While many fans know David Bowie for his groundbreaking albums and chameleon-like personas, the musical influences that shaped the iconic artist’s own work reveal a stunningly diverse palette of inspirations. A handwritten list of Bowie’s favorite songs demonstrates an extraordinary range spanning classical compositions, early rock and roll, experimental jazz, and alternative music—far beyond the glam rock with which he’s often associated.
Beyond glam rock, Bowie’s musical influences spanned classical masterpieces, early rock pioneers, experimental jazz, and alternative sounds.
The list includes classical masterpieces such as Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis” and Richard Strauss’ emotionally resonant “Four Last Songs,” revealing Bowie’s appreciation for orchestral complexity that later informed his own arrangements. His jazz selections, including Charles Mingus’ “Ecclusiastics” and Miles Davis’ “Some Day My Prince Will Come,” highlight how avant-garde improvisation and texture influenced his sonic experimentation throughout his career. For aspiring musicians looking to develop their own sound, studying diverse genres as Bowie did can provide creative inspiration that transcends conventional boundaries.
Early rock and roll evidently made a profound impact on Bowie’s musical DNA. The inclusion of Little Richard’s “True Fine Mama” and Alan Freed and His Rock ‘N’ Roll Band’s “Right Now Right Now” demonstrates his connection to rock’s foundational artists. These influences would later emerge in his reinvention of glam and rock genres during the 1970s. The handwritten memo titled “Memo for radio show — list of favourite records” provides a rare glimpse into Bowie’s psyche and musical foundations that shaped his innovative approach. This collection of treasured music is part of the over 90,000 artifacts housed at the newly opened David Bowie Centre at V&A East Storehouse in London.
The list also reveals Bowie’s penchant for covering songs that deeply moved him. Several selections, including The Beatles’ “Across the Universe” and Legendary Stardust Cowboy’s “I Took a Trip on a Gemini Spaceship,” later appeared on Bowie’s own albums—”Young Americans” (1975) and “Heathen” (2002), respectively. Many of these songs would later contribute to his impressive catalog of work that generated sync deals through licensing for films and commercials.
Perhaps most surprising is the presence of experimental works like Sonic Youth’s “Tom Violence” and Edgar Froese’s ambient “Epsilon in Malaysian Pale,” which showcase Bowie’s interest in noise rock and electronic experimentation. His appreciation for alternative sounds extends to pop and glam influences such as Roxy Music’s “Mother of Pearl” and The Walker Brothers’ “The Electrician,” connections that helped Bowie continuously evolve his sound across five decades of boundary-pushing music.
