of Suburbia
Outside: Strangers When We Meet
Earthling: Dead Man Walking
Hours: Thursday’s Child

Heathen: Slow Burn
Reality: Looking for Water

The Next Day: Boss of Me
Blackstar: Dollar Days

Non-album track: Absolute Beginners
Last edited by Live in Phoenix on Fri Aug 26, 2016 6:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
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ordinaryperson
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Re: Individual Artist Poll: David Bowie

Post by ordinaryperson »

ALBUMS

01 | Low
02 | The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
03 | Hunky Dory
04 | Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
05 | Blackstar
06 | The Next Day
07 | Station to Station
08 | "Heroes"
09 | Young Americans
10 | Let's Dance

SONGS

01 | "Heroes"
02 | The Man Who Sold the World
03 | Life on Mars ?
04 | Space Oddity
05 | Starman
06 | Sound and Vision
07 | Under Pressure
08 | Blackstar
09 | Changes
10 | Ashes to Ashes
11 | Young Americans
12 | Let's Dance
13 | Suffragette City
14 | Rebel Rebel
15 | Five Years
16 | Lazarus
17 | Ziggy Stardust
18 | TVC 15
19 | Station to Station
20 | Fame
21 | China Girl
22 | Breaking Glass
23 | Queen Bitch
24 | Moonage Daydream
25 | Modern Love
Last edited by ordinaryperson on Fri Jul 29, 2016 10:10 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Jackson
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Re: Individual Artist Poll: David Bowie

Post by Jackson »

Honorio wrote:I realized that, if we exclude live albums, soundtracks, compilations and band projects (Tin Machine), David Bowie released exactly 25 studio albums. So I've decided to rank these 25 albums, even if only the Top 10 is going to take into account. If I would have included the Tin Machine albums, the first album would have been in the Top 20 but the second one probably near the bottom.

I appreciate the awesome tribute. Looking forward to digging through some of the deeper cuts on the list.
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Honorio
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Re: Individual Artist Poll: David Bowie

Post by Honorio »

Jackson wrote:I appreciate the awesome tribute. Looking forward to digging through some of the deeper cuts on the list.
Many thanks, Jackson!
BleuPanda wrote:We're currently at 22 lists received with 7ish days left to vote; for Radiohead we received 35.
Hope we can get to 25 :(
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BleuPanda
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Re: Individual Artist Poll: David Bowie

Post by BleuPanda »

Honorio wrote:
BleuPanda wrote:We're currently at 22 lists received with 7ish days left to vote; for Radiohead we received 35.
Hope we can get to 25 :(

Let's hope people are holding out until the last day.

Also, if anyone is planning to submit but needs extra time, just tell me. I'd rather delay the results a bit if it means more submissions.
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Maschine_Man
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Re: Individual Artist Poll: David Bowie

Post by Maschine_Man »

Songs

1. Life On Mars?
2. Space Oddity
3. Heroes'
4. Golden Years
5. Blackstar
6. Ashes to Ashes
7. Kooks
8. Ziggy Stardust
9. Cracked Actor
10. The Stars (Are Out Tonight)
11. Moonage Daydream
12. Changes
13. Fame
14. Starman
15. Always Crashing In The Same Car
16. Sound And Vision
17. Station To Station
18. Suffragette City
19. Soul Love
20. The Jean Genie
21. Five Years
22. Love Is Lost
23. Breaking Glass
24. DJ
25. Where Are We Now?

Albums

1. Ziggy Stardust
2. ★
3. Station To Station
4. Hunky Dory
5. Aladdin Sane
6. Diamond Dogs
7. The Next Day
8. Lodger
9. Low
10. Heroes
Jackson
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Re: Individual Artist Poll: David Bowie

Post by Jackson »

Albums

1. Low
2. Station to Station
3. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
4. Blackstar
5. Hunky Dory
6. Aladdin Sane
7. Lodger
8. Scary Monsters
9. The Man Who Sold the World
10. "Heroes"

Songs

1. Five Years
2. "Heroes"
3. Warszawa
4. Rock 'n Roll Suicide
5. Station to Station
6. Starman
7. Life on Mars?
8. Ashes to Ashes
9. Sound and Vision
10. Blackstar
11. Space Oddity
12. Golden Years
13. Moonage Daydream
14. 'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore
15. The Man Who Sold the World
16. Modern Love
17. Subterraneans
18. Where Are We Now?
19. Word on a Wing
20. Always Crashing in the Same Car
21. Lady Grinning Soul
22. Oh! You Pretty Things
23. Fantastic Voyage
24. Lazarus
25. Aladdin Sane
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ordinaryperson
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Re: Individual Artist Poll: David Bowie

Post by ordinaryperson »

I've changed the rankings on my list of songs.
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andyd1010
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Re: Individual Artist Poll: David Bowie

Post by andyd1010 »

Albums

1 Let's Dance
2 Hunky Dory
3 The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
4 "Heroes"
5 Young Americans
6 David Bowie
7 Diamond Dogs
8 Aladdin Sane
9 Blackstar
10 The Man Who Sold the World


Songs

1 Under Pressure (with Queen)
2 Life on Mars?
3 Changes
4 "Heroes"
5 Modern Love
6 Space Oddity
7 Starman
8 Absolute Beginners
9 Young Americans
10 Ziggy Stardust
11 Rebel Rebel
12 Lazarus
13 Suffragette City
14 The Man Who Sold the World
15 Drive-In Saturday
16 Fame
17 Under Pressure (featuring Gail Ann Dorsey)
18 Golden Years
19 The Jean Genie
20 Five Years
21 Boys Keep Swinging
22 Let's Dance
23 Diamond Dogs
24 Always Crashing in the Same Car
25 China Girl

If Reflektor counted, it would be my No. 1
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Dexter
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Re: Individual Artist Poll: David Bowie

Post by Dexter »

Albums:
1. Low
2. Hunky Dory
3. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
4. Scary Monsters
5. "Heroes"
6. Station to Station
7. Aladdin Sane
8. Lodger
9. The Man Who Sold the World
10. Young Americans

Songs:
1. Starman
2. Life on Mars?
3. Ziggy Stardust
4. Space Oddity
5. Changes
6. "Heroes"
7. Suffragette City
8. Rebel Rebel
9. Ashes to Ashes
10. The Man Who Sold the World
11. Moonage Daydream
12. The Jean Genie
13. Fame
14. Golden Years
15. Oh! You Pretty Things
16. Under Pressue [with Queen]
17. Young Americans
18. Fashion
19. Sound and Vision
20. Diamond Dogs
21. John, I'm Only Dancing
22. Sound and Vision
23. Sorrow
24. Wild Is the Wind
25. Boys Keep Swinging

I'm surprised that I only had one track in the top 25 from my #1 Bowie album!
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Re: Individual Artist Poll: David Bowie

Post by jamieW »

I suspect “Blackstar” and “The Next Day” may drop over time, but I’ve sure been listening to them a lot lately…

Albums:

1. Low
2. Blackstar
3. The Next Day
4. Heroes
5. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
6. Station To Station
7. The Man Who Sold the World
8. Let’s Dance
9. Aladdin Sane
10. Young Americans

Songs:

1. Moonage Daydream
2. Lazarus
3. “Heroes”
4. The Man Who Sold the World
5. Warszawa
6. Space Oddity
7. Stay
8. China Girl
9. Wild Is the Wind
10. Ashes To Ashes
11. Sound and Vision
12. Weeping Wall
13. Life On Mars?
14. Starman
15. This Is Not America (F/ Pat Metheny)
16. Lady Grinning Soul
17. Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?)
18. Let’s Dance
19. Subterraneans
20. Fame
21. Blue Jean
22. Love Is Lost
23. Fascination
24. Candidate
25. Girl Loves Me
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Dexter
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Re: Individual Artist Poll: David Bowie

Post by Dexter »

Dexter wrote:19. Sound and Vision
20. Diamond Dogs
21. John, I'm Only Dancing
22. Sound and Vision
23. Sorrow
24. Wild Is the Wind
25. Boys Keep Swinging

I'm surprised that I only had one track in the top 25 from my #1 Bowie album!
I liked that one track too much that I put it twice, hahaha! (bad joke courtesy of Honorio ;) , thank you for pointing out my mistake!)

My corrected list:

19. Sound and Vision
20. Diamond Dogs
21. John, I'm Only Dancing
22. Sorrow
23. Wild Is the Wind
24. Boys Keep Swinging
25. Warszawa

Now there are 2 tracks from Low!
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Re: Individual Artist Poll: David Bowie

Post by BleuPanda »

Reminder that this is the last day to submit a list. I will probably begin the presentation sometime tomorrow, doing albums one day then songs the next. Note, however, that I will delay the poll results if someone needs an extra day or two; you just need to tell me.

The race for the top song spot has been intense...

No matter what, I'll also post the Beatles topic tomorrow (and I'll continue following the most recent artist poll unless we have a reason to cover a specific artist, i.e. a recent album).
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BleuPanda
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Re: Individual Artist Poll: David Bowie

Post by BleuPanda »

Updating my album and song list, again...been listening to Bowie today.


Albums:
1. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
2. Low
3. Blackstar
4. Hunky Dory
5. Station to Station
6. "Heroes"
7. Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)
8. Aladdin Sane
9. Young Americans
10. The Next Day

Songs:
1. Life on Mars?
2. "Heroes"
3. The Man Who Sold the World
4. Ashes to Ashes
5. Young Americans
6. Space Oddity
7. Sound and Vision
8. Lazarus
9. Blackstar
10. Ziggy Stardust
11. Under Pressure
12. Starman
13. Golden Years
14. Let's Dance
15. Warzsawa
16. Changes
17. Modern Love
18. Love is Lost (Hello Steve Reich mix)
19. Station to Station
20. Moonage Daydream
21. Five Years
22. Absolute Beginners
23. Tis a Pity She Was a Whore
24. Fame
25. I Can't Give Everything Away
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