Is Who Can I Be Now? (1974–1976) a good place to start with David Bowie?

Yes, Who Can I Be Now? (1974–1976) is recommended as a starting point for new David Bowie listeners. Dystopian glam gives way to Philadelphia soul before stretched-out rhythms carry the music into colder and stranger territory. Released in 2016, this box set traces David Bowie’s move from the theatrical rock of 1974’s Diamond Dogs through the soul-inflected Young Americans to 1976’s Station to Station. It also presents The Gouster, an earlier configuration of material developed on the way to Young Americans.

Who is Who Can I Be Now? (1974–1976) for?

Who Can I Be Now? (1974–1976) works well if you're into theatrical narratives with dramatic flair, long, immersive musical explorations and cathartic sing-along moments.

How many songs are on Who Can I Be Now? (1974–1976)?

Who Can I Be Now? (1974–1976) has 102 tracks, running approximately 499 minutes.

Released 10 years ago

Who Can I Be Now? (1974–1976)

David Bowie · 2016

499 min · 102 tracks · alternative rock

Dystopian glam gives way to Philadelphia soul before stretched-out rhythms carry the music into colder and stranger territory.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Future Legend Start here — establishes the sonic palette early
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Diamond Dogs — A snarling guitar riff introduces the ruined-city theater of the collection’s earliest studio album, with Bowie playing lead guitar himself.
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Young Americans — Driven by saxophone and layered backing vocals, the title track puts Bowie’s immersion in American soul at the center of a restless portrait of the country.
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Who Can I Be Now? — Left off Young Americans but included in The Gouster, this searching soul ballad gives the box its title and illuminates an alternate path through the sessions.
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Station to Station — Its long mechanical opening gradually yields to a driving band performance, stretching the album’s funk influences into something more severe and exploratory.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

69 /100

Treeline

Higher than 49% of albums we've rated

This compilation highlights Bowie's genre exploration but suffers from repetition and lacks a cohesive narrative flow.

What we noticed

Several tracks are repeated throughout the compilation, emphasizing key themes and motifs from this period of Bowie's career.
The production includes theatrical elements, such as spoken word segments and layered instrumentation, creating a rich auditory experience.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 8/10
Durability 25% of the score: 6/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 7/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 4/10

Influence 6/10

Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

theatrical narratives with dramatic flair
long, immersive musical explorations
cathartic sing-along moments
dynamic shifts in emotional tone
headphone detail hunting

Maybe skip if you

prefer concise, standalone tracks
seek instant gratification

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Deep Cut — Compiles work from a transformative era, appealing to dedicated fans but not as an entry point.
Themes: dystopian visions· mid-70s identity crisis· blue-eyed soul· theatrical glam rock
Career context: Released in 2016, this box set traces David Bowie’s move from the theatrical rock of 1974’s Diamond Dogs through the soul-inflected Young Americans to 1976’s Station to Station. It also presents The Gouster, an earlier configuration of material developed on the way to Young Americans.
Stylistic neighbors: Brian Eno· Roxy Music· Talking Heads

New to David Bowie? Find your way in →

Tracklist

Disc 1

1 Future Legend Start here 1:00
2 Diamond Dogs 6:04
3 Sweet Thing 3:39
4 Candidate 2:40
5 Sweet Thing (reprise) 2:32
6 Rebel Rebel 4:34
7 Rock ’n’ Roll With Me 4:02
8 We Are the Dead 5:01
9 1984 3:27
10 Big Brother 3:23
11 Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family 2:06

Disc 2

1 1984 3:21
2 Rebel Rebel 2:40
3 Moonage Daydream 5:07
4 Sweet Thing 8:33
5 Changes 3:34
6 Suffragette City 3:41
7 Aladdin Sane 5:00
8 All the Young Dudes 4:18
9 Cracked Actor 3:25

Disc 3

1 When You Rock ’n’ Roll With Me 4:16
2 Watch That Man 5:04
3 Knock on Wood 3:20
4 Diamond Dogs 6:29
5 Big Brother 4:07
6 Width of a Circle 8:11
7 Jean Genie 5:17

Disc 4

1 1984 3:22
2 Rebel Rebel 2:41
3 Moonage Daydream 5:08
4 Sweet Thing / Candidate / Sweet Thing (reprise) 8:35
5 Changes 3:35
6 Suffragette City 3:42
7 Aladdin Sane 5:02
8 All the Young Dudes 4:14
9 Cracked Actor 3:26
10 Rock ’n’ Roll With Me 4:16
11 Watch That Man 5:05

Disc 5

1 Knock on Wood 3:24
2 Here Today, Gone Tomorrow 3:48
3 Space Oddity 6:26
4 Diamond Dogs 6:26
5 Panic in Detroit 5:39
6 Big Brother 4:10
7 Time 5:23
8 The Width of a Circle 8:10
9 The Jean Genie 5:19
10 Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide 4:46

Disc 6

1 John, I’m Only Dancing (Again) 7:01
2 Somebody Up There Likes Me (alternative Gouster mix) 6:32
3 It’s Gonna Be Me (without strings) 6:30
4 Who Can I Be Now? 4:42
5 Can You Hear Me (alternative early version) 5:24
7 Right (alternative Gouster mix) 4:40

Disc 7

1 Young Americans 5:17
2 Win 4:47
3 Fascination 5:48
4 Right 4:22
5 Somebody Up There Likes Me 6:36
6 Across the Universe 4:33
7 Can You Hear Me 5:08
8 Fame 4:21

Disc 8

1 Station to Station 10:17
2 Golden Years 4:03
3 Word on a Wing 6:04
4 TVC 15 5:35
5 Stay 6:16
6 Wild Is the Wind 6:06

Disc 9

1 Station to Station 10:18
2 Golden Years 4:03
3 Word on a Wing 5:55
4 TVC 15 5:33
5 Stay 6:15
6 Wild Is the Wind 6:07

Disc 10

1 Station to Station 11:52
2 Suffragette City 3:30
3 Fame 4:01
4 Word on a Wing 6:05
5 Stay 7:24
6 Waiting for the Man 6:19
7 Queen Bitch 3:12

Disc 11

1 Life on Mars? 2:13
2 Five Years 5:04
3 Panic in Detroit 6:02
4 Changes 4:10
5 TVC 15 4:57
6 Diamond Dogs 6:38
7 Rebel Rebel 4:06
8 The Jean Genie 7:25

Disc 12

1 Rebel Rebel (original single mix) 4:23
2 Diamond Dogs (Australian single edit) 3:00
3 Rebel Rebel (U.S. single version) 3:00
4 Rock ’n’ Roll With Me (live – promotional single edit) 3:29
5 Panic in Detroit (live) 5:49
6 Young Americans (original single edit) 3:17
7 Fame (original single edit) 3:34
8 Golden Years (single version) 3:29
9 Station to Station (original single edit) 3:41
10 TVC 15 (original single edit) 3:36
11 Stay (original single edit) 3:22
12 Word on a Wing (original single edit) 3:14
13 John, I’m Only Dancing (Again) (1975) (single version) 3:26

What to play next

Listen next

Young Americans

1975

It continues the exploration of identity with a soulful and funk-infused sound.

Go back to

Diamond Dogs

1974

Sets the stage with its theatricality and glam rock elements, leading into Bowie's evolving style.

Full David Bowie discography Where to start with David Bowie Artists like David Bowie Which David Bowie albums to start with

alternative rock hard rock

If this landed

Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata