Let's Dance was recorded at the Power Station studio in New York City in December 1982, with additional work done there in early 1983. The album was produced by Nile Rodgers, co-founder of Chic, whom Bowie personally recruited after meeting him at a club in New York. The engineering was handled primarily by Bob Clearmountain, one of the most sought-after mix engineers of the era. Bowie brought in Texas blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, then relatively unknown, to play lead guitar on several tracks, giving the album a distinctive blues-rock edge layered over Rodgers' funk and pop sensibilities. Released in April 1983 on EMI America Records, the album marked a deliberate commercial pivot for Bowie, embracing a polished, radio-friendly post-disco sound that made it his best-selling record, reaching number one in multiple countries.
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7 cataloged · sorted by audiophile score
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Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab — MFSL 1-083
The Mobile Fidelity half-speed mastered pressing is legendary on SHF and widely considered the best-sounding vinyl version of Let's Dance, with superior detail, dynamics, and quieter surfaces.
2 releases share this master.
EMI — 07243 543319 2 3
The 2003 hybrid SACD is highly praised on SHF as one of the best digital versions available, with a more open and dynamic sound than any standard CD issue; frequently recommended.
EMI — 543 3192
Same SACD release as 07243 543319 2 3 with alternate catalog number; equally praised on SHF as the definitive digital version.
EMI America — CDP 7 46002 2
Standard early European CD issue; considered a straightforward early digital transfer without remastering, acceptable but not a standout on SHF discussions.
2 releases share this master.
Parlophone — 0190295511197
2019 Parlophone reissue is a standard modern reissue; not heavily discussed on SHF but considered a serviceable current option.
Parlophone UK — 0190295671594
Parlophone — DB 83881