It was announced today that the legendary David Bowie will have its own stamps. This is the first time that the Royal Mail decided to dedicate an entire stamp issue to an individual artist or famous figure. The stamps will be on sale from March 14, 2017.
Bowie is, without a doubt, one of the most influential artists of all times. He passed away in early 2016 after five decades of artistic career. Because of that, the Royal Mail announced that he will be honored with ten different stamps featuring images of his albums, as well, some of them will show him performing live during different world tours.
“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” said Philip Parker, Royal Mail Stamp Strategy manager.
The first stamp issue dedicated to a single artist
David Bowie would be turning 70 years old now if he hadn’t died of liver cancer last year on January 10, just two days after the release of his last album “Black Star.” Bowie was a remarkable English singer, songwriter, and actor. He was regarded as an innovator, especially during the 70’s.
During his five decades of artistic career, he sold about 140 million records worldwide, which makes him one of the best-selling music artists of all times. Eleven of his albums reach the first position. As well, he got into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
Undoubtedly, Bowie passed to history as one of the most influential artists, and such influence will certainly remain for several decades more.
The ten stamps
Due to this importance to cultural history and due to his recent death, the Royal Mail decided that it will issue the special stamps to honor the star. Six of them will feature Bowie’s album covers: Hunky and Dory, Aladdin Sane, Heroes, Let’s Dace, Earthling, and Blackstar. These stamps show the different and innovative style David Bowie had over the years.
The arc of the vinyl album protrudes from the right-hand side of the stamps. The remaining four stamps show Bowie while he was performing live in different tours across four decades. These tours are the Ziggy Stardust Tour (1972), the Stage Tour (1978), the Serious Moonlight Tour (1983), and A Reality Tour (2004).
This is the first time the Royal Mail issues a set of stamps to celebrate an individual artist, and the third time the Royal Mail has released a dedicated music stamp collection after it did to honor The Beatles in 2010 and Pink Floyd in 2015.
The stamps are being issued in the year where Bowie would have turned 70, and 50 years after the release of his first album. The stamps, and some limited editions souvenirs – also made to honor Bowie -, are going to be available on March 14. They will be on sale via the Royal Mail website and in 7000 post offices across the United Kingdom. However, they can be pre-ordered from today on at www.royalmail.com/davidbowie
Source: Motherwell Times