16/06/2026
⚡ On this day in 1972, David Bowie unveiled The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, an album that would forever reshape the possibilities of rock performance, identity, and storytelling.
Bowie’s fifth studio album introduced the world to Ziggy Stardust: an otherworldly, androgynous rock icon sent to Earth as a messenger before its imagined end. Blurring the lines between character and creator, Bowie transformed the album into a fully realised piece of musical theatre where fashion, persona, and sound became one.
Featuring timeless tracks including 'Starman', 'Suffragette City' and 'Rock ’n’ Roll Su***de' the record marked Bowie’s breakthrough moment, reaching No. 5 on the UK Albums Chart and establishing him as one of the most visionary artists of his generation.
More than five decades later, Ziggy Stardust remains a landmark in popular culture - a work that challenged ideas of fame, gender, alienation and reinvention. It continues to inspire musicians, artists, designers, and performers around the world, standing as one of the defining albums of the 20th century.
Watch the performance that launched David Bowie to stardom. Thursda...