Top 10 Best David Bowie Albums

You don't listen to a David Bowie album. You time travel with it. One minute you're in a smoky Berlin flat surrounded by synths and soul-searching. The next you're on stage in platform boots and glitter, howling to the stars.

Each record is its own universe, stitched together by a man who never stayed in one skin long enough to be predictable. Some albums pulse with glam and swagger. Others whisper like confessions scrawled in the margins of his life. Bowie didn't just switch genres. He rewrote them mid-sentence.

You might be drawn to the icy minimalism of one era or the theatrical glam of another. You might think he peaked with a concept album wrapped in stardust. Or maybe his best work came while he was already saying goodbye. That's what this list is here for.

Pick the ones that move you. The ones that made you rewind, rethink, or just flat out freak out in the best way. Cast your vote and see how your favorites stack up against the ones other fans are still obsessing over decades later.

1. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

   

   This 1972 concept album introduces the fictional rock star Ziggy Stardust and features glam rock instrumentation. It includes the singles "Starman" and "Suffragette City."

   You like David Bowie? His early work was a little too jazzy for my taste, but when "Hunky Dory" came out in '71, I think he really came into the mainstream, commercially and artistically.

   The whole album has a clear, crisp sound and a new sheen of consummate professionalism that really gives the songs a big boost. He's been compared to Freddie Mercury and Alice Cooper, but I think Bowie had a far more flamboyant, androgynous sense of style.

   In '72, Bowie released "The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars," his most critically acclaimed album. I think his undisputed masterpieces are "Suffragette City" and "Starman." The songs are so catchy, most people probably don't listen to the lyrics. But they should because they're not just about Bowie's alien alter ego. They're also iconic signature tunes in the world of glam rock!

2. Low

   

   Released in 1977, this album marked Bowie's shift toward electronic and ambient music, produced in collaboration with Brian Eno. It is the first part of his Berlin Trilogy.

   Best album of the Berlin era. From great songs such as Sound and Vision (which basically started a new genre of music) to amazing ambient songs, this album overall is spectacular and perfect.

   He was starting to recover from the drugs that nearly killed him. He started kicking off again only a year after his previous album. 1977 was a big year for Bowie...

   Evocative, groundbreaking, and, let's face it, influential. Classic album - Bowie at his best!

   It may not have any of his greatest songs on it, but as an entire work, it is flawless.

3. Hunky Dory

   

   Released in 1971, this album features orchestral pop influences and showcases Bowie's early songwriting range. Notable tracks include "Changes" and "Life on Mars?"

   His happiest-sounding album, yet one that brings me to tears. "Hunky Dory" is a double-edged sword, providing the feelings of wonder and adventure (which Bowie had when coming to America), but at the same time, stabbing you through the heart with such an unbearable sadness that it even gives "Blackstar" a run for its money.

   A truly stellar album, thank you, Mr. Bowie.

   Like with Ziggy Stardust, it doesn't really contain any bad or even indifferent song. Am I right?

   And I know most people do not like it due to its not very analyze-friendly text, but Bewley Brothers is one of my absolute favorite songs in the whole world.

4. Station to Station

   

   Released in 1976, the album merges funk, soul, and Krautrock, introducing the persona of the Thin White Duke. It includes the track "Golden Years."

   Perfect album while he was on drugs. He created a masterpiece with amazing songs like Station to Station and Golden Years. If he wasn't on drugs, it might have been in his top three best albums. Perfect. Sad he can't remember making it at all...

   A faultless album. Bowie's true masterpiece and one of the greatest albums of all time.

   Six songs. All of them strong. The titular track is a masterpiece and is followed by a Bowie standard. His version of Wild is the Wind is defining, and Stay is an underrated groove. Wow. Just...wow.

5. Blackstar

   

   Released in 2016 two days before Bowie's death, this album incorporates elements of jazz and experimental rock. It contains the title track "Blackstar" and "Lazarus."

   Perfect final album and very depressing. Very well made and very hard for him to make while he was sick. I cannot listen to the album without Blackstar giving me goosebumps, Lazarus making me hold in a cry, and I Can't Give Everything Away letting it out. And that is why I love it.

   Beautiful album that melds rock with jazz rhythms, including dramatic, poetic, Elizabethan-sequel lyrics. This is the album in which David Bowie pushes the pop song format well past 2015 and right into the 2020s.

   This ought to be moved up to the #1 spot. Why? Because it's not only his final album but his #1 album in all of his discography. David, God rest, and I hope you're very proud of yourself!

6. Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)

   

   This 1980 release blends art rock and new wave and features contributions from guitarist Robert Fripp. It includes the song "Ashes to Ashes."

   Best David Bowie album with amazing songs such as Ashes To Ashes, It's No Game, and the title track. Highly underrated and maybe the best album ever created. Just perfect. Not a single bad track.

   Only great songs. Ashes to Ashes and Fashion are my favorites, but I also love It's No Game 1 and 2, Up the Hill Backwards, Teenage Wildlife, and Because You're Young.

   Love this album. Songs like Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), Ashes to Ashes, Fashion, It's No Game, and Scream Like a Baby are all amazing.

7. Aladdin Sane

   

   Released in 1973, this album is a follow-up to the Ziggy Stardust persona and includes blues and experimental piano elements. It features the song "The Jean Genie."

   A fantastic album. Has some of his best work: Cracked Actor, Drive-In Saturday, Panic In Detroit, and Aladdin Sane. Along with Ziggy, I think this is his most well-rounded album. An absolute masterpiece.

   Not only does this album feature some iconic songs, but it also holds together as a cohesive album. The cover art is so iconic it's exactly what anyone thinks of when you say his name.

   Everything perfect and on the edge of sanity on this album... And the jazzy piano by the great Mike Garson... He came back for the outstanding "Outside," the second-best Bowie.

8. "Heroes"

   

   Released in 1977 as the second part of the Berlin Trilogy, this album features contributions from Brian Eno and Robert Fripp. The title track is one of Bowie's most well-known songs.

   Why isn't this in the top 10 at least? Honestly, though, this album is, in my opinion, the 3rd best he ever did. It ought to be in the top 10, people. Let's be real.

   The only album of the Berlin Trilogy to be entirely made in Berlin, showcasing '70s Bowie at his finest.

   Perfect album with great ambient songs and the strong title track "Heroes."

9. Diamond Dogs

   

   Released in 1974, this dystopian concept album draws inspiration from George Orwell's "1984." It includes the track "Rebel Rebel."

   Not just my favorite Bowie album, but my favorite album, full stop. Quite simply, stunning! An overlooked, underrated classic, from the wailing guitar opening of Diamond Dogs to the haunting anthem of Sweet Thing to the chilling rant of Big Brother. A timeless, matchless album by a true genius.

   This album got a lot of criticism during its release, but I loved it because it's overloaded with textures and features Bowie's signature rock tune Rebel Rebel.

   Best Bowie album ever! This is much better than Blackstar, which is very depressing.

10. Let's Dance

    

    Released in 1983, this album features a commercial pop sound and was produced by Nile Rodgers. It includes the hit singles "Let's Dance" and "China Girl."

    Ahhh... Back when pop music was good. This should be an example of what to do in pop. Amazing tracks such as Modern Love and Let's Dance, which was a great album to be his most successful, not to mention I grew up with it.

    I like this album because it shows how much David Bowie changed styles through the years. It was awesome.

    Great album, representing the '80s sound perfectly.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Toy

    

    Originally recorded in 2000 but released posthumously in 2021, this album includes re-recorded versions of early Bowie songs. It features a blend of pop rock and acoustic arrangements.

12. ?

    Peter and the Wolf

    

    This 1978 recording features Bowie narrating Prokofiev's orchestral work for children. It was released in collaboration with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

The Contenders

13. The Man Who Sold the World

    

    Released in 1970, this album shifts toward a heavier rock sound with cryptic lyrics. It includes the title track later famously covered by Nirvana.

    The best album of the entire early '70s. Bowie knocks it out of the park, and the title track alone is worthy of being one of the early '70s best songs, only beaten by two other Bowie songs, Life On Mars and my personal favorite, Moonage Daydream.

    Didn't like it much at first. I thought it was inferior to "Ziggy" and "Aladdin," but then it grew on me more than any other Bowie album.

    I love this album. It should be at least in the top 10. It's number 1 for me. The best songs are The Width of a Circle, All the Madmen, and Black Country Rock.

14. Space Oddity

    

    Originally released in 1969, this album includes the breakthrough single "Space Oddity." It showcases folk rock and psychedelic influences.

    Contains three of his best: Space Oddity, Memory of a Free Festival, and Cygnet Committee.

15. Young Americans

    

    Released in 1975, this album marks Bowie's transition to soul and R&B styles, often referred to as "plastic soul." It features the track "Fame," co-written with John Lennon.

    Rock/soul at its best. David Bowie in rare form. This album is a true heavyweight among all the low-card fighters. There is no other imagination that can carry you through your meaningless existence but David Bowie's.

    I love what his American visit in the mid-'70s did to his music.

    My top 5 from the album are:

    1. "Young Americans"

    2. "Fascination"

    3. "Right"

    4. "Win"

    5. "Who Can I Be Now"

    Why so low? The title track is one of his best songs.

16. Lodger

    

    Released in 1979, this is the final entry in the Berlin Trilogy and includes a mix of world music and experimental rock. The album features tracks like "Boys Keep Swinging."

    Great album to end the Berlin Trilogy with. My personal favorites are Look Back In Anger and Red Money, which, being the last song on the album, uses the same baseline as the first work in the Berlin Trilogy, Sister Midnight.

17. Earthling

    

    Released in 1997, this album incorporates drum and bass and electronic influences. It includes the single "I'm Afraid of Americans."

    Seriously? I thought this one was great.

18. The Next Day

    

    Released in 2013 after a ten-year hiatus, this album revisits various musical styles from Bowie's career. The cover art reuses and alters the "Heroes" album cover.

    I love this album so much that I have listened to it every single day since its release. I am actually obsessed with these songs. Every next day, I love the songs even more.

    Each word that comes out of his mouth strikes deep in my heart. With extra combined, this album is... I don't know what to say.

    After 10 years without a release, Bowie returns stronger than ever with a penultimate album that puts his decades-long career in perspective.

    Far too low. I only like Heroes and Blackstar more.

19. Tonight

    

    Released in 1984, this album blends pop with reggae and soul influences. It features a duet with Tina Turner on the title track.

20. Outside

    

    Released in 1995, this concept album reunites Bowie with Brian Eno and explores themes of art and murder in a dystopian narrative. It blends industrial and experimental rock.

    Massively underrated album with an amazing storyline and some really good music. I really like the tracks "Outside," "Hearts Filthy Lesson," and "Hallo Spaceboy." Perfect album. This was when he really picked up steam after really disappointing albums for a decade.

    Great, bizarre experimentation. Not the most accessible, but something to listen to carefully.

    This deserves to be a lot higher on the list. It's behind Never Let Me Down, ffs.

21. Heathen

    

    Released in 2002, this album features collaborations with Tony Visconti and covers multiple genres, including rock and electronica. It includes a re-recorded version of "Afraid."

    Best album he made in the 21st century, even better than a masterpiece like Blackstar. 5:15 and Slip Away are probably his most beautiful tracks, and they are definitely the best tracks on the album. I went to the tour, and it was great.

    Great album with hits such as "Slip Away" and "Slow Burn." It's the second most underrated album, with "Lodger" being the first.

    This should be much higher than 22. It's the most complete album Bowie had made since the '70s, with some great individual tracks. Slip Away is a personal favorite.

22. Reality

    

    Released in 2003, this album combines new compositions with covers and reinterpretations. It was supported by the A Reality Tour.

23. Black Tie White Noise

    

    Released in 1993, this album blends electronic, soul, and jazz influences. It was inspired by Bowie's marriage and socio-political themes.

    Needs more credit. Beautiful art.

24. Never Let Me Down

    

    Released in 1987, this album features a more rock-oriented sound and was accompanied by the elaborate Glass Spider Tour. It includes the single "Day-In Day-Out."

25. Hours

    

    Released in 1999, this album features introspective lyrics and a more subdued rock sound. It includes the single "Thursday's Child."

26. Pin Ups

    

    Released in 1973, this album consists entirely of cover versions of 1960s British rock songs. It includes covers of songs by The Who and Pink Floyd.

27. The Buddha of Suburbia

    

    Released in 1993, this album serves as a soundtrack for the BBC TV adaptation of Hanif Kureishi's novel. It blends ambient, jazz, and rock styles.