David Bowie – January 8, 2016 – ★ (Blackstar) Barnes & Noble Exclusive Clear Vinyl LP
- David Bowie
- Jan 8, 2016
- 2 min read
David Bowie’s final studio album ★ (Blackstar), released on his 69th birthday, in a rare sealed Barnes & Noble Exclusive edition pressed on clear 180-gram vinyl with star-shaped die-cut jacket — one of only 5,000 copies produced.
RELEASE / PUBLICATION DETAILS Artist: David Bowie Title: ★ (Blackstar) Date: January 8, 2016
Label: ISO / Columbia / Sony Music Format / Type: 180-gram Clear Vinyl LP (Barnes & Noble Exclusive) Country: United States Catalogue: 88875187181 S1
THE STORY David Bowie’s ★ (Blackstar) was recorded in 2015 in New York with a new jazz-influenced band and released on his birthday, January 8, 2016. Just two days later, Bowie passed away, turning the album into a poignant, self-aware farewell. This Barnes & Noble Exclusive edition features clear vinyl housed in a striking star-shaped die-cut sleeve and includes a digital download.
TRACK LIST
Side 1
Blackstar (9:57)
A Pity She Was A Whore (4:52)
Lazarus (6:22)
Side 2
Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime) (7:40)
Girl Loves Me (4:51)
Dollar Days (4:44)
I Can’t Give Everything Away (5:47)
CONTEXT & NOTES
Widely regarded as one of Bowie’s greatest artistic achievements, Blackstar debuted at No. 1 on charts worldwide and received universal acclaim. The title track and “Lazarus” were released as singles. The album’s cryptic lyrics and jazz/avant-garde elements were later seen as Bowie confronting his mortality. Only 5,000 copies of this clear vinyl exclusive were pressed, making it highly sought after by collectors. The sealed copy includes the original hype sticker and Parental Advisory label.
PERSONNEL
David Bowie – vocals, guitar, saxophone, production Donny McCaslin – saxophone, flute Jason Lindner – keyboards Tim Lefebvre – bass Mark Guiliana – drums Ben Monder – guitar Tony Visconti – production, strings
PRODUCTION Produced by: David Bowie & Tony Visconti Engineered by: Tony Visconti & Kevin Killen
CHARTS
PACKAGING / ARTWORK HIGHLIGHTS
Star-shaped die-cut outer sleeve with clear vinyl visible through the center
Barnes & Noble hype sticker on front
Parental Advisory Explicit Content sticker
Minimalist black design with subtle star motifs
WHAT THE SLEEVE SHOWS
The front cover is a solid black field with a large five-pointed star die-cut revealing the clear/black vinyl inside. A rectangular hype sticker in the top left promotes the album, “Blackstar” and “Lazarus,” the clear vinyl, and the Barnes & Noble exclusive. The back cover features tracklisting in a minimalist typographic layout with durations. The overall aesthetic is stark, cosmic, and mysterious — perfectly matching the album’s themes.
RELATED MATERIAL
See tags at foot of page.
SOURCES Heritage Auctions, Discogs, Wikipedia, Bowie Official Archives
All album artwork, photographs, labels, and original text excerpts remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference
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