Best of Bowie is a greatest hits album by English recording artist David Bowie. Released in October 2002, four months after the critical and commercial success of the Heathen album, the songs range from his second album, David Bowie (1969) to Heathen (2002). A DVD, also titled Best of Bowie, was also released. Initially peaking at number 11 on the UK Albums Chart upon release in October 2002, the album entered the top 10 for the first time in January 2016, after Bowie's death, and reached a new peak of number 1, marking his eleventh UK number-one album. It also became the first album to reach number 1 in the UK due to streaming. Best of Bowie has been certified 4× Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry for sales of over 1,200,000.

CD release

In each of the 21 territories that Best of Bowie was released, it was given its own track listing, based upon which songs were most popular in that region. In some countries, two versions were available – single-disc and double-disc versions. In all, 63 tracks appear in at least one of the different releases. The country the edition came from can be identified by a small national flag on the spine, except for the Argentine/Mexican, Eastern European and UK editions, which are "flag-less". Some regions included rare versions of some songs, such as the New Zealand version, which included a previously unreleased 4:01 edit of "Magic Dance" (1986) (mis-labeled as the 'single version'), and the Chilean edition which included the first-ever CD release of the single version of "Underground" (1986).

DVD release

This release superseded previous video releases (such as Bowie – The Video Collection (1993)) and was, at the time, described as the "most extensive collection of Bowie videos yet released." Videos were restored and remastered at Abbey Road Interactive. The DVD also included extensive easter eggs including live, remixed and alternate versions of some songs, hidden by navigating the DVD in specific ways. The videos for "China Girl", "Loving the Alien", "Day-In Day-Out", and "The Hearts Filthy Lesson" are the censored versions of the original videos.

2003 and 2004 re-releases

In November 2003, the US/Canada single-disc version was re-released to include a new bonus DVD which included new audio and video remixes from Club Bowie (2003). In 2004, to coincide with Bowie's A Reality Tour reaching the Far East, an "Asian Tour Edition" was released that combined the original UK release with the bonus DVD as well.

Chart performance

Initially peaking at number 11 in October 2002 on the UK Albums Chart, the album entered the top 10 for the first time in January 2016, following Bowie's death. On 5 February, after his final album Blackstar had spent three weeks at the top, Best of Bowie reached a new peak of number 1, marking Bowie's eleventh UK number-one album and making him the first artist to replace themselves at number 1 with a different album since Michael Jackson did it after his own death in 2009. It also became the first album to reach number 1 in the UK on streams alone.

Track listings

All tracks written by David Bowie except as noted. Track listings note: The first unique track reference contains all information pertaining to that song and version, including song writing credits, source and length. Subsequent references only mention song and version unless where noted.

UK and rest of Europe except Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Denmark (2 CD)

CD: EMI / 5 39821 2 (UK) // EMI 7243 5 39821 2 6 (Europe) CD 1 CD 2

US and Canada (1 CD Version)

CD: Virgin-EMI / 5 41929 2 (US) // EMI 7243 5 42244 2 5 (Canada)

US and Canada (2 CD Version)

CD: Virgin-EMI / 7243 5 41930 2 (US) // EMI 7243 5 42244 2 3 (Canada) CD 1 CD 2

Belgium (1 CD)

CD: EMI / 5 41888 2 (Belgium)

Germany, Switzerland and Austria (1 CD)

CD: EMI / 5 41912 2 (Germany/Switzerland/Austria)

Denmark (2 CD)

CD: EMI / 5 41918 2 (Denmark) CD 1 CD 2

Australia (1 CD)

CD: EMI / 7243 5 42075 2 (Australia)

New Zealand (2 CD)

CD: EMI 7243 5 41925 2 4 (New Zealand) CD 1 CD 2

Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela (1 CD)

CD: EMI 7243541900-2 (Colombia/Ecuador/Peru/Venezuela)

Hong Kong (3 CD)

CD: EMI / 5 77949 2 (Hong Kong) CD 1 CD 2 CD 3

Argentina and Mexico (1 CD)

CD: EMI / 7243 5 41916 2 6 (Argentina/Mexico)

Brazil (1 CD)

CD: EMI / 7243 5 41899 2 0 (Brazil)

Japan and Thailand (1 CD)

CD: Toshiba-EMI / TOCP-67061 (Japan/Thailand)

US (2003 Limited Edition 1 CD with bonus DVD)

CD same as 2002 US and Canada 1 CD version Bonus DVD: / Virgin/EMI 5 95692 0 (US)

DVD track listing

DVD content identical worldwide DVD 1 DVD 2

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Album

DVD