On January 8, 1947, Brixton, a district of London, increased its population by one with the birth of soon-to-be pop and rock icon David Bowie. On January 10, 2016, the icon died with complications from liver cancer. He left the world with 140 million records sold worldwide (14 of which went platinum), an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and an imprint on the lives of millions who cherished his music and were inspired by his charismatic and outlandish personality (or are we talking about Ziggy here?). Bowie was one of the most influential artists of the 70s and beyond, changing the face of rock and roll for generations to come.
Bowie began his work when he was 15 years old, forming a band and playing gigs at weddings and youth gatherings. It was at this point that he realized he wanted to become what parents frowned upon and what was subsequently called the “Devil’s profession”: a pop star. Bowie did not see pop as a dirty word. He took the word, reshaped it and amalgamated other genres together to add his own flair and meaning to the genre of pop. Although his debut was a flop, his hubris and gumption to aspire to something greater than himself kept him going. He was a human machine, working to constantly build the pieces that would later become his work and the inspiration for bands to come.
It was not until the critically acclaimed The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars that Bowie found his way onto the ladder reaching towards international stardom. The record, combining rock and experimental pop elements from The Man Who Sold the World and Hunky Dory, continued dominating the charts for two years. It became his first bestselling record, breaking through into the music scene. It was not until later that Hunky Dory and The Man Who Sold the World was recognized as also his best selling works.
David Bowie is widely considered to have pioneered the genre of glam rock, along with artist Marc Bolan of T. Rex. Various musicologists and historians, even Jeff Buckley (THE Jeff Buckley) cited that his vast majority of works spawned the biggest cult in popular culture. Numerous icons outside of the music industry, like those from the Vatican, have even cited Bowie as an influence.
David Bowie is without a doubt one of the most influential and successful artists of all time. From glam rock to neoclassical genres he as mastered it all and proved to be a leading figure in the music industry. A constellation resides in the sky, named “Ziggy Stardust” after Bowie, to remind of us of his permanent impact on music and to remind us that even when he is gone he still watches over us, humming and strumming away.
