David Bowie: "Where Are We Now?" Single (2013)

David Bowie’s "Where Are We Now?" backed with "The Informer", was released as a digital single in the UK by Columbia Records (catalog number unknown) on January 8, 2013.coinciding with his 66th birthday. It was the lead single from his 25th studio album, The Next Day, marking his first new release in a decade since Reality in 2003. The song, written by Bowie and produced by longtime collaborator Tony Visconti, is a reflective, melancholic ballad that explores themes of aging, nostalgia, and personal reckoning, set against the backdrop of Berlin, where Bowie lived in the late 1970s.

Released without prior announcement, the single surprised fans and critics, generating massive buzz. It was initially available as a digital download on iTunes, with the album The Next Day following in March 2013. The song reached 6 on the UK Singles Chart on January 13, 2016 and topped charts in several countries, including Belgium and Iceland.

Music Video: Directed by Tony Oursler, the video features abstract, lo-fi visuals with Bowie and an unidentified woman (later revealed to be artist Jacqueline Humphries) in an art studio, alongside archival Berlin imagery. The video’s stark, surreal aesthetic complements the song’s mood.

Critical Reception: Critics praised the song for its emotional depth and Bowie’s vulnerability. It was seen as a bold return, with publications like The Guardian and NME lauding its introspective quality and its nod to Bowie’s Berlin years.