Aladdin Sane

Aladdin Sane, David Bowie’s sixth studio album, came out in April 1973 on RCA Records. It marked his first record written and released after he had become a global star, arriving on the heels of his breakthrough The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Bowie co-produced the album with Ken Scott, and it included work from his backing band the Spiders from Mars, pianist Mike Garson, two saxophonists, and three backing vocalists. The album was cut in London and New York City during breaks in the Ziggy Stardust Tour, and it turned out to be Bowie’s last with the full Spiders lineup.

Most of the songs were written while Bowie was on the road in the United States, heavily shaped by what he saw there. The American influence and the rushed writing process pushed the record toward harder rock sounds than his earlier glam rock. The lyrics touch on the upsides of his new fame and the downsides of touring, with images of urban decay, drugs, sex, violence, and death. Some tracks take cues from the Rolling Stones, and the album includes a cover of their song “Let’s Spend the Night Together.” Bowie described the title as a pun on “A Lad Insane” and as “Ziggy Stardust goes to America.” The cover photo, shot by Brian Duffy and featuring a lightning bolt painted across Bowie’s face, is considered one of his most iconic images.

Backed by the UK top-five singles “The Jean Genie” and “Drive-In Saturday,” Aladdin Sane became Bowie’s most commercially successful album up to that point, hitting number one on the UK Albums Chart and earning him huge popularity there. Critics gave it positive reviews, though many thought it wasn’t as strong as its predecessor. The album’s popularity carried through the second half of the Ziggy Stardust Tour, which saw changes to the setlist and stage production. In later years, Aladdin Sane has appeared on several best-of lists and is seen as one of Bowie’s essential releases. It has been reissued multiple times and was remastered in 2013 for its 40th anniversary, later included in the 2015 box set Five Years (1969–1973).

Bowie shot to fame in early July 1972 with the release of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and his performance of “Starman” on BBC’s Top of the Pops.