Best David Bowie Albums According Official Charts In Order

One of the leading figures in the music industry, David Bowie is being missed for a while after his sad passing. But still, there are still some new efforts of his started to be revealed, which mostly ease fans long even for a little as well. In the meantime, we wanted to travel back in time to do so, remembering the best 11 David Bowie albums that made their way to the top places on charts and brought him where he is today.

David Bowie has become one of the leading figures in the music industry as well as gained enormous regard for the works he had done. Selling over 100 million records worldwide, the talented musician marked his career with reinvention and visual presentation while he also achieved a significant impact on popular music with his music and stagecraft among many more things he did for the love of music during his time.

So, all those talent and successes sure earned him lots of things throughout his 5 decade-lasted careers for sure. David Bowie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996, while he received also ten platinum, eleven gold, and eight silver album certifications in the UK and five platinum and nine gold certifications in the US. And 11 albums out of 26 he released became number-one albums as he also became one of the best-selling music artists of all time. And in this list, we will be remembering those number-one albums of David Bowie for a little nostalgia and to memorialize the talented artist.

Contents

Aladdin Sane

Released: 13 April 1973

Aladdin Sane came along with its tracks which are greatly influenced by America and Bowie’s perceptions of the country as he wrote most of them while touring. Showcasing his music blended by glam rock and hard rock, David Bowie‘s sixth studio album was also the first album of the regarded musician that he released as stardom, as well. So, covering the pros of Bowie’s newfound stardom and the cons of touring and painting pictures of urban decay, drugs, sex, violence, and death, Aladdin Sane made its way right away to the tops of the charts as it also received positive reviews from music critics, although many found it inferior to its predecessor.

Ultimately, Aladdin Sane reached the top place on the UK chart, while it also peaked at high places in other countries as well, peaking at number 17 in the US, 7 in Australia, 20 in Canada, 4 in the Netherlands, 3 in France, 11 in Norway, 41 in Japan, and 5 in Switzerland.

Pin Ups

Released: 19 October 1973

The seventh studio album of David Bowie, Pin Ups is a covers album of David Bowie, featuring the songs that have influenced him most during the ’60s as a teenager. On his album, the regarded musician mostly stayed true to the song’s original versions, although he performed them in his amazing glam rock style while also adding proto-punk style, as well. So, coming only six months after ‘Aladdin Sane’, Pin Ups gathered a huge commercial success again to David Bowie, although the mainly negative reviews from music critics.

Ultimately, the cover album of David Bowie reached the top place on the UK chart, while it also peaked at high places in other countries as well, peaking at number 4 in Australia, 6 in the Netherlands, 8 in Norway, and 23 in the US.

Diamond Dogs

Released: 24 May 1974

The eighth studio album of David Bowie, Diamond Dogs was also the final album the regarded musician recorded in the glam rock genre. Featuring also funk and soul music influenced songs in it, the eighth album of Bowie also gave the news of what actually would sound his next album to the fans, while it was also the result of multiple projects David Bowie envisioned at the time. But somehow, the album received mixed reviews, although it was also considered one of his best works, too.

Ultimately, Diamond Dogs reached the top place on the UK chart again like previous albums of David Bowie, while it also peaked at high places in other countries as well, peaking at number 1 in Canada as well, 3 in Australia, 4 in France, 9 in Italia, 8 in Norway, 11 in Spain, 3 in Sweden, 5 in the US, and 40 in Germany.

Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)

Released: 12 September 1980

After releasing number one hit albums consecutively, David Bowie seemingly gave other artists a chance to showcase themselves on top of the charts. But this hiatus hadn’t lasted long for sure, as other artists he had inspired were out-performing him commercially, leading Bowie to release a more commercial sound, which would be Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps). While the album was also credited as one of the greatest albums of all time by several publications, it also garnered critical and commercial acclaim upon its release, making David Bowie sit down on his throne, again.

Ultimately, Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) reached top places on many countries’ charts, peaking at number one in the UK, Australia, France, New Zealand, number 3 in Norway, Netherlands and Belgium, number 4 in Sweden, and Denmark, number 8 in Germany, number 9 in Canada, number 12 in the US, 20 in Australia, 26 in Spain, and number 35 in Japan.

Let’s Dance

Released: 14 April 1983

After the release of Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), David Bowie wanted a fresh start, blending post-disco with elements of dance-rock, dance-pop, and new wave, which ended up with his 15th studio album, Let’s Dance. So, the release led David Bowie to massive commercial success, which had actually become usual even at the time, as it has also become Bowie’s best-selling album, too.

Ultimately, Let’s Dance reached top places on many countries’ charts, peaking at number one in the UK, Australia, Canada, Netherlands, France, New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden, number 2 in Austria and Germany, number 3 in Spain, number 4 in the US, and number 6 in Japan.

Tonight

Released: 24 September 1984

The 16th studio album of David Bowie, Tonight broke a commercial success just like Let’s Dance as its follow-up, although it received mostly poor reviews from music critics. But still, nothing could stop its inevitable rise as it made it to top places on charts, becoming another number one album of Bowie’s, anyway.

Ultimately, Tonight reached top places on many countries’ charts, peaking at number one in the UK as well as in Australia and Netherlands, number 3 in Japan, Norway, and Spain, 4 in Canada, New Zealand, and Sweden, 8 in Austria, and Germany, and number 11 in the US.

Changesbowie

Released: 20 March 1990

A compilation album from David Bowie, Changesbowie gave the regarded artists his first UK chart-topping album since Tonight, featuring Bowie reissue series, and replacing the deleted RCA Records compilations, as well. It peaked at number one in the UK, 2 in New Zealand, 5 in Austria, 6 in Australia, Netherlands, and France, 7 in Germany, 13 in Spain, 14 in Sweden, 30 in Canada, and 39 in the US.

Black Tie White Noise

Released: 5 April 1993

The 18th studio album of David Bowie, Black Tie White Noise helped David Bowie to break down his string of poorly received projects during the recent years, marking a fresh start for his commercial revival, finally. Featuring Bowie playing saxophone and multiple instrumentals and cover versions, the album also contains a wide variety of musical styles’ influences such as art-rock, electronic and soul, jazz, pop, and more.

Ultimately, Black Tie White Noise reached top places on many countries’ charts, peaking at number one in the UK like always, number 12 in Australia, 8 in the Netherlands, 4 in Japan, 8 in Norway, 22 in Spain, 13 in Canada, 8 in New Zealand, 18 in Sweden and Austria, 15 in Germany, and number 39 in the US.

The Next Day

Released: 8 March 2013

The 25th studio album of David Bowie, The Next Day surprised all the fans and media as everyone had been thinking that the talented musician had retired from his music career, considering his hiatus for 10 years without releasing anything. So, it was no shocker that The Next Day came along with a loud noise after all those years and gathered everyone’s attention. Featuring art-rock elements, the album also received critical acclaim as it also earned Bowie his first number-one album in the UK since 1993’s Black Tie White Noise.

Ultimately, The Next Day reached top places worldwide charts, peaking at number one in the UK, Denmark, Germany, Argentina, Belgium, Croatia, Netherlands, Finland, Irland, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portuguese, Scotland, Slovenia, and Sweden. As for the others, it peaked at number 2 in Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Estonia, Italy, Spain, and the US, while reaching number 5 in Hungary, Greece, and Japan.

Blackstar

Released: 8 January 2016

The 26th and final studio album of David Bowie, Blackstar features the influences of electronic groups such as Boards of Canada as well as hip hop artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Death Grips as the talented musician inspired them before writing down his next album, in the first place. The album was recorded in secret as well, while also several local jazz musicians, who are saxophonist Donny McCaslin, pianist Jason Lindner, bassist Tim Lefebvre, drummer Mark Guiliana, and guitarist Ben Monder, joined the ensemble for the final sessions, while also James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem contributed percussion. Alongside the new songs of Bowie, Blackstar was also added re-recorded versions of two songs, “Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)” and “‘Tis a Pity She Was a Whore”, both of which were originally released in 2014.

Best of Bowie

Released: 22 October 2002

Following the critical and commercial success of the Heathen album of David Bowie, Best of Bowie was released as a 2002 greatest hits album after 35 years after his debut album, consisting of all the hit songs of Bowie ranging from David Bowie (1969) to Heathen (2002). But even though the album was released in 2002, it could enter the top 10 for the first time after Bowie’s death in January, as it peaked at number 11 in the UK at the time it was released. So, after years, the album marked the talented musician’s eleventh number-one album along with becoming the first album to reach number 1 in the UK due to streaming, as well. And besides all, there is not much left to say as well, considering the album featuring all the hit songs of David Bowie.

Ultimately, Best of Bowie reached top places worldwide charts, peaking at number one in the UK, and Scottland, while also peaking at number 6 in Australia, 13 in Belgium, 4 in Canada, 14 in Denmark, 19 in the Netherlands, 15 in Finland, 19 in France, 16 in Germany, 6 in Irland, and 4 in the US, as well as many other countries’ charts, too.