The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars cover art

  Studio Album · No. 5

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars Songwriting Credits by David Bowie

1972 RCA Records 11 tracks 38 min

Produced by David Bowie, Ken Scott  ·  Engineered by Ken Scott

RCA Records Glam RockProto-Punk
91%
Authorship
Artist

Holds writing credit on 10 of 11 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 10 / 11 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 11 tracks with documented writers, by whether David Bowie carries a lyricist or composer credit.

91%
10 trackswritten by David Bowie 1 trackoutside writers
David Bowie's roles on this album

Share of the 11 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist91%
Composer91%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

11
Tracks
2
Lyricists
2
Producers
7.5 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
1972
Released

Awards & Recognition 1

National Recording Registry (2017)
Data Insight

David Bowie wrote ten of the eleven songs himself, building a loose concept around the fictional rock star Ziggy Stardust. The one outside song is the cover "It Ain't Easy," written by American songwriter Ron Davies. Bowie produced the record with Ken Scott, who also engineered and mixed it, and the album marks the point where Bowie fully fused his theatrical persona with his own songwriting.

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is the fifth studio album by David Bowie, released in June 1972 on RCA Records and produced by David Bowie and Ken Scott. The album is a defining concept record that introduced the alien rock star Ziggy Stardust, one of pop culture's most enduring and influential personas, and essentially invented the template for glam rock as a theatrical and literary art form. Songs like 'Starman,' 'Suffragette City,' 'Rock 'n' Roll Suicide,' and the title sequence are among the most brilliant and timeless in rock history, combining catchy hooks with sophisticated lyrical conceits about fame, extraterrestrial saviors, and apocalyptic sexuality. The album reached the top five in the UK and, after a slow initial American release, became a defining document of early-1970s rock culture. Ziggy Stardust is the definitive statement of Bowie's early genius and one of the most influential albums ever recorded.

Track Listing & Credits 11 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Five Years
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieKen Scott David Bowie (Lead Vocals)
2
Soul Love
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieKen Scott David Bowie (Lead Vocals)
3
Moonage Daydream
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieKen Scott David Bowie (Lead Vocals)
4
Starman #10
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieKen Scott David Bowie (Lead Vocals)
5
It Ain't Easy
Ron Davies Ron Davies David BowieKen Scott David Bowie (Lead Vocals)
6
Lady Stardust
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieKen Scott David Bowie (Lead Vocals)
7
Star
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieKen Scott David Bowie (Lead Vocals)
8
Hang On to Yourself
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieKen Scott David Bowie (Lead Vocals)
9
Ziggy Stardust
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieKen Scott David Bowie (Lead Vocals)
10
Suffragette City
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieKen Scott David Bowie (Lead Vocals)
11
Rock 'n' Roll Suicide
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieKen Scott David Bowie (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 3 contributors

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1969 100%
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1971 91%
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1973 90%
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1973 0%
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1974 100%
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Young Americans
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1976 83%
Station to Station
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1977 100%
Heroes
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1977 100%
Low
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1979 100%
Lodger
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1980 90%
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1984 67%
Tonight
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1987 91%
Never Let Me Down
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1993 67%
Black Tie White Noise
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1993 100%
The Buddha of Suburbia
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1995 100%
Outside
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1997 100%
Earthling
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1999 100%
'hours...'
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10 tracksProd. David Bowie
2002 75%
Heathen
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2003 82%
Reality
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11 tracksProd. Tony Visconti
2013 100%
The Next Day
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2016 100%
Blackstar
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Frequently Asked Questions The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

Did David Bowie write The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars himself?
David Bowie wrote ten of the album's eleven songs on his own. The only exception is "It Ain't Easy," a cover of a song by American writer Ron Davies. Bowie co-produced the record with Ken Scott.
Who wrote "Starman" by David Bowie?
David Bowie wrote "Starman" himself. It was released as the album's lead single in April 1972 and reached number 10 on the UK Singles Chart and number 65 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Who wrote "It Ain't Easy" on The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust?
"It Ain't Easy" was written by American songwriter Ron Davies, not David Bowie. It is the only song on the album that Bowie did not write, included as a cover version.
What genre is The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars?
The album is generally classified as glam rock, with proto-punk elements. It became one of the defining records of the glam rock movement of the early 1970s.
How many copies has The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust sold?
The album has sold approximately 7.5 million copies worldwide. In Britain it sold close to 96,000 units by the end of 1972.
Did The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust win any awards?
In 2017 the album was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. The registry recognizes recordings considered culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.
What chart position did The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust reach?
The album peaked at number 5 on the UK Albums Chart in February 1973. In the United States it reached number 75 on the Billboard 200.

Sources