Low Album Creation

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Lore & Background

Bowie recorded Blackstar while suffering from liver cancer, diagnosed in the summer of 2014. He kept the illness private; Visconti did not learn of it until Bowie arrived at the studio immediately following a chemo session. Visconti recalled that despite his illness, Bowie was in high spirits throughout the sessions: "He was so brave and courageous ... and his energy was still incredible for a man who had cancer. He never showed any fear. He was just all business about making the album." The musicians signed confidentiality clauses. Recording began at the Magic Shop in the first week of 2015, with further sessions in February and March. The final master mix was done by English engineer Tom Elmhirst at Electric Lady Studios. The album was finished by June 2015.

In Their Own Story

In June 2014, Bowie and Visconti saw McCaslin play with his jazz quartet — Guiliana, Lindner and Lefebvre — at the 55 Bar club in Greenwich Village. Lefebvre recalled: "When David saw us, he heard how electric and aggressive we were – more than he anticipated – which really sold us to him." Towards the end of 2014, Bowie hired the quartet as the main backing band. Visconti told Mojo: "If we'd used [Bowie's] former musicians they would be rock people playing jazz ... Having jazz guys play rock music turns it upside down." In December, the musicians received demos from Bowie. The studio atmosphere was collaborative; Bowie encouraged experimentation. Lindner told Rolling Stone, "He gave us the freedom to really just play, sort of be ourselves, and if we were hearing anything in particular, to try it out." Most rhythm tracks were recorded in one or two takes.

Reader's Guide

The album's lyrics feature themes of death, with many songs told from the perspective of the dead or dying. The cover art, designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, features a large black star with five star segments at the bottom that spell out the word Bowie. Musically, Blackstar combines atmospheric art rock with various styles of jazz. Bowie took inspiration from artists including Kendrick Lamar and Death Grips, listening to them during the album's production. The album was preceded by the singles "Blackstar" and "Lazarus", both supported by music videos. Two days after its release, Bowie died following a private 18-month battle with liver cancer; Visconti described the album as a parting gift for his fans after his death.

Did You Know?

• Bowie recorded Blackstar while suffering from liver cancer, diagnosed in the summer of 2014, and kept the illness private — Visconti did not learn of it until Bowie arrived at the studio immediately following a chemo session.
• The backing band — Donny McCaslin, Jason Lindner, Tim Lefebvre and Mark Guiliana — were discovered by Bowie and Visconti playing at the 55 Bar club in Greenwich Village in June 2014.
• James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem contributed percussion on "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)" and "Girl Loves Me"; he had been slated to co-produce Blackstar but backed out due to feeling 'overwhelmed'.
• The cover art, designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, features a large black star with five star segments at the bottom that spell out the word 'Bowie'.
• The album was finished by June 2015, after which Bowie continued preparations for the Lazarus musical.

Recording and Musical Collaboration

Recording for Blackstar took place in secret at the Magic Shop and Human Worldwide Studios in New York City, with production co-handled by Bowie and Visconti. Each musician signed confidentiality clauses. The studio atmosphere was collaborative; Bowie had demoed all tracks before the sessions but encouraged experimentation. McCaslin described the process as supportive and praised the working environment as creative. Lefebvre appreciated that Bowie chose a band with studio chemistry rather than using random studio musicians, stating they "all already knew how to play together" so Bowie did not have to "establish a groove" because "it was already there". Recording began at the Magic Shop in the first week of 2015. Most rhythm tracks were recorded in one or two takes. The February sessions yielded "Dollar Days", "Girl Loves Me", "Someday" and a re-recording of "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)". James Murphy contributed percussion on "Sue" and "Girl Loves Me". The March sessions included jazz guitarist Ben Monder, who played on the original recording of "Sue". Songs recorded included "Blackstar", "I Can't Give Everything Away", "Killing a Little Time" and a remake of "Someday" (now titled "Blaze"). Bowie performed his vocals live while the band played during the Magic Shop sessions, but moved to Human Worldwide Studios in April for proper recording. The final master mix was done by English engineer Tom Elmhirst at Electric Lady Studios.

Thematic Elements and Visual Design

The album's lyrics feature themes of death, with many songs being told from the perspective of the dead or dying. The cover art, designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, features a large black star with five star segments at the bottom that spell out the word Bowie. Musically, Blackstar combines atmospheric art rock with various styles of jazz. Bowie took inspiration from artists including Kendrick Lamar and Death Grips, listening to them during the album's production. The album contains "Lazarus", from the 2015 musical of the same name, and re-recorded versions of the 2014 songs "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)" and "'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore". Ben Monder and James Murphy contributed additional guitar and percussion, respectively.

Release Timing and Commercial Success

Released on 8 January 2016, Bowie's 69th birthday, the album was recorded in secret in New York City. Two days after its release, Bowie died following a private 18-month battle with liver cancer; Visconti described the album as a parting gift for his fans after his death. Upon release, the album was met with commercial success, topping charts in many countries, including the United Kingdom, following Bowie's death, and became his only album to top the Billboard 200 in the United States. It was the fifth-best-selling album of the year worldwide. The album was preceded by the singles "Blackstar" and "Lazarus", both of which were supported by music videos.

Critical Acclaim and Enduring Legacy

Blackstar received widespread acclaim as Bowie's most musically challenging album in decades, with critics praising the music, themes and performances of the backing band. It received three Grammy Awards and the Brit Award for British Album of the Year in 2017. It was listed as one of the best albums of 2016 and later of the 2010s decade by numerous publications. The work was re-analysed following Bowie's death, with critics and fans reinterpreting its lyrics, title and artwork as hinting at the artist's demise. Blackstar has since been described by publications and commentators as one of Bowie's best albums, a perfect farewell to his fans, and one of the best final albums ever.