Bowie reached his commercial peak with the post-disco and dance-oriented Let's Dance in 1983.[34][35]Tonight followed a year later,[36] after which Bowie contributed to various film soundtracks and released the pop rockNever Let Me Down (1987).[2][37][38] In 1988, Bowie briefly halted his solo career to record with the band Tin Machine, who explored alternative and grunge styles before the genres were particularly well-known; the band dissolved in 1992 and Bowie resumed his solo career.[39]Black Tie White Noise (1993) marked a creative resurgence for Bowie, featuring songs influenced by soul and jazz music, and made prominent use of electronic instruments.[40][41] After releasing the experimental The Buddha of Suburbia later the same year,[42] Bowie experimented with industrial rock on Outside (1995),[43][44]drum and bass and jungle on Earthling (1997),[45] and ended the 1990s with the pop rock-oriented Hours (1999).[46] Bowie reunited with Visconti for the rest of his career, releasing the rock albums Heathen (2002) and Reality (2003) before taking a break from music.[2] His final releases were the art rock-oriented The Next Day in 2013,[47][48] the song "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)" in 2014,[lower-alpha 4][50] and his final album Blackstar in 2016, before his death of liver cancer two days after its release.[51] The art rock and jazz album was Bowie's intended swan song, featuring several lyrics that revolved around his impending death.[51][52][53] Three new songs from the Blackstar sessions were released on the EP No Plan in 2017.[54] Bowie's unreleased album Toy, recorded in 2000, was posthumously released in 2021.[55]
Bowie often re-recorded previously released songs of his such as "John, I'm Only Dancing" vs. "John, I'm Only Dancing (Again)" and "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)" on Nothing Has Changed and Blackstar. Many of his songs are also available in different edits, such as single vs. album versions.
Recorded during the sessions for Young Americans in August 1974.[108]
Bowie wrote "All the Young Dudes" for the English rock band Mott the Hoople.[19] The recording, produced by Bowie,[114] was released as a single in 1972 and became an anthem of glam rock.[115] Bowie recorded his own studio version of the song in December 1972 during the sessions for Aladdin Sane (1973), but this version remained unreleased until 1995 when it appeared on the compilation album RarestOneBowie.[116] Bowie performed a cabaret-style live rendition during the 1974 Diamond Dogs Tour, which appeared on David Live (1974).[117]
A new version featuring Lenny Kravitz on guitar was released as a single.[140]
Bowie recorded separate versions of "'Heroes'" with German and French lyrics, titled "'Helden'" and "'Héros'", respectively. These versions were released as singles in their respective countries, and later appeared on various compilation albums.[162]
Toy was an unreleased album, originally intended for release in 2001,[163] its tracks were leaked to the internet in 2011 and officially issued in 2021.[164][55]
A "more energetic" re-recording was released as the B-side to "Diamond Dogs" in 1974.[165]
Originally recorded by Tin Machine for their debut album in 1989.[167] An acoustic re-recording, titled "I Can't Read '97", recorded in 1997 during the Earthling sessions, was released in 2020.[168]
A remake was recorded in mid-2000 during the sessions for Toy,[235] which saw official release in 2021.[164][236]
Originally written during Bowie's studio sessions for the 1995 album Outside but was not released until a rough mix appeared on the soundtrack to the 1995 film Showgirls, and was subsequently remade for Bowie's 1997 album Earthling.[95]
"It's No Game" was adapted from an unreleased song titled "Tired of My Life", which Bowie demoed in 1970. He claimed to have written it as early as 1963.[173]
"John, I'm Only Dancing" was released in two versions. While the original recording was released in September 1972, a re-recording featuring saxophone, dubbed the "sax version", was released as a single in April 1973 with the same catalogue number and B-side as the original single.[174]
A funk reworking of "John, I'm Only Dancing" that was recorded during the sessions for Young Americans in 1974. While performed live and intended for release on Young Americans, it remained unreleased until it appeared as a single in 1979.[174]
Rerecorded in 1988 for an ICA benefit concert. Later appearing as a bonus track on Lodger, it was Bowie's first studio recording with Reeves Gabrels.[184]
"Love Is Lost" was remixed by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem. The remix, titled "Hello Steve Reich Mix", was released on The Next Day Extra.[185]
A re-recorded version was released as a single in July 1967.[187]
An acoustic re-recorded version from the Earthling sessions was released in 2020.[188]
"Memory of a Free Festival" was re-recorded between March–April 1970[189] at the insistence of Mercury Records, who felt it would be a bigger hit in America than Bowie's latest single "The Prettiest Star". This single version was released in June 1970.[190]
Bowie recorded a cover of John Lennon's song "Mother", from his 1970 album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, in August 1998 for a tribute album being compiled by Lennon's widow Yoko Ono.[191] The tribute album was scrapped and Bowie's version remained unreleased until 2021, when it was released as a single to celebrate what would have been Bowie's 74th birthday.[192]
Bowie co-produced and played piano on Iggy Pop's original version on Lust for Life (1977).[223]
Released as a single in 1997 under the name "Tao Jones Index"[197]
A 1979 re-recorded version was released on the 1992 reissue of Scary Monsters by Rykodisc[198]
Original version released as a single in March 1970, a re-recorded version appears on Aladdin Sane (1973).[200]
"Too Dizzy" has been deleted from subsequent reissues of Never Let Me Down at Bowie's request, reportedly because it was his least favourite track on the album.[224]
Bowie recorded a cover of Bob Dylan's song "Tryin' to Get to Heaven", from his 1997 album Time Out of Mind, in 1998 and was intended to appear as a bonus track for a proposed Earthling Tour live album.[225] The recording remained unreleased until 2021, when it was released as a single to celebrate what would have been Bowie's 74th birthday.[192]
Recorded in 1966 during the sessions for Bowie's 1967 debut album. It was replaced on the album by "Rubber Band".[231]
A new version, titled "Toy (Your Turn to Drive)", appears on Toy (2021).[232]
Bowie made a surprise appearance during the encore of a Morrissey concert on 6 February 1991 in Los Angeles. The two sang a duet of the T. Rex song "Cosmic Dancer", from their 1971 album Electric Warrior.[237] Originally unavailable for many years, Morrissey released the performance as a single in 2020.[92]
Absolute Beginners (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (liner notes). Various Artists. UK: Virgin Records. 1986. CDV 2386.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
1. Outside (The Nathan Adler Diaries: A Hyper Cycle) (liner notes). David Bowie. Europe: Arista Records. 1995. 74321303392.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Spying Through a Keyhole (Box set liner notes). David Bowie. US: Parlophone. 2019. 0190295495084.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Conversation Piece (Box set liner notes). David Bowie. Europe: Parlophone. 2019. 0190295389291.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Black Tie White Noise (liner notes). David Bowie. Europe: Savage Records. 1993. 74321 13697 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (liner notes). David Bowie. UK: RCA Records. 1972. SF 8287.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Clareville Grove Demos (Box set liner notes). David Bowie with John 'Hutch' Hutchinson. Europe: Parlophone. 2019. 0190295519155.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Clareville Grove Demos (Box set liner notes). David Bowie with John 'Hutch' Hutchinson. Europe: Parlophone. 2019. 0190295495060.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
The Man Who Sold the World (liner notes). David Bowie. UK: EMI. 1990. EMC 3573.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Live Santa Monica '72 (liner notes). David Bowie. Europe: EMI. 2008. 50999 2127921 8.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Tin Machine II (CD booklet). Tin Machine. UK & Europe: Victory/London. 1991. 828 272-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)