Pirate albums are LPs or CDs that at first sight appear to be regular releases, but in fact are bootlegs pretending to be official albums; also included are a few bootlegs that were available through official channels plus several semi-official albums (from countries that have no copyright laws).

Like with Semi-official albums, the number of pirate releases (notably unofficial picture discs and albums on coloured vinyl) has exploded in recent years. In this section, only a selection of older titles on vinyl is covered. Also see Counterfeits.



The Man Who Sold The World The Man Who Sold The World
(MWP 123075), 1980.

This picture disc uses the images of the 'drag cover' but actually plays the Scary Monsters Interview!

Disco PromocionalDisco Promocional Disco Promocional
(RCA PRO 0287), 1987? (Spain)

"Héros"/Tonight/Moonage Daydream/Man In The Middle/Hang On To Yourself.

A "promotional" picture disc. Of course RCA did not have the rights to 'Tonight', nor to the three Arnold Corns tracks. This album was reissued on black vinyl, housed in a sleeve picturing the original disc.

Starman Starman
(Melodia C 6026469001), 1989 (Russia)

Space Oddity/God Knows I'm Good/All The Madmen/Black Country Rock/Five Years/Soul Love/Moonage Daydream/Starman/Lady Stardust.

Starman Tin Machine
(His Masters Voice E 91990), 1990 (Russia)

As the sleeve looks rather different from the original release, this LP is classified as a pirate rather than a counterfeit.

Best Of The Best Best Of The Best
(Seagull International SYD-024), 1990 (South Korea)

Space Oddity/Changes/Golden Years/Five Years/Star/Sound and Vision/Ziggy Stardust/Young Americans/Starman/Rock 'N' Roll Suicide/1984/Beauty And The Beast/"Heroes".

The track listing omits Five Years/Sound And Vision/Ziggy Stardust/"Heroes".

The Best Of David Bowie The Best Of David Bowie
(Creato MHRL-1047), 1992 (South Korea)

Space Oddity/Five Years/Starman/I Can't Explain/The Jean Genie/John I'm Only Dancing/"Heroes"/Rock 'N' Roll Suicide/TVC 15/Rebel Rebel/Changes.

Major Tom 1969-1980 Major Tom 1969-1980
(Pashosh PASH 2989), 1993 (Israel)

Space Oddity/Ashes To Ashes.

An Israeli 12" with a home-made Save The Planet Mix.

hours...hours... hours...
1999 (Russia)

Pressed on coloured vinyl (EMI DBP 4815), available in the colours blue-grey, yellow and green (also available in white sleeve). In 2000, a German vinyl picture disc (Virgin DBPR 72438 48157 2 0; bottom) appeared on the market claiming to be a promo. This album, with the same tracklisting as the official album, too was quickly exposed as a pirate disc.

Dance Scary Monsters
(AQL1-3647-3), 2002 (Germany)

It's No Game (#1)/Up The Hill Backwards/Scary Monsters/Ashes To Ashes/Fashion/Teenage Wildlife/Scream Like A Baby/Kingdom Come/Because You're Young/It's No Game (#2).

Another professionally looking yet unofficial picture disc.

The Man Who Sold The World The Man Who Sold The World
(Mercury 6338 041), 2004 (Germany?).

A very well-made picture disc, similar to the Scary Monsters pirate above. Not only does it have the unique artwork of the 'round cover' on both sides, it also copies the original inner sleeves.

Reality Reality
(Full Force Records 72534), 2007 (UK).

An unofficial, poor quality release on white vinyl.

Let's Dance Let's Dance
(EMI 7805), 2007 (US).

An odd pirate with 'Fame' on the B-side; see 12" singles.

Aladdin Sane Aladdin Sane
(Black Rose BR3-1977), 2007 (France).

Ziggy Stardust Ziggy Stardust
(SF 8287-P), 2007 (EC).

Low Low
(Casa Grande Oro 104/1992), 2007 (Mexico).

Early pressings of this disc played Man-Machine by Kraftwerk.

Diamond Dogs Diamond Dogs
(INTS 5068-P), 2007 (EC).
Heroes

Heroes
(INTS 5066-P), 2007 (EC).

The five 2007-released picture discs above were also sold as a 5LP box set.

Hunky DoryHunky Dory Hunky Dory
(Black Rose BR2-1972), 2008/2016

A clone of the original 1984 RCA picture disc, but with the RCA logos on the back removed!

A second unofficial picture (7918431) disc appeared in 2016, using alternate images and front and back and adding the Rykodisc/EMI bonus tracks.

Ziggy Stardust Ziggy Stardust
(RCA SF 8287), 2010/2013.

Released in a copy of the original UK sleeve (RCA SF 8287). Some bootlegger went wild and produced copies on red, orange, yellow, mint, purple, pink, white and clear vinyl.

A pirate edition pretending to be German (RCA LSP 4702) appeared in 2013 on regular, blue, gold and clear vinyl. Similarly there's a faux Spanish edition (also RCA LSP 4702) on blue, blue marbled, clear, green/yellow marbled and marbled white vinyl.

Huny Dory Hunky Dory
(RCA LSP-4623), 2011.

Another unofficial reissue, this time the Spanish edition of Hunky Dory. Available on (take a deep breath) white, yellow, yellow mabled, red, pink, green, purple, dark red, blue orange and marbled orange vinyl.