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🇬🇧 United Kingdom · 1962–2016

David Bowie

David Bowie, whose birth name was David Robert Jones, was born on January 8, 1947, and passed away on January 10, 2016. From a young age, his path was marked by art, music, and design, laying the foundation for a career that constantly challenged conventions. His first contact with professional music was in 1963, although his early releases did not have the expected impact. However, in 1969, "Space Oddity" became his first song to reach the Top 5 of the British charts, a sign of what was to come. His true commercial breakthrough came in 1972, at the height of glam rock's fervor, with the creation of the character Ziggy Stardust and the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.

This work not only brought him popularity but also established a pattern of constant reinvention and a visual presentation that would become his hallmark. Throughout the 1970s, Bowie explored a wide range of sounds, from funk to experimental rock and electronic music. A key point in this phase was the so-called "Berlin Trilogy," comprised of the albums Low (1977), "Heroes" (1977), and Lodger (1979), created in collaboration with Brian Eno. These works, which reached the British Top 5 and received critical acclaim, demonstrated his audacity in experimenting with genres such as ambient and electronic music. During these years, he also brought to life other memorable characters, such as Halloween Jack in Diamond Dogs (1974) and the Thin White Duke in Station to Station (1976).

Alternative rock art pop art rock Classic rock glam rock 1940s

2 Albums

23 Songs

5,6M Listeners/mo

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Essential songs

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Space Oddity

5:15 02

Heroes

6:22 03

Changes

Hunky Dory · 1971

3:37 04

Oh! You Pretty Things

Hunky Dory · 1971

3:12 05

Eight Line Poem

Hunky Dory · 1971

2:56 06

Life on Mars?

Hunky Dory · 1971

3:54 07

Kooks

Hunky Dory · 1971

2:53 08

Quicksand

Hunky Dory · 1971

5:07 09

Andy Warhol

Hunky Dory · 1971

3:57 10

Song for Bob Dylan

Hunky Dory · 1971

4:12

2 album|s · 1971 — 1972

Full discography

1972 ★ Essential

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

11 song|s

1971 ★ Essential

Hunky Dory

10 song|s

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Biography

In 1975, he shifted towards "plastic soul" with the album Young Americans, achieving his first major success in the United States with the single "Fame," co-written with John Lennon. The 1980s brought his greatest commercial success with the album Let's Dance (1983), from which well-known singles like "Let's Dance" and "China Girl" were released. Between 1988 and 1992, Bowie fronted the hard rock band Tin Machine before resuming his solo career. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, he continued to explore diverse musical styles, including industrial and jungle. In parallel to his musical career, Bowie also excelled in acting, participating in films such as The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), Labyrinth (1986), and The Prestige (2006).

In addition to his artistic facet, he was a pioneer in the creation of "Bowie Bonds" and one of the first artists to interact directly with his fans through his website, BowieNet. He retired from touring in 2004, although his last live performance was at a charity event in 2006. After a decade away from recording studios, he returned in 2013 with The Next Day. His final work, Blackstar, released just two days before his death in 2016, was interpreted as an emotional farewell. Throughout his career, he sold over 100 million records worldwide, receiving numerous accolades, including six Grammy Awards and four Brit Awards. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.