David Bowie
David Robert Jones, known by his stage name David Bowie, is an English musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, actor and arranger. Bowie has been a major figure in the world of popular music for over four decades, and is renowned as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s. He is known for his distinctive voice as well as the intellectual depth and eclecticism of his work. More
Bowie first caught the eye and ear of the public in July 1969 when his song "Space Oddity" reached the top five of the UK Singles Chart. After a three-year period of experimentation he re-emerged in 1972 during the glam rock era with the flamboyant, androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust, spearheaded by the hit single "Starman" and the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Bowie's impact at that time, as described by biographer David Buckley, "challenged the core belief of the rock music of its day" and "created perhaps the biggest cult in popular culture." The relatively short-lived Ziggy persona proved merely one facet of a career marked by continual reinvention, musical innovation and striking visual presentation.
In 1975, Bowie achieved his first major American crossover success with the number-one single "Fame" and the hit album Young Americans, which the singer characterised as "plastic soul". The sound constituted a radical shift in style that initially alienated many of his UK devotees. He then confounded the expectations of both his record label and his American audiences by recording the minimalist album Low —the first of three collaborations with Brian Eno over the next two years. These so-called "Berlin Trilogy" albums all reached the UK top five and received lasting critical praise. After uneven commercial success in the late 1970s, Bowie had UK number ones with the 1980 single "Ashes to Ashes", its parent album Scary Monsters, and "Under Pressure", a 1981 collaboration with Queen. He then reached a new commercial peak in 1983 with Let's Dance, which yielded several hit singles. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Bowie continued to experiment with musical styles, including blue-eyed soul, industrial, adult contemporary, and jungle. He has not toured since the 2003–04 Reality Tour and has not performed live since 2006. Bowie's latest studio album The Next Day was released in March 2013.
David Bowie timeline
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David Bowie is born
David Bowie born David Robert Hayward-Jones; 8 January 1947) is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. Active in five decades of... Read more
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David Bowie's family moves to suburb of Bromley, Kent
David Bowie was born David Robert Hayward-Jones in Brixton, London to parents who were married in September 1947 shortly after his birth. His... Read more
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David Bowie receives first instrument for Christmas
Bowie's interest in music was sparked at the age of nine when his father brought home a collection of American 45s, including Fats Domino, Chuck... Read more
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David Bowie is punched in the eye
When Bowie was fifteen years old, his friend, George Underwood, wearing a ring on his finger, punched him in the left eye during a fight over a... Read more
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David Robert Hayward-Jones chooses stage name David Bowie
During the early 1960s, Bowie was performing either under his own name or the stage name "Davie Jones", and briefly even as "Davy Jones", creating... Read more
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David Bowie releases self-titled debut album
David Bowie is the eponymously-titled debut album by rock musician David Bowie, released in 1967 by Deram Records, a Decca offshoot. Its content... Read more
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David Bowie releases Space Oddity
Space Oddity is a 1969 album by rock musician David Bowie. Originally released by Philips in the UK as David Bowie and by Mercury in the U.S. as... Read more
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David Bowie releases The Man Who Sold the World
The Man Who Sold the World is the third studio album by David Bowie. It was originally released on Mercury Records in November 1970 in the United... Read more
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Glastonbury Festival 1971
The Festival moved to the time of the Summer Solstice and was known as the "Glastonbury Fayre". It had been planned by Andrew Kerr and Arabella... Read more
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David Bowie releases Hunky Dory
Hunky Dory is the fourth album by English singer-songwriter David Bowie, released by RCA Records in 1971. It was Bowie's first release through RCA,... Read more
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David Bowie releases The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (often shortened to Ziggy Stardust or simply Ziggy) is a 1972 concept album by... Read more
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David Bowie releases Aladdin Sane
Aladdin Sane is an album by David Bowie, released by RCA Records in 1973 (see 1973 in music). The follow-up to his breakthrough The Rise and Fall... Read more
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David Bowie releases Pin Ups
Pin Ups is an album by David Bowie containing cover versions of songs, released by RCA Records in 1973 (see 1973 in music). It was his last studio... Read more
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David Bowie releases Diamond Dogs
Diamond Dogs is a concept album by David Bowie, originally released by RCA Records in 1974. Thematically it was a marriage of the novel Nineteen... Read more
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David Bowie releases Young Americans
Young Americans is an album by English singer-songwriter David Bowie, released by RCA Records in 1975. With this LP, Bowie made a sudden and... Read more
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David Bowie releases song Fame
"Fame" is a song recorded by David Bowie, initially released in 1975 and in remixed versions, in 1990. With the Young Americans sessions mostly... Read more
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David Bowie releases Station to Station
Station to Station is the tenth studio album by English musician David Bowie, released by RCA Records in 1976. Commonly regarded as one of his most... Read more
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The Man Who Fell to Earth is released
The Man Who Fell to Earth is a 1976 science fiction film directed by Nicolas Roeg, based on the 1963 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis, about... Read more
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David Bowie releases Low
Low is a 1977 album by British musician David Bowie. Widely regarded as one of his most influential releases, Low was the first of the "Berlin... Read more
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David Bowie releases "Heroes"
"Heroes" is an album by David Bowie, released in 1977. The second installment of his 'Berlin Trilogy' with Brian Eno (the other releases being Low... Read more
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David Bowie releases Lodger
Lodger is an album by British singer-songwriter David Bowie, released in 1979. The last of the 'Berlin Trilogy' recorded in collaboration with... Read more
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David Bowie releases Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) is an album by David Bowie, released in September 1980 by RCA Records. It was Bowie's final studio album for the... Read more
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David Bowie releases Let's Dance
Let's Dance is an album by David Bowie, released in 1983. It is a post-disco album with co-production by Chic's Nile Rodgers. The first three songs... Read more
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David Bowie releases Tonight
Tonight is a 1984 album by David Bowie, featuring collaborations with Tina Turner and a cover of the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows". Critics slammed... Read more
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"Labyrinth", Directed by Jim Henson, Is Released
Labyrinth is a 1986 fantasy film, directed by Jim Henson, produced by George Lucas, and designed by Brian Froud. Henson collaborated on the... Read more