David Bowie released his final album, "Blackstar," on January 8, 2016, coinciding with his 69th birthday. He died two days later, on January 10, 2016, from liver cancer, a condition he had kept private for 18 months. Recorded while Bowie was aware of his terminal illness, "Blackstar" prompted widespread interpretation as a musical farewell. This period, along with Bowie's broader career and posthumous impact, has been explored in documentaries, analyses, and fan commemorations.
The Final Album: Release and Interpretation
"Blackstar" was released on David Bowie's 69th birthday, January 8, 2016. He passed away two days later, on January 10, 2016, due to liver cancer, a diagnosis he had not publicly disclosed for 18 months. The album was recorded during a period when Bowie was aware of his terminal illness.
The proximity of the album's release to his death led to "Blackstar" being widely interpreted as a musical "last will and testament." Producer Tony Visconti described it as both a "parting gift" and "a parting shot." By January 11, the album was largely recognized as Bowie's goodbye. Lyrics from songs like "I Can't Give Everything Away" were seen as final statements, addressing themes of guarded secrets and unexpressed emotions. The 10-minute title track "Blackstar" was released in November 2015 without prior announcement, while Bowie was undergoing chemotherapy.
Prior to Bowie's death, initial reviews of "Blackstar" focused on its experimental musical qualities and artistic innovation, with critics highlighting new artistic directions and complex soundscapes. The New York Times and The New Yorker reviewed the album with an emphasis on its artistic style rather than themes of mortality. The perceived gravity of "Blackstar" as a personal statement intensified significantly after Bowie's passing, with lyrics analyzed for hidden meanings, including potential references to a black star lesion associated with cancer, the hip-hop duo Black Star, or Elvis Presley's 1960 song "Black Star."
Despite the widespread interpretation of "Blackstar" as a final statement, close associates of Bowie indicated that he had not intended it to be his last album. Producer Tony Visconti stated that Bowie was planning future projects, including a follow-up to "Blackstar," shortly before his death. Director Ivo van Hove also noted Bowie's interest in a sequel to his musical, "Lazarus." Author Chris O’Leary suggested "Blackstar" was conceived as an artistic diversion, initially serving as a "hedge" against his health condition, with a hope that it would not be his last.
Creative Process and Themes
For "Blackstar," Bowie drew influences from artists such as D'Angelo and Kendrick Lamar, rather than revisiting past musical styles. He collaborated with jazz musicians, including Donnie McCaslin and his band, to explore new creative directions. The album features lyrical themes interpreted as reflecting a person facing the end of life and mourning loved ones, with specific references to his wife, Iman, and his children. It also revisits the Major Tom narrative, updating earlier works like "Space Oddity" and "Lazarus" with themes of a spaceman lost in space. The album concludes with a harmonica solo and includes musical ideas that Bowie would not live to pursue.
Concurrent with the album's creation, Bowie worked on the musical "Lazarus," which premiered in New York City in December 2015. Starring Michael C. Hall, the musical retold the story of "The Man Who Fell to Earth," depicting a spaceman trapped on Earth seeking to return home, and concluded with a rendition of "Heroes." Bowie had a history of releasing significant albums around his birthdays, a pattern continued with "Blackstar" on his 69th birthday.
"Bowie: The Final Act" Documentary
The documentary "Bowie: The Final Act," directed by Jonathan Stiasny, examines David Bowie's career with a particular focus on the recording of "Blackstar." The film positions "Blackstar" as an artistic resolution following various career phases and aims to offer a renewed perspective on Bowie's artistic journey.
The documentary traces Bowie's career from his 1983 Serious Moonlight tour, a period of significant mainstream recognition during which Bowie is quoted as expressing discomfort with his commercial success. It then covers his rock band Tin Machine, formed in the late 1980s, which received negative reactions from some fans and critics. Guitarist Reeves Gabrels discussed the band's artistic intentions within the film. Critic Jon Wilde recounted his negative review of Bowie during this period, stating Bowie reacted emotionally to it, while editor Dylan Jones described Tin Machine as "a really bad band, with a really bad name." The film also explores Bowie's musical explorations in the 1990s, including influences from rave culture and drum'n'bass.
Interspersed segments revisit earlier career milestones such as the termination of the Ziggy Stardust persona in 1973 and his work on "Young Americans" in 1975, which incorporated soul influences. The film explores Bowie's creative approach, suggesting he frequently engaged with other creators and cultural movements, forming deep connections, assimilating their contributions, and then moving on.
Contributors to the documentary include members of Bowie’s bands, personal friends, producers Tony Visconti and Goldie, novelist Hanif Kureishi, and musician Moby. Kureishi described Bowie's tendency to form intense relationships with individuals, absorb their perspectives, and then move on. Archival footage within the film includes images from the Ziggy Stardust era, stories from 1960s London and 1970s New York, and black-and-white footage of his first Glastonbury performance. Visual motifs such as supernovae, black holes, and black stars appear throughout the film, which also features footage of Bowie performing in Prague while experiencing pain, an indication of his advancing illness.
The documentary highlights Bowie's performance at the 2000 Glastonbury festival as a moment of reconnection with the public, where he performed a simplified version of "Life on Mars?," indicating an acceptance of his established body of work. This event is portrayed as a step towards self-acceptance, which the documentary suggests "Blackstar" completed. Bowie had previously withdrawn from public life following a heart attack in 2004, returning to music with "The Next Day" in 2013.
Posthumous Legacy and Fan Reactions
Following Bowie's death, extensive media coverage and public mourning occurred. "Blackstar" achieved commercial success, reaching no. 1 on the Billboard albums chart in the United States, a first for a Bowie LP. His death in 2016, alongside the passing of other notable musicians that year, contributed to a public sentiment regarding significant losses in the music world.
Bowie appeared on Forbes' posthumous celebrity rich list in 2016 and 2017. He reappeared in 2022, ranking No. 3 with $250 million, primarily due to the sale of his music publishing rights to Warner Chappell. While his music experienced a brief chart increase following his death (e.g., "Starman" reaching No. 18), his streaming performance is noted as lower compared to some peers, with "Under Pressure" (with Queen) being his only track in Spotify's "Billions Club."
The Bowie estate's strategy has included the release of expensive box sets and 13 live albums since his death, primarily targeting affluent middle-aged fans. Only one greatest hits album, "Legacy (The Very Best of David Bowie)," was released in November 2016. The estate endorsed Brett Morgen's 2022 "Moonage Daydream" documentary and "Bowie: The Final Act," but refused to license music for the 2021 "Stardust" biopic. "Bowie 75" celebrations in 2021 included pop-up shops.
A significant initiative is the David Bowie Centre, opened at the V&A East Storehouse in London, housing 80,000 items from his career. The V&A director described it as a "new sourcebook for the Bowies of tomorrow." However, the estate's engagement with NFTs in 2022 and 2023, and the sale of merchandise often featuring the "Aladdin Sane" flash, have prompted discussions regarding the future innovation and assurance of his legacy.
Fans continue to commemorate Bowie's legacy, with annual gatherings at the Starman memorial in Brixton, south London, marking anniversaries of his death. Some fans have expressed a deep personal connection to Bowie and recounted the impact of his passing. Julian Furnival and Laura Hough, attendees at the Brixton memorial, noted their hesitation to listen to "Blackstar" due to its solemn nature and Bowie's reported pain during its creation.