Studio Album · No. 22
'hours...' Songwriting Credits by David Bowie
Produced by David Bowie, Mark Plati · Engineered by Kevin Paul, Andy VanDette
Holds writing credit on 10 of 10 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 10 / 10 documented
Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether David Bowie carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
David Bowie co-wrote every song on 'hours...' with guitarist Reeves Gabrels, the pair also sharing production duties on what became their final album together. The lyrics for 'What's Really Happening?' were written by fan-contest winner Alex Grant, whose words Bowie set to music after an online songwriting competition. Much of the material originated from songs the two had developed for the video game Omikron: The Nomad Soul before being reworked for the album.
David Bowie's 'hours...', released October 4, 1999 on Virgin Records, marks a deliberate return to melodic, introspective songwriting after the industrial aggression of Earthling, an intimate, acoustic-tinged record that Bowie co-wrote entirely with guitarist Reeves Gabrels. The album was the first by a major artist to be legally downloadable before its physical release, signaling Bowie's early awareness of the internet's impact on music distribution. 'Thursday's Child' was the lead single, reaching number sixteen in the UK and earning a Grammy nomination. Bowie co-wrote all ten tracks with Gabrels, maintaining the collaborative songwriting pattern he'd established through the 1990s. The album received mixed reviews upon release, some critics found the mellower approach a retreat, but is now reassessed as a genuinely vulnerable and melodically rich record from an artist often associated with maximum ambition. Gabrels' departure after the album sessions marked the end of their creative partnership spanning the Tin Machine years and three solo records.