When David Bowie released what would be his final album, Blackstar, no one could have predicted that two days later he would pass away. This led to many picking apart the prophetic lyrics and videos as if they were a sign that Bowie knew his time on this earth was sadly coming to an end. It also sparked an unprecedented demand for Blackstar, which led to the album quickly selling out and values of the limited variants sky rocketing. While prices have definitely levelled out three years on, Blackstar is still highly sought after by collectors.
The initial pre-orders for Blackstar in US, UK and EU markets included the album on clear vinyl. This was limited to 5,000 units worldwide, with bundle deals being offered including three lithographs of Bowie. While the pressing was virtually identical across the regions, the US pressing is distinguished by the centre label of the record omitting the label code and rights societies, which do appear on the UK and EU pressing.