The Stars (Are Out Tonight)

"The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" is a song by English musician David Bowie; it serves as the second single from his twenty-fourth studio album The Next Day. The song's official music video was released on 25 February 2013 and the song itself was released for digital download the following day.[3][4] In the UK it joined BBC Radio 2's Playlist in the B list in March 2013, "The Next Day" was also the album of the week beginning 11 March, the week in which it was released. The song was released with "Where Are We Now?" – the album's first single – on a limited edition 7" 45 vinyl record on 20 April 2013 in celebration of Record Store Day.[5] In December 2013 the song was nominated for a 2014 Grammy Award in the category 'Best Rock Performance'.

"The Stars (Are Out Tonight)"
Single by David Bowie
from the album The Next Day
B-side"Where Are We Now?"
Released25 February 2013 (2013-02-25)
Recorded
  • 9 May 2011 (backing track)
  • 26 October 2011 (vocals)[1]
StudioThe Magic Shop and Human Worldwide (New York City)
GenreArt rock, alternative rock[2]
Length3:57
Label
Songwriter(s)David Bowie
Producer(s)
David Bowie singles chronology
"Where Are We Now?"
(2013)		 "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)"
(2013)		 "The Next Day"
(2013)
Music video
"The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" on YouTube

The single's artwork is an image of painter Egon Schiele, created by Al Farrow in 1990.[6]

Composition and reception

According to Rolling Stone's Eric B. Danton, "the song starts with a slow, heavy backbeat and guttural guitar that dissolve into a propulsive bassline topped with shards of guitar and atmospheric synthesizers, for an effect reminiscent of vintage Bowie."[7]

Andrew Trendell of Gigwise described the song as a "fierce but vibrant classic Bowie rocker in the vein of material from the brilliant ‘Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)’," while Billboard critic Eric B. Danton interpreted it as "a return to alternative rock for Bowie."[2]

Music video

The official music video for the song premiered on 25 February 2013, and was made by Italian-Canadian director Floria Sigismondi.[8][9] It stars Bowie and English actress Tilda Swinton as his wife.[10] Andreja Pejić and Saskia de Brauw appear as two celebrities who disrupt the couple's lives.[11] The Norwegian model Iselin Steiro plays the young Bowie.[12]

Charts
Chart (2013) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[13] 9
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[14] 16
Canada Rock (Billboard)[15] 47
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 88
Israel (Media Forest)[17] 9
Ireland (IRMA)[18] 89
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[19] 47
Japan Hot Overseas (Billboard)[20] 7
Mexico Ingles Airplay (Billboard)[21] 36
UK Singles (OCC)[22] 102
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[23] 21
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[24] 29

Personnel

According to Chris O'Leary:[1]

Technical

  • David Bowie – producer
  • Tony Visconti – producer, engineer
  • Mario J. McNulty – engineer

References
  1. O'Leary 2019, chap. 14.
  2. Brandle, Lars (25 February 2013). "David Bowie Drops New Song, Video for 'The Stars (Are Out Tonight)'". Billboard. Archived from the original on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  3. "David Bowie to release new song 'The Stars (Are Out Tonight)' on February 26". NME. 17 February 2013. Archived from the original on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  4. Minsker, Evan (17 February 2013). "David Bowie Probably Releasing New Track "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" on February 26". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 24 March 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  5. Bowie, David. "The Stars (Are Out April)". Facebook. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  6. "David Bowie announces new single and album details". TheGuardian.com. 18 February 2013.
  7. Danton, Eric B. (26 February 2013). "David Bowie Confronts Fame in 'The Stars (Are Out Tonight)'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 5 December 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  8. Boilen, Bob (26 February 2013). "David Bowie's New Song Is..." NPR Music. Archived from the original on 26 February 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  9. White, Belinda (26 February 2013). "David Bowie teams up with Tilda Swinton, Andrej Pejic and Saskia de Brauw for The Stars (Are Out Tonight) music video". Fashion (Telegraph). Archived from the original on 24 January 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2020. ..his latest single The Stars (Are Out Tonight) from his upcoming surprise album, features the most stylish music video we've seen in a long time.
  10. "David Bowie unveils new single 'The Stars (Are Out Tonight)' – listen". NME. 25 February 2013. Archived from the original on 1 March 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  11. Bowie, David. "The Stars (Are Out Tonight) VIDEO EXCLUSIVE". Facebook. Archived from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  12. "Iselin Steiro as David Bowie in his new video". Dagbladet. 26 February 2013. Archived from the original on 1 March 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  13. "David Bowie – The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  14. "David Bowie – The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  15. "David Bowie Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  16. "David Bowie – The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  17. "Media Forest Week 12, 2013". Israeli Airplay Chart. Media Forest.
  18. "Chart Track: Week 17, 2013". Irish Singles Chart.
  19. "David Bowie Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard.
  20. "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. 1 April 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  21. "David Bowie – Chart history". Billboard Mexico Ingles Airplay for David Bowie. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
  22. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  23. "David Bowie Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard.
  24. "David Bowie Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard.

Sources
  • O'Leary, Chris (2019). Ashes to Ashes: The Songs of David Bowie 1976–2016. London: Repeater. ISBN 978-1-91224-830-8.
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