The character was spearheaded by the success of Bowie's single ' Starman' and album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, which won him widespread popularity. After a period of experimentation, he re-emerged in 1972 during the glam rock era with his flamboyant and androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust. ' Space Oddity', released in 1969, was his first top-five entry on the UK Singles Chart. He studied art, music and design before embarking on a professional career as a musician in 1963. His career was marked by reinvention and visual presentation, and his music and stagecraft had a significant impact on popular music.īowie developed an interest in music as a child. Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, particularly for his innovative work during the 1970s. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. David Robert Jones OAL (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( / ˈ b oʊ i/ BOH-ee), was an English singer-songwriter and actor.
