For many fans in the early '80s, this record was their first introduction to Bowie's diverse eras, from glam rock to the "Berlin Trilogy".
Opinions vary from nostalgia for its curation to frustration over its technical flaws.
To fit 16 songs onto one disc, many tracks were significantly edited. For example, the K-Tel edit of "Diamond Dogs" removes the "Future Legend" intro and cuts nearly two minutes of the song. David Bowie - Best of K-Tel
Critics and collectors often note that the high track count leads to "horrific sound quality" or a "thin" audio profile due to the narrower grooves required to fit nearly an hour of music on a single platter.
Watch these reviews and retrospectives to see how this K-Tel classic stacks up against Bowie's other career-spanning compilations: K-tel Records "The Best of Bowie" commercial - 1980 YouTube · KtelClassics David Bowie - Diamond Dogs (K-Tel Best of... Edit) YouTube · Josh's Music Library David Bowie Albums Ranked Worst to Best (vinyl and cd) YouTube · Alan Stead Reviews David Bowie - What is missing from the 6 box sets? YouTube · Richard McCook David Bowie: Worst to Best | Albums Ranked YouTube · Classic Album Review For many fans in the early '80s, this
Unlike previous hits collections, this set covers everything from "Space Oddity" (1969) to "Boys Keep Swinging" (1979) in roughly chronological order. It even features tracks from albums often overlooked by other compilations, such as The Man Who Sold the World .
“K-Tel at least gave fans their money's worth... tracking the artist's career as he moved from the sci-chedelic "Space Oddity" to the aggrieved observer of "Boys Keep Swinging."” AllMusic Tracklist (1980 K-Tel Edition) For example, the K-Tel edit of "Diamond Dogs"
Released in late 1980 by K-Tel, was a budget-friendly compilation that became a massive success, peaking at number three on the UK Albums Chart. While it is praised for offering a comprehensive "gateway" to David Bowie's 1970–1980 period, it is equally notorious among audiophiles for technical compromises made to squeeze 16 tracks onto a single LP. Review Summary: The Good and the Bad