Older man filling out estate plan

David Bowie’s Estate Prepares For The Artist’s 75th Birthday

Although music legend David Bowie died in January 2016, two days after his 69th birthday, his legacy lives on. In celebration of what would have been the artist’s 75th birthday, his estate is releasing a host of curated items and experiences. It is a unique move that hints at the future of posthumous remembrances in the digital age. The Palmer & Slay team would not be surprised if Bowie retains his trendsetting ability even in death, and folks in the Brandon, Mississippi area adopt similar celebrations for their departed loved ones. 

Bowie 75

When a loved one dies it is common to do something to commemorate their birthday. People in the Brandon area will often visit their loved one’s grave, and look through old photo albums. While David Bowie’s loved ones might do those things as well, they are also going to extremes to allow the public to do some reminiscing as well. 

From October to January, there will be two pop-up stores/museums featuring “Bowie 75” merchandise and experiences. The two locations, one in New York and one in London, will feature:

  • Immersive audio and HD video screening rooms showing famous and exclusive Bowie content. There are hours of video content including previously unseen behind-the-scenes material.
  • Galleries featuring exclusive fine art photography documenting Bowie’s many iconic eras, personae, and ch-ch-changes.
  • Fans can place themselves in iconic costumes and set pieces to create fun and shareable social media content.
  • Opportunities to purchase limited edition releases of exclusive Bowie apparel and collectibles, as well as limited run Bowie 75 LPs and CDs.
  • Fans can also record a message to Bowie or about what Bowie means to them, and beam it into cyberspace. A little “ground control to Major Tom” if you will. 

In an article in The Sun about the over-the-top plans for Bowie 75, a source said: “David’s 75th birthday would have been a big deal, and the estate wants to mark it. There is still a huge appetite for more material, recordings, and all things Bowie. It’s a perfect time to release some. Obviously, they want to be careful to keep to stuff they feel David would have approved of.”

Preserving Your Wealth. Protecting Your Loved Ones. 

While few of us have Bowie’s talent, living in our digitally-saturated world means we are all prolific content creators. Our phones allow us to take pictures, and make video and audio recordings at the push of a button. We are archiving our lives as we live them. 

Is it so far-fetched to think that our loved ones will want to tap into the data we leave behind after we are gone? Since it is already happening to some extent, we at Palmer & Slay think it is best to start preparing for this. Our experienced team of estate planning attorneys have helped a number of clients draft planning documents that specify what is to be done with their digital archive and various online accounts. If this is something you are concerned or curious about, please reach out to schedule a meeting.