A hugely influential figure in music, fashion and pop culture, and a household name throughout much of the world, David Bowie's illustrious career began in 1969 with the hit "Space Oddity." Though Bowie, born David Robert Jones, had fronted a string of unsuccessful bands from the age of 15 into his mid-20s, it soon became apparent that a solo career was his road to fame, and after changing his name as well as studying with a mime troupe, Bowie felt ready to embark on this solo venture. Though Bowie was met with mixed reviews for his continuous persona changes, from the androgynous Man Who Sold the World to his glamorous alter ego Ziggy Stardust, he owns a legacy of fearlessness and innovation that no other rockstar living or dead will ever be able to replicate, and up until his sudden death in 2016, Bowie continued to reinvent his style. He left the world with the 2016 album Blackstar, released on his 69th birthday and only two days before his death.
