His decades-spanning career and frequent musical reinventions have deeply shaped today’s pop-music landscape, and his legacy is apparent in even artists whose music sounded nothing like his. Below, a look at what Bowie will be most remembered for—and its lasting influence:
HIS ANDROGYNY AND SEXUALITY
Bowie declared himself bisexual in a Playboy interview in 1976, and while he would later back away from the label, his androgyny and sexual fluidity—especially at a time when those ideas weren’t as accepted as they are now. American Idol alum Adam Lambert called Bowie a “key inspiration” writing for Out in 2013. “It was about the androgyny of mixing it up, and that was what was so incredible about his concepts—he was one of the first rock stars to really push the idea that sexuality was not black and white but an exploration,” Lambert wrote.
HIS EVER-CHANGING IMAGE
The fashion world has often paid tribute to Bowie’s colorful style, and his various alter-egos and stage personas have influenced the work of top designers as well as pop stars like Lady Gaga. In her early days, she used to paint a thunderbolt on her face to pay tribute to Bowie, and the recent Golden Globe winner also referenced him when she posed on the cover of V magazine in 2013 as one of her own alter egos.
SHOWMAN
“If there’s one thing I got from David Bowie, it’s that you can be a shapeshifter and never be pinned down; if people get the same thing from you every time, that’s actually disappointing.”
CHANGES
A Whimsical Journey on Artists Today
Throughout the course of their musical career, David Bowie has won over the hearts of music lovers from all walks of life. Performing at a variety of venues, making dozens of appearances, all the while recording new singles, David Bowie has earned the admiration and affection of countless fans, serving as both inspiration
and role model.