Entertainment

Is More David Bowie Music Coming Soon?

by Loretta Donelan

David Bowie's death on Jan. 10 was heartbreaking to many, both because the artist meant a great deal to a great many people and because his death came as a surprise, only days after he released his latest album Blackstar. Only recently has it become evident how much unreleased music David Bowie made around the time of his death; while Bowie's cancer was a surprise to many people, Bowie himself seemed to be planning his last creative endeavors. His last video for "Lazarus" was his parting gift for his fans.

According to a new report from Newsweek, David Bowie was also planning releases for after his death. While no consolation for their loss, the rumors of upcoming albums, soundtracks, demos, and books are exciting pieces of news for Bowie fans. More than almost any other artist, posthumously released music fits David Bowie's dedication to transcending normal ideas of time, art, and fame. Planning to release music after his death seems to be a very Bowie gesture, both generous to his loving fans and fitting for his artistic vision. While info about these upcoming projects is still hazy, here are the Bowie projects that have been rumored to be released, as well as some info about when we might be able to expect them.

An Anthology

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Newsweek spoke to a source close to David Bowie, who revealed that there would soon be "a long list of unscheduled musical releases that Bowie planned before he died." These are supposed to begin coming out in 2017. Whether the contents of these releases will be new versions of old songs, covers, or completely new is as of yet unknown.

A Cast Album

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Before his death, Bowie worked on an intergalactic Off-Broadway musical built around reworked versions of his songs. A cast album for the production, which starred Michael C. Hall, has been recorded and is supposed to be coming out shortly.

His New Album

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Rolling Stone reported that Bowie had been planning on releasing another album before his death. He apparently wrote and demoed five new songs for it. There hasn't yet been any info about whether or when these will be released.

One rumor about upcoming projects has proven to be untrue; Bowie's book that he was working on will not be released, at least not anytime soon. While it would have surely been a treat to read, Penguin revealed that Bowie had not finished the book at the time of his death. In spite of this slight disappointment, Bowie will surely live on in his music, his legacy, and in the stars.