NOTE: Nina Simone recorded one of the most famous versions of Wild is the Wind in 1966 but it was first recorded by Johnny Mathis. Bowie's version was a tribute to Simone.
It’s not the rankings themselves that interest me in these videos ( bound to be some people upset over the placing), so much as your comments and stories on each disc and why they have been chosen. It makes me want to listen again to some of the albums or hear them for the first time in some instances. Lovely stuff, keep em coming.
Literally summed it up perfectly- like hearing his experience and just comparing it to my own in terms of how different it is (being someone who is much younger and getting into Bowie after he passed.)
In 1994 I was strolling along Central Park South when a limo pulled up in the driveway at a hotel. I stopped for it and out gets Bowie and Iman. No-one else around within coo-ee. They looked immaculate, just beautiful. I didn't attempt to speak with them. Well, that's my Bowie story!
you probably dont give a shit but if you're stoned like me during the covid times then you can stream all the latest series on instaflixxer. Been streaming with my brother for the last few months xD
Scary Monsters doesn't get enough credit, it is one of my all time favorite albums of ANY artist. Up The Hill Backwards & Teenage Wildlife are absolute gems - well written lyrics and virtuoso music writing. His vocals in Teenage Wildlife are among the most brilliant I've ever heard. Also: Fashion, Because You're Young, It's No Game (both versions), Ashes to Ashes. Fripp & Townsend add some great guitar work. I understand that this album is pretty bizarre and intense, it either hits you in your gut or it doesn't... and it hits mine. (Kingdom Come is the only weak spot - it is a boring song that's out of place.)
@@mazzysmusic Very cool 👍As a guitarist myself I always champion Mick’s playing. Sure it’s not a million notes a second but his vibrato and sweet bends put him in the elegant class of players like Robin Trower. So underrated I’m glad you appreciate his playing without it David just wouldn’t be the same.
My favorite among favorites, this is the album where they get heavy, the birth of the Spiders, the beginning of the epic tracks, the flirting with gender, the madness recurring theme and even the title track has latin percussion! 1970 Bowie Rocks!
Outside is genius but could have been edited back to 8 great tracks. A lot of his later album tracks are sludgy, bombastic and overfilled. He couldn’t seem to end a song without a thousand doodles and frills. The art direction of Heathen and The Next Day are putrid. Just awful.
So happy to see Station to Station up there -- my favorite for a variety of mostly personal reasons. Loved seeing where you ranked the albums and why. In my heart I think I know your ranking is much more objective than mine (if rankings can be called objective). Thanks for sharing.
Thank you ! Liked it very much. I played Bowie shows in a theatre in Ingolstadt in Bavaria. Bowie is so so so amazing. I liked your ranking a lot. Best regards from munich and all the best to you.... Alex
Dear Mazzy, a very measured and heartfelt ranking on your part!!....I am 70 years old and my TOP3 are identical to yours....I mostly agree with your choices,though I place Scary Monsters in #4 place...thanks again!
I love all of David's albums but Station to Station just kills me. Just love this album. But with Bowie the difference in quality is so good, they are all special.
Watching your video makes me want to spin all my Bowie albums. I saw him twice, in '95 when he toured with Nine Inch Nails. Bowie was deathly ill and only did a few songs before begging off. Saw him again in '97 on the Earthling tour and that was a much better show. Station to Station is my personal #1. But it's hard to argue with your list. I got Blackstar on the day Bowie died. I played it once and haven't had the heart to play it again, but I think it's time I did. Great video, my friend.
Great video, I prefer to rank people like Bowie in time periods - it's easier ! Today my top 5 ranking for late period would be ; 5: The Next Day, 4 Heathen, 3: hours..., 2 : Blackstar, 1: Outside.
My wife also saw Bowie on the Thin White Duke/Station to Station tour and she said it was incredible - I am forever jealous! Station to Station and Hunky Dory are the two that constantly compete for my Top 2 (the EMI Millennium all-analog pressing of Hunky Dory is absolutely killer, smoking all other versions). One album that rarely gets much love but which for me would be in my Top 20 is Earthling. The Trent Reznor remix of "I'm afraid of Americans" is in my Top 10 Bowie singles for sure. Both Heathen and Reality are higher up in my list, and I also have great fondness for "hours...." I know live albums aren't in your purview, but the final Reality tour set is fantastic, and I also love the BBC sessions (especially with the extra live disc of Bowie performing at the BBC around 2000, I think). But, let's face it, Bowie is one of those artists where every album is a must-own.
"the man who sold the world" is a very underrated album. It rocks!!! Mick Ronson is a guitar hero in this album... Inside this album, I feel predilection for a "little unknown song" called "Saviour Machine". It really blow my mind... what kind of dangerous advanced mind could write a song like that in 1970? For me, this song is a hidden masterpiece...
And Mazzy is back with another solid ranking video! I am, like many of us, an enormous Bowie fan. I also saw him 3 times, the first was 1982 Serious Moonlight Tour and then the Glass Spider Tour and the last time was the Reality Tour. I have always thought his mid to late 90's to early 2000's work has been terribly overlooked...like Hours, Earthling, Outside, Heathen and Reality. Great ranking....I'm gonna go spin Scary Monsters again right now. Low, Heroes and Lodger are 3 masterful pieces of work.
Lodger is one of my favorite albums of all time and it was one of Bowie’s favorites when he was asked what his favorite albums of his were. Adrian Belew’s guitar work on that album is fantastic.
My intro to Bowie was Rise and Fall. My older brother's friend left it at our house and I played it over and over. Had never heard anything like it. Saw Bowie at the Cow Palace also. A mere freshman in high school from the suburbs of San Jose. 15th row on the floor dead center and watched the parade of characters in the audience. Of all of my concerts this one is my fondest memory. What a show!!!
Another good ranking video Mazzy. Personally I'd have included in my top 10 The Man Who Sold the World and Outside (the latter of which took me a good few years to fully appreciate). Also I would have included Earthling in the list, maybe at the expense of Pin Ups - which never did anything for me (aside from Sorrow). Cant argue with your number 1 & 2 though.
Great video, Mazzy. My introductory record was Hunky Dory and I had never heard anything quite like it, and really still (again *quite*) haven’t. I became a fan and slowly started listening to the occasional Bowie record from there, but truthfully it wasn’t until the pandemic that I took the dive from the beginning on. It would be a gross understatement to say his discography has an abnormal amount of depth to it. I’ll find myself drawing from his 70-78 output and thats the main course of my listening for.. a while. I’ve found a new found love for Station to Station and Diamond Dogs in particular, also a true (now time-affirmed) appreciation for just how incredible Hunky Dory and The Rise and Fall.. are too. What an amazing artist who left us with more than is possible to properly describe. Thanks again!
Love your list. Im going to do my due diligence with Station to Station now. Also, not only do I love Hunky Dory, I love to use the phrase "hunky dory" whenever given the opportunity. :)
Hi Mazzy, I love watching people rank David Bowie as nobody ever agrees on what is his best albums. This just shows the breadth and diversity of his work. There is no wrong ranking. My personal top 5 are: 5. Hunky Dory 4. Ziggy 3. Young Americans 2. Aladdin Sane 1. Diamond Dogs (the greatest album ever recorded in my opinion). Great video! All the best - Richard
Nobody ever agrees, because there are just too many that are that good! In fact I can’t even begin to put them in any kind of order of which are my favorites without thinking of being disloyal to another.
@@Tawny6702 Ranking Bowie's albums was one of the first videos I did a couple of years ago. I think if I would do it again the real change would be the elevation of Pin Ups which I now see as vastly underrated.
@@CookieMusic43 yes, so much attention to detail paid to the quality of this covers album is often underrated, and it’s not often I like a cover over the original, but there are a few...not all, that I think the songs sound so much better!
I’m happy to say that I also got to experience Blackstar before we lost him. My dad took me to Barnes and Noble to get it the day it came out and I also just played into the ground. It took me a very long time to go back to it.
I can't believe you were at that show 72 - I am so jealous! I remember reading in Bowie threads that his crowds were so small on that tour through the US that he would ask his audience to move from their seats and come close to the stage to make it more intimate? I am working on my 20 best Bowie albums and will post it in a little bit. Mine will be totally different than yours, though I think he, like no other artist that comes to mind, you can have a completely different ranking and be equally correct. Another great video on my top artist (my obsession). Thanks for this video!
I am a Bowie fan similar to your Beatles fandom. This list may be percieved as being heavy on the later years (which it is), and may be influenced by my entry point (MTV Let's Dance 1983 period) but I think my list still holds up in spite of this and is just from a different angle. 20. The Next Day 19. Never Let Me Down (my first new Bowie record released as a fan) 18. Station to Station 17. Let's Dance 16. Blackstar 15. Diamond Dogs 14. Earthling 13. Lodger 12. Aladdin Sane 11. Scary Monsters 10. Space Oddity 9. Young Americans 8. Heroes 7. Heathen 6. Black Tie White Noise 5. The Buddha of Suburbia 4. Low 3. Ziggy Stardust 2. Hunky Dory 1. Outside Bonus Live albums ranking: 9. Cracked Actor: Los Angeles 74 8. Something in the Air (Live in Paris '99) 7. David Live: Philly 74 6. Welcome to the Blackout [Live London '78] 5. Glass Spider Tour: Montreal 1987 4. LiveAndWell.com 3. Santa Monica 72 2. Look at the Moon! 1. A Reality Tour
I love Hunky Dory and The rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust, as well. I never get tired of hearing these albums. I used to listen to Man Who Sold the World, Hunky Dory, and Ziggy Stardust often, while sitting around doing drawing or painting. They all have a fantastic variety and are full of nice surprises. Thanks for the info on Wakeman, etc - I used to only listen to that one on the net, so I never had the vinyl.
Great video man. thoroughly enjoyed that, didn't know that Fripp opened on guitar for heroes. Can't believe you saw the Thin White Duke, wish i was there. First Bowie concert for me was Serious Moonlight tour, 83, in New Zealand. I was 15 and obsessed with Young Americans and Ashes to Ashes. Station to Station is one heck of a brilliant record. Also love Win, Sound and Vision, Fantastic Voyage, Heroes, Five Years and so much more. thank you.
Hi Mazzy, Love Bowie. I have to rank on nostalgia. His albums influence my musical tastes and appreciation of art to this day. I was a teenager, 11/12 years when I first heard the Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust. It was my brothers LP, I wore it out. I was far from a rebel but listening to his music made me feel like one! 5.Young Americans-Win, a standout 4.Station to Station- Station to Station, Stay, Wild Is the Wind (Beautiful) 3.Diamond Dogs- Sweet Thing into Candidate- great sax work, We Are The Dead 2. Alladdin Sane- Alladdin Sane- Shout out Mike Garson, Time, Cracked Actor, Panic in Detroit - love this album! 1. The Rise and Fall Of Ziggy Stardust- Five Years (His best song IMHO) All solid songs. A joy to llsten to.
God I am so late to this one and I apologize for being the 200th comment LOL! This was another pretty right on rankage vid! I would’ve put Low on top at #1 as it holds a special personal connection with me and I had this drug fueled fever Dream while I had it on continuous loop while I was in like Jr High Haha Followed closely by Ziggy, Alladin, Leta Dance, and Scary Monsters I can’t speak to BlackStar as I don’t have it but I will eventually Thanks for sharing Mazzy! Peace ☮️✌️👽🤘☮️
Great review and once again I agree with the rankings for the top 5 which I own. Please keep up the reviews as you're helping me rebuild my CD and record collections.
I saw him on the Glass Spider tour, so I will always love Never Let Me Down more than most others. There is now a remixed/reconstructed version of that album that is perhaps aimed to be a less dated version, with fewer electronic drums and synths. I am looking forward to digesting that one day. My faves are the Berlin trilogy along with Stage, but I love his entire career, even the Tin Machine stuff to a certain extent. Great overview and comments.
The Man who Sold the World - 1970 Bowie Rocks! My favorite among favorites, this is the album where they get heavy, the birth of the Spiders, the beginning of the epic tracks, the flirting with gender, the recurring madness theme, and even the title track has a latin percussion! Seminal y'know? When listening to Bowie albums, you don't do it for the hits like with other lesser artists. He even said that people at concerts wanted the non hits, the non singles, the rare tracks... (Heroes, Loving the Alien, Queen Bitch, Sweet Thing/Candidate...)
All power to both Lodger (occasionally my favourite DB album) and Stationtostation which doesn’t always get love it deserves. Outside is an incredible work of art + a handful of amazing songs. Or maybe I’m Deranged.
Mazzy, you surprise me. We agree on the top 3. I didn’t think anyone else put Station To Station so high. In fact, it’s the LP I play the most. Wild Is The Wind is better than Nina Simone’s version and is, perhaps, the best cover I have ever heard (I’m obsessed with cover tunes). It’s Bowie at his sexiest, and that’s saying something. Nice list. Glad you let off Never Let Me Down.
Good stuff. Now, this is my fact!!!! 😂 1. Young Americans 2. Station to Station 3. Low. Bowie was the man! Sooooo many great songs and memories. Changes One Bowie is still one of the best greatest hits album. Glad you mentioned Wild is the Wind, such a beautiful song. Listen to Bowie sing across the universe and when he keeps saying “Nothing” I think of Wilco saying the same thing on Misunderstood.
I just made a ranking of every Bowie album from 1967-1983. I haven’t listened to any of his albums after Let’s Dance. 1. Station to Station 2. Low 3. Ziggy Stardust 4. Heroes 5. Hunky Dory 6. Aladdin Sane 7. The Man Who Sold the World 8. Diamond Dogs 9. Scary Monsters 10. Space Oddity 11. Young Americans 12. David Bowie 13. Lodger 14. Let’s Dance 15. Pin-Ups
Love the channel...and I know rankings are subjective...but....I am still rubbing my eyes at Tonight rated above my favorite album TMWSTW🙉🙈🙉🙈 I just looked at my watch to make sure it was not 4-1....now I am watching and Pin Up is on my TV...I have to log off now....I finally forgave you for the Goats Head Soup omission from the Stones rankings but I can't stand it anymore.... will wait for the next road trip video 👍
I adore Hunky Dory. I’ve been listening to it since the late 70s I guess. I planned for Kooks to be a guiding light on parenting. Sadly when my son arrived many years later and school homework got him down - we never threw it on the fire and took the car downtown. I failed!
Great to hear your reflections on these albums. The first LP I purchased was Aladdin Sane (as soon as it was released) and still think it is his best, or at least equal with Ziggy. An observation I have is that artists tend to get less interesting as they get older, but Bowie was on a rise at the end. Black Star is an amazing album.
Saw the Thin White Duke tour and it remains one of my favorite concerts. It’s no coincidence I guess that Young Americans and Station to Station are my favs.....followed by Ziggy and Hunky.
Mazzy damn this ranking was a winner yes Hunky Dory is a mother . Buy yes Ziggy is where it’s at when it comes on it pulls you in to that Ziggy persona I totally agree I’m awe you saw him in the Seventies wow man love the stories. My list 1. Ziggy Stardust 2. Hunky Dory 3. Low 4. Heroes 5.Station to Station 5. Black Star 6. Aladdin Sane 7. Lodger. I was so glad I got to see him on tour for the Heathen tour called Area1 he opened for Moby really yes he was amazing he came out in a suit with Earl Slick and Gail Ann Dorsey on bass Bowie totally blew me away . Awesome episode Mazzy love the 20 you picked .
Great video Mazzy! I just listened to Station To Station tonight. It's so good and the reissues sound great. Ziggy is definitely the best. That's a fact. 😃
Hi Mazzy, Great ranking video! Outside was on released as a single disc LP (titled: ''Excerpts From Outside''), which omitted a couple of tracks making it a more concise album in my oppinion. I got my copy in Edinburgh back in 95, but I think it was available throughout at least Europe.
@@mazzysmusic I know! Luckily I continued to buy all those LP's and 7'' & 12'' singles during the 90's when they only had limited runs. I am guessing that they will all be reissued in the near future. Fingers crossed because I still need a vinyl copy of the wonderful ''The Buddha of Suburbia'' soundtrack, from 1993.
Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust are my favourite Bowie albums. His songwriting was brilliant. It was also a very creative time for him and Mick Ronson who both produced Lou Reed's classic Transformer album. Also The Stooges Raw Power album and Bowie also made stars out of Mott The Hoople around this time with All The Young Dudes which he wrote and produced their album. An incredible period for 1 of the all time greats.
Thank you for another excellent music excursion. The only Bowie album I have is Ziggy Stardust, but I have been interested in getting Hunky Dory. Bowie adapted better to the '80s more than almost any major 70's artist because he had a way of making the music & then era adapt to him.
A great overview Norman. We have the same top three, although I'd switch your 2 and 3 around. I'd also have Aladdin Sane and Scary Monsters above all of the Berlin trilogy.
Music is unquestionably subjective, but yes, your number one is definitely Bowies best album. Great to hear your run down - I've got to listen to Outside again, my only cd of his( all my others are original vinyl) , and I need to buy Black Star, which would be my only "new" vinyl in my entire record collection. Thanks for posting this, though I would have ranked Aladdin Sane and Diamond Dogs higher. Now Im going to warm up my hifi set and crank Drive in Saturday, my personal favorite Bowie song, and will follow that with Stay, my second favorite. Thanks Norman.
David Bowie was my first concert ever back in September 17, 1983. He's also my favorite artist. I much later had the pleasure of performing the Star Spangled Banner on the same green turf at Oakland Stadium where I'd stood watching him all those years ago. You can catch that on my channel.
I’ll watch this tonight. My 1,2,3 are Alladin Sane Ziggy Diamond Dogs Watched your video..4- Hunky Dory The Man Who s t w. Space Oddity Station to Station Low, Young Americans and Lodger. Back then after Low he kinda lost me. You are right about Black Star too. My favorite live lp is Stage.I was surprised Aladdin wasn’t in your top 5 since Ziggy is your 1.
Enjoyed the video, and glad to see the art-rock choices up high. However, Alladin Sane at #11 was a shock. That record is as close to Ziggy Stardust stature as Bowie ever got IMO. Perhaps it's too similar for some, but for me it has to be in the top three AT LEAST!
Norman you have so much talent I absolutely loved your list I love the boldness and I love the honesty You can't really know an artist until you see them live As it was when I saw Roger Waters in 2007,2012 and 2018. It was such a revelation The only thing I wish is it was a full list not just your favorites But man you rock!
Appreciate the special nod to Sorrow. It was a favourite song to sing along with, soulful and flowing after so much 70s heaviness. From Station to Station, 'Stay' said everything at one time as a girlfriend was taken away. 'Hunky Dory' was a drug fueled personal spiritual adventure for years..."meet you on the next bardo..." 'Hang On To Yourself' left unmentioned from a life changing album.
Great ranking , although we see things quite differently in terms of positioning . I saw the Station to Station tour at Maple Leaf Gardens in February of 1976 . I agree with that it was a stunning concert , and one of the best I've ever seen . The black and white lighting was fabulous . My top 10 ranking would would be this : ( today , anyway ) Ziggy Stardust Station to Station Aladdin Sane Diamond Dogs Low Hunky Dory Let's Dance Young Americans Heroes Scary Monsters
I’ve never understood the negativity towards Pinups, I really love that album. In fact, I have been known to do a passable Bowie impression doing ‘Sorrow’ on the Karaoke 😂 Scary Monsters is my personal #1 - Ashes to ashes is over 40 years old yet somehow still sounds like music from the future..
Glad that Pin Ups was included. A rather underrated album I thought. I wonder if you considered The Buddha of Suburbia. This is also very underrated IMHO.
In my opinion David Bowie has 4 masterpieces. Hunky Dory, the Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Low and Scary Monsters super Creeps. Those 4 albums for me are in the top 10 of every artist. I was not a Bowie fan. When he died a coworker of mine cried the whole day because she was a huge fan. I didn't get it. She is a very good friend so I said that I'll listen to David Bowie. I listend through the whole discographie in the right order. When I heard Hunky Dory for the first time I thought this is probably the best album I ever heard. This is fucking amazing. After that I listened to the rise and fall. I thought that this is incredible too. And I was hooked. Of course the Man who sold the World or Space Oddity where great. But never before albums catched me like Hunky Dory and the Rise and Fall. After that I could really enjoy whole albums. Before that I only liked some songs. Scary Monsters was the next album that really grabbed me. Low came later but it also really took me in. Alladin Sane, Black Star, Let's Dance and Station to Station are also great but not as perfect as the other 4 albums. There are other albums from David Bowie that are good but they have weaker songs on them. For example for me heroes is much weaker. Heroes and V2 Schneider are amazing but other songs are in my opinion not as good. But thats the cool thing for David Bowie, he is so divers that many people find the album that's perfect for them. He is in my top three ever since. The others are the Beatles and Queen. Queen hasn't very strong albums in my opinion but so many great songs. The Beatles have great songs and great albums (Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper and Abby Road).
Great, another Bowie albums ranking. I like reading comments bellow a Bowie ranking. 100 comments, 100 different rankings. I`m not a Bowie hardcore fan, but i have 5 LP`s that i really like. Young Americans, Diamond Dogs, Pin Ups, Let`s Dance and Ziggy.
Ranking Bowie albums is a pretty monumental task, his output is so different and very little of it is bad. I think the two I go back to the most are Station to Station and Ziggy. I recently got into Let's Dance which I know some purists don't like but if you like new wave, its one of the best new wave records imo. I'm surprised The Next Day was so low on your list, I really enjoyed discovering it after devouring Blackstar.
My list: 1= Ziggy 1= Station to Station 1= Hunky Dory 1= Young Americans 1= Aladdin Sane 1= Heroes 1= Low 1= Lodger 1= Black Star 1= Diamond Dogs 1= Let's Dance 1= Scary Monsters 2= Heathen 2= Outside 2= Earthling 2= TMWSTW 2= BTWN 2= The Next Day 2= Pinups 3= Tonight 3= Hours 3= Buddha 3= Reality 3= 1966/David B 3= Never Let Me Down I can and do listen to all of them happily, particularly the derided 80's stuff.
I have enjoyed your top album reviews (about 4th one I've checked out). Here I can't argue with you too much but for me Diamond Dogs goes a bit higher on my list as does Low. Bowie defined "artist" to me, both musically and visually, his attire and look was always evolving too , and stage sets and the presentation of his product on stage was important throughout the middle of his career. I don't think we have ever seen many musicians who defined the term "creative artist" any better or more fully than this man.
I think both the intro to the track and the title Station to Station have two meanings both about taking you on a journey to other places. Train stations and radio stations. The opening minutes can be interpreted as either the sound of a steam train going from station to station or a listener twiddling the dial on an old fashion radio and hearing the static in between stations. A common experience for young people in Britain in the 60s and early 70s searching for pop music and listening to pirate radio stations and Radio Luxembourg on medium wave radios.
So haven't finished yet. I've noticed so many vids rating bodies albums, it's crazy! I've started a few but never make it thru. I'm assuming hunky dory is the best in everyone's list tho, right?
Mazzy! I feel that Lodger was really ahead of it’s time musically. I didn’t really dig it when I first got it back around the mid 80s,, but a few years ago I revisited the album and I find it amazing now. It’s really a hidden gem in Bowie’s catalog.
'...it's not the side effects of the cocaine...'....station to station....what a great album....love the list...i would have added 'hours'...i dig that album and the cover is brilliant.....and ziggy is number one....my old band, black widow, used to do mostly originals, but we did several tracks off of ziggy....just love that album....blackstar...low...aladdin sane...just perfect...and the live 'ziggy stardust the motion picture' is one of my all time favorite live albums....ronson is amazing....never got to see him live personally, but i can just imagine....great stuffy mazzy...stay well...peace...rocky
Interesting choices, although putting Tonight above Man who sold the world did have me saying...WTF!!! But then each to his own as they say! What did impress me here is that you presented a body of work in such a way that truly magnified the vastness of the mans ability and in no uncertain terms...genius! Most artists old and new make one or two brilliant landmark albums that define them throughout their careers which help keep them still being relevant with their fans for decades! But this guy made well over a dozen that were not only just brilliant, but also very different to each other, and sad to say....had he lived, would have gone on to make a few more!
I saw Bowie during his "Diamond Dogs" tour at MSG, boy was I surprised when he took the stage in a white 3 piece suit, and no orange spiked hair ! I've always said he sings like Anthony Newly too ! I love "Pin Ups",my favorite album is Ziggy though.
Very respectable ranking, Mazzy. Bowie is an absolute favorite and my list and top five is different... 5.Aladdin Sane, 4. Hunky Dory, 3. Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, 2. Station To Station, 1. Low. Rick Wakeman was asked to join the Spiders From Mars, he got the call from Chris Squire to join Yes around the same time. He discussed with Bowie and as disappointed as Bowie was he actually encouraged Rick to join Yes. Bowie's version of Wild is the Wind gives me chills every time I listen to it. And, lastly, Pin Ups would be towards the bottom oh his catalog for me. PS - A correction to your correction... Bowie's wife was Angela or Angie (The Rolling Stones song) and his son was Zowie Bowie (Duncan Jones the film director).
Great ranking! My two faves by Bowie are Low and Let's Dance. I don't actually own any Bowie on vinyl or any format. I would pick up some if I find a decent used copy somewhere
Yes. I am also a fan of the run of subject from "Please Mr. Grave Digger" through to "Sue, In a Season of Crime." i.e. One of 'Murder' .. '1. Outside' is dedicated to it .. and there are plenty of songs with this reference throughout the catalogue .. "I count the corpses to my left and find I'm not so tidy."...(Gonna plug a few civilians) ..!!! .. :-) Good list, btw .. I'd have had Scary Monsters, Outside, Earthling, Lodger and 25 other albums in my top 5 at least ..!! I've tried and never suceeded in ranking the albums .. so, you've done a better job than I could manage (not too difficult, mind)
My top ten when rated by the amount of play I have given them over the years. 1. Aladdin Sane 2. Ziggy Stardust 3. Hunky Dory 4.Earthling 5. Diamond Dogs 6. Pin Ups 7. Scary Monsters 8. Station To Station 9. Young Americans 10. The Man That Sold The World
Cool to see a Bowie ranking. Mine would be: 20 Let's Dance, 19 Reality, 18 Earthling, 17 The Next Day, 16 1 Outside, 15 Blackstar, 14 Space Oddity, 13 The Man who Sold the World, 12 Pin Ups, 11 Scary Monsters, 10 Heathen, 9 Heroes, 8 Lodger, 7 Diamond Dogs, 6, Hunky Dory 5 Young Americans, 4 Aladdin Sane, 3 Station to Station, 2 Low, 1 Ziggy Stardust
Those two albums 'Ziggy Stardust' and 'Hunky Dory' have a lot of sentimental value to me. They bring back fond memories from youth and were very special for that reason as well as for the music within. Low, Young Americans, Station to Station, Diamond Dogs and MWSTW are not far behind them. Bowie's music brought comfort and solace in my youth that probably emanated from something in Bowie's own nature. He was like a friend during my teenage years as The Beatles had been during my childhood. Cheers.
Hey Mazzy, Great video and one that I had to watch and comment on as I'm a huge Bowie fan..and a very huge Mick Ronson fan..I would say that Mick is easily one of the top 3 guitar players that have influenced my own guitar playing. I'm not going to debate your choices ...no reason to, as you said everyone has different tastes and our own choices change week to week. But I will tell you my top 5. 5. Man Who Sold The World 4. Hunky Dory 3. Aladin Sane 2. Station to Station 1. Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars And a couple of interesting points to bring up. - Outside is available on vinyl...it came out a few years back on 2 lp white vinyl from Music on vinyl. I bought it when it came out luckily..as its a 200 dollar album now. - Lodger... you said was an excellent recorded and sounding album...the funny thing is both David Bowie and Tony Visconti both thought it was terrible sounding ...mainly because they couldn't get a proper mixing room to finish it in. Which is also why Tony Visconti remixed the whole album for the boxset that came out a few years back..that boxset had the original vinyl version and the new remix. ..it was one of David's last requests of Tony before he died. - last thing. ..I disagree that Man Who Sold The World is a weak album with only one good song. ..in fact..that one good song is the one I like the least...I think it's David's heaviest sounding album...It's more a Mick Ronson album then a Bowie album I think...his finger prints are all over it ..as well as Hunky Dory and Ziggy. He wrote and arranged all the string parts on his albums..this is a often overlooked contribution of his. Again great video. ..it really enjoyed it. Mark Anthony K Projekt Gemineye
Interesting about Visconti and Bowie not liking the OG Lodger considering Visconti compressed the hell out of a lot of Bowie’s later albums. I’ve had the vinyl version of it and always liked it. I’ll pick up one if the reissues and check it out. 😎
Let’s Dance was the first time I was aware of bowie as that’s when I was just old enough to get into music. Since then he’s one of my top five artists and I’ve gone on to buy them all. The sound and vision reissues in the 90s were my opportunity to collect the classic period, although irritatingly they stopped doing vinyl for stage and scary monsters! Glad I kept them though during the time I stopped buying vinyl! My no 1 album is hunky dory, followed by ziggy, Aladdin or station, depending what mood I’m in!
I'm in my 50's and do remember Twiggy as a unique very famous petite model with a boyish charm, she was what you call a trendsetter. In fact everybody at school knew about her! And I am not from the UK nor the US! Thought most people had at least heard about her! 😳
Diamond Dogs will hold my heart. I go back and back to it. Sweet Thing suite is flawless. We are the Dead. But, I could, at times, pick Blackstar or Station or Low. When I put on Ziggy, it's #1 at that moment. Impossible 10 to 12 interchangeable albums. Who else could do that but Bowie?
I saw David live with the Spiders from Mars+ then later around the time of the 'David Live' double LP BTW..that's supermodel Twiggy on the cover of Pinups
It’s not the rankings themselves that interest me in these videos ( bound to be some people upset over the placing), so much as your comments and stories on each disc and why they have been chosen. It makes me want to listen again to some of the albums or hear them for the first time in some instances. Lovely stuff, keep em coming.
Literally summed it up perfectly- like hearing his experience and just comparing it to my own in terms of how different it is (being someone who is much younger and getting into Bowie after he passed.)
In 1994 I was strolling along Central Park South when a limo pulled up in the driveway at a hotel. I stopped for it and out gets Bowie and Iman. No-one else around within coo-ee. They looked immaculate, just beautiful. I didn't attempt to speak with them. Well, that's my Bowie story!
As arnold would say that's a good won....
you probably dont give a shit but if you're stoned like me during the covid times then you can stream all the latest series on instaflixxer. Been streaming with my brother for the last few months xD
@Clayton Ryder Definitely, have been using instaflixxer for years myself :)
@Clayton Ryder definitely, I have been watching on InstaFlixxer for since december myself :)
@@issacbentley7396 lol bot broke
Scary Monsters doesn't get enough credit, it is one of my all time favorite albums of ANY artist. Up The Hill Backwards & Teenage Wildlife are absolute gems - well written lyrics and virtuoso music writing. His vocals in Teenage Wildlife are among the most brilliant I've ever heard. Also: Fashion, Because You're Young, It's No Game (both versions), Ashes to Ashes. Fripp & Townsend add some great guitar work. I understand that this album is pretty bizarre and intense, it either hits you in your gut or it doesn't... and it hits mine. (Kingdom Come is the only weak spot - it is a boring song that's out of place.)
I actually love Kingdom Come, but prefer the original by Tom Verlaine which Bowie covered on Scary Monsters. ruclips.net/video/wx8dN_R0jJk/видео.html
Love your love for SM, however, love Kingdom Come too.
You are right for me is the best Bowie album ....not one bad song
Love up the hill backwards
I agree, SM should be in top 5 for sure. His last great album--IMO.
You must not be a guitar guy. Mick Ronson’s guitar work on The Man Who Sold the World is absolutely brilliant.
I love his guitar playing
@@mazzysmusic Very cool 👍As a guitarist myself I always champion Mick’s playing. Sure it’s not a million notes a second but his vibrato and sweet bends put him in the elegant class of players like Robin Trower. So underrated I’m glad you appreciate his playing without it David just wouldn’t be the same.
My favorite among favorites, this is the album where they get heavy, the birth of the Spiders, the beginning of the epic tracks, the flirting with gender, the madness recurring theme and even the title track has latin percussion! 1970 Bowie Rocks!
@@captainbeyond7469 Mick Ronson was not only a superior guitar player, but a formidable orchestral string arranger and a great producer too!
Outside is genius but could have been edited back to 8 great tracks. A lot of his later album tracks are sludgy, bombastic and overfilled. He couldn’t seem to end a song without a thousand doodles and frills. The art direction of Heathen and The Next Day are putrid. Just awful.
So happy to see Station to Station up there -- my favorite for a variety of mostly personal reasons. Loved seeing where you ranked the albums and why. In my heart I think I know your ranking is much more objective than mine (if rankings can be called objective). Thanks for sharing.
Thank you ! Liked it very much. I played Bowie shows in a theatre in Ingolstadt in Bavaria. Bowie is so so so amazing. I liked your ranking a lot.
Best regards from munich and all the best to you.... Alex
Dear Mazzy, a very measured and heartfelt ranking on your part!!....I am 70 years old and my TOP3 are identical to yours....I mostly agree with your choices,though I place Scary Monsters in #4 place...thanks again!
I love all of David's albums but Station to Station just kills me. Just love this album. But with Bowie the difference in quality is so good, they are all special.
Station is fantastic. I loved that tour 🎶
Station to Station is special.
David didnt even remember recording it lol
Watching your video makes me want to spin all my Bowie albums. I saw him twice, in '95 when he toured with Nine Inch Nails. Bowie was deathly ill and only did a few songs before begging off. Saw him again in '97 on the Earthling tour and that was a much better show. Station to Station is my personal #1. But it's hard to argue with your list. I got Blackstar on the day Bowie died. I played it once and haven't had the heart to play it again, but I think it's time I did. Great video, my friend.
Great video, I prefer to rank people like Bowie in time periods - it's easier ! Today my top 5 ranking for late period would be ; 5: The Next Day, 4 Heathen, 3: hours..., 2 : Blackstar,
1: Outside.
My wife also saw Bowie on the Thin White Duke/Station to Station tour and she said it was incredible - I am forever jealous! Station to Station and Hunky Dory are the two that constantly compete for my Top 2 (the EMI Millennium all-analog pressing of Hunky Dory is absolutely killer, smoking all other versions). One album that rarely gets much love but which for me would be in my Top 20 is Earthling. The Trent Reznor remix of "I'm afraid of Americans" is in my Top 10 Bowie singles for sure. Both Heathen and Reality are higher up in my list, and I also have great fondness for "hours...." I know live albums aren't in your purview, but the final Reality tour set is fantastic, and I also love the BBC sessions (especially with the extra live disc of Bowie performing at the BBC around 2000, I think). But, let's face it, Bowie is one of those artists where every album is a must-own.
David Bowie is a genius and one of the most important artists of the 20th century
"the man who sold the world" is a very underrated album. It rocks!!! Mick Ronson is a guitar hero in this album... Inside this album, I feel predilection for a "little unknown song" called "Saviour Machine". It really blow my mind... what kind of dangerous advanced mind could write a song like that in 1970? For me, this song is a hidden masterpiece...
Yes!!! Saviour Machine and Running Gun Blues. Ronno was a god on this album.
Savior Machine is pure brilliance! I'm glad I am not the only one who thinks so.
And Mazzy is back with another solid ranking video! I am, like many of us, an enormous Bowie fan. I also saw him 3 times, the first was 1982 Serious Moonlight Tour and then the Glass Spider Tour and the last time was the Reality Tour. I have always thought his mid to late 90's to early 2000's work has been terribly overlooked...like Hours, Earthling, Outside, Heathen and Reality. Great ranking....I'm gonna go spin Scary Monsters again right now. Low, Heroes and Lodger are 3 masterful pieces of work.
Lodger is one of my favorite albums of all time and it was one of Bowie’s favorites when he was asked what his favorite albums of his were. Adrian Belew’s guitar work on that album is fantastic.
Mine as well.
@Andrew Collins he was asked on several occasions of which album he was most fond of in his catalogue and he always answered with “Lodger”.
You ranked Tonight higher than The Man Who Sold The World- I am still in a state of shock.
🤷🏻♂️✌🏽
an also ranked higher than outside LOL a non sense ranking all the way
@@mazzysmusic looks like he missed the first part of the video uh?
My intro to Bowie was Rise and Fall. My older brother's friend left it at our house and I played it over and over. Had never heard anything like it. Saw Bowie at the Cow Palace also. A mere freshman in high school from the suburbs of San Jose. 15th row on the floor dead center and watched the parade of characters in the audience. Of all of my concerts this one is my fondest memory. What a show!!!
Always enjoy these type of posts as they are a great gateway into an artists music … well done
Glad to see Lodger get some much deserved respect. It's appalling the lack of attention this album receives. It's just brilliant.
adrian belew !
Another good ranking video Mazzy. Personally I'd have included in my top 10 The Man Who Sold the World and Outside (the latter of which took me a good few years to fully appreciate). Also I would have included Earthling in the list, maybe at the expense of Pin Ups - which never did anything for me (aside from Sorrow). Cant argue with your number 1 & 2 though.
Great video, Mazzy. My introductory record was Hunky Dory and I had never heard anything quite like it, and really still (again *quite*) haven’t.
I became a fan and slowly started listening to the occasional Bowie record from there, but truthfully it wasn’t until the pandemic that I took the dive from the beginning on. It would be a gross understatement to say his discography has an abnormal amount of depth to it. I’ll find myself drawing from his 70-78 output and thats the main course of my listening for.. a while.
I’ve found a new found love for Station to Station and Diamond Dogs in particular, also a true (now time-affirmed) appreciation for just how incredible Hunky Dory and The Rise and Fall.. are too. What an amazing artist who left us with more than is possible to properly describe.
Thanks again!
Can't argue with most of that, just Scary Monsters would be much higher for me. Fripp's guitar just elevates it to another level.
Teenage Wildlife is amazing. Especially the passage that begins with "David what can I do that wait for me in the hallways."
Love your list. Im going to do my due diligence with Station to Station now. Also, not only do I love Hunky Dory, I love to use the phrase "hunky dory" whenever given the opportunity. :)
Hi Mazzy, I love watching people rank David Bowie as nobody ever agrees on what is his best albums. This just shows the breadth and diversity of his work. There is no wrong ranking. My personal top 5 are:
5. Hunky Dory
4. Ziggy
3. Young Americans
2. Aladdin Sane
1. Diamond Dogs (the greatest album ever recorded in my opinion).
Great video! All the best - Richard
Nobody ever agrees, because there are just too many that are that good! In fact I can’t even begin to put them in any kind of order of which are my favorites without thinking of being disloyal to another.
@@Tawny6702 Ranking Bowie's albums was one of the first videos I did a couple of years ago. I think if I would do it again the real change would be the elevation of Pin Ups which I now see as vastly underrated.
@@CookieMusic43 yes, so much attention to detail paid to the quality of this covers album is often underrated, and it’s not often I like a cover over the original, but there are a few...not all, that I think the songs sound so much better!
I’m happy to say that I also got to experience Blackstar before we lost him. My dad took me to Barnes and Noble to get it the day it came out and I also just played into the ground. It took me a very long time to go back to it.
I can't believe you were at that show 72 - I am so jealous! I remember reading in Bowie threads that his crowds were so small on that tour through the US that he would ask his audience to move from their seats and come close to the stage to make it more intimate? I am working on my 20 best Bowie albums and will post it in a little bit. Mine will be totally different than yours, though I think he, like no other artist that comes to mind, you can have a completely different ranking and be equally correct. Another great video on my top artist (my obsession). Thanks for this video!
Ever changing lists for sure 😎
I am a Bowie fan similar to your Beatles fandom. This list may be percieved as being heavy on the later years (which it is), and may be influenced by my entry point (MTV Let's Dance 1983 period) but I think my list still holds up in spite of this and is just from a different angle.
20. The Next Day
19. Never Let Me Down (my first new Bowie record released as a fan)
18. Station to Station
17. Let's Dance
16. Blackstar
15. Diamond Dogs
14. Earthling
13. Lodger
12. Aladdin Sane
11. Scary Monsters
10. Space Oddity
9. Young Americans
8. Heroes
7. Heathen
6. Black Tie White Noise
5. The Buddha of Suburbia
4. Low
3. Ziggy Stardust
2. Hunky Dory
1. Outside
Bonus Live albums ranking:
9. Cracked Actor: Los Angeles 74
8. Something in the Air (Live in Paris '99)
7. David Live: Philly 74
6. Welcome to the Blackout [Live London '78]
5. Glass Spider Tour: Montreal 1987
4. LiveAndWell.com
3. Santa Monica 72
2. Look at the Moon!
1. A Reality Tour
Good to see you ranked "Space Oddity" in the top 10. That was my introduction to Bowie in 1972, and I've always liked that album. Great list.
I love Hunky Dory and The rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust, as well. I never get tired of hearing these albums. I used to listen to Man Who Sold the World, Hunky Dory, and Ziggy Stardust often, while sitting around doing drawing or painting. They all have a fantastic variety and are full of nice surprises. Thanks for the info on Wakeman, etc - I used to only listen to that one on the net, so I never had the vinyl.
Great video man. thoroughly enjoyed that, didn't know that Fripp opened on guitar for heroes.
Can't believe you saw the Thin White Duke, wish i was there. First Bowie concert for me was Serious Moonlight tour, 83, in New Zealand. I was 15 and obsessed with Young Americans and Ashes to Ashes.
Station to Station is one heck of a brilliant record.
Also love Win, Sound and Vision, Fantastic Voyage, Heroes, Five Years and so much more.
thank you.
Hi Mazzy, Love Bowie. I have to rank on nostalgia. His albums influence my musical tastes and appreciation of art to this day. I was a teenager, 11/12 years when I first heard the Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust. It was my brothers LP, I wore it out. I was far from a rebel but listening to his music made me feel like one!
5.Young Americans-Win, a standout
4.Station to Station- Station to Station, Stay, Wild Is the Wind (Beautiful)
3.Diamond Dogs- Sweet Thing into Candidate- great sax work, We Are The Dead
2. Alladdin Sane- Alladdin Sane- Shout out Mike Garson, Time, Cracked Actor, Panic in Detroit - love this album!
1. The Rise and Fall Of Ziggy Stardust- Five Years (His best song IMHO) All solid songs. A joy to llsten to.
God I am so late to this one and I apologize for being the 200th comment LOL! This was another pretty right on rankage vid! I would’ve put Low on top at #1 as it holds a special personal connection with me and I had this drug fueled fever Dream while I had it on continuous loop while I was in like Jr High Haha Followed closely by Ziggy, Alladin, Leta Dance, and Scary Monsters I can’t speak to BlackStar as I don’t have it but I will eventually Thanks for sharing Mazzy! Peace ☮️✌️👽🤘☮️
Hi Mazzy, hope you will do many more Top Twenties, I find it very interesting and fun to watch and hear how you talk about the records.
Aloha Mazzy
Always enjoy checking out your rankings and your reasons behind them.
Looking forward to seeing your next video.
Mahalo Ed
For me Heroes will always be my favorite, just cant get enough of that record
Great review and once again I agree with the rankings for the top 5 which I own. Please keep up the reviews as you're helping me rebuild my CD and record collections.
I saw him on the Glass Spider tour, so I will always love Never Let Me Down more than most others. There is now a remixed/reconstructed version of that album that is perhaps aimed to be a less dated version, with fewer electronic drums and synths. I am looking forward to digesting that one day. My faves are the Berlin trilogy along with Stage, but I love his entire career, even the Tin Machine stuff to a certain extent. Great overview and comments.
I finally listened to Bowie's entire catalog and "The Man Who Sold the World" was my favorite. Not a weak track throughout.
My Top Three Bowie - Gold 🏅 - Station To Station , Silver 🏅 - Low & Bronze 🏅 - Scary 👹 & Super Creeps .
The Man who Sold the World - 1970 Bowie Rocks!
My favorite among favorites, this is the album where they get heavy, the birth of the Spiders, the beginning of the epic tracks, the flirting with gender, the recurring madness theme, and even the title track has a latin percussion! Seminal y'know?
When listening to Bowie albums, you don't do it for the hits like with other lesser artists.
He even said that people at concerts wanted the non hits, the non singles, the rare tracks... (Heroes, Loving the Alien, Queen Bitch, Sweet Thing/Candidate...)
My favorite is Station to Station. The '91 Rykodisc release has a bonus cut of Stay (live) that's killer.
All power to both Lodger (occasionally my favourite DB album) and Stationtostation which doesn’t always get love it deserves. Outside is an incredible work of art + a handful of amazing songs. Or maybe I’m Deranged.
'The next day' took a few listens but its really grown on me.
Mazzy, you surprise me. We agree on the top 3. I didn’t think anyone else put Station To Station so high. In fact, it’s the LP I play the most. Wild Is The Wind is better than Nina Simone’s version and is, perhaps, the best cover I have ever heard (I’m obsessed with cover tunes). It’s Bowie at his sexiest, and that’s saying something. Nice list. Glad you let off Never Let Me Down.
Good stuff. Now, this is my fact!!!! 😂 1. Young Americans 2. Station to Station 3. Low. Bowie was the man! Sooooo many great songs and memories. Changes One Bowie is still one of the best greatest hits album. Glad you mentioned Wild is the Wind, such a beautiful song. Listen to Bowie sing across the universe and when he keeps saying “Nothing” I think of Wilco saying the same thing on Misunderstood.
I just made a ranking of every Bowie album from 1967-1983. I haven’t listened to any of his albums after Let’s Dance.
1. Station to Station
2. Low
3. Ziggy Stardust
4. Heroes
5. Hunky Dory
6. Aladdin Sane
7. The Man Who Sold the World
8. Diamond Dogs
9. Scary Monsters
10. Space Oddity
11. Young Americans
12. David Bowie
13. Lodger
14. Let’s Dance
15. Pin-Ups
Love the channel...and I know rankings are subjective...but....I am still rubbing my eyes at Tonight rated above my favorite album TMWSTW🙉🙈🙉🙈 I just looked at my watch to make sure it was not 4-1....now I am watching and Pin Up is on my TV...I have to log off now....I finally forgave you for the Goats Head Soup omission from the Stones rankings but I can't stand it anymore.... will wait for the next road trip video 👍
It's good to be unique - the one person in the world who ranks Tonight above The Man Who Sold the World.
I adore Hunky Dory. I’ve been listening to it since the late 70s I guess. I planned for Kooks to be a guiding light on parenting. Sadly when my son arrived many years later and school homework got him down - we never threw it on the fire and took the car downtown. I failed!
Great to hear your reflections on these albums. The first LP I purchased was Aladdin Sane (as soon as it was released) and still think it is his best, or at least equal with Ziggy. An observation I have is that artists tend to get less interesting as they get older, but Bowie was on a rise at the end. Black Star is an amazing album.
Saw the Thin White Duke tour and it remains one of my favorite concerts. It’s no coincidence I guess that Young Americans and Station to Station are my favs.....followed by Ziggy and Hunky.
Mazzy damn this ranking was a winner yes Hunky Dory is a mother . Buy yes Ziggy is where it’s at when it comes on it pulls you in to that Ziggy persona I totally agree I’m awe you saw him in the Seventies wow man love the stories. My list 1. Ziggy Stardust 2. Hunky Dory 3. Low 4. Heroes 5.Station to Station 5. Black Star 6. Aladdin Sane 7. Lodger. I was so glad I got to see him on tour for the Heathen tour called Area1 he opened for Moby really yes he was amazing he came out in a suit with Earl Slick and Gail Ann Dorsey on bass Bowie totally blew me away . Awesome episode Mazzy love the 20 you picked .
Love this - nice work Mazzy.
Much appreciated!
Great video Mazzy! I just listened to Station To Station tonight. It's so good and the reissues sound great. Ziggy is definitely the best. That's a fact. 😃
Hi Mazzy, Great ranking video!
Outside was on released as a single disc LP (titled: ''Excerpts From Outside''), which omitted a couple of tracks making it a more concise album in my oppinion.
I got my copy in Edinburgh back in 95, but I think it was available throughout at least Europe.
I l have now learned this. But for now they are pricey 😎🥺
@@mazzysmusic I know!
Luckily I continued to buy all those LP's and 7'' & 12'' singles during the 90's when they only had limited runs.
I am guessing that they will all be reissued in the near future. Fingers crossed because I still need a vinyl copy of the wonderful ''The Buddha of Suburbia'' soundtrack, from 1993.
Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust are my favourite Bowie albums. His songwriting was brilliant. It was also a very creative time for him and Mick Ronson who both produced Lou Reed's classic Transformer album. Also The Stooges Raw Power album and Bowie also made stars out of Mott The Hoople around this time with All The Young Dudes which he wrote and produced their album. An incredible period for 1 of the all time greats.
Thank you for another excellent music excursion. The only Bowie album I have is Ziggy Stardust, but I have been interested in getting Hunky Dory. Bowie adapted better to the '80s more than almost any major 70's artist because he had a way of making the music & then era adapt to him.
A great overview Norman. We have the same top three, although I'd switch your 2 and 3 around. I'd also have Aladdin Sane and Scary Monsters above all of the Berlin trilogy.
Music is unquestionably subjective, but yes, your number one is definitely Bowies best album. Great to hear your run down - I've got to listen to Outside again, my only cd of his( all my others are original vinyl) , and I need to buy Black Star, which would be my only "new" vinyl in my entire record collection. Thanks for posting this, though I would have ranked Aladdin Sane and Diamond Dogs higher. Now Im going to warm up my hifi set and crank Drive in Saturday, my personal favorite Bowie song, and will follow that with Stay, my second favorite. Thanks Norman.
G DAMN! these lists you make are FUN!
Thank you ✌🏽
Well done Mazzy! You have inspired me! Coming soon.......Hub Tunes Bowie Rankings!
Like to see your take on punk, new wave, and power pop. Listen to your program everyday, love it.
ruclips.net/video/_64m3l2_rvM/видео.html and ruclips.net/video/fWTaAyBmxRM/видео.html
I know much more than I did before this and own the top 3! You have lived an Amazing Life Winterland Wow! Thank You
David Bowie was my first concert ever back in September 17, 1983. He's also my favorite artist. I much later had the pleasure of performing the Star Spangled Banner on the same green turf at Oakland Stadium where I'd stood watching him all those years ago. You can catch that on my channel.
I’ll watch this tonight. My 1,2,3 are
Alladin Sane
Ziggy
Diamond Dogs
Watched your video..4- Hunky Dory
The Man Who s t w.
Space Oddity
Station to Station
Low, Young Americans and Lodger.
Back then after Low he kinda lost me. You are right about Black Star too. My favorite live lp is Stage.I was surprised Aladdin wasn’t in your top 5 since Ziggy is your 1.
Enjoyed the video, and glad to see the art-rock choices up high. However, Alladin Sane at #11 was a shock. That record is as close to Ziggy Stardust stature as Bowie ever got IMO. Perhaps it's too similar for some, but for me it has to be in the top three AT LEAST!
Norman you have so much talent
I absolutely loved your list
I love the boldness and I love the honesty
You can't really know an artist until you see them live
As it was when I saw Roger Waters in 2007,2012 and 2018.
It was such a revelation
The only thing I wish is it was a full list not just your favorites
But man you rock!
Appreciate the special nod to Sorrow. It was a favourite song to sing along with, soulful and flowing after so much 70s heaviness. From Station to Station, 'Stay' said everything at one time as a girlfriend was taken away. 'Hunky Dory' was a drug fueled personal spiritual adventure for years..."meet you on the next bardo..." 'Hang On To Yourself' left unmentioned from a life changing album.
Great ranking , although we see things quite differently in terms of positioning . I saw the Station to Station tour at Maple Leaf Gardens in February of 1976 . I agree with that it was a stunning concert , and one of the best I've ever seen . The black and white lighting was fabulous . My top 10 ranking would would be this : ( today , anyway )
Ziggy Stardust
Station to Station
Aladdin Sane
Diamond Dogs
Low
Hunky Dory
Let's Dance
Young Americans
Heroes
Scary Monsters
I’ve never understood the negativity towards Pinups, I really love that album. In fact, I have been known to do a passable Bowie impression doing ‘Sorrow’ on the Karaoke 😂 Scary Monsters is my personal #1 - Ashes to ashes is over 40 years old yet somehow still sounds like music from the future..
Pinups is great
Glad that Pin Ups was included. A rather underrated album I thought. I wonder if you considered The Buddha of Suburbia. This is also very underrated IMHO.
In my opinion David Bowie has 4 masterpieces. Hunky Dory, the Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Low and Scary Monsters super Creeps. Those 4 albums for me are in the top 10 of every artist. I was not a Bowie fan. When he died a coworker of mine cried the whole day because she was a huge fan. I didn't get it. She is a very good friend so I said that I'll listen to David Bowie. I listend through the whole discographie in the right order. When I heard Hunky Dory for the first time I thought this is probably the best album I ever heard. This is fucking amazing. After that I listened to the rise and fall. I thought that this is incredible too. And I was hooked. Of course the Man who sold the World or Space Oddity where great. But never before albums catched me like Hunky Dory and the Rise and Fall. After that I could really enjoy whole albums. Before that I only liked some songs. Scary Monsters was the next album that really grabbed me. Low came later but it also really took me in. Alladin Sane, Black Star, Let's Dance and Station to Station are also great but not as perfect as the other 4 albums. There are other albums from David Bowie that are good but they have weaker songs on them. For example for me heroes is much weaker. Heroes and V2 Schneider are amazing but other songs are in my opinion not as good. But thats the cool thing for David Bowie, he is so divers that many people find the album that's perfect for them. He is in my top three ever since. The others are the Beatles and Queen. Queen hasn't very strong albums in my opinion but so many great songs. The Beatles have great songs and great albums (Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper and Abby Road).
Great, another Bowie albums ranking. I like reading comments bellow a Bowie ranking. 100 comments, 100 different rankings. I`m not a Bowie hardcore fan, but i have 5 LP`s that i really like. Young Americans, Diamond Dogs, Pin Ups, Let`s Dance and Ziggy.
Mazzy, I was at that show at Winterland in '72 when I was going to UC Berkeley. Memorable show by Bowie AKA Ziggy. Ziggy No. 1
Ranking Bowie albums is a pretty monumental task, his output is so different and very little of it is bad. I think the two I go back to the most are Station to Station and Ziggy. I recently got into Let's Dance which I know some purists don't like but if you like new wave, its one of the best new wave records imo. I'm surprised The Next Day was so low on your list, I really enjoyed discovering it after devouring Blackstar.
My list:
1= Ziggy
1= Station to Station
1= Hunky Dory
1= Young Americans
1= Aladdin Sane
1= Heroes
1= Low
1= Lodger
1= Black Star
1= Diamond Dogs
1= Let's Dance
1= Scary Monsters
2= Heathen
2= Outside
2= Earthling
2= TMWSTW
2= BTWN
2= The Next Day
2= Pinups
3= Tonight
3= Hours
3= Buddha
3= Reality
3= 1966/David B
3= Never Let Me Down
I can and do listen to all of them happily, particularly the derided 80's stuff.
I have enjoyed your top album reviews (about 4th one I've checked out). Here I can't argue with you too much but for me Diamond Dogs goes a bit higher on my list as does Low. Bowie defined "artist" to me, both musically and visually, his attire and look was always evolving too , and stage sets and the presentation of his product on stage was important throughout the middle of his career. I don't think we have ever seen many musicians who defined the term "creative artist" any better or more fully than this man.
I think both the intro to the track and the title Station to Station have two meanings both about taking you on a journey to other places. Train stations and radio stations. The opening minutes can be interpreted as either the sound of a steam train going from station to station or a listener twiddling the dial on an old fashion radio and hearing the static in between stations. A common experience for young people in Britain in the 60s and early 70s searching for pop music and listening to pirate radio stations and Radio Luxembourg on medium wave radios.
So haven't finished yet. I've noticed so many vids rating bodies albums, it's crazy! I've started a few but never make it thru. I'm assuming hunky dory is the best in everyone's list tho, right?
Mazzy! I feel that Lodger was really ahead of it’s time musically. I didn’t really dig it when I first got it back around the mid 80s,, but a few years ago I revisited the album and I find it amazing now. It’s really a hidden gem in Bowie’s catalog.
'...it's not the side effects of the cocaine...'....station to station....what a great album....love the list...i would have added 'hours'...i dig that album and the cover is brilliant.....and ziggy is number one....my old band, black widow, used to do mostly originals, but we did several tracks off of ziggy....just love that album....blackstar...low...aladdin sane...just perfect...and the live 'ziggy stardust the motion picture' is one of my all time favorite live albums....ronson is amazing....never got to see him live personally, but i can just imagine....great stuffy mazzy...stay well...peace...rocky
Great list, Mazzy! Top 3, I would go:
1. Honky Dory
2. Low
3. Let's Dance
Interesting choices, although putting Tonight above Man who sold the world did have me saying...WTF!!! But then each to his own as they say! What did impress me here is that you presented a body of work in such a way that truly magnified the vastness of the mans ability and in no uncertain terms...genius! Most artists old and new make one or two brilliant landmark albums that define them throughout their careers which help keep them still being relevant with their fans for decades! But this guy made well over a dozen that were not only just brilliant, but also very different to each other, and sad to say....had he lived, would have gone on to make a few more!
I saw Bowie during his "Diamond Dogs" tour at MSG, boy was I surprised when he took the stage in a white 3 piece suit, and no orange spiked hair ! I've always said he sings like Anthony Newly too ! I love "Pin Ups",my favorite album is Ziggy though.
Very respectable ranking, Mazzy. Bowie is an absolute favorite and my list and top five is different... 5.Aladdin Sane, 4. Hunky Dory, 3. Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, 2. Station To Station, 1. Low. Rick Wakeman was asked to join the Spiders From Mars, he got the call from Chris Squire to join Yes around the same time. He discussed with Bowie and as disappointed as Bowie was he actually encouraged Rick to join Yes. Bowie's version of Wild is the Wind gives me chills every time I listen to it. And, lastly, Pin Ups would be towards the bottom oh his catalog for me.
PS - A correction to your correction... Bowie's wife was Angela or Angie (The Rolling Stones song) and his son was Zowie Bowie (Duncan Jones the film director).
Yeah I mixed up Twiggy and Zoe thus the * correction. Don’t know how to add a headline via RUclips studio after the fact 🤷🏻♂️
@@mazzysmusic 🤷🏻♂️ I was pointing out his son's name, is all. 👨🏻🎤
Great ranking! My two faves by Bowie are Low and Let's Dance. I don't actually own any Bowie on vinyl or any format. I would pick up some if I find a decent used copy somewhere
Yes. I am also a fan of the run of subject from "Please Mr. Grave Digger" through to "Sue, In a Season of Crime." i.e. One of 'Murder' .. '1. Outside' is dedicated to it .. and there are plenty of songs with this reference throughout the catalogue .. "I count the corpses to my left and find I'm not so tidy."...(Gonna plug a few civilians) ..!!! .. :-) Good list, btw .. I'd have had Scary Monsters, Outside, Earthling, Lodger and 25 other albums in my top 5 at least ..!! I've tried and never suceeded in ranking the albums .. so, you've done a better job than I could manage (not too difficult, mind)
My top ten when rated by the amount of play I have given them over the years.
1. Aladdin Sane
2. Ziggy Stardust
3. Hunky Dory
4.Earthling
5. Diamond Dogs
6. Pin Ups
7. Scary Monsters
8. Station To Station
9. Young Americans
10. The Man That Sold The World
Station to Station
Low
Pinups
Ziggy
Diamond Dogs .
Hi.n.m.i have your new ! Channel I like this 📹 I will put this in my library so Keep the 📹's coming your no.1 fan
This was a truly at heart description
I love the stage lp.and happy to have found you
Agree 100% on Wild is the Wind. What a cover ! 👍
Cool to see a Bowie ranking. Mine would be: 20 Let's Dance, 19 Reality, 18 Earthling, 17 The Next Day, 16 1 Outside, 15 Blackstar, 14 Space Oddity, 13 The Man who Sold the World, 12 Pin Ups, 11 Scary Monsters, 10 Heathen, 9 Heroes, 8 Lodger, 7 Diamond Dogs, 6, Hunky Dory 5 Young Americans, 4 Aladdin Sane, 3 Station to Station, 2 Low, 1 Ziggy Stardust
Those two albums 'Ziggy Stardust' and 'Hunky Dory' have a lot of sentimental value to me. They bring back fond memories from youth and were very special for that reason as well as for the music within. Low, Young Americans, Station to Station, Diamond Dogs and MWSTW are not far behind them. Bowie's music brought comfort and solace in my youth that probably emanated from something in Bowie's own nature. He was like a friend during my teenage years as The Beatles had been during my childhood. Cheers.
Hey Mazzy,
Great video and one that I had to watch and comment on as I'm a huge Bowie fan..and a very huge Mick Ronson fan..I would say that Mick is easily one of the top 3 guitar players that have influenced my own guitar playing.
I'm not going to debate your choices ...no reason to, as you said everyone has different tastes and our own choices change week to week.
But I will tell you my top 5.
5. Man Who Sold The World
4. Hunky Dory
3. Aladin Sane
2. Station to Station
1. Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
And a couple of interesting points to bring up.
- Outside is available on vinyl...it came out a few years back on 2 lp white vinyl from Music on vinyl. I bought it when it came out luckily..as its a 200 dollar album now.
- Lodger... you said was an excellent recorded and sounding album...the funny thing is both David Bowie and Tony Visconti both thought it was terrible sounding ...mainly because they couldn't get a proper mixing room to finish it in. Which is also why Tony Visconti remixed the whole album for the boxset that came out a few years back..that boxset had the original vinyl version and the new remix. ..it was one of David's last requests of Tony before he died.
- last thing. ..I disagree that Man Who Sold The World is a weak album with only one good song. ..in fact..that one good song is the one I like the least...I think it's David's heaviest sounding album...It's more a Mick Ronson album then a Bowie album I think...his finger prints are all over it ..as well as Hunky Dory and Ziggy. He wrote and arranged all the string parts on his albums..this is a often overlooked contribution of his.
Again great video. ..it really enjoyed it.
Mark Anthony K
Projekt Gemineye
Interesting about Visconti and Bowie not liking the OG Lodger considering Visconti compressed the hell out of a lot of Bowie’s later albums. I’ve had the vinyl version of it and always liked it. I’ll pick up one if the reissues and check it out. 😎
Let’s Dance was the first time I was aware of bowie as that’s when I was just old enough to get into music. Since then he’s one of my top five artists and I’ve gone on to buy them all. The sound and vision reissues in the 90s were my opportunity to collect the classic period, although irritatingly they stopped doing vinyl for stage and scary monsters! Glad I kept them though during the time I stopped buying vinyl!
My no 1 album is hunky dory, followed by ziggy, Aladdin or station, depending what mood I’m in!
I eleventy kagillion percent agree with this list Mazlov, kudos
I'm in my 50's and do remember Twiggy as a unique very famous petite model with a boyish charm, she was what you call a trendsetter. In fact everybody at school knew about her! And I am not from the UK nor the US! Thought most people had at least heard about her! 😳
Diamond Dogs will hold my heart. I go back and back to it. Sweet Thing suite is flawless. We are the Dead. But, I could, at times, pick Blackstar or Station or Low. When I put on Ziggy, it's #1 at that moment. Impossible 10 to 12 interchangeable albums. Who else could do that but Bowie?
I saw David live with the Spiders from Mars+ then later around the time of the 'David Live' double LP
BTW..that's supermodel Twiggy on the cover of Pinups
Great selection. I would put Outside much higher as I think it’s brilliant and challenging. I also rate scary monsters highly.
Been down the rabbit hole of your video's and subscribed. Enjoy the look of your grey hat.. What's the make & model?
The hatch’s from Goorin Bros. Forgot which line. That change colors seasons and years. ✌🏽
@@mazzysmusic it's a good looking hat. I've got a few hats that I wear indoors. ✌