David Bowie regarded his 1980 album *Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)* as one of his finest achievements, according to comments he made later in his career. The record mattered because it marked a deliberate return to a more forceful, accessible style after his experimental Berlin trilogy, while still retaining its unsettling and innovative character.

Released in September 1980, the album included major singles such as ‘Ashes to Ashes’, ‘Fashion’ and ‘Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)’. Bowie described it as a synthesis of earlier ideas and praised its combination of strong songwriting, theatricality and modern production, with Robert Fripp’s guitar work adding to its distinctive sound.