Toilets full of awards, walls adorned with gold discs, magazine covers across the world, night after night of screaming fans. None of this matters. No, you really know you’ve made it when you get a set of stamps released in your honour.
And philatelist David Bowie fans will be in ecstasy right now with the news that the musical legend is to be remembered with a set of 10 Royal Mail tribute stamps. He becomes only the third musical entity to receive this honour, following in the footsteps of The Beatles and Pink Floyd.
Six stamps will feature iconic Bowie album covers – Hunky Dory, Aladdin Sane, “Heroes”, Let’s Dance, Earthling and Blackstar, with the remaining stamps featuring live images from four tours: 1972’s The Ziggy Stardust Tour, 1978’s The Stage Tour, 1983’s The Serious Moonlight Tour and 2004’s A Reality Tour.
Royal Mail’s ‘stamp strategy manager’ (what a great job title) Philip Parker said in a statement: “For five decades David Bowie was at the forefront of contemporary culture, and has influenced successive generations of musicians, artists, designers and writers. Royal Mail’s stamp issue celebrates this unique figure and some of his many celebrated personas.”
They’ll be on sale from 14 March 2017 from 7,000 Post Office branches across the UK – you can preorder your set here.
Hunky Dory, Bowie’s fourth album and released in December 1971.
Aladdin Sane, his sixth album and released in April 1973. The album features the iconic photograph by Brian Duffy.
“Heroes”, his twelfth studio album and released in October 1977. This was the second instalment of his "Berlin Trilogy" recorded with Brian Eno and Tony Visconti.
Let’s Dance, his fifteenth studio album and released in April 1983. Co-produced by Nile Rodgers, and featuring three of his most successful singles Let's Dance, Modern Love and China Girl. Let's Dance is Bowie's best-selling album.
Earthling, his 23rd studio album and released in February 1997. The striking cover art features Bowie in an Alexander McQueen designed Union Flag coat.
★, Bowie’s 28th and final studio album, released on his 69th birthday - 8 January 2016 - and charting at No.1 in more than 20 countries. Bowie died two days after the release of ★, the album reaffirming his legacy as modern music’s most unrelenting innovator and topping critics’ ‘Best of 2016’ lists.
The Ziggy Stardust Tour, 1973. The tour promoted Aladdin Sane and took in the UK, North America, and Japan.
The Serious Moonlight Tour, 1983. The tour was designed to support the Let's Dance album and up to that point was Bowie's longest and most successful concert tour.
The Stage Tour, 1978. Also known as Isolar II – The 1978 World Tour was staged to promote the Low and “Heroes” albums.
A Reality Tour, 2003/2004. Staged to promote the Reality album, this tour became Bowie’s longest tour and it would also be his last.
