Music is a universal language. From the moment David Bowie appeared in the music industry, he was destined to change the fabric of the traditional music world forever. He was an alien of his industry, influencing artists such as The Smiths, Madonna, The Cure, Nirvana and Kayne West. Bowie left an indelible mark on the music industry and continues to inspire artists to this day.

History

Before the music, film and glamor, David Bowie was a spokesperson for the “Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men.” In a television appearance at the age of 17, he passionately defended the choice of having long hair.

Three years later, Bowie’s musical journey officially commenced.

The release of his self-titled LP, “David Bowie” marked the beginning of a musical career that would span almost five decades. His work in music, film, and fashion would significantly influence various genres of expression.

Bowie’s major breakthrough came in 1969 after the release of “Space Oddity,” which coincided with the Apollo 11 moon landing. This hit single established Bowie as a rising star. Throughout the 1970s, Bowie continued to push boundaries and challenge conventions with his music and image.

Eras/Androgynous

Facing the growing reality of late 1960s and early 1970s, the sun-drenched, denim-and-T-shirt, psychedelic flower power Woodstock era was a bygone fairy tale, explains Vouge. While Bowie was not alone alone in sensing a nationwide shift toward a reality-driven lifestyle, his translation and illumination of the darker forces whilst crafting otherworldly identities left a deep, unique, and lasting mark on history’s new era.

One of Bowie’s defining characteristics was his ability to consistently reinvent himself. In each era, Bowie ushered in a new distinct musical identity, accompanied by a visual identity. This allowed him the ability to seamlessly transition between genres and adapt his appearance to many of his iconic alter egos, such as Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, Halloween Jack, The Thin White Duke and Hunky Dory. 

His alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, was a flamboyant and androgynous rock star. Ziggy Stardust emerged from Bowie’s desire to move away from the hippie and denim image of 1960s rock. He desired to represent the era in a unique way that expressed the freedom in ideals at the time. Ziggy became a vessel that allowed him to embrace the concept of androgyny, which as a whole was relatively new, while challenging conventional notions of what a rock star should be. “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” showcased Bowie’s innovative songwriting and theatrical performances which would be a key part in his rise to fame. 

Bowie’s androgyny was a rare and precious gift. Journalist, Christina Cauterucci, noted the irrefutably erotic rock star… stirred the loins of both men and women, gay and straight alike. Cauterucci regards that it gave his audience avenues for exploring internal multitudes of presence, vitality and desire. Unlike other theatrical rockers and innovators of the ‘70s and ‘80s, no matter how outrageous the costumes and suits, Bowie’s music was bigger. His music was even more extraordinary than the outfits — it was a presence all on its own. 

Music

Bowie was an alien in music. He shifted personas from album to album, keeping fans and critics alike guessing, which brought a sense of showmanship and theatricality to his music.

Conceptual pop artists following Bowie owe many aspects of their work to his declaration. His impact on the pop industry altered the pathways of artists such as the Talking Heads, Blondie, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Marilyn Manson, Panic! At the Disco, the Killers and Lady Gaga. Although many of the aforementioned artists have taken creative liberties from Bowie’s arsenal, none has more deftly and dangerously balanced innovation, art, and artifice than Bowie himself.

Bowie played an essential role in glam rock as well. Although “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust” and the “Spiders From Mars and Aladdin Sane” ensured his long-term career, the glam rock genre owes him just as much. Most glam rockers are remembered as that — glam rockers. Bowie, however, produced two albums within the glam rock style while simultaneously transcending it. The albums are not just glam classics—they are rock classics. They’re singer-songwriter classics. They are forms of art. Due to his contributions to glam rock in the ’80s, it became an essential touchstone for metal artists in performance from Guns N’ Roses to Twisted Sister. While many late rock stars are rightly honored for their influence, Bowie occupies a higher historical tier entirely. His “The Man Who Sold the World” impacted hard rock and the ability to incorporate many contrasting elements in one song. Because of this, among rock stars, Bowie influenced more musical genres than anyone else, living or dead. 

In the late 1970s, Bowie moved to Berlin to collaborate with Brian Eno on the “Berlin Trilogy.” The albums were influenced by the electronic music emerging from the German capital at the time: including “Low,” “Heroes,” and “Lodger.” Bowie’s experimentation with the synthesizers and production techniques resulted in music way ahead of its time and influenced the future of electronic music. What he did was take the arty electronics of Kraftwerk and bring them to a comparatively mainstream audience. Creating not just timeless records, but records that seemingly exist almost entirely apart from time.

Then there’s folk. Just the publication of “Space Oddity” solidified his importance to folk-rock. But it didn’t stop there. David Bowie’s songs on “Hunky Dory” and “The Man Who Sold the World” furthered his impact on the “folk singer-songwriter realm.”

Bowie’s influence continued to reach the depths of early hip-hop and West Coast G-Funk. More directly, Bowie’s song “Fame” was sampled on a number of rap songs. Bowie additionally produced Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” which gave the song a funky, silky essense not visible on Reed’s non-Bowie material. Even more so,  Bowie’s collaboration with Queen in their “Under Pressure” single made an impact on R&B.

Bowie did an extraordinary job at blurring the lines of genres and opening minds around the globe. He normalized the abnormal, to aspire to high art, explore dream-like states of consciousness. Bowie was simultaneously terrifyingly and infinitely human. Additionally, his various personas have had an electrifying influence on teenage minds and will continue to inspire personal artistry and nonconformity until long after all of us are dead. Bowie’s ability to hold multiple personas, creative identities, and remain authentic to them is an idea he cultivated. Through his actions towards free expression and contributions to various music genres through persona, Bowie has created a legacy as an enigma of a rockstar. A person who’s music, style, and perspective left an unparalleled impact against the world.