The Next Day
by David Bowie
User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 209 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 180 out of 209
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 209
  3. Negative: 13 out of 209
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  1. wsmithmmg
    Mar 12, 2014
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I love and followed David Bowie's career for over 30 years now and this album left me very disappointed. Most of the tunes are most defiantly original.. but original what? Maybe Bowie is evolving and my meager brain just doesn't comprehend this evolution. When you stack this album against Ziggy, Low, Station to Station or SM and SC it falls very far from the tree. There are a few bright spots..Title song is tight and shows Bowie's awesomeness.. The Stars(are out tonight) and Set the World on Fire are both creative but still nothing to write home about. You feel so lonely is reminiscent of Rock n Roll suicide.. which is the brightest star on this album. Many tunes just don't make sense and are really strange.
    I still and always will consider David Bowie one of the greatest songwriters and performers in the entire world. He is the ultimate showman. But I have written better tunes and hopefully I will live long enough to hear him put out another album that Rocks like Old Bowie can rock.    … Expand
  2. lenny68
    Mar 16, 2013
    4
    I really, really don't know what all the fuss is about. This is a very dull album indeed in my opinion. Bowie is lionized to such a degree that he is now beyond reproach in the minds of fans and critics alike.
  3. JamesL
    Mar 17, 2013
    5
    Sadly, there nothing special about this album except it is Bowie's return. I am glad he is back and his voice sounds great. The production is professional and everything is done like the pro he is. However, there is nothing memorable here that makes one scream out to play a certain track again. It is frankly a boring CD. You will put it on the in the rack after the third listen. Now thatSadly, there nothing special about this album except it is Bowie's return. I am glad he is back and his voice sounds great. The production is professional and everything is done like the pro he is. However, there is nothing memorable here that makes one scream out to play a certain track again. It is frankly a boring CD. You will put it on the in the rack after the third listen. Now that he is back, may the next one contain some rock and roll.… Expand
  4. StrawberryBlond
    Apr 14, 2013
    5
    Having only heard a few Bowie songs here and there, this was my first time of listening to a full length album. I've been led to believe that it isn't quite like his past work, but as far as I can see, it's ok. There's two bad ones, a few mediocre ones, some very decent ones and some great standouts. Dirty Boys, Love Is Lost, How Does The Grass Grow? and (You Will) Set The World On FireHaving only heard a few Bowie songs here and there, this was my first time of listening to a full length album. I've been led to believe that it isn't quite like his past work, but as far as I can see, it's ok. There's two bad ones, a few mediocre ones, some very decent ones and some great standouts. Dirty Boys, Love Is Lost, How Does The Grass Grow? and (You Will) Set The World On Fire are definitely the best the album has to offer, You Feel So Lonely You Could Die and Heat are very good and deluxe edition bonus tracks like Plan and God Bless The Girl are worth checking out. Despite all this, there's nothing that completely grips me. I'm not getting all the love for Valentine's Day the final few seconds with the awesome guitar is brilliant, but the rest seems very cheesy to me and Dancing Out In Space is most definitely a track I could've done without. Apart from these two, the piece of work is overall ok. But nowhere near the masterpiece the critics have made it out to be.… Expand
  5. jeffpeppers
    Apr 10, 2013
    4
    A few bright spots, but i dont think this holds up against the majority of his other (successful) work.
    I understand that he's changed and times have changed as well but the band's sound is way too processed/antiseptic and could really benefit from a few adjustments. (although that's also been the case for the last few albums) To draw comparisons, I enjoyed more of Heathen than of this    A few bright spots, but i dont think this holds up against the majority of his other (successful) work.
    I understand that he's changed and times have changed as well but the band's sound is way too processed/antiseptic and could really benefit from a few adjustments. (although that's also been the case for the last few albums) To draw comparisons, I enjoyed more of Heathen than of this album.. no hate, just underwhelmed.

    Also rolled my eyes a little at the uninspired cover    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

87
#87 Best Album of 2013
32
#32 Most Discussed Album of 2013
47
#47 Most Shared Album of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 44 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 44
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 44
  3. Negative: 0 out of 44
  1. Classic Rock Magazine
    Jun 6, 2013
    80
    A vintage Bowie album for vintage Bowie people, of whom there are many; a reflection on his own journey and also on ours. [Apr 2013, p.92]
  2. Record Collector
    Jun 4, 2013
    80
    The Next Day is certainly his most engaging and intriguing since Outside. For now, that’s more than enough.
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  3. Austin Chronicle
    May 2, 2013
    67
    His innovative days may be long behind him, but Bowie's melodic gifts remain undiminished and his lyrics appropriately ambiguous.
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