I think these artists are eligible for comparison.

Both of them were originally known as singers, and then transformed themselves into self-sufficient musicians; both with a prolificism and a body of work that are almost unprecedented in the seventies.

Both of them have experimented with various types of pop music, especially with styles outside of their own respective cultures.

Who would you say is the better artist?

Bowie.

Timmy84 said:

Bowie.

whaa!!1 i am suprised at this one from ya Timmy

Both!

Bowie.

Good question. But my vote goes to Stevie Wonder.

Gunsnhalen said:

Timmy84 said:

Bowie.

whaa!!1 i am suprised at this one from ya Timmy

Me too!

I would say "Wonder" although it's mostly apples and oranges.

Interesting that many of you are saying Bowie. Whilst I think Bowie is more consistent, as he doesn't have many 'bad' albums as Stevie does, his highs are not on the same level as Stevie's. 'Talking Book', 'Innervisions', 'Fulfillingness' First Finale' and 'Songs in the Key of Life' are all greater than anything in Bowie's catalogue for me. But after 'Hotter Than July' Stevie nosedived faster than any artist I'm overly familiar with, I'd say.

Gunsnhalen said:

Timmy84 said:

Bowie.

whaa!!1 i am suprised at this one from ya Timmy

GoldenEPump said:

Interesting that many of you are saying Bowie. Whilst I think Bowie is more consistent, as he doesn't have many 'bad' albums as Stevie does, his highs are not on the same level as Stevie's. 'Talking Book', 'Innervisions', 'Fulfillingness' First Finale' and 'Songs in the Key of Life' are all greater than anything in Bowie's catalogue for me. But after 'Hotter Than July' Stevie nosedived faster than any artist I'm overly familiar with, I'd say.

Hahaha you were expecting everyone to say Stevie huh?

This is a tough one cause in the 70's they both made osme of the greatest most innovative albums of all time.

80's wise Bowie had Scary Monsters which is in my top 3 for him & i really like Lets Dance despite what others think.

I think Hotter Than July & In Square Circle are both good but that is it.. nothing great but still good Stevie tunes.

the 90's they were both lost musically

00's was a lot better.

Wonder.

Gunsnhalen said:

This is a tough one cause in the 70's they both made osme of the greatest most innovative albums of all time.

80's wise Bowie had Scary Monsters which is in my top 3 for him & i really like Lets Dance despite what others think.

I think Hotter Than July & In Square Circle are both good but that is it.. nothing great but still good Stevie tunes.

the 90's they were both lost musically

00's was a lot better.

Bowie got better over time. Wonder faded out after 1982.

On merits, there's no wrong choice.

My preference . . . Stevie.

TBH, because they're both great artists, this is just as unfair a comparison as Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye was last week.

Stevie Wonder

Horrible comparision by the way but I prefer Stevie...

Bowie is great for what he does as well but I am more into Stevie Wonder.

Ouch! Love 'em both. Possibly Stevie though, his very best work lifts me like few others do.

I don't see the merit in this contest!

nd33 said:

I don't see the merit in this contest!

Garth Ennis put out this comic book called The Preacher. One of the underlying story lines revolved around the progeny of an angel and a demon. It was a cantankerous offspring, bereft of any real character development...but the premise had some merit.

Bowie is more of an artist than musician. Wonder is more of a musician than an artist. One is more calculated, one is more divinely inspired. They've both stepped outside of these definitions and improved themselves for it. They've both attempted to deny or transcend their strengths - what they bring to the world - and created questionable work by doing so. One is an atheist. The other is deeply religious. Both reflect it in their work and the subjects of their focus.

I've always been a Bowie fan, but if I had to stick to a hundred minutes of music from either of them to last the rest of my life, I'd have to go with Wonder.

I'm not sure where I was going with The Preacher metaphor...I have a distant memory of being disappointed that the comic never developed what this child would be like. Like, what would a collaboration between Bowie & Wonder might be like...they've both collaborated with mostly like-minded folk, but just throwing those two names together invokes the potential of creating something like we've never heard before.

Stevie, no doubt.

mostly whites will say bowie, blacks stevie.

always find it strange when Prince fans always like other artists that are the most unfunky beings ever.

SpookyElektrix said:

Stevie, no doubt.

mostly whites will say bowie, blacks stevie.

always find it strange when Prince fans always like other artists that are the most unfunky beings ever.

Psssh not every Prince song is funky

And not every Bowie song is rocking out.

Solid back catalogue – Stevie.

more interesting – Bowie

Personal favourite – Bowie!

Better artist? Bowie.

Musician? Stevie.

Bowie's music is more important to me personally than Stevie's, so if I had to pick one that I'd favour over the other then it would have to be Bowie.