It’s been ten years since the world lost David Bowie, and the echoes of his influence still reverberate through music, art, and pop culture. On January 10, 2026, fans, friends, and fellow artists paused to remember a figure whose chameleon-like ability to take on any genre made him a singular force in the history of modern music, as highlighted by BuzzFeed.
Bowie’s legacy is not just in the songs he wrote or the personas he created, but in the countless lives he touched—sometimes in small, intimate moments, sometimes in grand, career-defining gestures. His wife, Iman, offered a glimpse of his character in an interview with InStyle, recalling, “The first week we met, we were walking down the street, and my shoelaces came undone. And he got to his knees and tied my shoelace. That is my perfect person. But let's not ignore also the big gestures, like the perfect croc Birkin bag. I got both.”
For many, Bowie was more than an idol—he was a lifeline. Iggy Pop, reflecting in The New York Times, described their friendship as transformative: “The friendship was basically that this guy salvaged me from certain professional and maybe personal annihilation — simple as that. A lot of people were curious about me, but only he was the one who had enough truly in common with me, and who actually really liked what I did and could get on board with it, and who also had decent enough intentions to help me out. He did a good thing.”
His generosity wasn’t limited to friends. Tina Turner shared a story with Female First about a pivotal moment in 1983: “We were on the same label, but the decision had been taken not to re-sign me. David, however, had just had his contract renewed by Capitol, who wanted to take him out to dinner that night in New York to celebrate. 'I'm sorry,' he told them, 'but I'm going to the Ritz to see my favorite singer perform.' And that was me... It was because of David that I got another deal, and everything else followed. I'll be ever thankful to him.”
Bowie’s impact stretched across genres and generations. Lady Gaga, in a candid conversation with NPR, declared, “I feel like my whole career is a tribute to David Bowie.” For Madonna, Bowie’s artistry was a beacon during her formative years. Recalling her first concert at Detroit’s Cobo Arena, she wrote on Facebook, “I never felt like I fit in growing up in Michigan. Like an oddball or a freak... I was so inspired by the way he played with gender confusion. Was both masculine and feminine. Funny and serious. Clever and wise. His lyrics were witty ironic and mysterious... His music was always inspiring, but seeing him live set me off on a journey that, for me, I hope will never end.”
Artists who worked with Bowie often found him prepared, supportive, and always a step ahead. Scarlett Johansson, speaking to Interview magazine, recounted her awe when Bowie joined her in the recording studio: “According to Dave, Bowie came in totally prepared with the sheet music and everything. He already knew what parts he was going to sing. I just, you know, basically peed myself when I found out.”
Prince, who performed a cover of “Heroes” after Bowie’s death, summed up his impression simply: “I only met him once. He was nice to me. He seemed like he was nice to everybody.”
For Mick Jagger, memories of the 1980s New York scene are forever tied to Bowie. He told Rolling Stone, “We were very close in the eighties in New York. We’d hang out a lot and go out to dance clubs. We were very influenced by the New York downtown scene back then. That’s why ‘Let’s Dance’ is my favorite song of his — it reminds me of those times, and it has such a great groove. He had a chameleon-like ability to take on any genre, always with a unique take, musically and lyrically.”
Bowie’s influence was not only artistic but practical. Debbie Harry of Blondie told The Guardian, “Touring with him took us from being a very New York-based cult band into being possibly a real international music source.”
Even those who never collaborated directly with Bowie felt his presence. Elton John, in a Sirius XM interview, recalled, “When I heard 'Space Oddity,' I thought it was the most incredible record I had probably heard for a long time up to that point. And the production and the arrangement of that song, I said, ‘Whoever did that, I really want to work with them.’”
Producers and musicians alike cite Bowie as a creative catalyst. Timbaland, discussing the origins of Justin Timberlake’s “SexyBack” with Entertainment Weekly, said, “I was listening to a lot of [David] Bowie at that time—Ziggy Stardust and Diamond Dogs—and I played 'Rebel Rebel' over and over again, like, 15 times the day before I wrote anything for 'SexyBack.'”
Luther Vandross’s big break came while working with Bowie during the recording of “Young Americans” in 1974. As he remembered, “At the time, [Carlos Alomar] was playing for a strange young Englishman called David Bowie who wore makeup and sometimes even dresses.”
For Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, a Bowie collaboration was the ultimate validation. He told Rolling Stone, “By the early nineties, as I found myself onstage with an audience, I was in full-obsession mode with Bowie. I read into all the breadcrumbs he’d put out — the clues in his lyrics that reveal themselves over time, the cryptic photographs, the magazine articles — and I projected and created what he was to me. His music really helped me relate to myself and figure out who I was. He was a tremendous inspiration in terms of what was possible, what the role of an entertainer could be, that there are no rules. Then, in the mid-nineties, he reached out to me and said, 'Let’s collaborate and do a tour together.' It’s hard to express how validating and surreal the whole experience of the Outside tour was — to actually meet this man in the flesh and find out, to my delight, that he passed any expectation I had. The fact that he was this graceful, charming, happy, fearless character became a new point of inspiration for me.”
Others, like Bruce Springsteen, recalled Bowie’s early support. At a 2016 show, Springsteen honored Bowie, saying, “He supported our music way, way back in the very beginning, 1973. He rang me up, and I visited him in Philly when he was making the Young Americans record. He covered some of my music and was a big supporter of ours.”
Ice Cube, reflecting on Bowie’s genre-blending style, told Rolling Stone, “He was such an innovator, and his songs were phenomenal. I remember when I first heard 'Fame' on the radio, I thought he was Black. It was so funky!”
Brian May, guitarist of Queen, remembered the creative tension that came with working alongside Bowie on “Under Pressure,” telling Total Guitar, “David was an awesome creative force. But you can’t have too many awesome creative forces in the same room. It starts to get very difficult! Something has to give.”
Sometimes, Bowie’s interactions were simply playful. Hugh Jackman, speaking to the BBC, shared a story from the set of The Prestige: “David's face started to glaze over a little bit at this point, and I was wishing I could take the story back. He said: 'And...' I had to tell him that I sold them. From that moment, he called me 'the scalper,' and he wanted at least 50% of my profit!”
Kate Bush, in The Guardian, summed up what many felt: “David Bowie had everything. He was intelligent, imaginative, brave, charismatic, cool, sexy, and truly inspirational both visually and musically. He created such staggeringly brilliant work, yes, but so much of it, and it was so good. There are great people who make great work, but who else has left a mark like his? No one like him... He was ours. Wonderfully eccentric in a way that only an Englishman could be.”
Lenny Kravitz, echoing the sentiment of an entire generation of musicians, wrote on Facebook, “This man changed my life. I'd have to write a book to describe what he meant to me. I would not be here without his influence on my life. The fact that I got to know him and make music with him is a blessing from God in the highest order. What he gave the world with his art is immeasurable.”
Ten years on, David Bowie’s legacy is as vital as ever—alive in the words, music, and memories of those he inspired, collaborated with, and befriended along the way. His ability to reinvent, to inspire, and to connect remains unmatched, a testament to a life lived fearlessly and creatively.
