Two days following his 69th birthday and the release of his newest album, Blackstar, rock and roll legend David Bowie died on January 10.

An official statement posted to his Facebook stated he had died from “a courageous 18 month battle with cancer” unannounced to the public.

Bowie’s eccentric style set him apart from all of his contemporaries. He touched every corner of pop culture through his various music styles and fashion trends. From his iconic, red hair to the mental-asylum-set music videos of just last month, he paved the way for any artist who sought to push the boundaries. He would come to be known as one of the sole creators of glam rock.

A modern high-schooler may be familiar with hits such as “Changes,” “Let’s Dance,” “Heroes,” or “Under Pressure” featuring Queen. His song “The Man Who Sold the World” was made popular after Nirvana covered it at MTV Unplugged in 1994.

His self expression touched many other musicians and they took to Twitter to express their grief and promote his legacy. Paul McCartney of the Beatles said, “His music played a very strong part in British musical history.” Cher and Madonna declared they were “devastated.”

Some more modern artists including Kanye West shared their love for the icon; “David Bowie was one of my most important inspirations.”

Bowie had two children, including film director Duncan Jones and was married to model Iman. His wife and son were with him at the time of his death.

It was a picture in the New York Times one Sunday of a man in a skin tight leotard with tall fiery hair that first intrigued me. An avid fan of rock and roll, I had never thought of rock being colorful, only black nails and leather jackets. And up until Bowie’s time it hadn’t been. He took his passion and instead of pursuing it, reinvented it. I hope for myself and every human that we may be inspired by his unapologetic expression and artistry. RIP.