10 Modern Classics By Old Bands

No matter what decade he was in, David Bowie always seemed ahead of the curve with what was going on in the music business. As he rode the waves of glam rock, dance rock, and art rock, Bowie had acquired the status of a musical icon who would leave a stellar musical legacy.

As the 2010's approached, Bowie had returned with a vengeance with The Next Day, but everything went quiet for a bit afterward. When Bowie released his next album Blackstar, he created a meditation on his own death from cancer, which he succumbed to just days after its release. Though the album is fantastic, the title track is a true journey through Bowie's psyche. The song takes a look back at Bowie's previous body of work with fresh eyes. The lyrics detail a man who knows his time is almost up, but is bravely staring down his own mortality with staunch determination.

Most late-era triumphs tend to fall into the category of "pretty good...for their age." With "Blackstar," Bowie not only constructed a great album, but what may be the single most important album in his discography. As Bowie is no longer with us, let us use this music as an example of how to bow out gracefully.