David Bowie

David Bowie, born David Robert Jones in Brixton, England, was an English singer, songwriter and actor whose career was built on restless changes in sound, image and stagecraft. He studied art, music and design before beginning a music career in 1962, releasing unsuccessful singles with local groups and a self-titled solo album. His first major success arrived in 1969 with “Space Oddity”, which reached number five in the UK.

Bowie’s commercial breakthrough came in 1972 with The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and its central character, Ziggy Stardust. During the glam rock era, the androgynous alien rock star became inseparable from Bowie’s public image. He moved quickly into new roles and musical approaches: Halloween Jack accompanied 1974’s Diamond Dogs; the soul-influenced Young Americans followed in 1975; and Station to Station introduced the Thin White Duke persona in 1976 while moving toward art rock, electronica and ambient music.

Those ideas were developed further on the albums commonly called the Berlin Trilogy, Low and “Heroes” in 1977 and Lodger in 1979. Bowie reached his greatest commercial success with Let’s Dance in 1983. After a run of 1980s releases, he fronted the hard rock group Tin Machine from 1988 to 1992, then resumed his solo career in 1993. His later work continued to take in industrial, jungle and drum and bass. Following a decade-long recording hiatus, he returned in 2013 with The Next Day. Blackstar, his final studio album, was released two days before his death on 10 January 2016, aged 69.

Alongside music, Bowie built a substantial acting career, often favoring smaller roles and cameos. His best-known film appearances include The Man Who Fell to Earth, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, Absolute Beginners, Labyrinth, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, Basquiat and The Prestige. He was also a painter and writer, created the first modern celebrity bond through Bowie Bonds, and used BowieNet to engage directly with fans online. He stopped touring in 2004; his last live performance came at a charity event in 2006.

During his lifetime, Bowie’s record sales were estimated at more than 100 million worldwide. He had eleven UK number-one albums and chart-topping UK or US singles including “Fame”, “Ashes to Ashes”, “Under Pressure” with Queen, “Let’s Dance” and “Dancing in the Street” with Mick Jagger. His honors included six Grammy Awards and four Brit Awards, and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. His music, fashion and visual presentation also made him a significant figure in popular culture and the LGBTQ community.