David Bowie’s Life In Pictures: Photos Of The Music Icon In Honor Of His 76th Birthday

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June 7, 2023 5:36PM EDT

Though he came into this world as David Robert Jones, he left as David Bowie. Take a look at some of the moments in Bowie’s life and legendary impact on music.

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David Bowie’s Life In Pictures: See Photos Of The Music Icon Throughout His Incredible Career

David Bowie’s Life In Pictures: See Photos Of The Music Icon Throughout His Incredible Career — Though he came into this world as David Robert Jones, he left as David Bowie – and when he passed away in 2016, he left behind an artistic legacy that may never be seen again. After developing a love for rock and roll – thanks to artists like Fats Domino, Elvis Presley, and Little Richard – David began pursuing a career in music in the early 1960s, adopting the stage name David Bowie, as not to be confused with Davy Jones of The Monkees.

After his first self-titled album didn’t go anywhere, Bowie discovered success with “Space Oddity.” The song about Major Tom and ground control launched a career that saw Bowie deliver albums full of psychedelia, glam rock, electronic experimentation, and wild new sounds. He became a cultural icon, a fashion entity, a gender-bending provocateur that celebrated punk, new wave, the avant-garde art-rock, and practically everything in between.

While married to his first wife, Mary Barnett, Bowie became a father for the first time, welcoming son Duncan Jones in 1971. In 1992, Bowie married model Iman. They welcomed a daughter, Lexi, in 2000. Their love lasted until his death in 2016.

Take a look at some of the moments in Bowie’s life, one that lasted nearly seven decades but, still feels like it ended too soon.

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David Bowie In 1967

David Bowie In 1967 — David Bow in 1967. At this point, he was two years away from his breakthrough hit, “Space Oddity.” His first album failed to move the needle. Even after “Space Oddity” went No. 1 in the U.K., his follow-up, “The Prettiest Star,” flopped. Some drastic changes were needed.

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David Bowie In The 60s

David Bowie In The 60s — David Bowie, sometime in the 1960s. The hair and attitude reflected his approach to music at the time, which was more based in folk. He would later find success with psychedelia and glam.

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David Bowie In 1977

David Bowie In 1977 — David Bowie makes a rare television appearance as co-host in the last of this series of ‘MARC,’ in which Marc Bolan of T-Rex was the resident host. Both Bowie and Marc were known for popularizing glam rock, in a way that maintained rock’s hard edge along with its genderbending, glamor attitude.

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David Bowie As Ziggy Stardust

David Bowie As Ziggy Stardust — David Bowie performed as Ziggy Stardust at Earl’s Court in London, Brittain, in 1973. After veering towards glam in 1971 with ‘Hunky Dory,’ Bowie and his band released the landmark album, ‘The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars.’ This also introduced David’s first of many personas.

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David Bowie In 1979

David Bowie In 1979 — While David is best known as a musician, he was a talented actor of stage and screen. His performance in the Broadway production of ‘The Elephant Man’ received high praise. Here, he and Sydne Rome pose together as part of a ‘Just A Gigolo’ press conference.

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David Bowie In 1990

David Bowie In 1990 — David Bowie, outside the Rainbow Theatre, in 1990. David’s commercial highpoint was in the 1970s and 1980s. At the start of the ’90s, David was entering his late 40s and early 50s, and he shifted his perspective as an elder statesman of rock.

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David Bowie In 1983

David Bowie In 1983 — David’s most successful period was in 1983, following the release of his album, ‘Let’s Dance.’ The title track was his second No.1 on the U.S. charts, and he gained a whole new following in this whole new decade. However, the commercial success was stifling, and David later said he limited himself creatively while trying to appease the audience instead of himself.

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David Bowie In 1985

David Bowie In 1985 — David Bowie, sporting a mustache, appears in a promo photo for the 1985 film, ‘Into The Night.’ David’s filmography is known for his parts in ‘The Man Who Fel To Earl,’ ‘The Hunger,’ ‘Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence,’ and ‘Labyrinth.’ He also famously portrayed Andy Warhol in ‘Basquiat,’ and Nikola Tesla in ‘The PRestige.’

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David Bowie In ‘Labyrinth’

David Bowie In ‘Labyrinth’ — For many GenXers and elder millennials, David Bowie’s film legacy IS Jim Henson’s ‘Labyrinth.’ David, seen her holding Jennifer Connelly in the ballroom dream sequence, left quite an impression on many with the 1986 classic.

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David Bowie In 1976’s ‘The Man Who Fell To Earth’

David Bowie In 1976’s ‘The Man Who Fell To Earth’ — A cult classic and arguably, an underrated sci-fi gem, ‘The Man Who Fell To Earth’ depicts David as an alien who crash lands on Earth. For many, Bowie was always alien, exotic, and mysterious in his ways.

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David Bowie In ‘The Man Who Fell To Earth’

David Bowie In ‘The Man Who Fell To Earth’ — David Bowie was also a style icon. While he’s wearing a costume for ‘The Man Who Fell To Earth’ here, this is not beyond what he would normally wear in his life. It’s why he plays an authority figure in the fashion-comedy, ‘Zoolander.’

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David Bowie & Iman In 1990

David Bowie & Iman In 1990 — Iman and David Bowie at the 7th Sale AIDS Benefit Charity Fundraiser in 1990. Iman and Bowie married in 1992. They welcomed their only child, daughter Lexi, in 2000.

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Bowie, Jagger, & Iman In 1992

Bowie, Jagger, & Iman In 1992 — Iman, David Bowie & Mick Jagger share a laugh at the ‘Freejack’ premiere in Los Angeles in 1992. David and Mick would famously team together for a cover of ‘Dancing In The Streets.’

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Bowie In ‘Twin Peaks’

Bowie In ‘Twin Peaks’ — David Bowie and David Lynch — a match made in heaven. David appeared in ‘Twin Peaks – Fire Walk With Me’ in 1992, one of his latter-era film roles.

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David Bowie In 1995

David Bowie In 1995 — David Bowie dons a alt and pepper sweater in 1995. He was sipping on tea.

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David Bowie Plays London In 1995

David Bowie Plays London In 1995 — David Bowie in concert in London’s Wembley Arena in 1995. He was in the moment.

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David Bowie In 1996

David Bowie In 1996 — David Bowie plays The Brit Awards in 1996. He had a prim starched collar like a priest during the performance.

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David Bowie Gets A Star On The Walk of Fame

David Bowie Gets A Star On The Walk of Fame — David Bowie gets a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in 1997. He had spiky red locks at the time.

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David Bowie In 1999

David Bowie In 1999 — David Bowie smiles during a 1999 press conference. He had on little plum-tinted Lennon glasses and shaggy locks.

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David Bowie At Glastonbury 2000

David Bowie At Glastonbury 2000 — David Bowie takes the stage at the 2000 Glastonbury Rock Festival in Pilton, Somerset, England. Harkening back to his hippie days, he wore a wild patterned coat with wavy locks.

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David Bowie Plays In 2002

David Bowie Plays In 2002 — David Bowie gets the crowd going during his ‘Meltdown’ concert at London’s Royal Festival Hall on Jun. 29, 2002. He looked sharp in a three-piece suit worn without a tie.

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David Bowie Smiles

David Bowie Smiles — Doing what he loves the most. David Bowie beams while playing guitar.

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