Scary Monsters (studio album) by David Bowie

Scary Monsters by David Bowie
Year: 1980
Overall rank: 302nd   Overall chart historyOverall chart history
Average Rating: 
81/100 (from 1,088 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution   Average rating historyAverage rating history
Accolades:
Award Top 5 albums of 1980 (4th)
Award Top 50 albums of the 1980s (40th)
Award Top 500 albums of all time (302nd)
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David Bowie Scary Monsters CD TARGET ERA JAPAN RCA PCD1-3647 Ziggy Stardust RARE
Condition: Very Good

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David Bowie - Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) - 180 gram Vinyl Record LP
Condition: New


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David Bowie Scary Monsters Vinyl 1ST 1981 LSRCA-73117 OG Yugoslavia LP SEALED
Condition: New


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David Bowie bestography

Scary Monsters is ranked 7th best out of 91 albums by David Bowie on BestEverAlbums.com.

The best album by David Bowie is The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars which is ranked number 9 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 48,530.

David Bowie album bestography « Higher ranked (261st) This album (302nd) Lower ranked (313th) »
"Heroes"Scary MonstersAladdin Sane

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Scary Monsters track list

  Track ratingsTrack ratings The tracks on this album have an average rating of 83 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).

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Scary Monsters rankings

Scary Monsters collection

Scary Monsters ratings

Average Rating: 
81/100 (from 1,088 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.

Showing latest 5 ratings for this album. | Show all 1,088 ratings for this album.

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RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
70/100
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09/27/2024 14:14 AlexBMUFC  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 21276/100
 
70/100
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09/24/2024 11:10 uncaria  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 41583/100
 
50/100
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09/08/2024 22:29 missionbeach99  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 4155/100
 
75/100
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08/12/2024 00:06 dhbarrett  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 6,85865/100
 
85/100
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07/18/2024 22:04 JamesMowbray  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 4,37670/100

Rating metrics: Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some albums can have several thousand ratings)

This album is rated in the top 1% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 80.9/100, a mean average of 80.1/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 80.9/100. The standard deviation for this album is 13.7.

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Scary Monsters comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 62 comments |
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Rating:  
95/100
From 02/20/2024 14:38
This has always been one of my favourite Bowie albums. As others have said, the first half is stronger than the second, but it is all pretty strong stuff. His last great album, imho.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 09/28/2022 16:05
First half is like a 10. Second half deflates like crazy, but it's still enjoyable.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
65/100
From 09/07/2022 01:08
Not the best from bowie
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 08/15/2022 14:14
This album is definitely something new for Bowie at that point, instrumental experiments are mostly successful and they sound incredible, but vocal experiments are either incredible or horrible. Best tracks are Up The Hill Backwards, Scary Monsters, Ashes To Ashes, Fashion and hidden gem - Because You're Young.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
50/100
From 07/25/2022 10:13
Love the guitar work on this, and the bass on Ashes to Ashes is great. Highlights are Ashes to Ashes, Fashion and Teenage Wildlife. One of his best albums for me.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
70/100
From 07/01/2022 19:18
This is a solid record but it isn't up there amongst his greatest releases. It is quite an experimental album which means that there are quite a few strange moments for us to decipher so this record needs a few listens to properly digest it. This also means that there is a high chance of all the songs on here either really hitting or really not which is the main problem with the release. Songs like the title track, Ashes To Ashes and Teenage Wildlife benefit massively from this experimental nature as they sound so fresh even today and they are extremely infectious. Then there are the closing songs on the record amongst a few more which are just quite dull and can sound slightly dated. However, Bowie is extremely consistent throughout and so is the instrumental performances. Overall, there are some brilliant songs on here but the record can't maintain the consistency it needs to be considered an all time great.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 05/19/2022 17:46
The pros and cons of being an “avant-garde art rock” musician. There’s always lots of creativity, plenty of risks taken.

On this album, several of the risks pay off (Ashes to Ashes and Teenage Wildlife, most notably). And some do not (the last few songs aren’t great). Still a fascinating album, in all, due to the change in direction it signals.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
70/100
From 02/12/2022 12:52
Ashes to Ashes was the big hit, I remember watching the utterly bizarre video on Top of the Pops. I hated the video and didn't like Bowie much as a teenager. How things change... Generally a good album and interesting listening experience.
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Rating:  
100/100
From 10/10/2021 17:22
this is the album that got me hooked on mr bowie.the album that started the new romantic sound in the uk. he was always ahead of the rest.i love super creeps/ up the hill backwards as much as the 2 bigger hits.
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Rating:  
95/100
From 03/25/2021 17:38
A top 5 Bowie for sure...at a apex of avant garde & more popular.
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Best Albums of 1980
1. Remain In Light by Talking Heads
2. Closer by Joy Division
3. Back In Black by AC/DC
4. Scary Monsters by David Bowie
5. Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables by Dead Kennedys
6. Peter Gabriel III by Peter Gabriel
7. The River by Bruce Springsteen
8. Permanent Waves by Rush
9. Pretenders by Pretenders
10. Making Movies by Dire Straits
11. Seventeen Seconds by The Cure
12. Crazy Rhythms by The Feelies
13. Sandinista! by The Clash
14. Heaven And Hell by Black Sabbath
15. Boy by U2
16. Ace Of Spades by Motörhead
17. Gaucho by Steely Dan
18. Get Happy!! by Elvis Costello And The Attractions
19. Duke by Genesis
20. Dirty Mind by Prince
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