It’s a sad day to be writing about David Bowie, having awoken to emails and Facebook posts from friends telling me of his passing. As a kid in the 80s his music was everywhere yet I couldn’t have told you the difference between him and Billy Idol (sad, but true). Then came Labyrinth — a movie that captured my and my sister’s imagination with its puppets and dancing and music and the somewhat creepy Goblin King played by the Thin White Duke, himself. In college it all started to click into place — that song Golden Years that I loved so much, that was Bowie? Heroes (an all-time favorite) and Ziggy Stardust, too? I dug in and was rewarded by a mountain of amazing music. Over the years his output continued at an impressive rate. He experimented with different sounds and productions, but at its core was his inimitable style and voice. He was the definition of the word cool and I’m grateful for his music and his life.

Apple Music version of the playlist