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DAVID BOWIE’S DEATH from cancer this week has struck a note with Irish fans.
The legendary singer, who died on Monday aged 69, released his latest album Blackstar last Friday and this week’s Irish charts feature no fewer than 13 Bowie singles.
The Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) reports that Bowie’s songs were streamed over one million times this week, and he has 13 of the top 100 songs in Ireland this week.
Heroes is the highest entry, coming in at 29, with Starman, Let’s Dance, Life on Mars, Space Oddity and Lazarus, the lead single from Blackstar, also in the top 50.
In the UK, the Official Charts Company says Bowie records have been bought even more.
Ten of the late icon’s albums command one quarter of this week’s album chart top 40, and there are 19 Bowie entries in the albums top 100.
Of Blackstar’s 150,000 UK sales, 94,000 were physical purchases, 50,000 were downloads and 12,000 were vinyl.
A combined total of 622,511 Bowie records (single and albums) were sold in the UK this week.
Blackstar, released just days before Bowie’s death, is also top of the charts in Australia and could become Bowie’s first-ever Billboard number 1 in the US.
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The lad was a musical genius.Nowadays we have the likes of Simon Cowell bringing the death of music with all his manufactured crap,lads singing lullabies for ten year olds becoming multi millionaires.The true stars are sadly disappearing fast.I’ll admit I never listened to Bowie but this week I listened to a few of his hits and appreciated the talent he had.
But amongst all that manufactured crap great music is still brought out its just buried a little deeper .. Tame impalas album currents ,Courtney barnetts album , kendrick Lamar to pimp a butterfly and chvrches album all came out last year and were absolute quality so great music is been produced and that’s just a few off the top of my head
What about Ed Sheeren you couldn’t call him manufactured? Great young artist.
Jesus fcukin wept…. Ed Sheeren!?! …. Musical wallpaper….
The listen to”The fall and rise of Ziggy Stardust” good starting point.
Barry, the interview ends about 1min 30 in but it’s some truly bizarre early Bowie.Sounds a little like Cliff Richard tbh but give it a go.. https://youtu.be/ejPQ6po_wkU
That’s back in the 60s, he had a band “King bees” and started recording on the “Pye label, he wasn’t an over night success, worked hard, and came into his self with “Space Odditey” my fav album.
Thanks
It’s always interesting to see how the greats started out though.
I seriously feel like I have lost a family member, a favourite uncle or some such
Been listening and watching a lot of his videos and live performances this week
He was a one off never to be repeated
Which family member?
He said “a favourite uncle or some such”, Neal – try to keep up. His post was only 3 lines long.
Been playing his best of album all week at work.
Dave fanning 2fm now
Just went to listen on 2FM but they want me to disable addblocker so I’m listening to Bowie on the BBC instead.
The renaissance of music is drawn to an end, Bowis death has just about closed that period in our civlilization, This has been the golden age of music, started with The Beatles, U2 are now holding the torch.
Weve had a renaissance of Architecture, Art. Ect, through history,
Not to say there isnt any great talent out there, but now its changed.
This has been a period of music that will for hundreds of years from now be looked back as “The Golden Age of Sound.
The corporations have hijacked and are now in full control over music, manufactored “Shit”.
Im glad i was born in 1960, to have Bowie and all the other great bands as a sound track to my life, it was brilliant.
I will miss Bowie so much, I know the man will R.I.P,
Also he was a lovely nice down to earth gentleman, seen him many times, and now so disapointed that I wont see him again.
I urge younger generations out there to listen to him now.
U2?
Have faith Barry – there are real bands creating new music all the time – I heard one of the big groups with good album Radiohead are due to release and tour this year – There are pockets of great new music from smaller bands not on the scale of Bowie – check out the new indie music on spotify – To quote yourself I urge the older generations to try out foals, doves, tame impalas, midlakes, interpols, field music, metronomy etc etc
The rennaissance will continue but i understand you are in mourning. An remember turn your amp up to 11 ;-)
Thank You Very much for your reply,
Yes, I Adore radiohead and most of the bands you mentioned, and I know there’s amazing talent out there,
But it’s a different thing to the era of Bowie, stones, Beatles,
It’s mainly the outlets, and the whole vibe of the thing, that’s really different,
“In Rainbows” is one of my all time favourite albums, and delighted to hear they are coming out with a new album.
FFS Barry will you give it over. Ur way OTT. Renaissance over & U2 holding the torch. Your comments are vomit inducing.
And rightly so, his music was so diverse, a genius at work
I can’t believe “Starman” isn’t Number 1 :(
I’d find it hard to pick a favourite album, he has so many great ones. I’d say Heroes is my favourite song though, just about. I think it’s an absolutely incredible piece of work, proof that rock music can be art.
Those sales figures for Blackstar work out at CD 60%, Download 32%, LP 8%.
The “nobody buys physical formats anymore” mantra is bullsh*t.
Don’t forget the other 500% torrented, when I pay for music I want a hard copy.
Can’t believe Starman has departed from us. :( If ( and it’s s big IF…) there is anything beyond this life, David will find a way to let us know. Right…?
He doesn’t need to Anne, his musical legacy transcends time and life and death.
Cant Beleive I just spelt his name wrong, Apologies “Bowie”
Agree with all of that post except for the U2 bit.
Finding it hard also this week. The world is a duller place without him. Was trying to think of my favourite album / song all week. Impossible, there are too many. But heard the full version of Absolute Beginners the other day in the car and it brought me to tears. Had to pull in. His loss is huge. He was one of a kind, never to be repeated.
Nice too hear, he really is worth a listen.
Jackson may have been the King of Pop, and Elvis the King of Rock and Roll, but Bowie was the God of Rock, and it doesn’t get much better than that.
His appeal to stright white middle aged men is something i have never seen before!
Really? Do you have a thing for straight white middle class men then or something?
Strange that Bowie’s reputation has survived his liaison with Lori Lightning.
Strange how Bowie’s reputation has not been subject to scrutiny regarding his liaison with Lori Maddox/Lori Lightening.
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