"Hours" (stylized as hours...) is the 22nd studio album by David Bowie, originally released on September 21, 1999, through his website BowieNet, with a physical CD release following on October 4 via Virgin Records. This marked one of the first major artist albums available for download over the Internet.
The album originated as a soundtrack for the video game Omikron: The Nomad Soul and was the final collaboration between Bowie and guitarist Reeves Gabrels, who had worked together since 1988. Recorded in mid-1999 across studios in Bermuda and New York City, Hours features a notable fan collaboration; a song contest on BowieNet led to a fan contributing lyrics and backing vocals to one of the tracks.
Musically, Hours presents a more pop rock and art pop style, reminiscent of Bowie's earlier work, particularly Hunky Dory. The lyrics explore introspective themes, including relationship struggles and existential angst, while also featuring overtly Christian motifs. The album's cover art, inspired by the Pietà, portrays a short-haired Bowie from the Earthling era cradled by a youthful, long-haired version of himself. Originally titled The Dreamers, the title Hours plays on the word "ours."
Hours peaked at number five on the UK Albums Chart and produced several UK top 40 singles, but it was Bowie's first album to miss the US Billboard 200 top 40 since 1972. The reception was mixed, with critics praising individual tracks but critiquing the album as a whole. Over time, retrospective reviews have often placed Hours among Bowie's weaker efforts. The album was reissued with bonus tracks in 2004 and remastered in 2021 for inclusion in the box set Brilliant Adventure (1992–2001).
After maintaining a prominent media presence in 1997, David Bowie retreated from the spotlight in 1998, focusing on ventures outside music, such as launching his website, BowieNet. During this time, he made some film appearances and mixed a potential live album from his Earthling Tour, which was later released as LiveAndWell.com. However, he was largely inactive in the studio, recording only a cover of "A Foggy Day in London Town" for the Red Hot + Rhapsody: The Gershwin Groove compilation. He also reconciled with producer Tony Visconti.
In late 1998, Bowie composed the soundtrack for the video game Omikron: The Nomad Soul, chosen for his unique vision over other artists like Björk and Massive Attack. Biographer Nicholas Pegg noted Bowie's interest in the game's Buddhist themes of reincarnation. In addition to composing, Bowie appeared in the game, performing with guitarist Reeves Gabrels and bassist Gail Ann Dorsey as part of an in-game band.
The Omikron project served as a springboard for Bowie's next studio album. Between late 1998 and early 1999, he and Gabrels wrote a substantial number of songs, some for Omikron and others for a Gabrels solo album. This period saw a shift toward more straightforward songwriting, reminiscent of Bowie's mid-1980s work, with less experimentation compared to his earlier 1990s recordings. Songs like "Survive," "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell," and "We All Go Through" emerged from this creative process.
At the E3 press conference in 1999, Bowie emphasized his goal to imbue Omikron with "emotional subtext," which he considered successful. The game included variants of most tracks from Hours, except for a few specific songs, along with various instrumentals that were later developed into B-sides. This project ultimately paved the way for Hours and marked a new direction in Bowie's musical journey.
