Loving the Alien (1983–1988)
David Bowie · 2018
594 min · 125 tracks · alternative rock
A vibrant collage of pop, rock, and avant-garde influences reflecting the eclectic spirit of the 1980s.
Top tracks — play these first
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Let’s Dance — This track not only became one of Bowie's biggest hits but also helped redefine the sound of pop music in the early '80s with its danceable groove and rich production.
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China Girl — Originally featured on the album Let's Dance, the song's provocative themes and catchy melody showcase Bowie's unique ability to merge mainstream appeal with deeper lyrical content.
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Modern Love Start here — With its infectious rhythm and introspective lyrics, this track epitomizes Bowie's knack for creating songs that resonate with both personal and societal themes.
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Ashes to Ashes — This sequel to Space Oddity revisits Major Tom's story, blending haunting melodies with innovative production techniques that reflect Bowie's artistic evolution during this era.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- kaleidoscopic nostalgia for the 80s
- danceable tracks for gatherings
- varied moods across lengthy sessions
- catchy anthems with sing-along potential
- exploratory listening with rich textures
Maybe skip if you
- prefer concise, standalone songs
- seek immediate gratification
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Deep Cut — Compilation revisiting a prolific period, not a primary entry or breakthrough album.
- Themes
- 1980s pop culture· cultural commentary· neon-lit nostalgia
- Career context
- Released in 2018, Loving the Alien (1983–1988) is a comprehensive compilation that revisits David Bowie's prolific period spanning his commercial peak. This album comes after his previously released compilation, Nothing Has Changed, and showcases tracks from his most commercially successful albums including Let's Dance and Tonight. The collection serves to highlight Bowie's diverse sound during an era marked by both mainstream success and artistic experimentation.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Brian Eno· Roxy Music· Talking Heads
Tracklist
Disc 1
- 1 Modern Love Start here 4:48
- 2 China Girl 5:33
- 3 Let’s Dance 7:37
- 4 Without You 3:09
- 5 Ricochet 5:13
- 6 Criminal World 4:25
- 7 Cat People (Putting Out Fire) 5:09
- 8 Shake It 3:52
Disc 2
- 1 Look Back in Anger 3:07
- 2 “Heroes” 4:53
- 3 What in the World 3:44
- 4 Golden Years 3:31
- 5 Fashion 2:43
- 6 Let’s Dance 4:34
- 7 Breaking Glass 3:00
- 8 Life on Mars? 4:07
- 9 Sorrow 2:49
- 10 Cat People (Putting Out Fire) 4:20
- 11 China Girl 5:27
- 12 Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) 3:42
- 13 Rebel Rebel 2:24
Disc 3
- 1 White Light/White Heat 5:36
- 2 Station to Station 8:58
- 3 Cracked Actor 3:58
- 4 Ashes to Ashes 3:51
- 5 Space Oddity / Band Introduction 6:32
- 6 Young Americans 5:25
- 7 Fame 5:36
- 8 Modern Love Start here 3:54
Disc 4
- 1 Loving the Alien 7:12
- 2 Don’t Look Down 4:11
- 3 God Only Knows 3:09
- 4 Tonight 3:45
- 5 Neighborhood Threat 3:12
- 6 Blue Jean 3:11
- 7 Tumble and Twirl 4:58
- 8 I Keep Forgettin’ 2:35
- 9 Dancing With the Big Boys 3:34
Disc 5
- 1 Day‐In Day‐Out 5:39
- 2 Time Will Crawl 4:20
- 3 Beat of Your Drum 5:06
- 4 Never Let Me Down 4:05
- 5 Zeroes 5:47
- 6 Glass Spider 5:34
- 7 Shining Star (Makin’ My Love) 5:06
- 8 New York’s in Love 4:34
- 9 ’87 and Cry 4:21
- 10 Bang Bang 4:30
Disc 6
- 1 Day‐In Day‐Out 5:26
- 2 Time Will Crawl 4:26
- 3 Beat of Your Drum 5:27
- 4 Never Let Me Down 4:26
- 5 Zeroes 5:06
- 6 Glass Spider 6:53
- 7 Shining Star (Makin’ My Love) 5:32
- 8 New York’s in Love 4:33
- 9 ’87 and Cry 4:25
- 10 Bang Bang 4:42
Disc 7
- 1 Up the Hill Backwards 3:51
- 2 Glass Spider 5:55
- 3 Day‐In Day‐Out 4:34
- 4 Bang Bang 4:02
- 5 Absolute Beginners 7:08
- 6 Loving the Alien 7:14
- 7 China Girl 4:55
- 8 Rebel Rebel 3:30
- 9 Fashion 5:04
- 10 Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) 4:52
- 11 All the Mad Men 6:39
- 12 Never Let Me Down 3:56
Disc 8
- 1 Big Brother 4:47
- 2 ’87 and Cry 4:07
- 3 “Heroes” 5:10
- 4 Sons of the Silent Age 3:10
- 5 Time Will Crawl / Band Introduction 5:23
- 6 Young Americans 5:06
- 7 Beat of Your Drum 4:37
- 8 The Jean Genie 5:23
- 9 Let’s Dance 5:01
- 10 Fame 7:05
- 11 Time 5:11
- 12 Blue Jean 3:26
- 13 Modern Love Start here 4:53
Disc 9
- 1 Shake It (re‐mix AKA long version) 5:21
- 2 Blue Jean (extended dance mix) 5:20
- 3 Dancing With the Big Boys (extended dance mix) 7:31
- 4 Tonight (vocal dance mix) 4:31
- 5 Don’t Look Down (extended dance mix) 4:55
- 6 Loving the Alien (extended dub mix) 7:15
- 7 Tumble and Twirl (extended dance mix) 5:05
- 8 Underground (extended dance mix) 7:54
- 9 Day‐In Day‐Out (Groucho mix) 6:28
- 10 Time Will Crawl (dance Crew mix) 5:34
- 11 Shining Star (Makin’ My Love) (12″ mix) 6:27
- 12 Never Let Me Down (dub / a capella) 6:02
Disc 10
- 1 Let’s Dance (single version) 4:09
- 2 China Girl (single version) 4:17
- 3 Modern Love (single version) 3:59
- 4 This Is Not America (the theme from ‘The Falcon and the Snowman’) 3:51
- 5 Loving the Alien (re‐mixed version) 4:43
- 6 Don’t Look Down (re‐mixed version) 4:06
- 7 Dancing in the Street (Clearmountain mix) 3:11
- 8 Absolute Beginners 8:04
- 9 That’s Motivation 4:19
- 10 Volare 3:15
- 11 Labyrinth Opening Titles / Underground 3:20
- 12 Magic Dance 4:14
- 13 As the World Falls Down 4:51
- 14 Within You 3:29
- 15 Underground 5:57
Disc 11
- 1 When the Wind Blows (single version) 3:35
- 2 Day‐In Day‐Out (single version) 4:14
- 3 Julie 3:43
- 4 Beat of Your Drum (vinyl album edit) 4:34
- 5 Glass Spider (vinyl album edit) 4:56
- 6 Shining Star (Makin’ My Love) (vinyl album edit) 4:06
- 7 New York’s in Love (vinyl album edit) 3:59
- 8 ’87 and Cry (vinyl album edit) 3:55
- 9 Bang Bang (vinyl album edit) 4:02
- 10 Time Will Crawl (single version) 4:03
- 11 Girls (extended edit) 5:34
- 12 Never Let Me Down (7″ remix edit) 3:59
- 13 Bang Bang (live – promotional mix) 4:07
- 14 Tonight (live) 4:19
- 15 Let’s Dance (live) 3:25
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Speaking in Tongues
Talking Heads
Shares the same experimental pop sensibility with a focus on cultural commentary and rhythmic innovation.
Avalon
Roxy Music
Combines lush production and art pop aesthetics, evoking a similar sense of nostalgia and emotional depth.
1999
Prince
Merges funk and rock with an avant-garde approach, reflecting a comparable blend of commercial appeal and experimentation.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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