David Bowie in 1983. Photo: AFP
Legendary musician David Bowie, who has died at age 69, is being hailed as one of the most innovative and influential musicians of his time.
Fans, musicians and politicians have paid tribute to the legendary rock star who has died 18 months after being diagnosed with cancer.
The Rolling Stones said they were shocked and deeply saddened, hailing Bowie as "an extraordinary artist, and a true original."
Friend and collaborator Iggy Pop tweeted that their friendship was the light of his life, and that he had never met such a brilliant person.
Singer Madonna said she was devastated, and that Bowie changed her life, while Queen drummer Roger Taylor described him as "the cleverest and most interestingly brilliant man of our time."
Kanye West also took to Twitter to offer his condolences, adding that he saw Bowie as one of his most "important inspirations".
Hip-hop musician Kendrick Lamar, who was credited as an influence on Bowie's new record, also responded to the news. "What a honor, what a soul. David Bowie, Spirit of Gold. RIP," he said.
The German government added its accolade, thanking Bowie for his role in "helping to bring down" the Berlin Wall and linking to the track Heroes. Bowie who lived in Berlin in the 1970s returned in 1987 to give a concert close to the wall.
Bowie's wife, the former supermodel Iman, has remained silent since news of his death, but in the days leading up to the announcement she posted a series of emotional posts on social media, including "The struggle is real, but so is God" and "Sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory."
His son with first wife Angela Bowie , film director Duncan Jones wrote on Twitter, "Very sorry and sad to say it's true. I'll be offline for a while. Love to all."
Flowers and tributes are left beneath a mural of David Bowie painted by Australian street artist James Cochran, aka Jimmy C, in Brixton, South London. Photo: AFP
In London, fans have been laying flowers at a makeshift memorial to Bowie in the Brixton area where he was born.
Former RNZ reporter Craig McCulloch in Brixton said crowds of people had visited a mural of the star to pay tribute since the news of his death broke.
David Bowie released his 25th and final album Blackstar just last Friday - on his birthday. It appears to be full of symbolism that suggests he was saying goodbye.
The album's lyrics are cryptic but poignant, with lines such as "Look up here, I'm in heaven, I've got scars that can't be seen."
The album was intended as a "parting gift" to the world, according to long-time friend and producer Tony Visconti.
"He made Blackstar for us, his parting gift.
"I knew for a year this was the way it would be. I wasn't, however, prepared for it. He was an extraordinary man, full of love and life. He will always be with us."
Born David Jones in London on January 8 1947, Bowie released 26 studio albums across his almost 50-year career, including a string of 10 LPs in the 1970s that are among the most influential albums of all time.
His first hit, 1969's ‘Space Oddity’, told the story of an astronaut, Major Tom, and was released in time to coincide with the Apollo 11 launch.
He followed that up with a string of albums that defined the ostentatious, androgynous glam rock sound of the early 1970s, before The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars made him an international star.
The persona of Ziggy Stardust - a doomed bisexual alien rock star wearing outrageous costumes and with a shock of bright red hair - catapulted him to huge fame.
LISTEN: The Sampler Summit - David Bowie
Among his many hits were ‘The Man Who Sold the World’, ‘Life on Mars’, ‘Heroes’, ‘Ashes To Ashes’, ‘Modern Love’, ‘Changes’ and ‘Let's Dance’.
The 1980s saw him combine his pop career with appearances in films including Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence, Absolute Beginners and Labyrinth.
Otago University music lecturer and 'Bowie scholar' Ian Chapman said the singer was a champion for the outsider who showed generations of fans that being different was a good thing.
"Particularly for the generation who discovered him in the early '70s when he was at his most potent, he was the figure in popular music for a whole generation of people. And unlike many artists he's reinvented himself on so many occasions and brought new audiences in and kept that potency."
A version of this story was first published on radionz.co.nz.