David Bowie, the iconic British artist known for breaking boundaries and re-inventing himself over the course of his 40-year career, has died of cancer at the age of 69.
A statement posted to Bowie's Facebook page said the star died peacefully on Sunday, surrounded by his family after an 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," the statement said.
David Bowie performs during a concert celebrating his 50th birthday, at Madison Square Garden in New York on Jan. 9, 1997. (AP / Ron Frehm)
Bowie's death comes days after he released his latest album. "Blackstar" was released on Friday, which was also Bowie's 69th birthday.
After initially breaking onto the U.K. charts with his 1969 single, "Space Oddity," Bowie re-emerged as his alter ego Ziggy Stardust with the release of his 1972 album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.
A statement posted to Bowie's Facebook page said the star died peacefully on Sunday, surrounded by his family after an 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," the statement said.
David Bowie performs during a concert celebrating his 50th birthday, at Madison Square Garden in New York on Jan. 9, 1997. (AP / Ron Frehm)
Bowie's death comes days after he released his latest album. "Blackstar" was released on Friday, which was also Bowie's 69th birthday.
After initially breaking onto the U.K. charts with his 1969 single, "Space Oddity," Bowie re-emerged as his alter ego Ziggy Stardust with the release of his 1972 album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.
