David Bowiespent the 1970s as one of the most innovative, influential, and artistic figures inmusic, constantly changing musical styles and images—from the glam rock of Ziggy Stardust to the R&B stylings of the Thin White Duke to the experimental Berlin Trilogy. By 1980,Bowie was an icon—a rock star and a fashion symbol.
Unfortunately,he was also a man struggling with drug addictionand the financial fallout that occurs when such habits go unmitigated for a long period of time. He moved to Berlin to escape the addictive trappings of his LA home. In late 1982, he intentionally embarked on a project designed to recoup the losses incurred from his hedonistic, drug-fueled past.
Let’s Dance, released in April 1983, wasan uncharacteristically commercial album that outsold his previous LPsand catapulted him to international superstardom. But that success had a downside. He lost the spark that burned so brightly for him in the ‘70s and fell into a creative slump from which he wouldn’t fully recover until the turn of the century.
Let’s Dance Turned Bowie Into A Global Pop Sensation
There’s no question that Bowie intended to make a hit record. He asked Nile Rodgers, guitarist for the disco band Chic, to produce the album andclearly stated his desire to generate commercial success. It worked.
The album spawned three massive hits: “Let’s Dance,” “Modern Love," and “China Girl,” a track he had written with Iggy Pop years earlier. Radio wasn’t the only medium that propelled the success of these songs—MTV, then a new cable TV station, seemed to betailor-made for Bowie’s good looks, fashion sense, and acting prowess.
Bowie, once too freakishly artistic for general audiences, had become mainstream. Now wearing a suit with a blond pompadour, he had the clean-cut image of a Reagan-Thatcher era pop star. With the success ofLet’s Dance,Bowie had become a commercial phenomenon.
Going Commercial Threw Bowie Off His Artistic Path, But Not Forever
Despite three global superhits,the rest ofLet’s Danceis mediocre, and the album isn’t critically acclaimed. His next release,Tonight,featured the formulaic hit “Blue Jean,” and the album was weak. Only two songs onTonightwere written exclusively by Bowie, and his version of the Beach Boys’ classic “God Only Knows” is nothing short of cringey.
It seemed that Bowie had lost his vision anddidn’t know how to follow up on his commercial success. His next project was to star as the Goblin King in the classic filmLabyrinth, to which he contributed several unremarkable songs.Never Let Me Downfollowed in 1987, and it’s also considered one of his worst albums.
He didn’t fare much better in the ’90s.Black Tie, White Noise, Buddha of Suburbia, andEarthlingwere all bland offerings, although the latter produced a quality single in “I’m Afraid of Americans.”
It wasn’t until the early 2000’s thatBowie showed signs of a creative rebirth. While not on the same level as his ‘70s output,Heathen, Reality, and 2013’sThe Next Daywere all solid records.
On January 8th, 2016, Bowie released his final album,Blackstar, on his 69th birthday, just two days before his death. The album, which was written and recorded after Bowie was diagnosed with liver cancer, has a strong jazz influence and haunting lyrical content. Only Bowie’s inner circle knew of his fatal diagnosis, sohis death left the world stunned.
Critics hailed the album as a masterpiece, and it reminded us whyBowie is remembered and revered as the consummate artist, and not the polished pop star of his commercial peak.
David Bowie
Discover the latest news and filmography for David Bowie, known for Labyrinth and The Man Who Fell to Earth.
