David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie, was an English singer, songwriter and actor. He was born in Brixton, London, on 8 January 1947 and was a figure in popular music for over five decades, regarded by critics and musicians as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s. His studio albums include The Man Who Sold the World (1970), The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust (1972), the Berlin trilogy of Low (1977), "Heroes" (1977) and Lodger (1979), Let's Dance (1983), Earthling (1997) and Blackstar (2016), released just two days before his death.