David Bowie

David Bowie's self-titled debut album was released June 1, 1967 on Deram Records, showcasing the 20-year-old South Londoner's music hall, cabaret, and Anthony Newley-influenced pop songwriting before he developed the art-rock persona that would define his career. Bowie wrote all fourteen tracks himself, establishing his lifelong pattern of near-total lyrical and compositional authorship from his very first release. Tracks like 'Uncle Arthur,' 'Love You till Tuesday,' and 'When I Live My Dream' display a whimsical, theatrical storytelling style, eccentric character sketches far removed from the psychedelic mainstream of 1967. Produced by Mike Vernon, the album was a commercial failure upon release but is now recognized as a fascinating document of Bowie's artistic origins. The album stands in sharp contrast to his glam-rock and Berlin-era work, yet the complete songwriting ownership that begins here carries through every record he ever made.