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| The Next Day | |
|---|---|
| Name | The Next Day |
| Type | studio |
| Artist | David Bowie |
| Released | 8 March 2013 |
| Recorded | 2011–2012 |
| Studio | The Magic Shop, Electric Lady, Sear Sound, New York; Looking Glass, New York; Konk, London; RAK, London |
| Length | 45:12 |
| Label | ISO/Columbia |
| Producer | David Bowie, Tony Visconti |
| Prev title | Reality |
| Prev year | 2003 |
| Next title | Blackstar |
| Next year | 2016 |
The Next Day is the twenty-fourth studio album by English singer-songwriter David Bowie, released on 8 March 2013 by ISO/Columbia. It marked Bowie’s return to original studio albums after a decade-long hiatus following Reality and was produced by Bowie and Tony Visconti, featuring collaborators including Gail Ann Dorsey, Hunt Sales, Mike Garson, Earl Slick, and Gerry Leonard. The album received widespread attention for its surprise announcement, distinctive artwork, and themes drawing on Bowie’s career, art history, religion, and contemporary events.
The album's genesis drew on Bowie’s earlier work with Visconti during sessions for Heathen and Reality, and was shaped by Bowie’s experiences in New York City, trips to Berlin, and longstanding relationships with musicians from the Tin Machine era such as Hunt Sales and Tony Fox Sales. Bowie’s songwriting revisited motifs from albums like Low, "Heroes", and Scary Monsters, while engaging with contemporary events including the Arab Spring, the Iraq War, and the ongoing conflicts involving Syria. Bowie also referenced artistic figures such as Andy Warhol, Marcel Duchamp, and Pablo Picasso in interviews and liner contexts, framing the album as an extension of his long career that spanned collaborations with producers like Brian Eno and musicians from the Rolling Stones and Velvet Underground circles.
Recording took place primarily in New York City studios including The Magic Shop, Electric Lady Studios, and Sear Sound, with additional sessions at Konk Studios and RAK Studios in London. Visconti engineered sessions and co-produced arrangements, using vintage equipment and analog techniques reminiscent of work with artists such as T. Rex producer Visconti had used for Marc Bolan and mixes akin to those on Aladdin Sane and Diamond Dogs. Musicians from Bowie’s touring and studio ensembles—Mike Garson, Gerry Leonard, Earl Slick, Catherine Russell, and Sterling Campbell—contributed parts, while vocalists including Gail Ann Dorsey and backing singers associated with Darlene Love-style arrangements added depth. Mastering was completed with engineers who had worked with Paul McCartney, Elton John, and U2, ensuring sonic continuity with contemporary rock and art-pop productions.
Musically, the album blends art rock, glam rock, and post-punk textures, channeling elements heard on Ziggy Stardust, Station to Station, and Let's Dance while incorporating modern production sensibilities similar to Radiohead and Arcade Fire. Lyric themes include fame and identity, religious iconography, political conflict, and mortality, with narrative portraits akin to Bowie’s songs for characters from Aladdin Sane and The Man Who Sold the World. Tracks reference cultural touchstones such as Washington, D.C. politics, the Vatican, and figures like Margaret Thatcher and George W. Bush indirectly through allegorical storytelling. The album features piano work recalling Mike Garson’s avant-garde solos on earlier Bowie records and guitar lines evoking Robert Fripp’s collaborations, while rhythmic choices nod to influences from James Brown funk breaks to New York Dolls punk attitude.
The album was announced with a surprise single and video premiere online, following digital strategies used by artists like Beyoncé yet executed with Bowie’s characteristic artful provocations referencing Andy Warhol and Helmut Newton aesthetics. The art, a reworking of Bowie’s Heroes-era photograph by Masayoshi Sukita obscured by a white box, generated debate across media outlets including BBC, MTV, and Rolling Stone. Bowie performed selected tracks on television programs including Late Show with David Letterman and took part in interviews with publications such as The New York Times, NME, and Pitchfork. Singles including "Where Are We Now?" and "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" were accompanied by videos directed by artists connected to the contemporary art and film scenes, and promotional appearances involved galleries and performances in London and New York City.
Critics across publications such as The Guardian, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, NME, and Pitchfork widely praised the album for its songwriting, production, and Bowie's vocal performance, often noting its seamless connection to his past work while feeling contemporary. Reviewers compared tracks to Bowie’s landmark periods including Berlin Trilogy and Ziggy Stardust and cited the interplay of Visconti’s production with Bowie’s lyrical acuity. Some critics from outlets like The Independent and Spin questioned the album’s nostalgia and lyrical opacity, whereas reviewers from Q (magazine) and Mojo lauded its artistic coherence. The album earned year-end placements on lists from Time (magazine), Uncut, and Stereogum.
The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, contending with releases from acts such as Justin Timberlake and Kanye West, and reached top ten positions in numerous countries including United States, Germany, France, Japan, and Canada. It earned certifications from industry bodies like the British Phonographic Industry and Recording Industry Association of America and produced several charting singles on listings compiled by Billboard. The commercial response reaffirmed Bowie’s continued relevance across multiple markets and generations, paralleling comeback successes by artists such as Johnny Cash and Paul Simon in later career phases.
The album influenced contemporary musicians across genres, cited by artists including Arcade Fire, St. Vincent, Interpol, Lana Del Rey, and Brandon Flowers as an example of late-career reinvention. It stimulated academic interest in Bowie studies within institutions such as King's College London and New York University and inspired exhibitions at museums including the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Museum of Modern Art. The album’s surprise-release tactics and multimedia promotion foreshadowed strategies later employed by artists like Beyoncé and Frank Ocean, while its integration of art-historical reference and pop forms continued Bowie’s long-standing impact on rock, performance, and visual culture.
Category:David Bowie albums