Without anyone knowing it, David Bowie ended a remarkable run of over a decade when Scary Monsters first appeared; he’d never have quite such a busy release schedule again, finding a more comfortable home in mainstream pop for much of the 80s. But he finished what many considered his classic years with a majestic bang: “Ashes to Ashes,” his semi-sequel to “Space Oddity,” was a UK number one, the title track was one of his most propulsive, wry numbers, and other songs like “Fashion” and “Teenage Wildlife” simply added to the energetic flow of songs.

– Ned Raggett