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Blackstar
(stylised as ★)
is the
twenty-sixth
and
final studio album
by the
English musician
Released on
January 8th 2016,
Bowie's 69th birthday,
the album was
recorded in secret
in New York City
with his longtime
co-producer
Tony Visconti
and a group of
local jazz musicians:
Donny McCaslin
(saxophone),
Jason Lindner
(piano),
Tim Lefebvre
(bass)
and
Mark Guiliana
(drums).
Ben Monder
and
James Murphy
contributed
additional guitar
and percussion,
respectively.
The album contains
"Lazarus",
from the
2015 musical
of the same name,
and re-recorded
versions of the
2014 songs
"Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)"
and
"'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore".
More experimental
than its predecessor
The Next Day
(2013),
Blackstar
combines atmospheric
art rock with
various styles of jazz.
Bowie took
inspiration from artists
including
Kendrick Lamar
and Death Grips,
listening to them
during the
album's production.
The album's lyrics
feature themes of death,
with many songs
being told from
the perspective
of the dead or dying.
The cover art,
designed by
Jonathan Barnbrook,
features a large black star
with five star segments
at the bottom
that spell out
the word Bowie.
The album was preceded by
the singles
"Blackstar"
and
"Lazarus",
both of which
were supported by
music videos.
Two days after its release,
Bowie died
following a private
18-month battle
with liver cancer;
Visconti described
the album as a
parting gift
for his fans
after his death.
Upon release,
the album was met
with commercial success,
topping charts in
many countries,
including the
United Kingdom,
following
Bowie's death,
and became
his only album
to top the
Billboard 200
in the United States.
It was the
fifth-best-selling album
of the year worldwide.
Blackstar
received widespread acclaim
as Bowie's most
musically challenging album
in decades,
with critics praising the music,
themes and performances
of the backing band.
It received three
Grammy Awards
and the Brit Award
for British Album
of the Year
in 2017.
It was listed as one
of the best albums
of 2016
and later of the
2010s
decade by
numerous publications.
The work was
re-analysed
following Bowie's death,
with critics and fans
reinterpreting its lyrics,
title and artwork
as hinting at
the artist's demise.
Blackstar
has since been described by
publications and commentators
as one of Bowie's
best albums,
a perfect farewell
to his fans
and one of the
best final albums ever.
Bowie's Illness
Bowie recorded
Blackstar
while suffering
from liver cancer.
He had been diagnosed
in the summer of 2014
and was undergoing
chemotherapy treatments
by the time the
sessions began
in January 2015.
He kept the illness private,
only discussing it
when it affected his work;
Visconti did not learn of it
until Bowie arrived
at the studio immediately
following a chemo session.
Visconti recalled
that despite his illness,
Bowie was in
high spirits throughout
the sessions:
"He was so brave and courageous ...
and his energy was
still incredible
for a man who had cancer.
He never showed any fear.
He was just all business
about making the album."
The artwork for
Blackstar
was designed by
Jonathan Barnbrook,
who filled the same role on
Heathen
(2002),
Reality
(2003)
and
The Next Day.
The cover depicts a
five-pointed star:
black on white
for the CD edition
and all-black
with a cut-out star
on the vinyl release,
which revealed the grooves
of the record beneath.
Barnbrook explained that due
to the vinyl revival,
he "wanted to give it the feeling
that it contained something
quite threatening".
On the vinyl release,
with the LP removed,
the black paper behind
the cut-out reveals
a hidden picture
of a starfield
when the foldout sleeve
is held up to a light source.
It took more than
four months
for fans to
discover the effect.
Both sleeves
feature five star segments
below the main star
that form the word
Bowie
in stylised letters.
The cover's star image
is credited to NASA
in the CD booklet.
The sleeve was the only
Bowie sleeve
not to feature
an image of
the artist himself.
Originally intended for
release on
October 30th 2015,
Blackstar
was released on
January 8th 2016,
coinciding with
Bowie's 69th birthday,
through his ISO label,
Columbia Records
and Sony Music.
Two days later on
January 10th
Bowie died
of liver cancer;
his illness
had not been
revealed to the public
until then.
Promotion and marketing
continued following his death.
In February
, a series of sixteen
15-second film clips,
titled
Unbound:
A Blackstar InstaMiniSeries,
were uploaded to
Instagram and later
YouTube.
The clips were intended
to provide the creative team's
"own visual interpretations
of the songs,
with no limits or
preconditions on
[Bowie's] part".
A third and final single,
"I Can't Give Everything Away",
was released
posthumously on
April 6th
accompanied by an
animated video
created by Barnbrook.
TRACKLIST
'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore
Lazarus
Sue
(Or In a Season of Crime)
Girl Loves Me
Dollar Days
I Can't Give Everything Away
Blackstar
(Reversed)
