David Bowie, born David Robert Jones on January 8, 1947, in London, England, was a pioneering British singer, songwriter, and actor renowned for his eclectic musical style and dramatic transformations. He passed away on January 10, 2016, in New York City, U.S. Bowie's career, spanning from 1962 to 2016, was marked by constant reinvention and visual presentation, making him one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.

Bowie's early career in the 1960s saw him fronting various bands before emerging as a solo artist. His breakthrough came with the 1969 single "Space Oddity," which gained fame partly due to its release coinciding with the Apollo 11 Moon mission. In the 1970s, Bowie became a defining figure of the glam rock era with his alter ego Ziggy Stardust, achieving widespread popularity with "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" (1972).

Throughout the 1970s, Bowie released several acclaimed albums, including "Hunky Dory" (1971), "Aladdin Sane" (1973), and "Young Americans" (1975), which featured his first U.S. number-one single, "Fame." He also embarked on a successful acting career, starring in films such as "The Man Who Fell to Earth" (1976). Bowie's Berlin Trilogy, in collaboration with Brian Eno, included "Low" (1977), "Heroes" (1977), and "Lodger" (1979), further showcasing his musical innovation.

In the 1980s, Bowie achieved significant commercial success with the album "Let's Dance" (1983). He continued to experiment with various musical styles, including electronic and industrial music, throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Bowie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and received a Grammy Award in 1984.

Bowie's final album, "Blackstar," was released just two days before his death from cancer. His legacy as a musical chameleon and cultural icon endures, influencing countless artists and shaping the landscape of popular music.