David Bowie’s First U.S. Billboard No.1 Marked One of His Biggest Transformations

Few artists have undergone as many phases as David Bowie. We’re not just talking about aesthetic changes or marketing strategies—Bowie thrived on constant evolution. Whenever he found a formula that worked and brought him hits, he moved on to something new and unknown, stepping out of his comfort zone to completely reinvent himself. As a result, his catalog is one of the richest and most vast in music history.

One of Bowie’s most drastic transformations came after achieving his first U.S. No. 1 hit—a milestone that was part of one of the most legendary collaborations in music history.

### David Bowie’s First U.S. No. 1 Was an Iconic Collaboration

In 1974, Bowie had the opportunity to meet his hero, John Lennon, at a party hosted by Elizabeth Taylor. With encouragement from his producer, Bowie mustered the courage to introduce himself. Despite feeling awkward during their first meeting, Lennon took a liking to him.

The following year, Lennon visited Bowie in the studio as he was recording the album *Young Americans*. At the time, Bowie and Carlos Alomar, James Brown’s former guitarist, were experimenting with a riff for a new song. Lennon was immediately intrigued and started singing along—or rather mumbling—over the riff repeatedly.

Although Lennon’s singing was mostly nonsensical, part of his muttering sounded like the word “fame.” This inspired Bowie to write a song centered around that theme. He titled the track “Fame.” While Lennon didn’t contribute to the lyrics beyond that fragment, Bowie gave him songwriting credits, believing Lennon was the originator of the idea—intentionally or not.

“Fame” went on to top the American and Canadian charts, marking Bowie’s first No. 1 hit across the Atlantic. While Bowie had already enjoyed success with iconic avant-garde pieces like *Space Oddity* and *Ziggy Stardust*, “Fame” was a turning point. It signaled the start of Bowie’s emergence as an international star and planted the seed for a major evolution in his career.

### Lennon’s Opinion on Glam Rock Influenced Bowie’s Career Trajectory

Bowie, a huge fan of The Beatles and John Lennon’s solo work, naturally sought Lennon’s advice and opinions whenever possible. Though Lennon didn’t directly steer Bowie’s next era, his words heavily influenced Bowie’s decision to transition from avant-garde glam rock to dance pop.

There were eight years between *Young Americans* and *Let’s Dance*—the latter released in 1983, by which time Lennon had tragically passed away. However, Bowie never forgot their collaboration and chose to take Lennon’s advice when creating *Let’s Dance*.

During their time working together in 1975, Bowie couldn’t resist asking Lennon what he thought of his music. Lennon was warm yet blunt, as always. Bowie recalled, “It was just a joy to work with him in the studio that one time. When I asked him what he thought of what I was doing, glam rock, he said, ‘Yeah, it’s great, but it’s just rock and roll with lipstick on!’”

Despite the pointed critique, Bowie wasn’t offended. “I was impressed, as I was at virtually everything he said.”

Bowie admired Lennon’s songwriting immensely and sought insight into his process. This, combined with Lennon’s brutally honest opinion, inspired Bowie to change his approach when writing pop songs like “Let’s Dance” and “Modern Love.”

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David Bowie’s willingness to embrace change and learn from those he admired helped him remain a pioneering force in music for decades. His collaboration with John Lennon was not just a meeting of legends—it was a defining moment that propelled his career into new and exciting directions.
https://collider.com/david-bowie-first-us-billboard-no-1-fame/

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