History Music / HoursDavidBowieAlbum

''[='hours...'=]'' is the twenty-second studio album by Music/DavidBowie, released in 1999. It is notable for being not only his last album with both the Creator/{{EMI}} sublabel Creator/VirginRecords and EMI as a whole (with all following albums being released through Creator/ColumbiaRecords), but also the first complete album by a major artist available to download over the Internet, preceding its physical release by two weeks (it wasn't the first music of any kind distributed in this manner, though; that would be Bowie's earlier single "Telling Lies"). Given the comparatively slow state of the dial-up form of internet that was common in the 1990s, Bowie launched his own ISP, [=BowieNet=], the year prior to this album's release partly as a means of giving fans a way to more readily download the album in its entirety.

** Both the official ''[='hours...'=]'' videos put Bowie in domestic settings and then ease in fantasy elements. In "Thursday's Child", he and his current lover are getting ready for bed when in the bathroom mirror he sees a reflection of his younger self and an old lover. In "Survive", he broods alone in a cluttered kitchen over a romantic breakup-- and then gravity goes askew. The unreleased video for "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell" would kept the trend as well (see WhatCouldHaveBeen in the [[Trivia/{{Hours}} Trivia section]]).

''[='hours...'=]'' was a [[NewSoundAlbum major departure]] from the [[Music/{{Outside}} preceding]] [[Music/{{Earthling}} two]] albums, being a mix of art rock and pop rock with heavy electronic leanings and a much more LighterAndSofter style both musically and lyrically (save for the HardRock-influenced "What's Really Happening" and "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell"). Its singer-songwriterly feel immediately drew comparisons to ''Music/HunkyDory'', which was mirrored by Bowie outgrowing his hair in a similiar fashion to how he did back in 1971. All but three songs on the album (the exceptions being "If I'm Dreaming My Life", "What's Really Happening", and "Brilliant Adventure") were both used in and originally recorded for the video game ''VideoGame/OmikronTheNomadSoul'', essentially making this Bowie's sole foray into VGM. In addition, the song "What's Really Happening?" was also recorded live using lyrics that were submitted as part of a "Cyber Song" fan competition on Bowie's official website, later advertised on the tray art for the album's CD release.

Like its predecessor ''Earthling'', ''[='hours...'=]'' was commercially successful, peaking at No. 5 on the UK albums chart and being certified silver in the UK and gold in France. In the US, it was Bowie's first album since ''Music/TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars'' to miss the Billboard Top 40, peaking at No. 47. The critical reception, however, was a lot more mixed; whilst some appreciated the more mellow direction Bowie took, others cited its' slick, overtly sterile production as the album's main drawback. Due to CreativeDifferences, it was Bowie's final album with Reeves Gabrel as chief collaborator, and would reunite with Tony Visconti for the remainder of his career.

Like its predecessor ''Earthling'', ''[='hours...'=]'' was commercially successful, peaking at No. 5 on the UK albums chart and being certified silver in the UK and gold in France. In the US, it was Bowie's first album since ''Music/TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars'' to miss the Billboard Top 40, peaking at No. 47. The critical reception, however, was a lot more mixed; whilst some appreciated the more mellow direction Bowie took, others cited its' slick, overtly sterile production as the album's main drawback.

A [[NewSoundAlbum major departure]] from the [[Music/{{Outside}} preceding]] [[Music/{{Earthling}} two]] albums, being a mix of art rock and pop rock with heavy electronic leanings and a much more LighterAndSofter style both musically and lyrically (save for the HardRock-influenced "What's Really Happening" and "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell"). Its singer-songwriterly feel immediately drew comparisons to ''Music/HunkyDory'', which was mirrored by Bowie outgrowing his hair in a similiar fashion to how he did back in 1971. All but three songs on the album (the exceptions being "If I'm Dreaming My Life", "What's Really Happening", and "Brilliant Adventure") were both used in and originally recorded for the video game ''VideoGame/OmikronTheNomadSoul'', essentially making this Bowie's sole foray into VGM. In addition, the song "What's Really Happening?" was also recorded live using lyrics that were submitted as part of a "Cyber Song" fan competition on Bowie's official website, later advertised on the tray art for the album's CD release.

* SelfBackingVocalist: The exception being "Thursday's Child" where Holly Palmer is featured quite prominently (see SopranoAndGravel)

''[='hours...'=]'' is the twenty-second studio album by Music/DavidBowie, released in 1999. It is notable for being not only his last album with both the Creator/{{EMI}} sublabel Creator/VirginRecords and EMI as a whole (with all following albums being released through Creator/ColumbiaRecords), but also the first complete album by a major artist available to download over the Internet, preceding its physical release by two weeks (it wasn't the first music of any kind distributed in this manner, though; that would be Bowie's earlier single "Telling Lies"). Given the comparatively slow state of the dial-up form of internet that was common in the 1990's, Bowie launched his own ISP, [=BowieNet=], the year prior to this album's release partly as a means of giving fans a way to more readily download the album in its entirety.

* VariantCover:
** Initial pressings of the CD release feature a lenticular cover, meant to evoke a [=3D=] effect with both the two Bowies and the hallway they're lying in. Later releases simply used a regular print of the image.
** For reasons unknown, the spinal portion of the tray art featured different backgrounds between the initial UK/European and US CD releases. The UK/European version featured a series of orange stripes similar to the ones throughout the rest of the album art, with the "davidbowie.com" text in white and in the same font as his logotype on the front cover. The US version, meanwhile, features a white background for the spinal portion of the tray art, with the "davidbowie.com" text being in a mock barcode. Some releases across regions completely omit this portion altogether, leaving a solid white background on the upper spine. As of Creator/ParlophoneRecords' 2016 repressing of the album, the UK/Europe variant of the spine art is considered the standard one.
** Some versions of the album totally omit the text, stripes, and mock barcodes from the front cover, leaving just the main image against a white background.

* TitleTrack: One of Bowie's five albums[[note]]alongside ''Music/DavidBowie1967'', ''Music/HunkyDory'', ''Music/LowDavidBowieAlbum'', and ''Music/{{Lodger}}''[[/note]] that doesn't feature one (depending on whether or not you count ''Music/SpaceOddity'', which was originally a SelfTitledAlbum, and ''Tin Machine II'', which depends on whether or not you treat Tin Machine as a true Bowie project or an independent entity, the number goes up to either six or seven).

A [[NewSoundAlbum major departure]] from the [[Music/{{Outside}} preceding]] [[Music/{{Earthling}} two]] albums, being a mix of art rock and pop rock with heavy electronic leanings and a much more LighterAndSofter style both musically and lyrically (save for the HardRock-influenced "What's Really Happening" and "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell"). Its singer-songwriterly feel immediately drew comparisons to ''Music/HunkyDory'', which was mirrored by Bowie outgrowing his hair in a similiar fashion to how he did back in 1971. Every song on this album was both used in and originally recorded for the video game ''VideoGame/OmikronTheNomadSoul'', essentially making this Bowie's sole foray into VGM. In addition, the song "What's Really Happening?" was also recorded live using lyrics that were submitted as part of a "Cyber Song" fan competition on Bowie's official website, later advertised on the tray art for the album's CD release.

A [[NewSoundAlbum major departure]] from the [[Music/{{Outside}} preceding]] [[Music/{{Earthling}} two]] albums, being a mix of art rock and pop rock with heavy electronic leanings and a much more LighterAndSofter style both musically and lyrically (save for the HardRock-influenced "What's Really Happening" and "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell"). Its singer-songwriterly feel drew comparisons to ''Music/HunkyDory'', which was mirrored by Bowie outgrowing his hair in a similiar fashion to how he did back in 1971. Every song on this album was both used in and originally recorded for the video game ''VideoGame/OmikronTheNomadSoul'', essentially making this Bowie's sole foray into VGM. In addition, the song "What's Really Happening?" was also recorded live using lyrics that were submitted as part of a "Cyber Song" fan competition on Bowie's official website, later advertised on the tray art for the album's CD release.

A [[NewSoundAlbum major departure]] from the [[Music/{{Outside}} preceding]] [[Music/{{Earthling}} two]] albums, being a mix of art rock and pop rock with heavy electronic leanings and a much more LighterAndSofter style both musically and lyrically (save for the HardRock-influenced "What's Really Happening" and "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell"). Comparisons were made to ''Music/HunkyDory'' for its introspective content, which was mirrored by Bowie outgrowing his hair in a similiar fashion to how he did in 1971. Every song on this album was both used in and originally recorded for the video game ''VideoGame/OmikronTheNomadSoul'', essentially making this Bowie's sole foray into VGM. In addition, the song "What's Really Happening?" was also recorded live using lyrics that were submitted as part of a "Cyber Song" fan competition on Bowie's official website, later advertised on the tray art for the album's CD release.

A [[NewSoundAlbum major departure]] from the [[Music/{{Outside}} preceding]] [[Music/{{Earthling}} two]] albums, being a mix of art rock and pop rock with heavy electronic leanings and a much more LighterAndSofter style both musically and lyrically (save for the HardRock-influenced "What's Really Happening" and "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell"). Comparisons were made to ''Music/HunkyDory'' for its introspective content, which was mirroring by Bowie outgrowing his hair in a similiar fashion to how he did in 1971. Every song on this album was both used in and originally recorded for the video game ''VideoGame/OmikronTheNomadSoul'', essentially making this Bowie's sole foray into VGM. In addition, the song "What's Really Happening?" was also recorded live using lyrics that were submitted as part of a "Cyber Song" fan competition on Bowie's official website, later advertised on the tray art for the album's CD release.

A [[NewSoundAlbum major departure]] from the [[Music/{{Outside}} preceding]] [[Music/{{Earthling}} two]] albums, being a mix of art rock and pop rock with heavy electronic leanings and a much more LighterAndSofter style both musically and lyrically (save for the HardRock-influenced "What's Really Happening" and "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell"), every song on this album was both used in and originally recorded for the video game ''VideoGame/OmikronTheNomadSoul'', essentially making this Bowie's sole foray into VGM. In addition, the song "What's Really Happening?" was also recorded live using lyrics that were submitted as part of a "Cyber Song" fan competition on Bowie's official website, later advertised on the tray art for the album's CD release.

Like its predecessor ''Earthling'', ''[='hours...'=]'' was commercially successful, peaking at No. 5 on the UK albums chart and being certified silver in the UK and gold in France. In the US, it was Bowie's first album since ''Music/TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars'' to miss the Billboard Top 40, peaking at No. 47. The critical reception, however, was a lot more mixed; whilst some appreciated the more mellow direction Bowie took, others cited its' slick, overtly sterile production as the album's main weakness.

Like its predecessor ''Earthling'', ''[='hours...'=]'' was commercially successful, peaking at No. 5 on the UK albums chart and being certified silver in the UK and gold in France. In the US, it was Bowie's first album since ''Music/TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars'' to miss the Billboard Top 40, peaking at No. 47. The critical reception, however, was a lot more mixed; whilst some appreciated the more mellow approach Bowie took, others cited its' slick, clinical production as the album's main weakness.

Like its predecessor ''Earthling'', ''[='hours...'=]'' was commercially successful, peaking at No. 5 on the UK albums chart and being certified silver in the UK and gold in France. In the US, it was Bowie's first album since ''Music/TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars'' to miss the Billboard Top 40, peaking at No. 47. The critical reception, however, was a lot more mixed; whilst some praised the more mellow, direct approach Bowie took, others cited its' slick, clinical production as the album's main weakness.

Like its predecessor ''Earthling'', ''[='hours...'=]'' was commercially successful, peaking at No. 5 on the UK albums chart and being certified silver in the UK and gold in France. In the US, it was Bowie's first album since ''Music/TheRiseAndFallOfZiggyStardustAndTheSpidersFromMars'' to miss the Billboard Top 40, peaking at No. 47.

''[='hours...'=]'' is the twenty-second studio album by Music/DavidBowie, released in 1999. It is notable for being not only his last album with both the EMI sublabel Virgin Records and EMI as a whole (with all following albums being released through Creator/ColumbiaRecords), but also the first complete album by a major artist available to download over the Internet, preceding its physical release by two weeks (it wasn't the first music of any kind distributed in this manner, though; that would be Bowie's earlier single "Telling Lies"). Given the comparatively slow state of the dial-up form of internet that was common in the 1990's, Bowie launched his own ISP, [=BowieNet=], the year prior to this album's release partly as a means of giving fans a way to more readily download the album in its entirety.

** Some versions of the album totally omit the text, stripes, and mock barcodes from the front cover, leaving just the main image against a white background.