David Bowie videography discography
Bowie performing "Rebel Rebel" on TopPop in 1974

The videography of English singer-songwriter and actor David Bowie (1947–2016). This page gives an overview of his music video singles, music video films and compilations, live music films and music documentaries.

Music videos

This subsection and 'Posthumous music video singles' lists music videos that were prepared to accompany single releases. See the subsection titled 'Music video films' for projects where music videos were originally conceived as films (a single video in a wider filmic setting or collection of music videos produced as a single project, or an amalgam of both); and the subsection titles 'Music video compilations' for audio-visual releases that were compiled from video music singles for later release.

Title Year Director(s)[1]
"John, I'm Only Dancing" (unbroadcast)[A] 1972 Mick Rock[2]
"The Jean Genie"
"Space Oddity" (official retrospective release (US))[B]
"Life on Mars?" (official retrospective release (UK))[C] 1973
"Be My Wife" 1977 Stanley Dorfman[3][4]
"'Heroes'"[D] Stanley Dorfman[7]
"Boys Keep Swinging" 1979 David Mallet
"DJ"
"Look Back in Anger"
"Ashes to Ashes" 1980 David Bowie and David Mallet
"Fashion" David Mallet[8][9]
"Under Pressure"

(as Queen and David Bowie)

1981
"Wild Is the Wind"
"The Drowned Girl" 1982
"Let's Dance" 1983 David Mallet and David Bowie
"China Girl"
"Modern Love" Jim Yukich
"Blue Jean" 1984 Julien Temple
"This Is Not America"

(as David Bowie / Pat Metheny Group)

1985 John Schlesinger
"Loving the Alien" David Bowie and David Mallet
"Dancing in the Street"

(by David Bowie and Mick Jagger)

David Mallet
"Absolute Beginners" 1986 Julien Temple
"Underground" Steve Barron
"As the World Falls Down" (video never officially released) Steve Barron
"When the Wind Blows" Jimmy T. Murakami
"Day-In Day-Out" (single version)

"Day-In Day-Out" (dance mix version)

1987 Julien Temple
"Time Will Crawl" Tim Pope
"Never Let Me Down" Jean-Baptiste Mondino
"Fame '90" 1990 Gus van Sant
"Pretty Pink Rose"

(as Adrian Belew and David Bowie)

Tim Pope[10]
"Real Cool World" 1992
"Jump They Say" 1993 Mark Romanek
"Black Tie White Noise" (with Al B. Sure!)
"Miracle Goodnight" Matthew Rolston
"Buddha of Suburbia" Roger Michell
"The Hearts Filthy Lesson" 1995 Samuel Bayer
"Strangers When We Meet"
"Hallo Spaceboy" (remix with Pet Shop Boys) 1996 David Mallet
"Little Wonder" 1997 Floria Sigismondi
"Dead Man Walking"
"Seven Years in Tibet"

"Seven Years in Tibet" (Mandarin Version)

Rudi Dolezal and Hannes Rosacher
"Perfect Day"

(with various artists for Children in Need)

"I'm Afraid of Americans" Dom and Nic
"Thursday's Child" 1999 Walter Stern
"The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell" (unfinished / video never released) Dom and Nic
"Survive" 2000 Walter Stern
"Slow Burn"

(video not released with single, made available in 2011)

2002 Gary Koepke[11]
"New Killer Star" 2003 Brumby Boylston[12]
"Where Are We Now?" 2013 Tony Oursler[13]
"The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" Floria Sigismondi[14]
"The Next Day"
"Valentine's Day" Indrani and Markus Klinko[15]
"Love Is Lost (Hello Steve Reich mix by James Murphy for the DFA)" (Version 1) David Bowie[16]
"Love Is Lost (Hello Steve Reich mix by James Murphy for the DFA)" (Version 2) Barnaby Roper[16]
"I'd Rather Be High – Venetian Mix (Wasted edit)" Tom Hingston[17]
"Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)" 2014 Tom Hingston and Jimmy King[18]
"Blackstar" 2015 Bo Johan Renck[19][20]
"Lazarus" 2016
Posthumous
"I Can't Give Everything Away" 2016 Jonathan Barnbrook[21]
"Life on Mars? (2016 Mix)" Mick Rock
"No Plan" 2017 Tom Hingston
"Space Oddity" (1990 Live Footage) (2019 mix) 2019 Tim Pope
"Cosmic Dancer" (Live)

(with Morrissey)

2020 Tim Broad

Music videos as a member of Tin Machine

Title Year Director(s)[1]
"Heaven's in Here" (promo single / unreleased video) 1989 Julien Temple
"Under the God" (album version)
"Maggie's Farm" (live version)
"Prisoner of Love" (album version)
"You Belong in Rock 'n' Roll" 1991
"Baby Universal"
"One Shot"

Music video films

This subsection of music videos lists audio-visual releases that were originally conceived as films, that is, a single video in a wider filmic setting or collection of music videos produced as a single project, or an amalgam of both.

Title Video details Peak chart positions
USTopMusicVideo
Love You till Tuesday
  • Release: 1984
  • Director: Malcolm J Thomson
  • Distributor: Castle Music Videos
  • Format: VHS
 —
Jazzin' for Blue Jean 28

[22]

Black Tie White Noise
  • Release: 1993
  • Director: David Mallet
  • Distributor: BMG Video International
  • Format: VHS, LD, VCD
 —
Reality
  • Release: 2004
  • Director: Steve Lippman aka FLIP
  • Distributor: Columbia Records.
  • Format: DVD
 —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. "x" denotes single not released in that territory.

Music video films as a member of Tin Machine

Title Video details
Tin Machine
  • Screened: 1989
  • Director: Julien Temple
  • Unreleased to home video market

Live television films

Live television films are concerts staged specifically for television broadcast.

Title Film details
The Midnight Special: The 1980 Floor Show
  • Broadcast: 16 November 1973; USA NBC
  • Unreleased
Musikladen: Live at the Beat Club
  • Broadcast: 4 August 1978; Germany
  • Unreleased
David Bowie and Friends: A Very Special Birthday Concert
VH1 Storytellers
  • Broadcast: 1999; USA VH1
  • Released: 2009
  • Formats: DVD
The Secret Roseland
  • Broadcast: 2000; davidbowie.com
  • Released: 2000
  • Formats: Streaming
Bowie at the Beeb
  • Broadcast: 2000; UK BBC
  • Released: 2000
  • Formats: CD
Live by Request: David Bowie
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. "x" denotes single not released in that territory.

Live concert films

Live concert films are tour concerts filmed for TV broadcast, cinema release and / or the home video market.

Title Film details Peak chart positions Certifications
GER[23] USTopMusicVideo
Serious Moonlight — 10

[24]

Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars: The Motion Picture — —
Glass Spider
  • Released: 1988
  • Distributor: Stenton
  • Formats: VHS, LD
 — —
Reality: Tour Edition
  • Released: 2003, 2004
  • Distributor: Columbia
  • Format: DVD
 — —
A Reality Tour
  • Released: 2004
  • Distributor: Columbia
  • Format: DVD
 59 —
Posthumous
Glastonbury 2000
  • Released: 2018
  • Distributor: Parlophone
  • Format: DVD
 — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. "x" denotes single not released in that territory.

Live concert films as a member of Tin Machine

Title Film details
Oy Vey, Baby – Tin Machine Live at The Docks

Music videos and films compilations

This subsection of music videos lists audio-visual releases that were compiled from video music singles and Live TV and concert performances and films.

Title Video details Peak chart positions Certifications(sales thresholds)
USTopMusicVideo
Let's Dance Video EP
  • Released: 1983
  • Distributor: EMI
  • Format: VHS
 —
Day-In Day-Out
  • Released: 1987
  • Distributor: PMI
  • Format: VHS
 —
Black Tie White Noise
  • Released: 1993
  • Distributor: BMG Video International
  • Format: VHS, LD, VCD
 —
The Video Collection
  • Released: 1993
  • Distributor: PMI
  • Formats: VHS, VCD
 —
Best of Bowie
  • Released: 2002
  • Distributor: EMI
  • Format: DVD
 9

[28]

  • BPI: 3× Platinum[25]
  • ARIA: 2× Platinum[26]
  • RIAA: Platinum[27]
  • MC: 2× Platinum[29]
  • BVMI: Gold[30]
The Next Day Extra
  • Released: 2013
  • Distributor: ISO, Columbia
  • Formats: DVD
 —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Music documentary films

Title Year Broadcast/Release Director(s)
Nationwide Report: David Bowie 1973 Original broadcast: 1973. Unreleased Narr. by Bernard Falk
Cracked Actor 1975 Original broadcast: 26 January 1975. Unreleased Alan Yentob
Ricochet 1984 Released on VHS 1984. Re-released on DVD (extended version) 2006. Gerry Troyna
David Bowie: Black Tie White Noise 1993 Released on VHS 1993. Re-released on DVD 2003. David Mallet
David Bowie: Changes 1997 Broadcast 8 January 1997. Unreleased Alan Yentob
David Bowie: An Earthling at 50 1997 Broadcast 1997 in UK. Unreleased Steven Lock
VH1's Legends: David Bowie 1998 Broadcast 10 December 1998. Unreleased Mary Wharton
David Bowie: Sound and Vision 2003 Broadcast 4 November 2002. Released on DVD 2003. Rick Hull
David Smiling Bowie 2003 Broadcast 7 October 2003 in Denmark. Unreleased Ole Kolster
Biography: David Bowie 2008 Broadcast 11 December 2008. Released on DVD 19 May 2009. Scott Engel
David Bowie: Rare and Unseen 2010 Broadcast 2 August 2010 in UK. Released on DVD 23 November 2010. Paul Clark
David Bowie: The Man Who Stole the Worlda.k.a. The Story of Ziggy Stardust 2012 Broadcast 22 June 2012 in UK. Released on streaming 2014. James Hale
David Bowie: Five Years 2013 Broadcast 25 May 2013. Unreleased Francis Whately
David Bowie: The Last Five Years 2017 Broadcast 7 January 2017. Unreleased
Beside Bowie: The Mick Ronson Story 2017 Broadcast 9 May 2017 in UK. Released on DVD and streaming 27 October 2017. Jon Brewer
David Bowie: Finding Famea.k.a. David Bowie: The First Five Years 2019 Broadcast 9 February 2019. Unreleased Francis Whately

Other video and television appearances

Video album Year Artist Details Ref.
Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas 1977 Bing Crosby "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" (with Bing Crosby), "'Heroes'" [31]
The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness 1992 Various artists "Under Pressure" (with Queen (band) and Annie Lennox), "All the Young Dudes" (with Queen, Ian Hunter, Mick Ronson, Joe Elliott and Phil Collen), "'Heroes'"/"The Lord's Prayer" (with Queen and Mick Ronson) [31]
Tina Live: Private Dancer Tour 1994 Tina Turner Guest vocals ("Tonight", "Let's Dance") [31]
Closure 1997 Nine Inch Nails Guest vocals ("Hurt") [31]
The Concert for New York City 2002 Various artists "America", "'Heroes'" [31]
Jesus? ..This Is Iggy Iggy Pop Interviews and archive footage [31]
Once More with Feeling: Videos 1996–2004 2004 Placebo Live video for "Without You I'm Nothing" and the 1999 Brit Awards performance of "20th Century Boy" [31]
Live Aid Various artists "TVC 15", "Rebel Rebel", "Modern Love" and "'Heroes'" with Thomas Dolby; "Do They Know It's Christmas?" with Band Aid [31]
Remember 60s Vol. 4 Various artists A Dutch compilation featuring "Space Oddity" performed on the Swiss TV show "Hits A Go Go" on 2 November 1969 [31]
40 Jaar Top 40: 1969–1970 Various artists A Dutch compilation featuring the live performance of "Space Oddity" at the Ivor Novello Awards on 10 May 1970 [31]
The Nomi Song 2005 Klaus Nomi Includes footage of Nomi's performance with Bowie on Saturday Night Live in 1979 [31]
Dick Cavett: Rock Icons Various artists An interview and performances of "1984", "Young Americans" and "Footstompin'" from The Dick Cavett Show recorded on 2 November 1974 [31]
Burt Sugarman's The Midnight Special: Million Sellers 2006 Various artists Live performance of "Space Oddity" from the 1980 Floor Show concerts filmed for NBC's The Midnight Special [32]
Remember That Night 2007 David Gilmour Guest appearance at the Royal Albert Hall on 29 May 2006 performing "Arnold Layne" and "Comfortably Numb" [31]
The Ballad of Mott the Hoople 2011 Mott the Hoople Bowie's previously unseen performance with Mott the Hoople, playing tambourine and backing vocals on "All the Young Dudes"; recorded in Philadelphia on 29 November 1972 [31]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The "John, I'm Only Dancing" video was made for BBC's Top of the Pops to be shown while Bowie was away touring in the USA. However, it went unboradcast. Reasons include the sexual nature of some of the images in the video, and that – given this was the earliest days of the music video – Bowie's manager Tony Defries wanted to charge the BBC what they saw as exorbitant fee.[2]
  2. ^ This release of "Space Oddity" in January 1973 was primarily focused at the US, where it gained Bowie his first hit. The single was not released in the UK. It was however released in a few other territories: Canada, Spain, Australia, Mexico, Puru and Japan.
  3. ^ "Life on Mars?" was released in the UK and a limited number of other territories. It was not released in the US / North America.
  4. ^ There is also another rough cut version of the "'Heroes'" music video, sometimes known as the 'alternative take' or – more accurately, 'take 1'. 'The "'Heroes'" promo outtakes reel is just under 28 minutes long. It contains one complete take, and 8 partial takes of "Heroes" [...] The official promo for "'Heroes'" utilizes sections from most of the takes, in long cross dissolves. The only complete take of "'Heroes'", Take 1, was barely used – all that was included was the 10 seconds of "I would be king, and you, you would be queen" [...] The complete Take 1 [...] includes many full-face close-ups of Bowie [... and] was largely unused due to the fact that Bowie's miming in it was not very accurate [...] since the promo was for immediate use – we see it included on the "L'Altra Domenica" show a few days later – perhaps there was no time for a very sophisticated edit.' As this source notes regarding the tape: 'In addition, there are a couple of takes of about 30 seconds of "Blackout". And about 3 minutes of close-ups of Bowie slowly bringing his hand to his face, mimicking the "Heroes" album cover whilst "Sense of Doubt" plays in the background. It seems there was no intention of creating promos for the latter two songs; the footage was merely to be used in the two TV commercials for the "Heroes" album.'[5][6]

References

  1. ^ a b Best of Bowie (2002). Notes from DVD booklet. EMI (490 1030).
  2. ^ a b Pegg 2016, pp. 140, 143, 163, 258.
  3. ^ Pegg 2016, p. 34.
  4. ^ "David Bowie, Stanley Dorfman. Heroes. 1977 | MoMA". The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  5. ^ "Nacho on David Bowie's Heroes video". YouTube. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  6. ^ Moore, Sam (23 September 2019). "David Bowie's Heroes video". NME. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  7. ^ "David Bowie, Stanley Dorfman. Be My Wife. 1977 | MoMA". The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  8. ^ "David Bowie – The Drowned Girl Archived 14 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine". MuchMusic. Toronto: CTVglobemedia. Retrieved on 10 March 2009.
  9. ^ Pegg, p. 544
  10. ^ Pegg 2016, p. 214.
  11. ^ Pegg 2016, p. 248.
  12. ^ Pegg 2016, pp. 194–195.
  13. ^ Pegg 2016, pp. 310–311.
  14. ^ Pegg 2016, pp. 196–197, 264–265.
  15. ^ Danton, Eric R (16 July 2013). "David Bowie Radiates Intensity in 'Valentine's Day'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 27 December 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  16. ^ a b Blistein, Jon (14 November 2013). "David Bowie's 'Love Is Lost' Remix Revels in Digital Passion". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 30 March 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  17. ^ Pelly, Jen (5 December 2013). "Video: David Bowie: 'I'd Rather Be High (Venetian Mix)'". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  18. ^ "David Bowie – Sue (Or in a Season of Crime): see the video". The Guardian. 14 November 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  19. ^ Pulver, Andrew (20 November 2015). "David Bowie's Blackstar video: a gift of sound and vision or all-time low?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  20. ^ "Watch Bowie's Lazarus Video Now". Davidbowie.com. 7 January 2016. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  21. ^ Pegg 2016, pp. 118–119.
  22. ^ "Top Music Videocassettes Archived 23 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine". Billboard 97 (7): p. 49. 16 February 1985. Retrieved on 17 February 2010.
  23. ^ "Discographie von David Bowie". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  24. ^ "Top Music Videocassettes Archived 24 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine". Billboard 97 (15): p. 25. 13 April 1985. Retrieved on 17 February 2010.
  25. ^ a b c "British certifications – David Bowie". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 12 January 2016. Type David Bowie in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  26. ^ a b "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2004 DVDs" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  27. ^ a b "American certifications – David Bowie". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  28. ^ "Top Music Videos Archived 23 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine". Billboard 114 (51): p. 42. 14 December 2002. Retrieved on 17 February 2010.
  29. ^ "Canadian certifications – David Bowie". Music Canada. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  30. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (David Bowie)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  31. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Pegg 2016, pp. 649–652.
  32. ^ "Midnight Special, The: Legendary Performances Million Sellers Archived 27 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine". Video Service Corp. Retrieved on 11 March 2009.

Sources

Categories