David Bowie

David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016), known as David Bowie, was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as among the most influential musicians of the 20th century, he was known for his frequent reinvention and visual presentation, and is often referred to as the “chameleon of rock”. His music, stagecraft and fashion have had a significant impact on popular culture.

Bowie studied art, music and design before embarking on a music career in 1962. He released a string of unsuccessful singles with local bands and a self-titled solo album before achieving his first success in 1969 with “Space Oddity”, a UK number-five single from his self-titled second album. His major commercial breakthrough came in 1972, during the glam rock era, with the Ziggy Stardust character and its accompanying album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. In 1974, he changed direction and adopted a new persona, Halloween Jack, for the album Diamond Dogs. The soul-influenced Young Americans (1975) was followed by Station to Station (1976), which saw him adopt the Thin White Duke persona and begin taking his music towards art rock, electronica and ambient. Bowie explored these styles most fully with the Berlin Trilogy: Low, Heroes (both 1977) and Lodger (1979). He achieved his greatest commercial success with Let's Dance in 1983. From 1988 to 1992, he fronted the hard rock band Tin Machine. Bowie resumed his solo career in 1993 and continued experimenting with musical styles, including industrial, jungle and drum and bass.

Outside of music, Bowie received recognition for his acting roles, emphasising smaller parts and cameos rather than leading roles. His best-known films include The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983), Absolute Beginners, Labyrinth (both 1986), Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), Basquiat (1996), and The Prestige (2006). He was also a painter and writer, created the first modern celebrity bond (“Bowie Bonds”) and, via his website BowieNet, was one of the first artists to engage with fans directly through the Internet. He performed live regularly throughout his career, before retiring from touring in 2004; his last live performance was at a charity event in 2006. He returned from a decade-long recording hiatus in 2013 with The Next Day. His final studio album, Blackstar, released two days before his death in 2016, was analysed as a powerful farewell to his fans.

During his lifetime, his record sales were estimated at over 100 million worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. He achieved eleven UK number-one albums, including Aladdin Sane (1973) and Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (1980), and had UK or US number-one singles with “Space Oddity” (which reached number-one in the UK on reissue in 1975), “Fame”, “Ashes to Ashes”, “Under Pressure” (with Queen), “Let's Dance”, and “Dancing in the Street” (with Mick Jagger). He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including six Grammy Awards and four Brit Awards. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Rolling Stone ranked him among the greatest singers, songwriters and artists of all time. Although his sexuality is disputed, he is regarded as an influential figure in the LGBTQ community.