February 10, 1972: Ziggy Stardust Touches Down On Earth
It’s not uncommon for musicians to try out new material on the road, but imagine the shock of going to see David Bowie and being greeted by Ziggy Stardust instead….
Bowie was born on January 8, 1947, passing away on January 10, 2016, just days after releasing his final album. Bowie, who was born David Robert Jones, is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.
Patrick Riviere/Getty ImagesIt's not uncommon for musicians to try out new material on the road, but imagine the shock of going to see David Bowie and being greeted by Ziggy Stardust instead.
Not many people were at that show at the Toby Jug Pub in Tolworth, England on February 10, 1972. On the first date of his latest tour, Bowie turned rock and roll on its ear. Four months later, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars was released launching Bowie to rock star status and forever inspiring musicians for decades to come.
Bowie knew his Ziggy Stardust persona was going to be a game-changer. In an interview with Melody Maker magazine just three weeks before Ziggy’s debut, Bowie declared, “I’m going to be huge, and it’s quite frightening in a way, because I know that when I reach my peak, and it’s time for me to be brought down, it will be with a bump.”
The Toby Jug Pub was demolished in 2000, but memories of that night still live on. A fan in attendance was quoted in a retrospective piece in The Kingston Guardian saying, “I had never seen or heard anything like it before. I was completely blown away…Nothing would ever be the same again.”
Bowie would go on to create other personas, but Ziggy Stardust remains Bowie’s greatest and most influential identity.
…And boy, could he play guitar.
Bowie Wins 2024 Grammy Award
During the 2024 Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony, the late Bowie was honored with the Grammy for Best Music Film for Moonage Daydream. Director Brett Morgen accepted the award during the Premiere Ceremony. Morgen said during his speech how Bowie's team that handles his estate and his work essentially handed over a ton of material for him to sort through for the film. He expressed gratitude for that access to Bowie's archives. Morgen closed his speech by thanking Bowie, who he called "the single greatest artist who's walked the face of this Earth."
David Bowie's passing is a few years behind us, and it still somehow feels shocking. His catalog, though, remains as relevant and influential as ever, so choosing his greatest songs was difficult.
We opened the parameters a bit, including songs that he wrote for other artists (Iggy Pop and Mott the Hoople); Tin Machine was fair game, as were remixes of his songs and so were collaborations. And as always, it was difficult to cut the list off at 40, so some of our favorites just missed the cut.
40 “It Ain’t Easy” - ‘The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars’ (1972)
Rhino39. “The Heart’s Filthy Lesson (Trent Reznor Alternative Mix)” - ‘1.Outside’ (1995)
Virgin38 “Modern Love” - ‘Let’s Dance’ (1983)
Rhino37 “Young Americans” - ‘Young Americans’ (1975)
Rhino36 “Rebel Rebel” - ‘Diamond Dogs’ (1974)
Rhino35. Tin Machine - “Under The God” - ‘Tin Machine’ (1989)
Virgin34. “Cactus” - ‘Heathen’ (2002)
Columbia33 “The Jean Genie” - ‘Aladdin Sane’ (1973)
Rhino32 Iggy Pop - “Funtime” - ‘The Idiot’ (1977)
Virgin31 Queen + David Bowie - “Under Pressure” - single (1981, later included on Queen’s ‘Hot Space’ in 1982)
Hollywood Records30. “Sound And Vision” - ‘Low’ (1977)
Rhino29. “The Width Of A Circle” - ‘The Man Who Sold The World’ (1970
Rhino28 “Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)” - ‘Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)’ (1980
Rhino27 “Cracked Actor” - ‘Aladdin Sane’ (1973)
Rhino26 “I’m Afraid Of Americans (Nine Inch Nails V1 Mix)” - ‘Earthling’ (1997)
Virgin25 “Hang On To Yourself” - ‘The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars’ (1972)
24 “Rock ‘N’ Roll Suicide (live)” - ‘Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars (The Motion Picture Soundtrack)’ (1983)
Rhino23 “Starman” - ‘The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars’ (1972)
Rhino22 “Panic In Detroit” - ‘Aladdin Sane’ (1973)
Rhino21 “White Light/White Heat (live)” - ‘Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars (The Motion Picture Soundtrack)’ (recorded in 1973, released in 1983)
Rhino20 “Drive-In Saturday” - ‘Aladdin Sane’ (1973)
Rhino19 “Blackstar” - ‘Blackstar’ (2016)
Columbia18 “Life On Mars” - ‘Hunky Dory’ (1971)
Rhino17 “Five Years” - ‘The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars’ (1972)
Rhino16 “Let’s Dance” - ‘Let’s Dance’ (1983)
Rhino15 “Thursday’s Child” - ‘Hours…’ (1999)
Virgin14 “Lazarus” - ‘Blackstar’ (2016)
Columbia13 Iggy Pop - “Lust For Life” - ‘Lust For Life’ (1977)
Virgin12 “Station To Station” - ‘Station To Station’ (1976)
Rhino11 “Watch That Man” - ‘Aladdin Sane’ (1973)
Rhino10 “Moonage Daydream” - ‘The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars’ (1972)
Rhino9 “Suffragette City” - ‘The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars’ (1972)
Rhino8 Mott The Hoople - “All The Young Dudes” - ‘All The Young Dudes’ (1972)
Sony Legacy7 “Changes” - ‘Hunky Dory’ (1971)
Rhino6 “Fame” - ‘Young Americans’ (1975)
Rhino5 “The Man Who Sold The World” - ‘The Man Who Sold The World’ (1970)
Rhino4 “Space Oddity” - ‘Space Oddity’ (1969)
Rhino3 “Ziggy Stardust” - ‘The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars’ (1972)
Rhino2 “Ashes To Ashes” - ‘Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)’ (1980)
Rhino1 “ “Heroes” ” - ‘Heroes’ (1977)
Rhino
