Episodes
Saturday Jun 27, 2020
Bowie in the Year 2020: Releases So Far and What’s to Come
Saturday Jun 27, 2020
Saturday Jun 27, 2020
Another year, another bazillion posthumous releases from Bowie's estate. But this year there are some really good ones! Sit down, shut up, and read up about the Bowie releases so far, what's definitely coming, and what also might be.
January-February
Is It Any Wonder? Streaming EP
The Bowie camp does like to keep things interesting. From early January to mid-February, they released a different rare or unreleased song from the 95-97 era each Friday, streaming only. On February 14, they were officially collected as the Is It Any Wonder? streaming EP. More info about the physical release below.
Alabama Song 40th Anniversary Picture Disc
The newest in a very long line, this one features a pair of unreleased live tracks from 1978 on the b-side.
March
Is It Any Wonder? CD & 12"
In March, the Is It Any Wonder? EP got an official physical release on both CD & vinyl, which is nice. The track listing is rearranged and one song is replaced with a different (previously unreleased) one. Unfortunately, it was only available through the official Bowie site and prices were pretty high. Both formats are already entirely sold out. The same day, the song Fun (Dillinja Mix) got an official streaming and digital release, which is welcome. The track was originally only available on the super rare 2-disc version of the Bowienet exclusive live album, Liveandwell.com.
April
ChangesNowBowie Streaming Only Release
Originally intended to be released in April for Record Store Day before the date was moved because of COVID, ChangesNowBowie received a streaming only release in April instead. It's a 1997 BBC radio show featuring nine previously unreleased recordings of Bowie doing mostly acoustic versions of some of his own songs. It's heavy on the early 70s and quite nice.
May
Liveandwell.com Streaming Only Release
This aforementioned live album, recorded in 1997, has never had an official wide release before and is apparently the first of three live albums from the 90s to see the light of day this year. It's a great document from the Earthling tour and nice to see widely available.
Iggy Pop - The Bowie Years 7xCD Box Set
While not technically a Bowie release, they put his name in the title and Bowie had some level of involvement with every track on this 7 CD set. It features remastered versions of Iggy's classic albums The Idiot and Lust for Life, both of which were co-written and produced by Bowie and feature him on backing vocals and multiple instruments. The set also includes the lackluster 1978 live album TV Eye, which was co-produced by Bowie and features his piano playing on half the tracks. Finally, there are three full live shows (also with Bowie on keyboards) and an unnecessary disc of single edits and dubiously sourced alternate mixes.
June
Space Oddity Album Picture Disc
Just when you thought we were done with the whole 50th anniversary Space Oddity reissue parade, this little number squeaks through. Thoroughly unnecessary (especially since the album got two different vinyl releases just last year), this is Bowie's 1969 album in the 2009 remaster featuring the 1972 name and cover. To be completely fair, this is the first truly unnecessary feeling Bowie release of the year.
The Future
So that's what we've had so far... what's to come? There are a few confirmed items plus some smart guesses... here's what you can expect.
July
Ouvrez Le Chien Streaming Only Release
A full, completely previously unreleased show from 1995. This is the first official release of a show from the Outside Tour, which saw Bowie playing lots of tracks from his industrial inspired Outside album and very few classic hits. This is the second of three streaming live 90s albums this year (the third has yet to be announced) and will be available on July 3.
Tin Machine II CD & Vinyl Reissue
In the late 80s-early 90s, Bowie was in a hard rock band called Tin Machine. Strangely, their second (and final) studio album has been out of print for decades. That all changes on July 17 when this sweet baby drops. I'm guessing that if someone managed to clear up the rights enough to get this out then a reissue of Tin Machine's also-long-out-of-print live album, Oy Vey, Baby, probably isn't far behind. Notably, this is being reissued, but it has not been remastered.
August
I'm Only Dancing and ChangesNowBowie CD & Vinyl Releases
Both exclusive Record Store Day releases, they were originally scheduled for April 18, then June 20, and now have been bumped to August 29. Understandable COVID-related safety concerns keep pushing them back, but here's hoping this is the last time. I'm Only Dancing is a previously unreleased show from the full-blown Soul Tour of late 1974, making it the third Bowie live album from '74, though with a very different track listing (and presumably sound) than the other two. ChangesNowBowie is from 1997 and has already been released on streaming. See more info above. Interestingly, both are seeing CD release on Record Store Day as well as vinyl, which is a true boon to us rapidly disappearing CD-lovers.
Speculation
So that brings us down to the guesses- what else is likely to come out later this year?
Another Streaming Live Show from the 90s
In the press release for the streaming debut of Liveandwell.com it was mentioned that two more live shows from the 90s would be released to streaming "in the coming months". Ouvrez Le Chien is set for early July, but what's the third one? Right now, the mostly likely answer is a show from his 1990 Sound + Vision Tour, which has never seen an official live album. We'll see.
More 40th Anniversary Picture Disc Singles
This is pretty much a no-brainer. Expect picture discs of Ashes to Ashes in early August and Fashion in late October. Although neither one has been officially announced, I would bet money on both of them happening.
A 1970 Man Who Sold the World-centric Box Set
Following on from last year's amazing Conversation Piece book/box set, I am crazily hoping this one happens. At least one source has claimed Parlophone is planning this, which makes sense given copyright law expires if a recording isn't released after 50 years. Then again, the same article also said a 1990 live show was coming for Record Store Day this year, so who knows? At any rate, the official Bowie site has been talking about The Man Who Sold the World a lot so it definitely seems possible.
1990s Big Ol' Box Set
From 2015-2018, we got a big ol' reissue box set each fall like clockwork. Then last year, there was nothing. Rumors abound that it was supposed to be centered around Tin Machine and that rights issues stopped it. With that in mind, here's hoping for a set that runs roughly from 1993's Black Tie, White Noise to 1997's Earthling. This has been heavily hinted- the Liveandwell.com streaming release was remastered, which feels unlikely unless it's getting a physical/digital release later on. Nile Rodgers also mentioned in a tweet that he remastered Black Tie, White Noise early this year and there's been no mention of a reissue of that so far. Add in the heavy focus on the 90s this year (Is It Any Wonder?, ChangesNowBowie, the three 90s live albums) and this feels really likely to me.
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