David Bowie appeared posthumously in the series Twin Peaks: The Return. David Lynch used archival footage of Bowie from the film Fire Walk with Me to incorporate his character, FBI agent Phillip Jeffries, into the new series.
The bandstand at Croydon Road Recreation Ground, where David Bowie performed on August 16, 1969, shortly after the release of "Space Oddity", was granted Grade II listed status. Bowie performed there at a one-day festival he helped organize, which later inspired the song "Memory of a Free Festival".
David Bowie was named the most influential British artist of the previous 50 years in a Sky Arts poll, thanks to his ability to transcend music, film and fashion. Other musicians in the ranking included Spice Girls, Elton John, Stormzy and Boy George.
It was discovered that David Bowie had begun work on another project before his death. In his own notes, he described it as an “18th-century musical” titled The Spectator. Its existence was unknown until it was discovered locked away in his study. The materials were later donated to the V&A museum along with another part of Bowie's archive. Had it been completed, the musical would have fulfilled one of Bowie's lifelong ambitions.
David Bowie released the album “Hours...”, which was first made available as a complete digital album for download over the Internet. It became the first complete album by a major artist to be officially released in this way. The physical CD followed in October 1999.
David Bowie offered a virtual guided tour of the controversial exhibition “Sensation: Young British Artists From The Saatchi Collection” on his official website. The exhibition included, among other works, Damien Hirst's shark suspended in formaldehyde, “The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living,” and Tracey Emin's tent, “Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963–1995.”
David Bowie launched his own internet service, Bowienet. The service offered basic internet services as well as exclusive news and releases related to Bowie.
David Bowie appeared on the cover of Architectural Digest magazine. According to the source, he was the first person to appear on the cover in four years.
David Bowie released his sixteenth studio album, Tonight. The album followed the success of Let's Dance and featured “Blue Jean”, “Loving the Alien” and the title track, a duet with Tina Turner. It also included three songs originally recorded by Iggy Pop, including “Tonight” and “Neighborhood Threat”. The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart.
David Bowie reached No. 1 in the UK with his sixteenth studio album Tonight, which included the single “Blue Jean.” The album also reached No. 1 in the Netherlands and the Top 10 in ten other countries.