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“Our finest hours”: The 1980 album David Bowie wanted to be remembered for
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.
In short
- Bowie considered *Scary Monsters* among his best albums.
- It blended experimentation with accessible pop songs.
- ‘Ashes to Ashes’ became its defining hit.
Explained simply
In September 1980, David Bowie released "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)", marking a significant turning point in his artistic career. For the preceding years, Bowie had pursued increasingly experimental music that often puzzled mainstream audiences, but this record represented a deliberate return to stronger, more direct songwriting.
The album is significant because it retained Bowie's avant-garde spirit whilst achieving much broader commercial appeal through hit singles like "Ashes to Ashes", "Fashion" and the title track. It showed that Bowie could satisfy both critical expectations for artistic innovation and audiences' desire for memorable songs.
The record is distinguished by its synthesis of strong songwriting, theatrical elements and modern production techniques. Guitarist Robert Fripp's contributions enhanced the album's distinctive sound, making it a pivotal work that balanced innovation with accessibility.