On this day six years ago, music legend David Bowie died after an 18-month battle with liver cancer.

Bowie was the original pop chameleon, with a career spanning more than four decades and estimated global record sales topping 140 million.

He moved from glam rock to soul and R&B, to electronic and ambient – constantly reinventing himself to win over new generations of music fans.

The musical shifts were often accompanied by changes to his fashion and also to his persona, with Bowie widely celebrated for his trailblazing style and on-stage performances.

There was the androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust, as well as The Thin White Duke, Aladdin Sane and Halloween Jack.

Bowie shot to global fame after the release of his second studio album Space Oddity in 1969.

He remained artistically relevant until the day he died 47 years later – releasing a total of 11 No.1 UK albums and turning in numerous acclaimed performances on the big screen, including as the Goblin King in the 1986 cult classic fantasy film Labyrinth.

Last week, the publishing rights to Bowie’s entire back catalogue were sold to Warner Chappell Music for $348 million.

The purchase includes beloved Bowie songs Heroes, Changes, Sorrow, Space Oddity, Fame, Let’s Dance and Rebel Rebel.

Bowie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.