David Bowie’s Musical Legacy

On January 10, David Bowie passed away. Here are nine of my favorite Bowie tracks (or tracks that Bowie had a hand in creating in some capacity) to help remind you that he was one of the coolest dudes around.

“The Man Who Sold The World” – David Bowie (The Man Who Sold The World, 1970)

A forgotten gem until Nirvana’s infamous cover during their MTV Unplugged set, one that deserved to be dug up.

“Moonage Daydream” – David Bowie (The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, 1972)

Bowie is both an alligator and a mama papa coming for you. Space Glam from another dimension. Freak out.

“All The Young Dudes” – Mott The Hoople (All The Young Dudes, 1973)

Bowie allegedly wrote this on the spot for Mott the Hoople when they were about to break up due to a lack of commercial success. If only Bowie wrote all of their songs.

“Shake Appeal” – The Stooges (Raw Power, 1973)

Bowie was called in to mix Raw Power after Iggy Pop handed in a garbled mess, and he decided to leave it a garbled mess. It was probably the best call.

“Always Crashing in the Same Car” – David Bowie (Low, 1977)

The Bowie of 1977 was a very different being than the one that had put out hits like “Changes” a few years earlier, creating introspective art rock helmed by Brian Eno while trying to kick a coke addiction in Berlin.

“Dum Dum Boys” – Iggy Pop (The Idiot, 1977)

Pop’s first post-Stooges record was produced by Bowie, and his production makes it sound like Pop is crooning from some vacuum outside of space and time.

“Heroes” – David Bowie (Heroes, 1977)

The line about the dolphins is stupid, but the proto-shoegaze wall of sound production is definitely not stupid.

“Gut Feeling/Slap Your Mammy” – Devo (Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo, 1978)

Yeah, the “Whip It” dudes. Bowie helped Brian Eno produce this album on weekends, declaring Devo’s robotic new wave the sound of the future in interviews. The ripper is off Devo’s criminally underrated debut.

“Blackstar” – David Bowie (Blackstar, 2016)

A celestial dirge from a man on his deathbed, knowingly crafting his legacy. Forward-thinking to the end. The perfect note to go out on.

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