VinylAI 
Data as of Jun 16, 2026
David Bowie – ★ (Blackstar)
2016 · Europe · ISO Records · Vinyl LP Album Limited Edition
Be the first to list yours, or get an email the moment a copy appears.
Offers
New to condition grades like NM or VG? Read our vinyl grading guide →
Pressing identification
Match these against your copy to confirm the exact pressing.
- Runout — side A
- C-139259/AL88875173871MPO 15-0736 A 88875-17387-1A RJ STERLING
- Runout — side B
- C-139259/BL88875173871MPO 15-0736 B 88875-17387-1B RJ STERLING
- Barcode (Text)
- 8 88751 73871 3
- Barcode (Scanned)
- 888751738713
- Barcode (Text, sticker)
- 8 88751 87181 6
- Barcode (Scanned, sticker)
- 888751871816
- Rights society
- BIEM/GEMA
- Label Code
- LC00162
- Other
- 88875173871 S1(On sticker)
- Manufactured By
- Columbia Records
- Pressed By
- MPO
- Recorded At
- The Magic Shop
- Recorded At
- Human Worldwide Studios
- Mixed At
- Electric Lady Studios
- Lacquer Cut At
- Sterling Sound
Specifications
- Artist
- David Bowie
- Style
- Experimental, Jazz-Rock, Art Rock
- Year
- 2016
- Label
- ISO Records, Columbia, Sony Music
- Catalog number
- 88875173871
- Country
- Europe
- Barcode
- 8 88751 73871 3
Tracklist
- A1★ (Blackstar)9:57
- A2'Tis A Pity She Was A Whore4:52
- A3Lazarus6:22
- B1Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)4:40
- B2Girl Loves Me4:51
- B3Dollar Days4:44
- B4I Can't Give Everything Away5:47
- Producer, Mixed By
- David Bowie
- Producer, Mixed By
- Tony Visconti
- Mixed By [Final Master Mix]
- Tom Elmhirst
- Remastered By
- Joe LaPorta
- Design [Album Design]
- Jonathan Barnbrook
- Photography By
- Jimmy King
About this record
Demand outpaces supply on this 2016 European limited edition: 2909 collectors want it against 2803 who own one. Pressed on 180g clear vinyl and limited to 5000 copies worldwide, this ISO Records / Columbia release carries the catalogue number 88875173871 across all three labels.
The dead-wax matrix reveals two distinct pressing plants—Columbia Records and MPO (stamped as MPO 15-0736 A 88875-17387-1A RJ STERLING and MPO 15-0736 B 88875-17387-1B RJ STERLING)—a split production run that affects availability and collector focus.
What drives its value
The 2016 Blackstar pressing commands attention because want (2909) exceeds have (2803) by a margin rare for a limited edition still in circulation. The 180g clear vinyl and 5000-copy worldwide limit anchor its scarcity narrative, yet the split between Columbia and MPO pressings fragments collector focus.
Community rating stands at 4.78 across 487 votes, signaling strong consensus on audio and packaging quality. The die-cut gatefold, 16-page booklet with lyrics and credits, digital download, and retailer exclusivity (FNAC France, JPC Germany, JB Hi-Fi Australia) justify collector premiums.
Shrink-wrapped new copies carry explicit-content stickers and the album-title sticker (88875187181 S1), making sealed condition a hard filter for demand.
How to appraise this pressing
Confirm this pressing by the catalogue number 88875173871 printed on the spine and back cover. The matrix runout on Side A reads C-139259/AL88875173871 (Columbia Records pressing) or MPO 15-0736 A 88875-17387-1A RJ STERLING (MPO pressing); Side B shows C-139259/BL88875173871 or MPO 15-0736 B 88875-17387-1B RJ STERLING.
The 180g clear vinyl is visually distinct—translucent, not opaque black. The die-cut gatefold should feature the star symbol (★) as the album title on the front, with the 16-page booklet intact and the digital-download card present.
Sealed copies retain the shrink wrap and the four stickers (parental advisory, David Bowie / The New Album, Blackstar & Lazarus track callout, 180 Gram Clear Vinyl Plus Digital Download, and the sticker numbered 88875187181 S1). Grade by vinyl surface (clear vinyl shows dust and micro-scratches readily), gatefold crease severity, and booklet page condition.
Further reading: grading a record, what makes a pressing valuable.
Listen
Hear the album before you buy.
Official videos via YouTube.
Release notes
Limited edition on 180g clear vinyl, limited to 5000 copies worldwide. See for the US issue.
Die cut gatefold plus digital download and 16 pages booklet with lyrics, credtis and artwork.
Album title and track 1 title generally referred to as "Blackstar" but printed as "★"
It is a designated retailer exclusive available from FNAC in France, JPC in Germany and JB Hi-Fi in Australia.
New copies come shrink wrapped, and include the following stickers:
PARENTAL ADVISORY EXPLICIT CONTENT
DAVID BOWIE THE NEW ALBUM INCLUDES "BLACKSTAR" & "LAZARUS" 180 GRAM CLEAR VINYL PLUS DIGITAL DOWNLOAD 88875187181 S1
Notes sourced from the Discogs database.
Frequently asked
Why do the matrix runouts show two different pressing plants?
The 2016 European pressing was split between Columbia Records and MPO (Messiaen Pressing Organization, France). Side A and Side B each appear in both plants' variants: Columbia stamps C-139259/AL88875173871 and C-139259/BL88875173871, while MPO stamps MPO 15-0736 A 88875-17387-1A RJ STERLING and MPO 15-0736 B 88875-17387-1B RJ STERLING. This dual-plant run was likely driven by the 5000-copy worldwide limit and retailer-exclusive distribution across three countries.
Is this the same as the US pressing?
No. The release notes reference a separate US issue. This is the European edition on ISO Records / Columbia / Sony Music, catalogue 88875173871, pressed on 180g clear vinyl and limited to 5000 copies worldwide. The US pressing carries different catalogue numbers and distribution.
What makes sealed copies more valuable?
New copies arrive shrink-wrapped with four distinct stickers: the parental advisory, the David Bowie / The New Album callout, the Blackstar & Lazarus track sticker, and the 180 Gram Clear Vinyl Plus Digital Download sticker numbered 88875187181 S1. Collectors prize sealed stock because the shrink wrap and stickers confirm originality and the digital-download code remains unused. Once opened, the stickers are often removed or lost, and the download code may be redeemed or expired.
How rare is the 180g clear vinyl variant?
The 180g clear vinyl is the only variant for this 2016 European pressing—there is no black-vinyl version of this release. Limited to 5000 copies worldwide and distributed exclusively through FNAC (France), JPC (Germany), and JB Hi-Fi (Australia), the clear vinyl was a deliberate choice tied to the retailer-exclusive strategy. The want count (2909) against have count (2803) suggests steady demand but also that many copies remain in collections rather than on the resale market.
What is the significance of the ★ symbol on the cover?
The album title and first track are both printed as ★ (a star symbol) rather than spelled out as Blackstar. This typographic choice appears on the die-cut gatefold front and throughout the 16-page booklet with lyrics and credits. The sticker on new copies spells out Blackstar & Lazarus to clarify track names for retail and streaming contexts, but the physical packaging preserves Bowie's symbolic title design.