ROUND 2: Straight Outta Compton vs. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton (1989) Genre: West Coast hip-hop, gangsta rap Singles: Gangsta Gangsta, Express Yourself Grammys: N/A RIAA Certification: 3x Platinum Rolling Stone Rank: 70
N.W.A's notorious debut album would draw massive attention, both positive and negative alike. Earning the group FBI warning letters and getting them banned from MTV due to their contentious, exaggerated lyrics around gang violence, militant anti-authoritarianism, and blatant disregard for women, Straight Outta Compton would contribute significantly to the defining sound of gangsta rap and shift the focus of the West Coast rap scene. Despite its controversies, the album would become a smash success, being the first gangsta rap record to reach platinum certification with it's bombastic style and strong sense of personality.
*This album is preserved in the National Recording Registry.
David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972) Genre: Glam rock, proto-punk Singles: Starman / Suffragette City, Rock 'n' Roll Suicide Grammys: N/A RIAA Certification: Gold Rolling Stone Rank: 40
Often considered the greatest album of Bowie's career, this rock opera is a defining piece of glam rock and chronicles the life and times of alien messiah and rockstar Ziggy Stardust as he arrives on Earth to save its people and is later torn apart on stage by his fans. Ziggy's tale comments on the nature of celebrity and is charged with sexuality, drug use, and reflection on the artificiality of the culture from which it arose. The character of Ziggy would gain icon status in his own right, with his avant-garde, kabuki inspired appearance becoming the most recognizable of Bowie's stage personas.
*This album is preserved in the National Recording Registry.
Which album is more iconic?
Straight Outta Compton
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars