The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars (1972)

For a rock show in your headphones “Five Years” gives the record a sense of impending disaster. Mick Ronson’s guitar and the Spiders make the middle feel like a band you’ve come to see, and “Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide” sends you out with an appeal straight to the listener. It’s a good first choice if you want the theatrical side of Bowie in a compact set.