A statement reads: "January 10 2016 - David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18-month battle with cancer. While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family's privacy during their time of grief."

Bowie released his latest album Blackstar just a few days ago on January 8, which was also his birthday. The man who shot to international superstardom with The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars in 1972 and frequently changed with the times had kept his illness a secret to everyone other than his family. See the social media posts - here.

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