If David Bowie were still alive, he would have turned 80 in a few months, and London is getting ready to celebrate his long-lasting legacy.
David Bowie fans are organizing a number of events in London to commemorate the legendary musician. David Bowie, recognized as one of the most influential artists of all time, would have turned 80 on Thursday, 8 January.
David Bowie passed away on 10 January 2016 at the age of 69, after a fight against cancer for 18 months. Fans all over the world were shocked when they heard the news of the artist’s death.
This year and next year, this significant milestone will be celebrated with a global commemorative event called ‘Bowie 80’ , which will feature special events, album releases, collaborations and fan experiences throughout 2026 and 2027.
It’s already playing a key role in the celebrations with a captivating Bowie experience held at King’s Cross in London and a special event featuring people who knew the artist personally.
Following this, you’ll find a list of all events currently taking place and those scheduled for the near future to celebrate the famous rock star’s birthday.
The House Where Bowie Grew Up
One of the most impressive new Bowie locations in London will be the musician’s childhood home in Bromley.
The terraced house where Bowie lived from age of eight to twenty is being restored by the Heritage of London Trust and is expected to open in late 2027.
The two up- two down railway workers’ cottage will be restored to its appearance in the early 1960s, and the interior layout will be reconstructed using previously unseen archive material.
The project will focus particularly on the small bedroom, measuring 2,7 meters by 3 meters, where Bowie spent much of his youth, during which time he developed his creativity and musical instruments.
A donation of £500,000 from the Jones Day Foundation has already been secured for the restoration, and efforts to secure further funding are ongoing.
The house is situated close to the Edwardian Music Hall where it was first staged in 1969 and which was restored in 2024 by Bromley Council and the Heritage of London Trust.
David Bowie: You’re Not Alone
The most significant Bowie exhibition currently running in London is ‘David Bowie: You’re Not Alone’ , on show at Lightroom in King’s Cross.
Using a 360-degree immersive show, archive footage , rare interviews , photographs , drawings, song lyrics and personal notes, it takes viewers on a journey through Bowie’s career, with the star himself acting as the sole narrator of the experience.
This documentary features not only performances from various periods of his carrier, from ‘Space Oddity’ to ‘Star’ but also footage of his legendary 1973 performance of ‘Rock’N’Roll Suicide’ at the Hammersmith Odeon.
The fact that the exhibition in Lightroom has been extended until 10 January 2027 means that fans will be able to visit it on Bowie’s 80th birthday. Ticket prices for adults are £25.
Bowie Nights: As A Music Lover David Bowie
There will be a special event in Lightroom tonight at 7 pm. Bowie Nights: The ‘David Bowie Music Lovers’ event will feature Geoff McCormack, as a close friend and collaborator of Bowie’s throughout his life; author Jérôme Soligny; and Alan Edwards, Bowie’s long-time publicist.
This trio will share personal stories and insights about the musician with his fans, drawing on the artists, songs and albums Bowie listened to throughout his life. Following this event, there will be a showing of the film “David Bowie : You’re Not Alone” , tickets cost £27,50.
Lightroom had also previously ‘Bowie Lates’ , a spectacular show that went on until the late hours of the night, featuring themed cocktails, DJ performances, and Bowie-inspired outfits.
More Bowie80 Celebrations Are Coming Soon
The events in London are part of a much wider programme launched to celebrate Bowie’s 80th birthday.
The organizers have promised to make further announcements through out 2026 and 2027, including fan-focused events alongside audiovisual experiences from all around the world.Following a partnership with the US retail chain Nordstrom, a limited number of fashion collections inspired by Bowie’s enduring legacy will be launched.
The collections will feature designers and brands such as Undercover, Marc Jacobs, Paul Smith and Allsaints.
The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland will host celebrations to honour Bowie’s 80th anniversary, whilst major photography exhibition entitled ‘Strange Fascination’ is due to open in New York and West Hollywood in February.
The live symphonic concert called ‘Bowie (breaking) Glass’ is set to premiere in Copenhagen next spring.
A Tour By David Bowie
David Bowie’s fans outside London will have the chance to see previously unseen material from his archive.
The V&A’s new touring exhibition, ‘David Bowie : On Tour’ , will begin at the V&A Dundee in November and will take around 100 objects from the archive to various venues across the United Kingdom.
The exhibition will include costumes from Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust era, handwritten song lyrics, performance notes and previously unseen material.
The tour will then go on to Blackpool, County Durham, Hull and Bristol.
Bowie’s Lasting Influence
Throughout his life, Bowie reached number one in the UK with five singles and eleven albums; hit songs such as ‘Space Oddity’ , ‘Ashes to Ashes ‘ , and ‘Sound And Vision’ also contributed to this success.
His final album, ‘Blackstar’ , was released on 8 January 2016, just two days before his death, on his 69th birthday.
This album become his first to reach number one in the US, topped the charts in more than 20 countries and won five Grammy Awards.
So, Did David Bowie Only Sing Songs in English ?
Of course not. David Bowie didn’t just sing songs in English; whilst living in Berlin, he not only performed the entire song ‘Heroes’ as ‘Helden’ , but also recorded a French version of the titled ‘Héros’, achieving incredible success across Europe and making it one of the most famous tracks of the era.
In addition to this song, there is also a French version of the song ‘ Love You Till Tuesday’ in 1967. As for ‘ Space Oddity ‘ from 1969, he created an Italian version of it entitled ‘Ragazzo Solo, Ragazza Sola ‘ when the melody and tune of the song remain the same, the message conveyed by the lyrics is quite different from that ‘Space Oddity’.
As Bowie took a keen interest in European languages and culture, particularly during his ‘Berlin Period’ in the late 1970s (the albums *Low*, *Heroes* and *Lodger*) , this interest was directly reflected in his music.
In the song ‘Yassassin’ , featured on the 1979 album *Lodger* , Bowie incorporated the word ‘Yassassin’ into his song after learning it’s meaning and enthusiasm it conveyed, having frequently seen it n street graffiti and on walls in Kreuzberg district – an area with a large Turkish population – whilst living in Berlin in the late 1970s.
As a result, he hasn’t only won over fans all very the world, including Turks, but has also become an artist who truly deserves our admiration.
