"The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" | ||||
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Single by David Bowie | ||||
from the album The Next Day | ||||
B-side | " Where Are We Now?" | |||
Released | 25 February 2013 | |||
Recorded |
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Studio | The Magic Shop and Human Worldwide (New York City) | |||
Genre | Art rock, alternative rock [2] | |||
Length | 3:57 | |||
Label |
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Songwriter(s) | David Bowie | |||
Producer(s) |
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David Bowie singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" on YouTube |
"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 single's artwork is an image of painter Egon Schiele, created by Al Farrow in 1990. [6]
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]
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]
Chart (2013) | Peak position |
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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 |
According to Chris O'Leary: [1]
Technical
..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.