Ranking The Songs: My Top 20 David Bowie songs of the 1980s

Written: February 2026

I became a fan of David Bowie a little before my fifteenth birthday in 1987, when Time Will Crawl introduced me to his world. Although I already knew him from Labyrinth, it was buying my first records – Time Will Crawl and subsequently Never Let Me Down – that made me a devoted follower. From there, I began working backwards through the 1980s catalogue.

Over time, I have come to appreciate his work across every decade – from the extraordinary 1970s run to some fascinating music that followed in the 1990s and beyond – but these were the first songs I owned - the ones that shaped my early understanding of what he could do. They still mean a great deal to me. This ranking focuses on work under his own name in the 1980s so as such, does not include songs by Tin Machine.

This list simply reflects my personal favourites. Remember, ranking is subjective and just for fun. I am sure some will completely disagree with the order or place other tracks far higher. Please feel free to add your own rankings or thoughts at the end.

20) As the World Falls Down (Labyrinth, 1986)

I saw Labyrinth at the cinema around Christmas 1986 – it was released almost six months later in the UK than the US - and while I liked (and still occasionally enjoy) the film, it was Bowie who truly captivated me. One of five songs he wrote and recorded for Labyrinth, As The World Falls Down is one of his gentler pieces but it fits beautifully within the dreamy context of the film. Tuneful, but unforced, the song drifts with an ease that feels almost effortless. It is a reminder that Bowie could be simple and heartfelt when the moment called for it, revealing a vulnerability that added depth to his already remarkable range.

19) Crystal Japan (B’ Side of Up The Hill Backwards, 1981)

It was not until the release of the All Saints instrumental collection in 2001 that I became familiar with this track and it has stayed with me ever since. Well before that time, I had become a huge fan of David Bowie’s work in the 1970s and Low remains my favourite of his albums to this day. Crystal Japan – which was originally released as a single in Japan in 1980 - has a similar DNA to the second side of that release and continues to display his understanding of mood and structure. Its eventual appearance as the UK B’ Side to Up the Hill Backwards in 1981 came only after Bowie learned how much fans were paying to import the original Japanese single, prompting him to insist on giving the track a proper domestic release.

18) Loving the Alien (Tonight, 1984)

Loving The Alien has long been my favourite song on Tonight, even if the production is a little more polished than it needs to be. Beneath that sheen, the song’s strength lies in its thoughtful and ambitious lyricism, where Bowie tackles religion, history and the spread of misinformation in a reflective way. His vocal performance is excellent and the arrangement supports the lyrical themes with elegance. Despite the album’s – deserved – uneven reputation, this track stands out as a reminder of Bowie’s ability to blend depth, melody and meaning.

17: Zeroes (Never Let Me Down, 1987)

Although I recognise its flaws, Never Let Me Down is a record I have sometimes found myself defending and Zeroes is one of the tracks I always point to in its favour. I will fully admit my attachment is personal – Never Let Me Down was my first David Bowie album – but that does not diminish the quality. Peter Frampton’s electric sitar gives the track a unique flavour. Zeroes was deliberately crammed with as many 1960s cliches as possible but as Bowie told Rolling Stone magazine, “It was done with affection – it’s not supposed to be a snipe. I just wanted the feeling of that particular period, the very late Sixties.” 

16: Girls (B’ Side of Time Will Crawl, 1987)

Although Labyrinth was my introduction to David Bowie, my first physical purchase of any of his material was the 7” single of Time Will Crawl (more of which later). In the UK, B’ Sides were an important part of many bands’ output in the 1980s and several artists I loved then (and still love now) - Marillion, Genesis, Iron Maiden, Queen among them - were releasing excellent tracks that never made it onto albums. Co-written with Erdal Kızılçay, Tina Tuner originally recorded Girls the previous year and it is the kind of track that gives you a better picture of what Bowie was working on during the Never Let Me Down period.

15) When the Wind Blows (When the Wind Blows Soundtrack, 1986)

Another track written with Erdal Kızılçay, this was one I came to a little later due to not seeing the animated film – based on Raymond Briggs 1982 graphic novel - in which it features until a few years after its release. Originally, Bowie was planning to write the entire score for the film but pulled out of the project following pressure to complete Never Let Me Down. Deliberately less glossy than much of his eighties material – due to the subject matter it dealt with – it is a serious, thoughtful piece.

 14: China Girl (Let’s Dance, 1983)

Let’s Dance was the second Bowie album I bought after becoming a fan. At the time, I think I had heard a couple of the singles including this one but learning it began as a Bowie / Iggy Pop collaboration made me hear this version differently. It is one of his most popular songs of the eighties and – at a time when the singles chart still meant something - reached number two in the UK and the top ten in the US. Lyrically, the song might find opponents today but Bowie’s makes it clear he was pushing back against racism, not embracing it. He even described the video as a deliberately straightforward statement against racial prejudice and that intention really comes through when you look at the themes and imagery he chose.

13) Let’s Dance (Let’s Dance, 1983)

The title track of Bowie’s fifteenth studio album is defined by Nile Rodgers’ production: precise rhythm parts, clean space and a focus on the groove. The then unknown Stevie Ray Vaughan’s guitar lines add character without taking over. A strong chorus, great arrangement and a confident lead vocal all add to its appeal. The full seven and a half minute version contains several instrumental solos. Originally sketched by Bowie as a folk‑leaning idea, Rodgers reshaped it into a sleek dance‑funk cut, helping it top charts – and become his biggest selling single - on both sides of the Atlantic.

12) Underground (Labyrinth, 1986)

Underground plays over the end credits of Labyrinth and it became one of the strongest impressions I carried with me as a fourteen‑year‑old leaving the cinema. Its blend of pop and gospel allowed Bowie to strike an emotional balance that suited a family‑focused fantasy without ever feeling trivial or watered down. The song’s warmth and energy captured the film’s spirit perfectly. It is an irresistibly catchy track, its chorus powerful and uplifting without tipping into anything overly bombastic.

11) Julie (B’ Side of Day-In Day-Out, 1987)

As stated previously, B’ Sides were an important part of my listening in the eighties and having purchased Time Will Crawl and Never Let Me Down, I hunted down a copy of Day-In Day Out on 7” vinyl. When I first heard Julie, I was genuinely surprised it had not made the album, as it easily outshines some of the tracks that did make the final cut. It certainly rewards listeners that go beyond the albums. It is a song that I look back on fondly, partly instrumental in my initial love of Bowie’s music.

10: Modern Love (Let’s Dance, 1983)

Modern Love is a song that just works from the second it begins. Fast, tight and bursting with an energy that feels instantly engaging, the track also translated incredibly well to the stage, where it frequently served as the perfect show‑closing moment on the Serious Moonlight Tour. Its call‑and‑response structure, inspired by Little Richard, gives it a joyful, infectious momentum. Undeniably catchy, it was one of the first songs recorded for Let’s Dance, setting the tone for the album’s vibrant sound.

9: Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (Scary Monsters, 1980)

Following my discovery of Let’s Dance, I continued to move backwards through Bowie’s discography and Scary Monsters was eye-opening. It was like entering a completely different world and one that I found intoxicating. Scary Monsters (the album) took more time to love than Let’s Dance but it was a journey that was completely worth taking. Giving an insight into a more inventive world, it led me to devour the remaining back catalogue as quickly as possible. It was also my introduction to Robert Fripp which led my listening in another fascinating direction.

8) This Is Not America (with Pat Metheny Group)

(The Falcon and the Snowman Soundtrack, 1985)

I always enjoyed this collaboration because of its understated nature. The Pat Metheny Group brings a clean, modern sound and Bowie contributes a measured vocal. Without a big chorus, it relies on a steady pulse and a memorable melody, controlled rather than theatrical. In the film The Falcon and the Snowman, the music deepens the story’s sense of disillusionment, echoing the moment when a Mexican guard shouts the line that inspired the title.

7) Cat People (Putting Out Fire) (Cat People Soundtrack) (1982)

When including this track in my ranking, it is the soundtrack version to which I am referring. Many listeners prefer this version for its brooding quality and the way Bowie’s powerful vocal sits at the centre, carrying a minimalist arrangement. Working with Giorgio Moroder, he takes his time, letting the performance build in a straight, unhurried line. It is slower, darker and more atmospheric than the later Let’s Dance remake, which better suits the song’s tension.

6) Teenage Wildlife (Scary Monsters, 1980)

The longest track on Scary Monsters, Teenage Wildlife takes its time to reveal its magic. With more brilliant guitar work from Robert Fripp (and indeed Carlos Alomar), it captures the best of this era: ambition, tension and a willingness to be both grand and vulnerable. A song that reveals more with each listen, it pulls you in slowly and builds wonderfully across its seven minutes, eschewing a typical verse / chorus verse in favour of shifting, narrative progression.

5) Fashion (Scary Monsters, 1980)

When I first heard Scary Monsters, I did not rate Fashion particularly highly but over time, it opened up to me and quietly claimed a place in my heart. Robert Fripp described his guitar work as, “blues rock played with a contemporary grammar,” and that description fits the clipped lines that drive the track. The rhythm is tight, the lyric economical and the whole thing feels sharp without ever trying too hard. Now it is impossible imagining Scary Monsters without it.

4) Absolute Beginners (Absolute Beginners Soundtrack,1986)

Absolute Beginners shows Bowie operating at a scale he rarely pursued in the 1980s. The piece unfolds with deliberate pacing, allowing each section to introduce gorgeous new harmonic and textural ideas rather than repeating earlier gestures. I have always felt the expanded eight‑minute version is essential because it reveals the architecture of the song: instrumental passages are allowed the space to develop and the transitions feel more deliberate. Don Weller’s saxophone solo is one of the best to ever appear on a David Bowie song and Bowie himself gives an incredible performance.

3) Under Pressure (with Queen) (1981)

I first heard Under Pressure on Queen’s Live Magic—a band I was already following—which I bought with Christmas money at the end of 1986. At that point, I had no idea it was a duet with Bowie and discovering this a little later in 1987 gave the song an entirely new significance. It became the link between music I already knew and the catalogue I was about to explore. It has stayed so high in my estimation because it brings together Bowie, my favourite solo artist, and Freddie Mercury, the greatest frontman and vocalist I have ever heard, responding instinctively to one another with performances that still resonates with me.

2) Time Will Crawl (Never Let Me Down, 1987)

I heard Time Will Crawl a month or so before my fifteenth birthday and as mentioned, it was the first physical Bowie project I owned. It also led me to buy Never Let Me Down and begin my journey with him in earnest. While many will freely admit it is one of Bowie’s better mid-to-late eighties tracks, some will baulk at its high position here, particularly above some of the tracks lower in the ranking. However, as a favourite and vastly important stepping stone in this part of my musical journey, it deserves its place. Lyrically, it is Bowie responding to a collapsing environment and the anxiety that comes with realising how little control we have.

1) Ashes to Ashes (Scary Monsters, 1980)

When I first heard Scary Monsters, this was the track that jumped out straight away. Bowie returns to Major Tom with a lyric that feels unsentimental. It became only his second UK No. 1 single, the other being Space Oddity, so both chart‑toppers – to that point at least - revolved around the same character in completely different emotional settings. What has always stood out to me is how sure‑footed it sounds from the first line to the last, especially the exquisite keyboard part at the end, which gives the track a final moment of real beauty.

Listen to my playlist of My Top 20 David Bowie Songs of the 1980s below: