Blackstar

I've always found Bowie a bit hit and miss, and I found this a bit patchy. Wouldn't turn it on, wouldn't turn it off.

I so want to love Bowie - but it just doesn’t get under my skin. I think I need the right circumstances for this to have meaning for me. That doesn’t detract from his talent.

Seemed alright... Not really a Bowie fan tho.

Good album, def not his best

didn’t listen to the whole thing, kinda mid

I love David Bowie. I loved listening to his last album. I certainly appreciated what he did with this one. I just can't say that I'd ever want to listen to this again outside of this project. So that makes for a challenging rating. Whatever I rate won't reflect all that I felt listening to it.

Overrated by virtue of Bowie's death. Liked Dollar Days.

Estilo de voz típico de Bowie. En algunas ocasiones un poco difícil de catalogar el disco. Pop un poco extravagante, se sale de lo común.

This is the kind of album that makes me wish you could revisit old albums on this thing? On my first listen, this album appeared to be a bit too much at times, a little too unfocused. And yet, Bowie’s haunting voice lingers, and I feel like one day I’ll really recognize this album as a masterpiece. 3.5 stars for now

Definitely not the best Bowie. I quite enjoyed listening to it though. Low 3*

Some beautiful moments, but also a lot of atonal monotony. I really wanted to like the album but I just can't get into it.

OK, not the best Bowie

Not sure about this - it really needs an attentive listen.

it's ok, pretty weird and depressing but in a variety of ways.

Interesting music but I didn't really enjoy it.

I have to be honest, I love David Bowie, but this album is not it for me. I’ll give it three because of the legend of Bowie. RIP

David Bowie is a referent but perhaps for me not very important.

I like this. Not a classic but interesting and showed that Bowie still had something to say

Manden er jo en legende og albummet skulle være være fantastisk. Synes dog ikke helt den rammer mig. Den er lidt for avant garde. Måske jeg lige skal prøve at få den ind under huden en gang

Hoor wel hoe goed het is, maar heb vandaag moeite om dit op waarde te schatten. Later nog eens proberen.

Topzwaar, maar mooie zwanenzang van de meester

I don't know much of Bowie beyond his many excellent singles, so I wasn't sure what to expect with this. It seems like a perfect final album, one man looking back at his life and thinking beyond.

Solid album, can see myself checking this one out again. A lot more "modern" sounding than I expected.

I wanted to like this more than I did. I appreciate how important it is, but I didn't fall in love with it.

Not a bad album, but as far as David Bowie's best goes this is pretty just okay.

i was not completely wowed by this album. good but not my thing really... sorry mr bowie

didnt grip me right away the way older bowie albums did, but i suspect it would grow on me with time, which unfortunately i do not have right now

Seemed a bit less "art pop" than his previous albums. I didn't mind.

Agora tenho capacidade de ouvir e gostar.

It’s fine…

If this wasn't the 'death album' it likely wouldn't have received the reception it did and probably wouldn't have made this list. It's still a solid Bowie album.

Well, his last one, so cannot rate lower

that's bowie, so ok... but not my piece of cake

Felt like a pretty thoughtful album.

Many of the songs seemed like incoherent ramblings, but I liked the sounds and tone overall.

Didn’t know what to expect. Quiet wistful lyrics with interesting instrumentals.

I will come back to this album one day. Blackstar is my favourite song in this album

Not good. Dude is wack. Also, too many hits by this guy. I got distracted.

Weird. Bowie's later stuff always has a strange, prog, forced feel.

Rip Bowie. Nice album.

Hmmm interesting but didn't really do anything for me. After I few albums I guess I just don't "get" Bowie. Sounds great though?

I don't know too much about Bowie besides his biggest hits. I thought this late in his career (semi-posthumous?) album was really interesting with some good tracks. I enjoyed the title track the most.

stars for effort

3.5 it’s good but not obsessed thanks david

Je ne sais pas trop quoi en penser. Ce n’est pas ce a quoi je m’attendais et les chanson sont vraiment eclatees. 3.25

Pretty decent, although possibly too experimental for me to listen to regularly.

Um álbum interessante, estava a espera de menos dele mas superou as minhas expectativas. É triste saber que o álbum foi escrito no leito de morte do artista, mas por outro lado da lhe mais profundidade. Nota: 5/10

I certainly appreciate the creativity and experimentation on this album - Bowie remained a musical tour de force down to the very end. With that said, in terms of how much I enjoyed this album, that is nowhere near my fondness for some of his other works. This is worth listening to a few times, but I won't be returning to it anytime soon.

Blackstar is great, and Dollar Days is nice too! Rest of the album is just not my kind of music xP

Not quite the Bowie I’m used to. It’s more experimental than I expected. May need several listens

Kinda meh, liked the last two songs, the other songs didn't do much for me but weren't necessarily bad.

David Bowie! Maybe not exactly my jam, but good stuff.

I mean I like Bowie, but this was too experimental for me to enjoy. It wasn’t bad, it was just a lot.

https://lindalistens.wordpress.com/2021/04/15/blackstar-david-bowie/

Liked the Bowie sound but prefer the older material

Not his best.

2 saves sur 7, ça sera un 3 étoiles

The album has uncommon song texts. The voice in the few traсks a bit annoying, but in the other is delighted.

This is the second time I've done a listen through of this album and I'm starting to glean the impressive collection of songs for what it is. The lyrics are foreboding and metaphorical for bodies own life and his influences on love. I'm not in love with the album, but I appreciate it for what it is. Favorite Song: Blackstar

3.3

No me gustó

Interesting and off the wall. Only truly loved 2 songs, the rest is too experimental.

Not a big fan of the album, but quite poignant as Bowie wrote this while he was dying

I like this album a lot better than I expected to. It was far more entertaining than the Board of Canada album, while kind of treading similar water. The general atmosphere was just great.

yo creo que no es el mejor disco de Bowie y que puede que sea el que más experimente y aún así no es desagradable de escuchar. No lo compraría pero lo volvería a escuchar

Good. A smidgen overrated in Bowie's discography. 7/10

Me late un buen Bowie. Solo éste disco, no es que no sea bueno, lo he escuchado varias veces ya... simplemente no logro conectar.

This one is more 'jazzy' and eclectic than previous Bowie albums. It still retains the iconic Bowie sound through his vocals. An interesting album and tragic that it was his last. Not the best album he produced but definitely worth the listen.

Good

No soy fan de Bowie (si si, ya sé que es casi un crimen, lo siento) pero este disco no me desagradó. Por lo que he leído, este disco es muy “experimental” y destaca dentro de su repertorio por ser diferente, y quizá por eso me agradó, je. Me gustaron los juegos que hace con la música, las transiciones y su voz. La canción que me agradó más fue “Lazarus”. Este disco merece que lo vuelva a escuchar de nuevo después.

Siendo lo más subjetivo, este no es mi disco favorito de Bowie y sin bronca me voy por otros más convencionales y obvios. Con un poco más de objetividad, el contexto del disco y el mensaje que trata de pasar casi podría darle cinco estrellas sin siquiera oírlo. Mis favoritas son "'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore' y 'Girl Loves Me' en lugar de los sencillos que lanzaron que son bastante más dramáticos.

A special album as it is a sort of swan song of David Bowie. Although I will remember him more by other songs he has made.

Album mais recente, ainda tem os tons classicos de sofrimento do Bowie, mas nao tem a mesma energia

3

Not my favorite Bowie album, but crazy to imagine that this was released just before his death..

Well, it was certainly an interesting album. Not quite sold on Bowie yet, but this looks promising.

As with other Bowie stuff, I like it, but don't love it. Would definitely listen to it again, but wouldn't seek it out. Good enough for 3 stars, though.

bowie released an album in 2016? RIP Not my fav, or top 3

this is probably great but i can't really tell tbh

Another David Bowie album that I think is just ok.

Didn’t enjoy the album

not my favourite Bowie:( The whore one was fun

DAVID’S DEAD

Not my style. I get the experimental part of it. But it felt like background noise.

I’m sure this would’ve been a great conclusion for Bowie fans, but doesn’t overly do it for me. I can appreciate the overall dark theme of the album though. Rating: 4/10 Favorite Song: Lazarus

Weird and creepy, two songs were good but it’s kind of unsettling

Okay I gotta say it, this album didn't need to be on this list. We had 8 Bowie records in the original iteration of the list, so if we're going to add one post-hoc it should really stand out in a positive way. This one just does not. Musically, it's at least somewhat interesting. Vocally and lyrically, it's just bad. 'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore had some of the most un-serious vocals I've ever heard and highlighted just how far removed Bowie is from his peak. Girl Loves Me was similar in that regard. I feel a little bad being this scathing while I Can't Give Everything Away is wrapping up though because this song is actually quite enjoyable, but as a whole this was a swing and a miss.

This one is better but not by much 2.5 if I could

Not bad. Not great

I like David Bowie. I did not like this.

This album is making me question why this man is famous Huh...

I found this a tiring listen, really triggered my Streets/Tame Impala collab PTSD. How can an album be so all over the place and so repetitive at the same time?

'Tis A Pity She Was A Whore has good jazz type sax. Lazarus was slightly depressing and haunting.

Didn’t enjoy much about this one. Too weird, not a fan of his voice. Did like the sax on Dollar Days. Last two songs redeemed it a bit.

Every song went on a little too long and also just not rly up my alley

not my favorite bowie vibe. 2.5

it had alot of interesting sounds I hadnt heard before.

I think if you're a massive Bowie fan this would be incredible, but to me it's just a bit of an irritant and fully odd Bowie.

Pretty hard to Lesson to

I simply have never understood David Bowie's status as a rock legend and this album didn't help my perception of him. The backstory to the album is very interesting, but musically and especially lyrically the album did not impress me. I know there are a bunch of Bowie albums on the list so perhaps one of the others will help me understand how he came to be considered among the all-time greats, but for now I remain as confused about it all as ever.

I can’t see any reason this album would be on this list beyond the curator being such a Bowie acolyte. Generally uninteresting sound experiment.

I just found this really boring sorry

Would I listen again: no This was a big nothing burger for me. Looking back on it I can only remember some vague Bowie warble over some boring instrumental. It’s definitely not done anything for my opinion of posthumous albums.

2.5

Def not my favorite Bowie

I just don't get this album. Many people love it. I love Bowie but this album isn't it. It's very similar to the 'The Next Day,' so please read that to get a list of better Bowie albums. I get that it is his last album but this and 'Furious 7' and shouldn't get a pass because of it. Top track: "I Can't Give Everything Away"

RIP a legend, he would have hated how much this kinda sucked. Or maybe he would have loved it? who could say.

the pacing was odd and bugged me a bit, the songs were a bit off and not in a good way, maybe just not my taste.

Not his best-thoughtful but ultimately disappointing

I enjoyed recognising some of the songs from the Peaky Blinders soundtrack but that's about it

I love and respect Bowie for his experimentation, but this being released right before he died doesn’t make this a good album.

I have not looked at the ratings for this on here, but I remember this being a well received record. Maybe even a record that was hailed as GREAT. O how I wish I had the persuasive power of whoever convince people of that...I think this is the third Bowie record I've gotten on this list and it is far and away the worst of the bunch so far. I try to save my 1 star ratings for the true trash of the list, the stuff that's barely music and is essentially unlistenable. I toyed with giving this a 1 for a while, but I guess I'll be nice. 1.5 rounded up - I'll never willingly listen to this again

me deja super frio lo siento

Thank god he died before he made another album

Wasn't feeling it

Did not enjoy, 2 stars because of of the backstory

что-то как-то не мое

ваще альбом вайбовый, не знал, что это предсметный альбом боуи. Первые трека очень классные

Lazarus is the only good song in this album

David Bowie made his name by being able to jump on the trends just before they became the trends, even as he was never really among the best to do them. On Blackstar, he finally makes an album that doesn't really fit in with everything around it; I guess maybe it sounds like late Scott Walker sort of? Of course, this type of experimental rock didn't work for me when Walker did it either, and I like him a lot more. And as someone who never cared for Bowie in the first place, the fact that this album is him writing his oen eulogy is important to understanding the album, but I don't have the visceral emotional connection that would put it over the top for a Bowie fan.

Der Typ nervt mich

This album is a mess. Look, we all love David Bowie and he has some amazing music, but this isn't it. It's not complete junk, there is a coherent vibe to it and you can hear what he went for in his final album, but it all just felt so chaotic and disorganized. His singing feels offbeat and like crazed ranting, the instruments will randomly break into cacophony, and it just felt messy. All I'm saying is if this album was dropped by a less known artist people wouldn't care for it nearly as much; it's just not good music in a vacuum.

Not my fave :/

# Playlist Track - Lazarus # Notes - If you listen to it without knowing it's Bowie's last album, you'd rate it lower. Just saying. - I really like Bowie but this album didn't resonate with me.

I liked the guy, and I wanted to like this, but except for the the last 2 songs, the music seams to be completely disconnected from the singing in long and tedious songs. 4/10

Läskigt

Having heard a couple bowie records before, I went in with similar expectations. Quickly I discovered that this album is much different. The vocals are quite interesting, and this avant-garde style of Bowie was not my cup of tea. Some of the lyrics are extremely questionable as well. Every song is so murky and gray, and I cannot bear this to any extent. However the last two songs strike me by surprise and shift to more melodic and structured songs, featuring a phenomenal sax and guitar solo. I really wish they just stuck with that sound the whole time. This kind of experimental genre is just not for me. I just don't see the appeal.

not very familiar with Bowie but this sounds a little different from the earlier work, not quite my thing however

Bowie is an artist that’s really grown on me over the last couple years. However, I can’t help but believe the only reason this album is so well received is because of his death directly following it. I honestly don’t see anything special with this record. The dark jazz vibes are cool, but are any of you actually routinely coming to listen to this record? I can’t give everything away is a clear standout for me. Lazarus had been my personal fav prior to listening. Time will tell how frequently this is returned to. Last note: please stop inflating this list with late era Bowie. He’s got plenty of great albums from his prime.

I love David Bowie but this just wasn’t it.

con esto musicalizaría un amarre y a la vez siento que son mis pensamientos intrusivos

Feels mean, given the circumstances, but I don't think it's particularly good. Quite liked the last song, overall has some fun jazzy bits, but generally just a little unfocused.

no de mis favoritos de bowie, ya estaba medio en las últimas, buenos lyrics igual, no me quejo, el ritmo medio que la pifio

Pretty weird

‘Tis A Pity This Was So Meh. There are a couple of good songs, but I grew tired of the general sound very quickly, and the album isn’t even that long.

On an artistic level, this album is undeniably good. However, this is the third Bowie album I've received in a few weeks, and I appreciated it less than the others.

I don't get his particular art. Respect the legacy but don't enjoy listening.

I guess this would be pretty good if you’re already a big David Bowie fan, but I found most of it pretty irritating. The sax was especially grating, and by the second track it was already starting to wear me out. Instead of sounding cool or eerie, a lot of it just felt like it was trying way too hard to be strange. I get that it’s supposed to be artsy and heavy and all that, but that only goes so far when I don’t actually enjoy listening to it.

Just realised I’m not sure that I like David Bowie musically. The guy’s a total legend and I appreciate that this is his last album but what the hell is this.

I feel like he used his final as an excuse to be weird and bitter. 2/5

No me encanta no me disgusta

Strange and "modern" Bowie. Very different from his earlier, more well-known hits. To me this just isn't Bowie.

I remember the fuss when this album came out. I did hear it, but wasn't impressed by the music. I respect Mr. Bowie as an artist a tremendous amount, but his music is just not for me. I hear the emotion and understand the meaning, they just don't reach me as I think they should. Most of his albums have been like this for me. I like songs here and there quite a bit, but that is it. Sorry, but I'm not sorry at all.

Love the instrumental part of the songs, big vibes, would be great as movie/show soundtracks but the vocals ruin it. Maybe I'm scarred from only seeing David Bowie in The Labyrinth but I just can't stand his singing. Gimme the instrumental version of this album any day.

Klingt irgendwie experimentell. Zu experimentell für mich.

I probably should give this a 1 but it's hard to out of respect to Bowie

Lazarus good song mid otherwise

Some strong points (E.g. I can't give everything away) but much like Monty Python there is the 'Good' Bowie and the 'Bad' Bowie. This is the bad

Sue was a highlight with some very tasty drums and riffs. Really like how Lazarus builds as well. Overall a bit too experimental for me, but can appreciate the musicianship and obvs Bowie is straight-up ledge

David Bowie is the goat, but I did not like this album, like at all. The beginning was not good, but it improved towards the last 2 songs. Experimentation is good, but this just was not for me.

Mid

It would be interesting to compare pre and post death reviews of this album. It's not very good though is it?

Liminal

I just didn't really enjoy it

Unfortunately, it was brick city on here.

Didn't like it.

OK

Sorry I found this a bit boring.

5/10 - a bit too whiny for David Bowie but non-offensive

If there's one thing this list has taught me it's that I don't like Bowie as much as I thought I did. A lot of his material, especially the newer stuff, is garbage and I really dislike his singing style. The best thing he's done was raise up SRV at Montreux. 2/5

I can see the experimentalness of Bose in this but tbh it wasn’t my jam

This was artful or whatever, but damn I hate the way old people sing. And Bowie already has too many albums on this list to warrant this shit.

OK, but not really my thing. Good background band, creative.

Capaz demasiado experimental para mí

It's strange evaluating an album that the artist knew would be his last. My favorite track has to be Lazarus, foreboding as he knew he would rise again. If not in life, then in death.

Rest in peace Bowie but this music doesn't makes me feel anything. Thre is some vibe in dollar days. I do understand the experimental melody's and making it before dying makes it new ways to explore. That's why it deserve at least a 2/5.

I liked Dollar Days and I Can't Give Everything Away

Not my favorite! I respect the experimental risks though. Honestly didn’t know Bowie was still making music in 2016.

This album isn't actually, you know, good? I get why it gets lauded so much but it has a deficit of good songs and a surprlus of bad singing, annoying/tinny electronic drums, and damned saxophones. Good on him for running through the tape and all, but nah.

Finds Todes langweilig

Bowie will be immortal for many of the albums he put into this world. Just not this one.

I love Bowie but agree with those who feel this was over praised due to his death.

Not the best example of his work. Again, I'm befuddled by some of the LPs included on this list. I do appreciate the variety and scope of the list.

This was kind of interesting. I’m not sure if it would be here if it was a different artist or the circumstances of the release were different though. Overall, settled on a 2 as I don’t have a desire to listen again.

Eh. Doesn't do a lot for me. Fine to have on I suppose. The context of him passing shortly after this was released doesn't change the music - it just gives people warm fuzzies about it.

Ni último disco de Bowie ni pollas. Esto es una mierda y le pongo 2 estrellas porque aprecio a Bowie

I wanted to like this album because I really like Bowie’s earlier stuff. It just didn’t do it for me

Инструментал вытянул это на тройку Так было бы 2 или 1 Ужасно скучное вокальное нытье Возможно текст прям сосмыслом, но при первом прочтении ничего такого Sue - 4/5 Все остальное 3 и ниже

I would have given this a 1 if the last two tracks hadn’t have been so good. Really don’t like the sound on the rest of it. I’m not sure if this would have been so well liked if it hadn’t been the last one.

This was disappointing. I love Bowie, and I tried to find things to really like here, but they weren't there. I even like some of his post-hit stuff with the way his voice can haunt the music, but there wasn't any of that here. Just weird jazz that was either too boring or too chaotic.

119/1001 First listen. I expected better based on the rave reviews. I assume you have to already be into Bowie and then this begins to glow with subsequent listens. This just did little for me. 4/10

I don't get it. It's hard to rate an artist's work without context and familiarity, but since I am to rate with my existing knowledge, I didn't care for it. Lazarus was the shining track. Meanwhile I'd be happy to never have to hear "Girl Loves Me" again. I dig some of his early stuff but this is such a departure from that, and not a good one in my opinion. I agree with those who say this album gets more praise than it deserves for being a swan song only.

Like a collection of B sides. Not great.

I don’t have a lot of nostalgia for David Bowie. This album had a few interesting moments, but it was also hindered by the fact that I don’t particularly like his vocal style. It’s a weird mess. I wonder if the album would receive as much praise if he hadn’t died two days after its release? 4/10 Acceptable

Just like every other Bowie album on this list, it's kinda mid. His voice kinda irks me and this album especially is just all over the place, and not in a way that I think helps it. A lot of it is just really weird. The last song is good. He doesn't need 9 albums on this list though what's that about.

Not for me

Not impressed

Super verwarrend album. Werd er ongemakkelijk van met momenten. Twijfel tussen 2,5 en 2

2.5

I know I'm probably in the minority but I've just never been able to jive with this album. It's a tad too chaotic for me.

I love David Bowie and it pains me that don't love his last ever album. Far too much screechy sax jazz solos ruining what otherwise is a solid album.

I wish I hadnt listened to this. Really taints the water for Bowie.

I don't really know what I was expecting, not being an avid Bowie listener and all, but from his reputation it wasn't this. I like the eerie and slightly haunting vibe but I wouldn't call this any kind of masterpiece. The electronic soundscape wasn't for me - I seemed to be conjuring up images of metallic robots and futuristic machinery when listening to this, too cold and disjointed.

I understand why there is some hype around it, it is clearly very experimental but psychedelic rock stuff is not really my thing. I feel like if someone else had made this it wouldn't have anywhere near the kind of reception it did have. Bowie has done so much better that this is just a bit of a let down.

I'm unfortunately coming to realize I might just not like David Bowie. There are some really cool production moments in this, but overall I just couldn't enjoy it. Not to mention the gratuitous saxophone solos.

Previously rated: #43 - The Next Day (3/5) #52 - Aladdin Sane (3/5) #165 - Young Americans (3/5) #246 - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (4/5) #381 - Station to Station (3/5) #481 - Hunky Dory (4/5) #616 - Low (3/5) #744 - Heroes (3/5) *************************************************************************** Album #1,024 Maybe I'm just tired of hearing David Bowie's boring, droning voice, but this album was a big dud.

Too experimental for my taste

I understand that the point of this was him reflecting on his life basically on the verge of death and that there are themes of death and being uncomfortable throughout which is cool but also the songs are god awful. Won't give it a 1 even though I disliked every song (except the last) because I respect the drive to be creative

Underwhelmed, sort of like the Springsteen one. Why this one here

Ma ei tea, mida inimesed kuulevad selle Blackstar albumiga. Olevat "critically acclaimed", aga ma julgen väita, et kui sellel poleks Bowie nime peal, siis see ei meeldiks inimestele üldse nii palju. Siin ongi kõige häirivam just Bowie vokaal ja need meloodialiinid. Vahepeal tundub nagu suvaline jahumine, võibolla mõni üksik koherentne lugu ja story. Jah, see on sureva mehe viimane album, aga see ei tee plaati automaatselt heaks. Mõned pillipartiid on päris huvitavad, aga üldiselt pole see meeldiv kuulamine. 2.3/5

Not my style

I REALLY liked the music on this. Unfortunately, Bowie's voice dragged it down. He has some great albums where his voice complements what is happening behind it. I know he was older when this was released, but it doesn't change the fact that he stretched what he could do too far. Many artists release albums at the end of their career/life and they lean into it.

Interesting, very abstract. Not as melodic as Ziggy Stardust. Released just before his death?

This album is somewhat poetic but didn't move me, to say the least, it bored me a little, and it was when I started to appreciate David Bowie's music... that was when Spotify continued with another album

Ummmm it’s sad hearing his sickness and age in his voice. Pretty experimental. Don’t really like.

Wasnt my musictaste at all so techncally 1 1/2 stars

An impressive feat that Bowie was able to make an album so late in life that feels new and different but very in line with his career. That being said, it his age is 100% of why this is on the list. If it was made in 1983 it never would’ve made the list

2-3 songs pas mal, le reste c’est très très bof 2-/5

6 and a half minute song with like 10 total wordss ughh

Blackstar: interesting production. not a huge fan of the harmonies. really like the random sax here and there. I do like how the second half of the song does a 180. second half is better than the first half. 9 minute song, goes thru everything. pretty interesting but i wouldn't listen to it again. "Tis A Pity She Was A Whore: it was fine. forgettable but had some good production. on the higher energy side. Lazarus: really good buildup. feels very tragic and grand. i felt the passion and anger. good song. another great use of sax. Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime): hated the rhythm and beat of this song. it just stressed me out. it also didn't make sense to me melodically. i think this is the worst song on the album. It felt like he was singing a different song than the instrumentals and backing track were playing. so strange. Girl Loves Me: interesting production, not terrible but nothing I'd listen to again. Def one of the better songs on the album i fear. Dollar Days: favorite song on the album, a ballad with some incredible saxophone solos. I Can't Give Everything Away: great album closer. last two songs on this album are the best. really love the electric guitar riff in this. this sounds like vintage bowie. good stuff. Overall meh album - dont think I'll ever come back to it. Really enjoyed the last 2 songs and thats about it. 5/10.

I guess what bothers me with this album is that I don't really get what he's getting at. Is it art-music for art-music's sake? Is it supposed to be enjoyable listen? Is it just random ideas polished to song-like structures? I feel no Whatever it is, either I'm not getting it, or it was just not composed with connecting to the audience in mind. On the plus side, the performances are high quality, which at least makes the listening to this self indulgent album not ovelry taxing. But I don't remember any of it other than thinking "the drummer is great". Due to the high quality fo the performances, this may be interesting to sample.

Track 1. (Blackstar) 5.5/10 Track 2. (‘Tis A Pity She Was A Whore) 6/10 Track 3. (Lazarus) 7/10 Track 4. (Sue (Or In a Season off Crime)) 5.3/10 Track 5. (Girl Loves Me) 5/10 Track 6. (Dollar Days) 7.5/10 Track 7. (Can’t Give Everything Away) 7/10 Overall Score: 6.1/10

Definitely a bit of a weird one. Most songs are just spoken with music in the back. I found it interesting that I could read "Bowie" from the 5 partial stars underneath

Gostei, tem uma interessância nas músicas e uma brincadeira. Definitivamente um dos álbuns a serem ouvidos.

very much ok, unfortunately don't think david bowie is for me

Not his best work imo, luv him but not so much this album. IK he died a couple days after the release which should make the album meaningful but meh

Never could connect with Bowie....DNF

I really tried to like this as I know this was what he wrote right before he died, but just not a fan. I can't Give Everything Away is probably the best for me, because the vocals are less strange.

It was alright definitely good but not for me songs were quite long

Too experimental for me. "Lazarus" and "Dollar Days" were all right.

There are a couple of songs that have the classic Bowie saxophone improvisations. I think a lot of these songs are missing an arch like some of his earlier work. Overall, I'm not really feeling it.

Great effort. The title track is the highlight of the album, but unfortunately the rest of the album lacks that same spark. The closing track is nice.

another bowie record among the 1001 albums. Don't like it much. I think it's so higly rated as this is the last before he died.

What a mess. Bowie is being sad Bowie, which is fine, but the band he hired just butchered this. It's honestly like they took some GarageBand filler tracks and placed them in willy-nilly to what's actually being conveyed in the song. What a way to go out.

not my jam unfortunately, prefer earlier Bowie

David Bowie is classic as fuck but an almost 10 minute first song is a little overkill but it’s his last album so let the man do whatever the hell he wants. He’s already a legend when this came out. This album is very clearly Bowie wrestling with and coming to acceptance of his own mortality. A melancholy undertone to every song…almost. I could handle Girl Loves Me but probably because it’s a Monday and he says fuck.

Too experimental maybe?

I don’t hate Bowie, but I do wonder how many of his records are on this project and realistically how many of them really need to be. I don’t want Bowie to turn into Neil Young, where I pretty much just insta-skip them when they come up. To be fair, I hate Neil Young anyway, but it’s extra annoying that there are like 40 Neil Young records on here, and I guess I’m hoping that David Bowie isn’t featured so heavily that I get bored when they come up and just skip it. As I start this one, I’m thinking this is probably one of the ones I should just go ahead and skim through cause it doesn’t sound like there’s going to be much here I’m going to like. If the first two tracks are any indication, this record is going to be an incoherent and self-indulgent mess. Lazarus is ok. I Can’t Give Everything Away is ok….these are the best tracks on the album, and they’re just ok. And oh my gosh, if you love the saxophone so much, David, why don’t you just marry one? I’m learning that I really am not a David Bowie fan boy at all. I’ve now gotten this record, Heroes, and The Next Day. They’ve all been pretty disappointing. 2.5/5

tan muy chafita los beats y las letras, que me perdone desde el más allá pero no cocinó

I like Bowie, but this wasn’t anywhere near the top of his output.

I dunno, I think I'm learning I don't really like Bowie's music

learning bowie was alive and making music in 2016 feels as weird as learning Dali only died in '89...I'm sick to my stomach

The album shows two full stars and that's what I shall give it. Just not a Bowie guy.

I wanted to like this more than I did.

I love David Bowie, but i think this is one of their worst album

I’ll be honest, I was not a fan of this album overall. I love David Bowie, but this album was a bit too industrial for the era it was released in. There were some interesting mixes of jazz and pop, and it wasn’t bad, per se, I just didn’t connect to it as I have with other albums of his.

I swear Bowie is the most inconsistent guy ever

I didn’t like. I tried. Sorry Mr. Bowie.

It's ok. Nothing really interesting but nothing offensive either. Best song: Girl Loves Me

A bit tedious and difficult.

I wanted to give Bowie the benefit of the doubt, but none of this felt special to me. Not terrible, but it just didn’t resonate

over

I'm sorry, but I really don't fuck with "old man Bowie" voice.

Gut - automatische spotify vorschläge danach aber leider besser!

Bowie was a legend, but this album is just... bland. Nothing really stands out. Its OK, but after listening I can't recall one singular song.

Sometimes its best to not let senior citizens create music. There was some very talented musicians on this album that Bowie apparently couldn’t hear or just decided to do his own thing. It felt like two separate recording sessions for the music and then the vocals. He was so constantly off beat from the music that it was just jarring to hear. 4/10

Tikrai nėra vienas geriausių Bowio albumų ir nereikia meluoti. Per antrą dainą labai nemaloniai šnarpščioja į ausis.

Lidt for meget trut. Men Bowies stemme er rar at have i ørerne.

It was good but slipped into the background often. 2 outta 5

To call a Bowie album a bit weird could be considered to be stating the obvious. This one was weird in a way I wasn't expecting and didn't particularly enjoy. The songs felt very meandering and somewhat I cohesive. The first couple were oddly long too. Not a fan.

Ska vara helt ärlig: jag älskar Bowie, men har väldigt svårt för den experimentella jazz-delen i detta album. Han sjunger rent ut dåligt i vissa delar. Inte alls lika bra jämfört med hans tidigare album. Albumet har trots det en speciell plats i mitt hjärta eftersom det är Bowies avskedsgåva till världen, och albumet har gjort ett otroligt starkt avtryck. Detta förmildrar dock inte slutbetyget. Blackstar är inte något jag frivilligt skulle lyssna på för att hag njuter av albumet rent musikaliskt. Pluspoäng för Lazarus.

Wanted to like it bc of the rave reviews and bc it’s DAVID BOWIE but just wasn’t for me.

How many David Bowie albums is too many?

Meh. Kinda weird

ну ваще нет ((( я не понимаю АБСОЛЮТНО почему столько его альбомов здесь в списке

Meh

Could not get into it

This is a dense, dark and difficult album to appreciate. I don't think im alone here. If I had to pick something out, it would be Dollar Days (~Bowies attempt at hip hop) Honestly, I had more interest reading the wiki than hearing these tunes. Kind of amazed to hear how he kept his cancer a secret and kept his focus on the project and creating a tight band. Sorry David. I just didnt get it. 2.5 stars

Idk not a fan. Still mad respect for getting an album on here 50 years after his first one

Didn't like it as too dark.

голос неприятный, но треки звучат интересно, местами как то стремно. несвязное звучание инструментов если честно невыносимое. весь альбом будто гениальный и пиздоватый одновременно. а если еще и в текста вслушиваться это просто пиздец. под конец уже тошнить начало будто в секте побывала какой то

I don't feel I'm giving this album a fair shake before writing the review. The opening number while huge and grand is not catching my ear at this point in time. It feels like, on a possible relisten I would have developed more musical taste to fully appreciate it. However at this time, it's not really doing it for me.

Not one of my favourites…

After the bizarre first half of a very long title track to kick off the album, I didn't have high hopes. The theme changed over the course, but the cryptic lyrics puzzled me. Very much about mortality, which makes sense since Bowie was near the end of his life. The saxophone was nice, and there were many musical layers, but this was a difficult listen. The last track, "I Can't Give Everything Away," speaks to the mystery of the album. If Bowie had played in the NFL, it would have been interesting to dissect his brain for something akin to CTE, because I just don't get what made him tick.

"Genius" - well i don't like it

A true legend, one of my favourite artists. Sadly, this is far from being one of his best offerings. Melodically tame, there are only flashes of his genius on display here, with the songs regularly taking a backseat to the production. Intentionally (I guess) morose and unsettling, it too often comes off as a sprawling and unfocused instead, opting for style over substance when it paints itself into a musical corner. Not awful, but a million miles the classic some would have you believe

When this came out I as well as everyone else thought this Bowie swan song was one of his best albums. But with time and the veneer of sentimentality wearing of this is not a great album. The weakest part is Bowie’s vocals which really hinder many of the songs.

In a nutshell: a parting gift. David is an Artist. Capital ‘a’ intended. Instead of declaring to the world he had The Big C, David Bowie continued to live his low key life and worked an album. Not as a means of distraction, more as a way to harness a creative energy; embracing the new muse which is impending death. Overall: 3/10

5/10

chatooooooooo pra mim só um álbum desse mano presta e ainda não é esse xD

You have to respect him for playing right until the final whistle. It is pretty incredible that he still had gas in the tank 49 years and 25 studio albums after his debut. What a fantastic experience for his fans to be gifted this album as they mourned his death. I like a few of the songs on it but overall, like much of Bowie, I could do without.

After seeing another Bowie album listed from the twenty-teens, I thought are you friggin serious? Upon multiple lessons across two days I enjoyed it more than I expected to.

4/10 Hate the saxophone, the whispery vocal and the time signatures with Radioheady beeps and clicks. Another Bowie album not for me...

Lazarus one of best Bowie songs but rest of the album not really my stuff

Ei napannu, ei sitten yhtään. Vähä liian taiteellista tiluliluttelua. Oli tässä hetkensä ja yks kuunneltava biisi niin ei ihan ykköseen tipahda.

Vähän ristiriitaset fiilikset jäi tästä. Melodiat ja meininki oli paikoin oikein mukavaa, mutta laulusta tuli mieleen omat karaoke-esitykset Maunulan Pirjon Krouvissa vuonna 2002, jolloin karaokeisäntä sulki mikin kesken esityksen. Bowie on hieno mies ja sillee, mutta annetaan 2,5 tähteä joka huonojen yöunien vuoksi pyöristetään alaspäin. Eiköhän Davey saa uuden tsänssin vielä näiden kinkerien aikana!

Bowielta on todennäköisesti tällä listalla useampia albumeja, joten tämä oli ehkä hieman yllärivalinta sekaan. Varmasti, kun kyseessä on kuolevan taiteilijan joutsenlaulu, niin perustelu on jo siinä. Itse levystä en jaksanut juurikaan innostua. Liikaa leväperäistä tulkintaa luuppaavan musiikin päälle. Varmasti jos pakkokuuntelisi levyn sata kertaa, niin taide tavoittaisi sielun. Nyt ei lähde ja mieleisempää Bowieta lienee vielä edessäpäin listalla levyistä jotka kaikkien pitäisi kuulla ennen kuin käy kalpaten.

David Bowie on legendaarinen artisti, ja olosuhteet albumin luomisen taustalla tietäen tuntuu että varmaan pitäisi antaa pisteitä enemmän, mutta puhtaasti musiikin puolesta omaan korvaan näin yhdeltä kuuntelulta ei juuri napannut. Helmiä sioille?

I mean, not terrible, but I don't get why we need to have this on the list. It definitely isn't an album I needed to hear. Sounds like an aging rock star out of ideas.

RIP but I didn't like this very much

Definitely not for me. Very nice instrumentals but I felt very bored with the lyrics.

15/09/2025 I found this to be a pretty boring album. I don't understand the Bowie hype.

normally i have a tough time napping on a plane. ty davie bowid

Still the songwriter, but man those saxophones were hard to make it through

It's certainly interesting and I applaud Bowie for being innovative through to the end. But the music here just doesn't connect with me the way his early 70s stuff still does. The EDM-Industrial-sound of the tracks highlights the frailty in his voice while stiffing-arming any attempt by this listener to gain some intimacy with its owner (very unlike what Rubin accomplished with Cash's American recordings). The hyper-polished almost musak perfection of the band's performances is impressive, to be sure, but they sound like pros playing parts instead of a band working together to create music. Ultimately, though, I find no song-craft here. No great melodies, no themes, no emotionally charged harmonic progressions. So its interesting, but it doesn't speak to me.

Rambling drivel.

Not sure why this one is in the list. It's not his worst but certainly not his best.

Pleased to have heard it, but hard work, prefer to look back on the glory days.

Really don’t like the first song. Almost like a good Radiohead album but worse. Overall just too sort of alternative and weird for me.

I think I’m not a Bowie guy. RIP my fandom

Didn't really do anything for me. The instrumentals are cool, but this guy gives off creepy old man energy. I'm hoping that his earlier albums are better. 2/5

Okay 1/2 gute Lieder dabei

Not his best

Maybe not my thing, but I quite dislike this. Felt like Bowie was the worst part of every song and the vibe did not work for me. Almost stopped listening after 1-2 songs, but it got better with Lazarus which was a big step up. Finished mediocre at best. Can add that 1 song to my playlists, but have no desire to listen again.

I get that it’s Bowie and he’s an incredible musician that deserves his accolades, this album just wasn’t really for me. Not much stood out to me or caught my attention. It’s like a two and a half at best.

No standouts

This is like a guy in his 40s skateboarding from his office to the bus station. He’s obviously talented because he’s doing the odd grind and he can nose manual, but at the same time he just comes across as desperate to display his talent to an audience that have moved on from being impressed by kickflips. He frantically tries to show every trick he knows to the silent onlookers before the bus arrives, but it is more of a distraction than being anything impressive.

This really was not great. A black mark on a great career

Sweet, some more Bowie. I know this album was a big deal at the time and I’m looking forward to giving this a listen – I always like when a music artist goes out on top. I know there’s a lot of hyperbole and hysteria around these just-before-mortem albums, so I guess I’ll just have to listen and judge for myself. Yeah, it’s certainly Bowie. Only this time much older when compared with his previous outings. There’s kind of a trip-hop/heavy ambience hanging over much of this album, which is the stuff I liked most about Heroes/Low. Pretty out there, too. I’m not an avant-garde jazz type, but when paired with the sound of this album it managed to work quite well. The album really drags during the middle, though. Not gonna lie. The opening track is pretty alright. I like the harsh percussion and the jazz stylings that occasionally rear their head, though it's the second half of the track which really impresses me. Quite a nice sound. “Dollar Days” is an interesting track. I can’t say it really worked for me, though I admired how out there it was. I did like the outro of the song, however. “I Can’t Give Everything Away” is a solid closer. The heavy percussion is, again, the strongest part of the song, though I also dig the electronic embellishments hanging over the track, as well as the sick guitar solo during the outro. I sadly can’t consult my edition of the book to understand why this is in here, though I fortunately have Wikipedia. Experimental. Bowie’s “parting gift”. International chart topper. Universally acclaimed. Multi-Grammy winner. Regarded as one of the best albums of the 2010s-okay, I get it. This is a solid pick. I cosign.

This is the last of my Bowie albums for the list, and by this point it really did bounce off me other than when the signing was particularly bad. I was curious about what this would be like given its context, but I simply can't get past my overall dislike of Bowie's sound and style to take any of it. More fool me, I guess.