★

~ Release by David Bowie (see all versions of this release, 15 available)

Annotation

Release labels are ISO RECORDS’ bubbles, COLUMBIA’s Q then SONY MUSIC’s rounded dash.

2 stickers on the cellophane (front)

Upper left:
Transparent « DAVID BOWIE / THE NEW ALBUM / INCLUDES “BLACKSTAR” & “LAZARUS” / 88875173862 » (no more number, unlike the US edition seen on discogs)

Bottom right:
Black and white « PARENTAL ADVISORY / EXPLICIT CONTENT » (strange for a european release)

Back cover shows:

©&℗ 2015 ISO Records, under exclusive license to Columbia Records, a Division
of Sony Music Entertainment / Distributed by Sony Music Entertainment.
All trademarks and logos are protected. Made in the EU. Sony Music
Entertainment International Services GmbH, PO Box 510, 33311 Gütersloh,
Germany / LC00162 / 88875173862

Then logos:

ISO RECORDS’ bubbles / COLUMBIA’s Q / SONY MUSIC’s rounded dash
---
Packaging is a 6-panel, 1-tray, 1-pocket, 1-flap Digipak.

Annotation last modified on 2018-09-24 05:15 UTC.

Tracklist

1▼CD
#TitleRatingLength
1★
engineer:
Kevin Killen and Tony Visconti
producer and mixer:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) and Tony Visconti
alto flute and concert flute [C flute]:
Donny McCaslin (US jazz saxophonist) (from 2015-03-20 until 2015-04)
bass:
Tim Lefebvre (US bass guitarist) (on 2015-03-20)
drums (drum set):
Mark Guiliana (US drummer, composer & bandleader) (on 2015-03-20)
guitar:
Ben Monder (U.S. jazz guitarist) (on 2015-03-20)
Minimoog [Micromoog], Moog [Moog Voyager], clavinet, organ [Wurlitzer] and synthesizer, synthesizer [Mopho X4] and synthesizer [Prophet 12]:
Jason Lindner (on 2015-03-20)
strings:
Tony Visconti (on 2015-03-20)
tenor saxophone:
Donny McCaslin (US jazz saxophonist) (on 2015-03-20)
background vocals and lead vocals:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) (from 2015-04-02 until 2015-05-15)
strings arranger:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
ISO Records (in 2015)
recorded at:
The Magic Shop in Manhattan, New York, New York, United States (on 2015-03-20), Human Worldwide in New York, New York, United States (in 2015-04: flute) and Human Worldwide in New York, New York, United States (from 2015-04-02 until 2015-04-03, on 2015-05-15)
mixed at:
Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, New York, New York, United States
part of:
TheNeedleDrop: Top 100 Songs of the 2010s (number: 10), Grammy Award: Best Rock Performance nominees (number: 2017 winner) and Pitchfork: The 200 Best Songs of the 2010s (number: 59)
recording of:
★ (Blackstar) (from 2015-03-20 until 2015-05-15)
lyricist and composer:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter)
publisher:
Nipple Music
sub-publisher:
Warner Chappell Music France
4.059:58
2’Tis a Pity She Was a Whore
engineer:
Kevin Killen and Tony Visconti
producer and mixer:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) and Tony Visconti
bass:
Tim Lefebvre (US bass guitarist) (on 2015-01-05)
drums (drum set) and sampler [SPD-SX]:
Mark Guiliana (US drummer, composer & bandleader) (on 2015-01-05)
organ [Wurlitzer Organ], synthesizer [Mopho X4], synthesizer [Prophet '08] and synthesizer [Prophet 12]:
Jason Lindner (on 2015-01-05)
tenor saxophone:
Donny McCaslin (US jazz saxophonist) (in 2015-04)
background vocals:
Erin Tonkon (US producer, engineer, and mixer) (on 2015-01-05)
background vocals and lead vocals:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) (from 2015-04-20 until 2015-04-22)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
ISO Records (in 2015)
recorded at:
The Magic Shop in Manhattan, New York, New York, United States (on 2015-01-05), Human Worldwide in New York, New York, United States (in 2015-04: saxophone) and Human Worldwide in New York, New York, United States (on 2015-04-20, on 2015-04-22)
mixed at:
Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, New York, New York, United States
recording of:
’Tis a Pity She Was a Whore (from 2015-01-05 until 2015-04)
lyricist and composer:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter)
3.754:53
3Lazarus
engineer:
Kevin Killen and Tony Visconti
producer and mixer:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) and Tony Visconti
bass:
Tim Lefebvre (US bass guitarist) (from 2015-01-03 until 2015-05-07)
drums (drum set):
Mark Guiliana (US drummer, composer & bandleader) (from 2015-01-03 until 2015-05-07)
electric guitar [Fender Guitar]:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) (from 2015-01-03 until 2015-05-07)
guitar:
Ben Monder (U.S. jazz guitarist) (from 2015-01-03 until 2015-05-07)
organ [Wurlitzer Organ]:
Jason Lindner (from 2015-01-03 until 2015-05-07)
tenor saxophone:
Donny McCaslin (US jazz saxophonist) (from 2015-01-03 until 2015-05-07)
background vocals and lead vocals:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) (from 2015-04-23 until 2015-05-07)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
ISO Records (in 2015) and Jones/Tintoretto Entertainment Company LLC (in 2016)
recorded at:
The Magic Shop in Manhattan, New York, New York, United States (on 2015-01-03) and Human Worldwide in New York, New York, United States (from 2015-04-23 until 2015-04-24, on 2015-05-07)
mixed at:
Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, New York, New York, United States
recording of:
Lazarus (from 2015-01-03 until 2015-05-07)
lyricist and composer:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter)
publisher:
Nipple Music
4.556:22
4Sue (or In a Season of Crime)
engineer:
Kevin Killen and Tony Visconti
producer and mixer:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) and Tony Visconti
alto flute, clarinet and tenor saxophone:
Donny McCaslin (US jazz saxophonist) (on 2015-02-02)
bass:
Tim Lefebvre (US bass guitarist) (on 2015-02-02)
drums (drum set):
Mark Guiliana (US drummer, composer & bandleader) (on 2015-02-02)
guitar:
Ben Monder (U.S. jazz guitarist) (on 2015-02-02)
organ [Wurlitzer Organ], synthesizer [Mopho X4], synthesizer [Prophet '08] and synthesizer [Prophet 12]:
Jason Lindner (on 2015-02-02)
percussion:
James Murphy (drums) (on 2015-02-02)
lead vocals:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) (from 2015-04-23 until 2015-04-30)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
ISO Records (in 2015)
recorded at:
Human Worldwide in New York, New York, United States (on 2013-04-30, on 2015-04-23) and The Magic Shop in Manhattan, New York, New York, United States (on 2015-02-02)
mixed at:
Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, New York, New York, United States
recording of:
Sue (or In a Season of Crime) (from 2015-02-02 until 2015-04-30)
lyricist:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) (in 2014)
composer:
Paul Bateman (conductor) (in 2014), David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) (in 2014), Plastic Soul (in 2014) and Maria Schneider (US jazz composer/band leader) (in 2014)
publisher:
ArtistShare East, Campbell Connelly France, Éditer à Paris, Flex Publishing, Nipple Music, RZO Music Ltd, ビクターミュージックアーツ 第四事業部, ミュージック・セールス (Music Sales, Japan, subsidiary of Shinko Music Entertainment) and 渡辺音楽出版 CM事業部 (Watanabe Music Publishing CM division)
3.54:40
5Girl Loves Me
engineer:
Kevin Killen and Tony Visconti
producer and mixer:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) and Tony Visconti
alto flute and concert flute [C flute]:
Donny McCaslin (US jazz saxophonist) (from 2015-02-03 until 2015-04)
bass and guitar:
Tim Lefebvre (US bass guitarist) (from 2015-02-03 until 2015-04)
drums (drum set):
Mark Guiliana (US drummer, composer & bandleader) (from 2015-02-03 until 2015-04)
guitar:
Ben Monder (U.S. jazz guitarist) (from 2015-02-03 until 2015-04)
organ [Wurlitzer] and synthesizer [Prophet '08], synthesizer [Mopho X4] and synthesizer [Prophet 12]:
Jason Lindner (from 2015-02-03 until 2015-04)
percussion:
James Murphy (drums) (from 2015-02-03 until 2015-04)
background vocals and lead vocals:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) (from 2015-04-16 until 2015-05-17)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
ISO Records (in 2015)
recorded at:
The Magic Shop in Manhattan, New York, New York, United States (on 2015-02-03) and Human Worldwide in New York, New York, United States (from 2015-03 until 2015-04, on 2015-04-16, on 2015-05-17)
mixed at:
Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, New York, New York, United States
recording of:
Girl Loves Me (from 2015-02-03 until 2015-05-17)
lyricist and composer:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter)
3.754:52
6Dollar Days
engineer:
Kevin Killen and Tony Visconti
producer and mixer:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) and Tony Visconti
acoustic guitar and guitar:
Ben Monder (U.S. jazz guitarist) (from 2015-02-06 until 2015-03)
bass:
Tim Lefebvre (US bass guitarist) (from 2015-02-06 until 2015-03)
drums (drum set):
Mark Guiliana (US drummer, composer & bandleader) (from 2015-02-06 until 2015-03)
organ [Wurlitzer] and synthesizer [Prophet '08], synthesizer [Mopho X4] and synthesizer [Prophet 12]:
Jason Lindner (from 2015-02-06 until 2015-03)
tenor saxophone:
Donny McCaslin (US jazz saxophonist) (from 2015-02-06 until 2015-03)
background vocals and lead vocals:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) (in 2015-03)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
ISO Records (in 2015)
recorded at:
The Magic Shop in Manhattan, New York, New York, United States (on 2015-02-06) and Human Worldwide in New York, New York, United States (in 2015-03, on 2015-04-27)
mixed at:
Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, New York, New York, United States
recording of:
Dollar Days (from 2015-02-06 until 2015-04-27)
lyricist and composer:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter)
44:45
7I Can’t Give Everything Away
engineer:
Kevin Killen and Tony Visconti
producer and mixer:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) and Tony Visconti
alto flute and tenor saxophone:
Donny McCaslin (US jazz saxophonist) (on 2015-03-21)
bass:
Tim Lefebvre (US bass guitarist) (on 2015-03-21)
drum machine and harmonica:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) (in 2014)
drums (drum set):
Mark Guiliana (US drummer, composer & bandleader) (on 2015-03-21)
guitar:
Ben Monder (U.S. jazz guitarist) (from 2015-03-21 until 2015-03)
Minimoog [Micromoog], Moog [Moog Voyager], organ [Wurlitzer] and synthesizer [Prophet '08], synthesizer [Mopho X4] and synthesizer [Prophet 12]:
Jason Lindner (on 2015-03-21)
background vocals and lead vocals:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter) (from 2015-03-21 until 2015-05-07)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
ISO Records (in 2015)
recorded at:
David Bowie's Home Studio in New York, New York, United States (in 2014: harmonica, drum machine), Human Worldwide in New York, New York, United States (in 2015-03: guitar), The Magic Shop in Manhattan, New York, New York, United States (on 2015-03-21) and Human Worldwide in New York, New York, United States (on 2015-05-07)
mixed at:
Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, New York, New York, United States
part of:
Rolling Stone: The 100 Best Songs of the 2010s (number: 56) and Stereogum: The 200 Best Songs of the 2010s (number: 82)
recording of:
I Can’t Give Everything Away (from 2014 until 2015-05-07)
lyricist and composer:
David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter)
3.55:47

Credits

Release

manufactured in:Europe
mixer:David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter)
Tom Elmhirst (mixing engineer)
Tony Visconti
assistant engineer:Kabir Hermon
Erin Tonkon (US producer, engineer, and mixer)
engineer:Kevin Killen
Tony Visconti
producer:David Bowie (English singer‐songwriter)
Tony Visconti
mastering:Joe LaPorta (NYC mastering engineer & drum’n’bass producer)
manufactured by:Sony Music Entertainment International Services GmbH (not for release label use! Sony Music Entertainment’s supply chain coordinator for Europe, operated by Arvato)
distributed by:Sony Music Entertainment (NOT FOR RELEASE LABEL USE! company owned by Sony Corporation of America since Oct 1, 2008; operates worldwide except in JP)
copyrighted (©) by:ISO Records (in 2015)
licensed to:Columbia Records (not for release label use! company owned by Sony Music Entertainment, only use for manufacturing/distribution and copyright holding)
recorded at:Human Worldwide in New York, New York, United States
The Magic Shop in Manhattan, New York, New York, United States
mixed at:Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, New York, New York, United States
mastered at:Sterling Sound (original NYC studio; split/relocated to Nashville and Edgewater in 2018) in Chelsea, New York, New York, United States
Discogs:https://www.discogs.com/release/7948015 [info]
ASIN:UK: B017VORJK6 [info]
FR: B017VORJK6 [info]

Release group

associated singles/EPs:★
Blackstar Radio Edits
I Can’t Give Everything Away EP
Lazarus
covers:Bowie Cello Symphonic: Blackstar by Maya Beiser ★ Evan Ziporyn
included in:I Can’t Give Everything Away (2002–2016)
part of:TheNeedleDrop: Top 50 Albums of 2016 (number: 2) (order: 2)
Q Awards: Best Album nominees (number: 2016) (order: 4)
Rolling Stone: The 100 Best Albums of the 2010s (number: 5) (order: 5)
TheNeedleDrop: Top 200 Albums of the 2010s (number: 12) (order: 12)
NME’s Greatest Albums of The Decade: The 2010s (number: 13) (order: 13)
Stereogum: The 100 Best Albums of the 2010s (number: 15) (order: 15)
Consequence of Sound: Top 100 Albums of the 2010s (number: 17) (order: 17)
The A.V. Club: The 50 best albums of the 2010s (number: 17) (order: 17)
Rolling Stone: The 250 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century So Far (January 10, 2025) (number: 24) (order: 18)
Pitchfork: The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s (number: 37) (order: 37)
Billboard: The 100 Greatest Albums of the 2010s (number: 49) (order: 49)
Absolute Radio’s The 100 Collection (number: 60) (order: 60)
Musikexpress – Die 100 besten Alben des 21. Jahrhunderts (2025) (number: 63) (order: 63)
Brit Award for British Album of the Year (winners) (number: 2017 winner) (order: 85)
Grammy Award: Best Alternative Music Album nominees (number: 2017 winner) (order: 135)
Mercury Prize Shortlist Nominees (number: 2016) (order: 281)
Discogs:https://www.discogs.com/master/939598 [info]
lyrics page:https://genius.com/albums/David-bowie/Blackstar [info]
https://muzikum.eu/en/david-bowie/blackstar-full-cd [info]
reviews:http://culturebox.francetvinfo.fr/musique/rock/david-bowie-blackstar-une-etoile-noire-magnetique-et-audacieuse-233321 [info] (ended)
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/69534/David-Bowie-Blackstar/ [info]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZD9mJ_yGIQ [info] (video)
other databases:https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/david-bowie/★-blackstar/ [info]
https://www.musik-sammler.de/album/784749/ [info]
https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=51092 [info]
https://www.spirit-of-rock.com/en/album/Blackstar/102630 [info]
https://www.whosampled.com/album/David-Bowie/★-(Blackstar)/ [info]
Allmusic:https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0002894417 [info]
Wikidata:Q21450442 [info]