David Bowie Loses His Battle To Cancer At 69

LONDON (CelebrityAccess) — Rock legend David Bowie has died after a battle with cancer.

"David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18-month battle with cancer. While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief," read a statement posted on the artist`s official social media accounts.

Bowie had not previously disclosed that he was battling cancer and released his most recent album "Blackstar" on his 69th birthday, just two days before he passed.

With a career spanning 4 decades, Bowie enjoyed his first commercial success with his 1969 release "Space Oddity" with the single of the same name hitting #5 on the UK Singles Chart, released just a few days before the Apollo 11 moon mission.

Bowie's success continued with fourth album "Hunky Dory", which featured hits such as "Changes" and "Life on Mars" however, he didn't achieve breakout recognition until his 1972 release "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars", a concept album that matched Japanese themes with art theatre.

Bowie's first major crossover success in the U.S. came with the single "Fame" off of the album "Young Americans" which hit #1 on the US Hot 100 chart.

While perhaps best known for his period as a glam rocker, Bowie never let himself be constrained by genre, exploring musical styles ranging from art rock and soul to punk and electronica over the coure of his career.

Bowie's final tour was his 2003–04 Reality Tour and his final live appearance was a performance at a charity event in 2006.

"David Bowie was one of the all-time greats. He was an enormously adventurous and groundbreaking artist who remains as iconic and relevant today as at any time in his legendary career. His transcendent work has influenced countless musicians and captivated generations of fans around the world. Today we mourn the loss of a special member of the Sony Music family and join fans everywhere in remembering him on this sad day for music," said Sony Music Chairman and CEO Doug Morris.

Neil Portnow, president and CEO of The Recording Academy noted that Bowie was "truly a Renaissance man and visionary artist with extraordinary talent as a singer, songwriter, performer, actor and producer." He said that the singer was a "musical hero to millions." He is remembered for "his audacious approach to pushing creative boundaries and ability to reinvent himself time and time again."

Guy Oseary, artist manager: "David Bowie… His music is a big part of my life.. My favorite song of all time is "Under Pressure" Bowie/Queen.. You will be missed.. Thank you for all that you gave us and left behind.. We are grateful for your art.. Rest in Peace." – Staff Writers