History Music / TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars

* SpiritualSuccessor: ''Aladdin Sane''.
* SufficientlyAdvancedAlien: The lines "There's a starman waiting in the sky/He'd like to come and meet us/But he thinks he'll blow our minds" from "Starman" suggest this tropes.

'''''The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars''''' is the fifth studio album by Music/DavidBowie, released in 1972, and probably his most famous and critically lauded. A ConceptAlbum from 1972 featuring hits like "Ziggy Stardust", "Starman", "Suffragette City" and "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide", its ambiguous story revolves around Ziggy Stardust, a bisexual rock star (either from space or TouchedByVorlons) who rises to stardom in a time when Earth is on its last years and its people need hope. But he succumbs to the hedonistic lifestyle that comes with fame, and it's his own fans who are responsible for his death.

'''''The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars''''' is the fifth studio album by Music/DavidBowie, released in 1972. It is Bowie's most famous and critically lauded musical record. A ConceptAlbum from 1972 featuring hits like "Ziggy Stardust", "Starman", "Suffragette City" and "Rock And Roll Suicide". The story revolves around Ziggy Stardust, a transsexual rockstar from space who rises to stardom, but eventually succumbs to his hedonistic lifestyle.

* TheRockStar: A '''perfect''' RealLife example -- his exploration of the trope, particularly with the Ziggy Stardust persona, helped pave the path to him living it as completely as anyone ever has. A critic interviewed for the ''Biography'' episode on Bowie actually argues (though not in {{t|VTropesWillRuinYourVocabulary}}ropes) that he is the TropeCodifier.

* ActorISTheTitleCharacter: The album was promoted with an ad proclaiming "David Bowie is Ziggy Stardust"; at the bottom, in smaller type, it read "Ziggy Stardust is David Bowie".
** According to Music/LouReed, Bowie apparently did start to think he was Ziggy after a few drinks.
* AlterEgoActing
* AmbiguouslyGay

* {{Camp}}: Ziggy Stardust is only the most famous example of this in his work.
* ChronicallyKilledActor: Ziggy is one of many Bowie personae to die.
* ConceptAlbum
* CoverVersion: The only song on the album not written by Bowie is a cover of Ron Davies' "It Ain't Easy"... not that you can tell without looking at the credits.

* EverythingsBetterWithSparkles: Ziggy Stardust lived up to his name when it came to makeup -- including, on occasion, a glittering circle in the middle of his forehead.
* ExecutiveMeddling: A rare ''positive'' example of this came with ''Ziggy Stardust'' when [=RCA=] execs liked it, but also wanted a song that they could push as a single. So Bowie wrote "Starman", which replaced a cover of Music/ChuckBerry's "Around and Around" (meant to complement the Ron Davies cover, and which would become the B-side of "Drive-in Saturday" a year later) on the album and turned out to be the song that made his career.
* EyepatchOfPower: Ziggy wears one.

* GlamRock: One of the best-known examples of this genre; in exchange, it's the one that made him truly famous.
* IconicOutfit: Bowie's Ziggy Stardust persona
* IntercourseWithYou: Is there any other explanation for "aaaaawww wham bam thank you ma'am!"?
* MessianicArchetype: Ziggy Stardust, who is worshiped to the point that he believes the hype about him by the time he dies at the hands of his fans.
* NonAppearingTitle: The sentence "Ziggy and the Spiders From Mars" is dropped, but never the entire title.
* RedheadedHero: Bowie's first; notably, he didn't dye and style his locks into the iconic Ziggy look until after the album's artwork had been created, so he's still blonde on the cover.
* RockOpera: Ziggy's entire life is told on this album.

* RockstarSong: "Starman" and "Ziggy Stardust".
* SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll
* ShoutOut:

** The starman in "Starman" was inspired by the Starchild in ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey''. Also, the chorus is loosely based on "[[Film/TheWizardOfOz Somewhere Over the Rainbow]]", and the song also has musical references to [[Music/MarcBolan T. Rex]] and the Diana Ross and the Supremes hit "[[Creator/{{Motown}} You Keep Me Hangin' On]]".
* SpiritualSuccessor: ''Aladdin Sane''
* SufficientlyAdvancedAlien: The lines "there's a star man waiting in the sky/he would like to come and meet us/but he thinks he'll blow our minds" from "Starman".

* YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre and YouAreNotAlone: The points of "Rock 'N' Roll Suicide", the closing song on ''Ziggy Stardust''.

* BittersweetEnding: "Rock & Roll Suicide"
* BreakthroughHit: "Starman"
* BrieferThanTheyThink: His starmaking Ziggy Stardust stage persona (and Aladdin Sane {{Expy}}) lasted less than two years and only covers two albums, one tour, and the ''1980 Floor Show'' TV special. The Ziggy ''look'' persisted into early 1974, as can be seen on the cover of ''Diamond Dogs'', but by the time he toured for that album it was gone too.

# "Hang on to Yourself" - 2:40

# "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" - 3:00

# "Five Years"
# "Soul Love"
# "Moonage Daydream"
# "Starman"
# "It Ain't Easy"
# "Lady Stardust"
# "Star"
# "Hang On To Yourself"
# "Ziggy Stardust"
# "Suffragette City"
# "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide"

!! Tracklist (2002 Bonus Disc)

# "Moonage Daydream (Alternate Version)"
# "Hang On To Yourself (Alternate Version)"
# "Lady Stardust (Demo)"
# "Ziggy Stardust (Demo)"
# "John, I'm Only Dancing"
# "Velvet Goldmine"
# "Holy Holy"
# "Amsterdam"
# "The Supermen"
# "Round And Round"
# "Sweet Head"
# "Moonage Daydream (Remix)"

----

# "Moonage Daydream (Alternate Version)
# "Hang On To Yourself (Alternate Version)

Music/DavidBowie's most famous and critically lauded musical record. A ConceptAlbum from 1972 featuring hits like "Ziggy Stardust", "Starman", "Suffragette City" and "Rock And Roll Suicide". The story revolves around Ziggy Stardust, a transsexual rockstar from space who rises to stardom, but eventually succumbs to his hedonistic lifestyle.

!!! Tracklist:

# "Hang on to Yourself"

# "Rock'n Roll Suicide"

* SufficientlyAdvancedAlien: The lines "there's a star man waiting in the sky/he would like to come and meet us/but he thinks he'll blow our minds"'' from "Starman".

* ChronicallyKilledActor: Ziggy is one of many Bowie persona to die.

Music/DavidBowie's most famous and critically lauded musical record. A ConceptAlbum from 1972 featuring hits like "Ziggy Stardust", "Starman", "Suffragette City" and "Rock And Roll Suicide". The story revolves around Ziggy Stardust, a transsexual rockstar from space who rises to stardom, but eventually succombs to his hedonistic lifestyle.

* ExecutiveMeddling: A rare ''positive'' example of this came with ''Ziggy Stardust'' when [=RCA=] execs liked it, but also wanted a song that they could push as a single. So Bowie wrote "Starman", which replaced a cover of Music/ChuckBerry's "Around and Around" (meant to complement the Ron Davies cover) on the album and turned out to be the song that made his career.

* TheRockStar: Raised to mythic and messianic status.

* TheRockStar: A '''perfect''' RealLife example -- his exploration of the trope, particularly with the Ziggy Stardust persona, helped pave the path to him living it as completely as anyone ever has. A critic interviewed for the ''Biography'' episode on Bowie actually argues (though not in {{t|VTropesWillRuinYourVocabulary}}ropes) that he is the TropeCodifier.

!!"Freak out in a moonage trope dream, oh yeah":

!!Tropes found on this album:

* ExecutiveMeddling: A rare ''positive'' example of this came with ''Ziggy Stardust'' when [=RCA=] execs liked it, but also wanted a song that they could push as a single. So Bowie wrote "Starman", which replaced a cover of Music/ChuckBerry's "Around and Around" on the album and turned out to be the song that made his career.

* FanDumb: Ziggy's fans love him so much that they accidentally lynch him.

* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide", is one of the most touching expressions of YouAreNotAlone ever, using almost the exact phrase in the lyrics.

* ShoutOut:
** The starman in "Starman" was inspired by the Starchild in ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'', and the chorus is loosely based on "[[Film/TheWizardOfOz Somewhere Over the Rainbow]]".

** The starman in "Starman" was inspired by the Starchild in ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey''.

* SufficientlyAdvancedAlien: The lines ''"there's a star man waiting in the sky/ he would like to come and meet us/ but he thinks he'll blew our mind"'' from ''"Starman"''.

* ShoutOut: The starman in "Starman" was inspired by the Starchild in Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey "Space Odd]].

* NonAppearingAlbumTitle: The sentence "Ziggy and the Spiders From Mars" is dropped, but never the entire title.

* FanDumb: Ziggy's fans love him so much to they accidentally lynch him.

Music/DavidBowie's most famous and critically lauded musical record. A ConceptAlbum from 1972 featuring hits like "Ziggy Stardust", "Starman", "Suffragette City" and "Rock And Roll Suicide". The story revolves around Ziggy Stardust, a transsexual rockstar from space who rises to stardom, but eventually succombes to his hedonistic lifestyle.

DavidBowie's most famous and critically lauded musical record. A ConceptAlbum from 1972 featuring hits like "Ziggy Stardust", "Starman", "Suffragette City" and "Rock And Roll Suicide". The story revolves around Ziggy Stardust, a transsexual rockstar from space who rises to stardom, but eventually succombes to his hedonistic lifestyle.

!!! Tropes found on this album