While we wait for the release of the new David Bowie album, we should look back at some of the biggest events and milestones that the legendary singer-songwriter had in 2012.
New Album Release
One of the biggest events of the year for Bowie was the release of his album, The Next Big Thing, on October 24th. The album features some of the biggest names in contemporary music, such as Elton John, Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl, and R&B greats Beyonce and Janet Jackson. The album also includes a duet with Grohl on the song “Every Day is Exactly the Same.”
Meanwhile, Pattinson’s solo album, Unexpected, was released on October 4th. The album is the singer’s first full-length recording in four years and features collaborations with artists such as Florence Welch, Kylie Minogue, and James Arthur. Although it received mixed reviews, Unexpected debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart, just behind Michael Bublé’s album, Love. In the U.S., the album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, selling 68,000 copies in its first week.
Golden Globe Awards
Besides recording and releasing new music, David Bowie also took part in some award shows this year. The singer was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Song for “The Stars (Are Out Tonight).” The song is featured in the movie The Place Beyond the Pines, which also stars Cate Blanchett and Robert Pattinson. The song won Bowie the award, his first for a song written for the screen. He accepted the award on behalf of Sia, the song’s co-writer. Sia and David also performed the song live for the first time at the Golden Globes in January 2013.
Bowie was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Director for The Place Beyond the Pines. The award went to Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity. Directing a movie with one of the biggest stars, Robert Pattinson, must have been an incredible experience for Cuaron.
The VMAs
Another big event for Bowie was the Video Music Awards, which took place in August. The ceremony is one of the biggest events of the year and is widely considered to be the most prestigious awards show in the music video world. This year, he was nominated for six VMA’s, including Video of the Year and Best Male Video for “The Stars (Are Out Tonight).” He ended up winning three awards: Best Video – Dance, Best Video – Male Video, and Video – Of The Year. He accepted the awards on behalf of Sia and Black Tie Affair, the production company that he co-founded with her. Sia and David performed the song “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)” at the VMAs.
Sober And Stoned
Another interesting development in the world of David Bowie this year was his increasing number of on-stage antics, particularly when performing in Europe. During the first two stops of his Serious Moonlight world tour, Bowie unleashed the crazy side he usually keeps hidden on his album covers, performing hilarious stand-up comedy routines between songs. As the tour progressed, he became more and more animated, dancing, hanging out with the audience, and even making a few props. It was a complete departure from the mood of his music, which is usually introspective and often features dramatic piano themes. It’s clear that David Bowie is having a blast on his latest world tour, which was a welcome change for those of us who love his music. It’s amazing to think that one of the biggest music stars of all time is still finding new and interesting ways to entertain his audience.
BFF
Speaking of finding new ways to entertain his audience, let’s not forget about the actor/singer’s best friend factor. After years of being together, Robert Pattinson and Emilia Clarke finally got engaged in August. The couple began dating in 2011 and were allegedly engaged within the year. The news that a famous BFF is getting married made headlines around the world. Aside from being an important milestone in Pattinson’s life, the engagement is likely to further boost his profile as an A-list actor, as well as a singer. We can’t wait to see how the wedding will reflect their strong friendship.
Tough Year
2012 was a tough year for music fans, as many of our favorite artists suffered serious personal setbacks. David Bowie, who turned 70 in 2012, struggled with health problems throughout the year, causing him to cancel some shows. He also took a break from recording and touring to focus on his health.
Kylie Minogue, the Australian artist who became famous in the 1980s for her work with artists such as Michael Jackson, was hospitalized in June 2012 after suffering complications from surgery. Minogue returned to the stage in October, but announced that she would be taking some time off to focus on her health and her family. In December 2012, she finally returned to the stage for Kylie New Year’s Resolutions, a one-off show in her native Australia. She hasn’t announced any further tours or album releases as of yet, but she did tell MTV News in 2012 that she was “feeling really good.”
Adele, who became one of the best-selling artists of all time with her album, 21, had to cancel some of her shows in 2012 due to vocal cord issues. Although she suffered a serious setback, the album that she released in 2011 went on to become the best-selling digital album of all time. Adele also won a Grammy for Best Album in 2013, making her the first woman to win the award twice. Not only did Adele record and release an amazing album in 2011, she also became a great friend to Bowie during his time of need. The pair performed a duet at the 2012 Grammys, “Hello,” which turned out to be one of the highlights of the ceremony. Adele also opened up to the press about how she and Bowie were helping each other during their time of trial. We wish both Adele and David all the best on their paths to recovery and are excited to see what 2013 has in store for them.
The Past, Present, and Future
Looking back on 2012, one of the biggest events was definitely Bowie’s 70th birthday on January 8th. The singer has been making incredible musical accomplishments all his life and continued to do so in 2012, releasing multiple hit songs and albums. Although he battled with health problems, it was clear that David Bowie still had plenty of life in him, and we’re excited to see what the next year has in store for him.
On a less happy note, we lost some great music artists in 2012. One of the biggest tragedies was the death of Prince, the legendary singer-songwriter and virtuoso musician. The Purple Rain soundtrack, which Prince released in December, is one of the most critically acclaimed and best-selling albums ever, with more than 13 million copies sold around the world. Not only was Prince a great musician, but he was also a talented and accomplished artist. We will greatly miss his music and his fabulousness.
Another great artist who died in 2012 was Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul and one of the most important figures in American music history. She was known for her powerful, voice and her socially conscious lyrics. Not only did Aretha have a great voice, she was also a brilliant singer who could belt out a song better than anyone. She’ll be greatly missed but her legacy will continue to live on through her amazing music.
What Did You Think of 2012?
On a lighter note, let’s not forget about the memes. In the last year, we’ve all become super-fans of GIFs and memes. Many of us spend hours glued to social media, scrolling through our feeds, looking for the next funny animated image or video clip. With so much content at our fingertips, it’s no wonder why memes became such an important part of pop culture in 2012.
Memes will never truly go out of fashion. They often provoke a reaction from the person/s being parodied, which encourages the creator to make more. Thanks to the Internet, it’s never been easier to make money from online creativity, and the demand for funny memes and GIFs will only continue to rise.