It’s difficult to imagine modern music without David Bowie. The shape-shifting artist has left a mark on pop culture, creating, of course, unforgettable fashion and style moments but also, most notably, the kind of rich songs that soundtrack the movie-trailer moments of our lives and lend themselves to both covers and spoofs. Without Bowie’s influence, it’s difficult to imagine artists like Lady Gaga and LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy — the former paid tribute to him at the Grammys after his passing; the latter remixed his track “Love Is Lost” and almost worked on Bowie’s final album — finding their current sounds.

And why shouldn’t his legacy endure? Even when he was at his most otherworldly (sup, Ziggy?), the uniting factor behind every one of Bowie’s songs was a glitter-covered sense of humanity. Even so, if you’re not already a fan, it can seem like a Herculean task to find an entry point to an artist with such a notable career. After all, he released more than 400 songs during his 50-year career, which is quite a playlist. Which is why, as we honor what would be his 75th birthday, his life, and the six years since his passing, we’ve narrowed David Bowie down (no easy feat, to be sure) to 10 notable moments that serve as a starter guide to getting to know Bowie. From alter egos to playful film roles to the world’s classiest goodbye, here’s why we’ll always love David Bowie.

Achieving his signature look

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Bowie circa 1966.

Long before the Brixton, London-born David Jones changed his name to David Bowie (so as to not be confused with Davy Jones of the Monkees), he achieved his signature mismatched eye color after being punched in the face by high school friend George Underwood. The fight — over a girl, naturally — resulted in four months of intense medical treatment and a permanently blown pupil. It did not, however, end the friendship. Bowie would later credit Underwood for giving him a layer of rock-star mystique and employed his design firm to create the artwork for both Hunky Dory and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars.

Floating in a most peculiar way

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Released the same month as Neil Armstrong’s and Buzz Aldrin’s historic moon walk, the 1969 single “Space Oddity” became Bowie’s first big cultural moment. The song not only hinted at the space themes to come, but introduced the character Major Tom, an astronaut turned junkie whom Bowie would revisit multiple times in songs throughout his career.

The rise, fall, and retirement of Ziggy Stardust

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David Bowie performs onstage during his "Ziggy Stardust" era in 1973 in Los Angeles.

On February 10, 1972, at a tiny pub in London, Ziggy Stardust played his first show. The red-haired, alien alter ego gave Bowie an outlet to fully embody the glam rock star he knew he could be — a brilliant stroke of irony since the accompanying album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust, is a rock opera about an alien rock star who comes to Earth to warn about the oncoming apocalypse … only to have his popularity serve as his undoing. Maybe Bowie heeded his own warning. After touring as the character for 18 months and releasing the loose follow-up, Aladdin Sane, he unexpectedly retired the character onstage at the Hammersmith Odeon in London.

Going to Berlin

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David Bowie in Berlin, Germany.

In 1976, Bowie moved to Berlin with the oft-designated Godfather of Punk, the Stooges’ frontman, Iggy Pop. (Bowie also briefly played keyboards in Pop’s band — despite being far more famous than his punk pal.) Bowie was addicted to cocaine and burned out, and the transcontinental relocation allowed him to regroup, kick the habit, and write three albums in short order: Low, Heroes, and Lodger. His label was horrified with the works, which would go on to be known as the Berlin Trilogy and notably lacked any of the pop hallmarks of Bowie’s previous hits. But assisted in their weirdness by collaborator Brian Eno, these releases represent Bowie at his most experimental, grabbing elements from the electronic, ambient, and rock worlds in the name of reinvention.

Getting cozy with Bing Crosby

In 1977, Bowie stopped by Bing Crosby’s Christmas special Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas. The mismatched pair bantered briefly about old and new music before performing “Little Drummer Boy,” mashed up with a new Christmas song called “Peace on Earth.” The odd yet heartwarming appearance had an even more bizarre backstory. As revealed by the The Washington Post, Bowie loved the idea of “normalizing” his career — but hated “The Little Drummer Boy.” So, hours before filming, show writers banged out an alternative, and Crosby and Bowie polished up the now-classic Christmas tune in under an hour.

Thriving under pressure

Bowie was extremely careful about whom he would collaborate with. (As revealed after his passing, he turned down working with Coldplay, telling them bluntly, “It’s not a very good song, is it?”) But despite his impeccable discernment, several acts made the cut, including Arcade Fire, who tapped him for vocals on their disco-pop album Reflektor, Mick Jagger who got him “Dancing in the Street,” and Queen, whom he partnered with to record the iconic single “Under Pressure.” For the latter, it wasn’t smooth sailing — just imagine putting two creative talents like Bowie and Freddie Mercury in the same room, both of whom fought for their ideas for so long, the release was almost held. But with their powers combined, they created what many consider one of the best pop anthems of all time.

Slipping into the Goblin King’s skin (and trousers)

Ever the creative polymath, Bowie had a fascinating acting career that ran parallel to his music career. His roles were legion: The Man Who Fell to Earth’s Thomas Jerome Newton, an alien who went looking for water for his home planet and found sex, booze, and a chambermaid instead; Nikola Tesla in The Prestige; and even Lord Royal Highness in SpongeBob — because why not? He even parodied his own untouchable coolness in Extras and Zoolander. But perhaps his most notable role came in 1986 when he slipped into Jareth the Goblin King’s oversized hair and ultra-tight pants for Labyrinth. While a young Jennifer Connelly fought her way through an M.C. Escher-like maze to save her brother from his clutches, he was given the best job of all: hanging out with Jim Henson puppets, singing catchy pop songs, and strutting his way into millennial children’s nightmares forever.

Headlining Glastonbury

In 2000, Bowie headlined Glastonbury, the iconic five-day musical festival that takes place in Pilton in England, and gave a career-spanning performance that many consider to be not only the best set the festival has ever hosted, but Bowie’s best set ever. In the past, he had assumed different personae or used elaborate stage props (see: the Glass Spider Tour, where he descended from the ceiling in — you guessed it — a glass spider). But after 15 years experimenting himself away from mainstream success, this was a spiritual homecoming — just a musical master on top of his game, with the hits to back up his (now) legendary status.

His disappearance and return

In 2004, Bowie had a heart attack onstage in Prague on what would sadly become his last tour. After emergency surgery and recovery, the musician (understandably) withdrew from public life for nine years — leaving a small but growing clutch of impersonators to take over on his behalf. That is, until 2013, when Bowie unexpectedly reemerged with The Next Day. With album artwork repurposed from Heroes and a track list that proved even on his 25th release he could still break new ground, it was the most welcome of returns.

Blackstar and his final goodbye

On January 8, 2016, David Bowie released Blackstar, only to pass away two days later. The timing felt particularly cruel. From album art that turned gold when placed in direct sunlight to music videos that killed off Major Tom and featured him lying in bed with buttons over his eyes, death is at the edges of every element of the wild, jazzy release. But rather than give in, Bowie embraced his final chapter, using it as inspiration to create a poignant final farewell.


Laura Studarus is a Los Angeles-based travel writer with bylines at Fast Company, BBC Travel, and Thrillist. Sometimes she can go several hours without a cup of tea. Follow her adventures on Twitter.

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