Fans have been flocking to social media to pay tribute to David Bowie on what would have been the legendary singer’s 75th birthday.
The highly influential musician, who died following an 18-month battle with cancer in 2016, was born David Robert Jones on January 8, 1947, in Brixton, London.
Bowie’s seismic impact on music and pop culture can never be overstated. His relentless innovation and reinvention was one of the great driving forces of modern music, which in turn inspired countless musicians across a vast tapestry of rock music which he helped weave as he went.
It wasn’t just music the starman influenced. His impact reached into fashion, performance art, film and sexual politics, which earned him legions of fans all over the world. Today (January 8), friends, entertainers and fans have been sharing stories, tributes, photographs and more to mark the the singer’s birthday.
Bowie’s widow Iman Abdulmajid took to Twitter to share a quote by Margaret Atwood: “I exist in two places, here and where you are.”
“Happy Birthday David Bowie, on what would have been his 75th birthday,” The Anchoress wrote in a tribute. “A lesson to anyone in how to constantly push forwards in your art, how to magpie like an artist, and how to always look to the future and bring it back into your present. An innovator, an icon. Much missed.”
Lenny Kravitz posted a photo of he and Bowie, accompanied by the caption: “Happy Birthday to The Thin White Duke.”
#imandaily Jan 8th #BowieForever pic.twitter.com/bRlQ0kJwX0
— Iman Abdulmajid (@The_Real_IMAN) January 8, 2022
Happy Birthday David Bowie, on what would have been his 75th birthday. A lesson to anyone in how to constantly push forwards in your art, how to magpie like an artist, and how to always look to the future and bring it back into your present. An innovator, an icon. Much missed 💔 pic.twitter.com/SAwNErFRUg
— The Anchoress (@The_Anchoress) January 8, 2022
Happy Birthday to The Thin White Duke @DavidBowieReal pic.twitter.com/bTuFbiUG0K
— Lenny Kravitz (@LennyKravitz) January 8, 2022
Paul Young shared a photo of he and Bowie alongside Bryan Adams, writing: “Remembering David Bowie today on what would have been his 75th birthday – he is greatly missed. I love this photo of us both with @bryanadams.”
“Remembering David Bowie on what would have been his 75th birthday: 8 January 2022. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Glass-Bowie-Eno trilogy of symphonies beginning with Low Symphony in 1992, and a conclusion with Lodger Symphony,” said composer Phillip Glass.
The official John Lennon Twitter account posted Bowie’s performance of ‘Fame’ with the Beatles legend on the Cher Show in 1975, writing: “Happy Birthday David Bowie.”
Remembering David Bowie today on what would have been his 75th birthday – he is greatly missed.
I love this photo of us both with @bryanadams pic.twitter.com/9sypyva1Em
— Paul Young (@PaulYoungParlez) January 8, 2022
Remembering David Bowie on what would have been his 75th birthday: 8 January 2022. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Glass-Bowie-Eno trilogy of symphonies beginning with Low Symphony in 1992, and a conclusion with Lodger Symphony pic.twitter.com/MJSC6WYlLI
— Philip Glass (@philipglass) January 8, 2022
Happy Birthday David Bowie
Here’s David performing ‘Fame’ on the Cher Show in 1975.
The song was written by John Lennon, David Bowie & Carlos Alomar.https://t.co/YQXCs4nSLe— John Lennon 🗽🍎 (@johnlennon) January 8, 2022
See more birthday wishes for the late rock icon below:
Happy birthday David Bowie. Who would have turned 75 today ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/ivPL7xl5f9
— Joe Black (@misterjoeblack) January 8, 2022
As someone from the #davidbowie estate told me a while ago, “David Robert Jones died on 10 January 2016, but David Bowie lives forever”. Happy Birthday to both of them. #bowie75 #DB75 @DavidBowieReal pic.twitter.com/Xmt8nSwLWj
— Matt Everitt (@matteveritt) January 8, 2022
Happy birthday David Bowie, king of Capricorns
— Astro Poets (@poetastrologers) January 8, 2022
@DavidBowieReal was born today.I honor him for a 1000 reasons. He raised the bar of music, sexuality, contemporary art & opened the door of experimentation to our culture.
His great intellect entertained & inspired us.This image is the day he died outside his home.⚡️ pic.twitter.com/j0PyFHI9T1— Michael Des Barres (@MDesbarres) January 8, 2022
happy birhtday Mr Bowie #davidbowie 👨🎤 pic.twitter.com/9AZhXnpliF
— Ara Malikian (@AraMalikian) January 8, 2022
david bowie celebrating his birthday with friends in 1976 pic.twitter.com/cLDW8KE62f
— BOWIE DAY (@bowiesource) January 8, 2022
Happy birthday @DavidBowieReal . We’re such huge fans, we had an exhibition on him in 2013.
Which Bowie are you today?
[Photograph of David Bowie, by Terry O’Neill, London, 1974] pic.twitter.com/XVh2EaqrJb
— V&A (@V_and_A) January 8, 2022
David Bowie performing at the Milton Keynes Bowl in 1983. pic.twitter.com/wge0eAQmoo
— Classic Rock In Pics (@crockpics) January 5, 2022
“I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.” – David Bowie, Innovator, Genius, Never Forgotten. pic.twitter.com/NQ5hjHxbYk
— Eric Alper 🎧 (@ThatEricAlper) January 8, 2022
David Bowie will forever be the brightest star and will shine on for eternity. Happy Heavenly 75th Birthday Starman. @allontheboard #DavidBowie #BowieForever #Bowie75 pic.twitter.com/bW4gWGQrm8
— All On The Board (@allontheboard) January 8, 2022
In honor of David Bowie’s birthday please go listen to “Let’s Dance” and enjoy @elclimo‘s very sweet tribute. pic.twitter.com/yfjubbnOqk
— Alex Palombo (@AlexPalombo) January 8, 2022
What better way to celebrate David Bowie’s birthday than a photo of him in front of a Hankyu train bound for Osaka’s Umeda. pic.twitter.com/bKME2R0BHG
— Brian Ashcraft (@Brian_Ashcraft) January 8, 2022
One of the greatest artists of the 20th century. David Bowie – the only one of his kind. Today would have been his 75th birthday. pic.twitter.com/trs7xVDYVd
— George StroumbouloPHÒulos 🐺 🇨🇦🇺🇦🇬🇷🇵🇱🇪🇬 (@strombo) January 8, 2022
Remembering #DavidBowie on his 75th birthday pic.twitter.com/bsWwbh0seV
— bvarphotos 📷 (@bvarphotos) January 8, 2022
In honor of what would’ve been David Bowie’s 75th birthday today it’s the perfect time to once again share him going in on MTV for not playing many Black artists back in 1983 pic.twitter.com/tH5LTXKGN6
— Wu-Tang Is For The Children (@WUTangKids) January 8, 2022
Happy David Bowie day ♥️ pic.twitter.com/M2SVtmE6sn
— Dr Nick Troop 💙🌹 🎵 (@NicholasTroop) January 8, 2022
It is obligatory to post David Bowie launching his birthday cake down a mountain on this day pic.twitter.com/cawkaiqm5l
— Crayon Jones (@CrayonToCrayon) January 7, 2022
Outro rei mago, hoje David Bowie faria 75 anos ♑ pic.twitter.com/8XWluaRerd
— Alexandre Matias (@trabalhosujo) January 7, 2022
David Bowie and Iggy Pop in Moscow, 1976. pic.twitter.com/E1uKRZftgW
— Classic Rock In Pics (@crockpics) January 7, 2022
Remembering David Bowie, born on this day in 1947. (Art by Tony Wright.) pic.twitter.com/uoY4nvPqjc
— Humanoid History (@HumanoidHistory) January 8, 2022
Happy birthday, Bowie 🖤 🖤 🖤 Here he is, on the set of Nicolas Roeg’s THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH (1976).
📸 “David Bowie, New Mexico” by Geoff MacCormack pic.twitter.com/YxKoDiXyFx
— Criterion Collection (@Criterion) January 8, 2022
David Bowie performing Space Oddity on The Kenny Everett New Year Show – first broadcast on this day in 1979 #HNY pic.twitter.com/R9MMpOpnRQ
— Birmingham 81 (@Birmingham_81) December 31, 2021
Born January 8th 1947. #DavidBowie hbday miss u every day pic.twitter.com/grwxB58x6A
— jose (@jostt92) January 8, 2022
The one and only Ziggy Stardust would have been 75 today. ✨ pic.twitter.com/jK0jZoEBnA
— Letterboxd (@letterboxd) January 8, 2022
David Bowie, who was born on this day in 1947, had an uncanny Mick Jagger impression pic.twitter.com/wIae8Vokgs
— The Vinyl Factory (@TheVinylFactory) January 8, 2022
Celebrating David Bowie, who would have turned 75 today. Pictured here in ‘The Man Who Fell to Earth’ (1976, Nicolas Roeg) and ‘Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence’ (1983, Nagisa Ōshima). pic.twitter.com/Bmwa28lJTJ
— Lost In Film (@LostInFilm) January 8, 2022
The great David Bowie was born this day in 1947 in Brixton, London, United Kingdom. pic.twitter.com/T4vYusrfrM
— Classic Rock In Pics (@crockpics) January 8, 2022
David Bowie would have been 75 today#BowieForever ★★★★★★ pic.twitter.com/7kkfnUTfKr
— Ziggypop (@BlackstarCorne1) January 8, 2022
in honor of david bowie’s birthday, my favorite celebrity interview moment ever pic.twitter.com/Tyk6HWz8GM
— matt (@mattxiv) January 8, 2022
Meanwhile, Madame Tussauds London have announced that they are to unveil a new figure of David Bowie in March 2022 – the second to feature at the Baker Street attraction.
On what would have been the late artist’s 75th birthday, Madame Tussauds have also released new images taken during Bowie’s 1983 sitting with their artists. Check them out here.