DAVID BOWIE Released His Final Album ‘BLACKSTAR’ This Day 9 Years Ago On His 69th Birthday

Back in time

8 January 2026

The late genius released his 26th and final album BLACKSTAR, stylised as ★,
on 8 January 2016, today, 10 years ago, on his 69th birthday. Two days later,
David Bowie passed away due to cancer.

The LP was recorded secretly in New York City with his longtime
co-producer Tony Visconti, and a group of local jazz musicians.

The artwork for Blackstar was designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, who
was also the artist who came up with the covers of other Bowie LPs.
Heathen (2002), Reality (2003) and The Next Day (2013). The cover’s
star image is credited to NASA in the CD booklet.

The record topped the charts in almost every country worldwide.

Pitchfork wrote (on Jan 7th, 2016): “Blackstar has David Bowie embracing his status
as a no-fucks icon, clutching onto remnants from the past as exploratory jazz and the
echos of various mad men soundtrack his freefall. This tortured immortality is no gimmick: Bowie will live on long after the man has died. For now, though, he’s making the most of his latest reawakening, adding to the myth while the myth is his to hold.”
Full review here

Still goosebumps when listening to this stunning opus.

SINGLE

ALBUM


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Linktree – All Albums

DAVID BOWIE Released The Title Track Of His Final Album ‘BLACKSTAR’ Today 10 Years Ago

Top singles from the past

19 November 2025

Late musical genius DAVID BOWIE released his 25th and final album Blackstar, on
8 January 2016, on his 69th birthday. Two days later, he passed away due to cancer.

At the time of recording, Bowie was already very ill. The LP was recorded secretly in New York City with his longtime co-producer Tony Visconti and a group of local jazz musicians.

The title track, stylised as ★ was released on 19 November 2015, today 10 years ago.

An elliptical, multi-faceted, and cryptic masterpiece. At 9:58, it was his second-longest recording, behind the ‘Station To Station’ song.

It lasted originally more than 11 minutes long, but after Bowie and Visconti learned that iTunes would not allow tracks for individual sale which lasted longer than 10 minutes.

Visconti: “That was total bullshit, but David was adamant it be the single, and he didn’t want both an album version and a single version, since that gets confusing.

I can’t answer why (I’m a blackstar)
Just go with me (I’m not a filmstar)
I’ma take you home (I’m a blackstar)
Take your passport and shoes (I’m not a popstar)
And your sedatives, boo (I’m a blackstar)
You’re a flash in the pan (I’m not a marvel star)
I’m the Great I Am (I’m a blackstar)

Instagram – Linktree – All Albums