The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars

Rock · 1972 · 16 tracks · 56m

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars

A cosmic rock opera of alien messiahs and doomed stardom. Gritty guitar riffs meet theatrical piano in a definitive snapshot of 1970s glam.

June 6, 1972 · RCA Victor

A glittering, trash-can-alley rock opera explodes in a flash of camera bulbs and raw guitar distortion. The warm, acoustic-driven theatricality of the past is supercharged here by a lean, proto-punk rhythm section, transforming a tale of an impending five-year apocalypse into a velvet-lined spaceship of communal defiance. The songs balance a gritty, street-level urgency with a cosmic, androgynous swagger that reshapes the boundaries of rock stardom in real time.

Tracklist · 16 Tracks · 56m

01

Five Years

4:43

02

Soul Love

3:34

03

Moonage Daydream

4:40

04

Starman

4:14

05

It Ain’t Easy

2:58

06

Lady Stardust

3:21

07

Star

2:47

08

Hang On to Yourself

2:39

09

Ziggy Stardust

3:13

10

Suffragette City

3:26

11

Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide

2:59

12

John, I’m Only Dancing

2:47

13

Velvet Goldmine

3:12

14

Sweet Head

4:17

15

Ziggy Stardust (original demo)

3:40

16

Lady Stardust (original demo)

3:33

Moments Worth Listening For

01Five YearsThe slow, dramatic build of the drum beat on 'Five Years' establishes a tense, cinematic countdown that anchors the album's apocalyptic narrative.

04StarmanA soaring, Morse-code-like guitar hook on 'Starman' cuts through the acoustic strumming to signal the arrival of the alien savior.

03Moonage DaydreamThe blistering, distorted guitar solo by Mick Ronson on 'Moonage Daydream' elevates the track into a space-age, proto-punk anthem.

10Suffragette CityThe sudden, shouting backing vocals and driving piano on 'Suffragette City' inject a frantic, high-energy boogie-rock momentum into the album's second half.

11Rock ’n’ Roll SuicideThe theatrical, weeping vocal delivery on 'Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide' builds from a quiet acoustic whisper to a desperate, brass-backed climax.

Reviews

Spin5/ 5 stars

Chicago Tribune4/ 4 stars

BBC Music

Slant Magazine5/ 5 stars

Blender5/ 5 stars

illustrated-db-discography.nl

The Rolling Stone Album Guide5/ 5 stars

Pitchfork10/ 10

AllMusic5/ 5 stars

Where This Album Departs

How does The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars sound next to the rest of David Bowie's catalogue?

Triumphant+4.0σ

This record introduces a triumphant spirit to the catalog, transforming the impending apocalypse into a glittering, communal celebration where the lonely outsider finally claims center stage.

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