Birth of David Robert Jones
Birth of David Robert Jones, later known professionally as David Bowie.
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
David Bowie Biography and Timeline
Follow David Bowie through 63 dated historical records for Great Britain.
David Bowie, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
63Distinct records
1 of 2Page
1947–1981Years on this page
1947
1964
Liza Jane
Releases Liza Jane under the name Davie Jones with the King Bees, his first commercial single.
1966
Name Change
Adopts the stage name David Bowie to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of the Monkees.
1967
David Bowie
Releases his debut album David Bowie, showing theatrical pop and music hall influences before his later rock breakthrough.
1969
Marriage
Marries Angela Barnett, who becomes closely associated with his early 1970s public image and creative circle.
Space Oddity
Releases Space Oddity shortly before the Apollo 11 Moon landing.
Role range: 1969-1969
Space Oddity
Releases the album later known as Space Oddity, expanding his folk, rock and theatrical songwriting style.
Space Oddity
Releases the album later known as Space Oddity.
1970
The Man Who Sold the World
Releases The Man Who Sold the World in the United States, introducing a heavier rock sound with Mick Ronson.
1971
The Man Who Sold the World
Releases The Man Who Sold the World in Britain, marking an important step toward his glam and hard rock period.
Kooks
Becomes father to Duncan Jones, inspiring the song Kooks on Hunky Dory.
Hunky Dory
Releases Hunky Dory, including Changes, Life on Mars?, Queen Bitch and Oh! You Pretty Things.
Hunky Dory
Releases the album Hunky Dory.
The Man Who Sold the World
Releases the album The Man Who Sold the World in Britain.
1972
Starman
Releases Starman as a single, helping introduce the Ziggy Stardust persona to a wider British audience.
Ziggy Stardust
Releases The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, his breakthrough concept album.
Ziggy Stardust
Releases The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.
Top of the Pops
Performs Starman on Top of the Pops, creating one of the defining television moments of British glam rock.
Glam Rock
Describes glam rock as a useful category for his work while becoming one of its leading figures.
Ziggy Stardust
Creates the Ziggy Stardust persona, blending theatre, science fiction, glam rock and pop stardom.
1973
Aladdin Sane
Releases Aladdin Sane, the first album written and issued after the breakthrough of Ziggy Stardust.
Ziggy Stardust Retirement
Announces the end of Ziggy Stardust from the stage at Hammersmith Odeon, surprising many fans.
Pin Ups
Releases Pin Ups, an album of cover versions paying tribute to songs from his 1960s influences.
Aladdin Sane
Releases the album Aladdin Sane.
Pin Ups
Releases the covers album Pin Ups.
1974
Rebel Rebel
Releases Rebel Rebel, a guitar-driven single that becomes one of his last major glam rock statements.
Diamond Dogs
Releases Diamond Dogs, moving from glam rock toward dystopian themes and a more theatrical stage presentation.
Diamond Dogs
Releases the album Diamond Dogs.
1975
Young Americans
Releases Young Americans, shifting toward soul and funk influences during his Philadelphia soul period.
Fame
Fame tops the US singles chart, co-written by Bowie, John Lennon and guitarist Carlos Alomar.
Young Americans
Releases the album Young Americans.
1976
Station to Station
Releases Station to Station, introducing the Thin White Duke persona and bridging soul, rock and European art music.
The Man Who Fell to Earth
Stars as Thomas Jerome Newton in The Man Who Fell to Earth, his first major film role.
Station to Station
Releases the album Station to Station.
1977
Low
Releases Low, the first album of his Berlin-era trilogy and a major move toward electronic and ambient music.
1978
Stage
Releases Stage, a live album documenting his late-1970s touring band and Berlin-era material.
1979
Lodger
Releases Lodger, completing the Berlin trilogy with Brian Eno and Tony Visconti.
1980
Ashes to Ashes
Releases Ashes to Ashes, revisiting Major Tom and becoming a major UK number one single.
Scary Monsters and Super Creeps
Releases the album Scary Monsters and Super Creeps.
1981
Under Pressure
Releases Under Pressure with Queen, creating a major collaboration built around a memorable bass line.
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.