R.I.P. David Bowie

Rock legend David Bowie has died. The Hollywood Reporter reports that Bowie passed away after a long battle with cancer, which was confirmed by his publicist. The news was then posted, shortly thereafter, on his official website.

“David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle with cancer,” the post reads. “While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.”

David Bowie’s career began in the 1960s first under his own name, David Jones, before he changed it to Bowie and transitioned from early mod rock sounds into the shape-shifting art rock that he pioneered throughout the 1970s on into the present. He took on many different identities throughout his career, from the title character of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars to Aladdin Sane.

Bowie just released his new album ★ (Blackstar) on January 8, on his 69th birthday.