Celebrate David Bowie’s birthday: play Heroes, Changes, and Starman in the ROLI Learn app

Step into the universe of a genre-defying musical icon

8 January 2026

A decade after the release of his final studio album, Blackstar, David Bowie’s musical legacy maintains its hold on popular culture as strongly as ever. Just last week, the finale of Netflix’s Stranger Things featured his 1977 classic Heroes over the closing credits — sending streams soaring up to 500% and propelling the song back onto the Billboard charts.

Bowie’s influence continues to reach new generations, reminding us why he was one of music’s most fearless explorers. From his first bold steps onto the scene to the creation of characters like Ziggy Stardust, he constantly rewrote the rules of pop, rock, and performance. His genre-defining (and defying) music is timeless yet endlessly rediscovered, inspiring anyone who listens. Whether you grew up spinning Ziggy Stardust on vinyl or discovered Heroes through a modern TV series, Bowie’s songs continue to provide all listeners with a gateway into an inventive, boundary-defying universe.

To celebrate what would have been his 79th birthday, we’re highlighting three tracks that capture Bowie’s genius — Heroes, Changes, and Starman — each one available to play in the ROLI Learn app, and a chance for pianists and learners to connect with the creativity, emotion, and inventiveness that made Bowie an icon.

“Heroes” becomes an anthem renewed for a new generation

Heroes has stepped back into the cultural spotlight recently, thanks to its powerful placement in the Stranger Things series finale — a choice championed by Joe Keery (who plays Steve in the series) and show creators, the Duffer Brothers, for its emotional resonance. The effect was immediate: a notable spike in streams and a wave of new listeners discovering or rediscovering the track.

It is striking how the song continues to evolve with each cultural moment, originally shaped by Bowie’s Berlin-era experimentation and the tension of the late 1970s, Heroes now carries an added sense of endurance and shared triumph for new audiences at the culmination of one of the most era-defining TV series of the modern era.

Playing Heroes on keys highlights just how much the song achieves through simplicity. Those long, sustained chords and gradual dynamic shifts create a sense of lift, momentum, and heroism. It’s a clear window into how Bowie and his collaborators could build atmosphere and emotion with minimal means.

“Changes” — Bowie’s reflection on reinvention

With Changes, Bowie captured the essence of transformation before he became fully known for constantly reinventing himself. Written during the Hunky Dory sessions, the track chronicles Bowie as he discovered his voice as a songwriter and pushed toward new creative ground. Over time, Changes has come to represent Bowie’s philosophy of fluidity — a willingness to embrace uncertainty and continually reshape his artistic identity. Its iconic “ch-ch-changes” refrain has taken on a life of its own, becoming a cultural shorthand for evolution.

On the piano, the song’s rhythmic centerpiece — that rolling, syncopated riff — offers a compelling technical and musical challenge. Between the left-hand movement and the melodic phrasing, players can get a sense of how groove and storytelling can work together, making Changes a great way to learn how to master expressive timing for real emotional impact.

Stepping into Bowie’s universe with “Starman”

Starman stands as one of Bowie’s most inviting entry points, bridging catchy pop writing with the theatrical, otherworldly vision of the Ziggy Stardust era. Its message, a broadcast of hope from a mysterious figure in the sky, resonated powerfully in the early 1970s and helped solidify Bowie’s connection with audiences seeking something imaginative and new. His performance on Top of the Pops, still discussed today, showed how confidently he challenged norms, reshaping expectations of what a mainstream artist could look and sound like. Recent reflections marking the decade since Blackstar have revisited Starman as an early signal of Bowie’s lifelong dialogue with identity and futurism.

Starman’s rising melodic arcs, gentle rhythmic sway, and soaring chorus make it satisfying to perform, while also inviting players to explore phrasing, dynamics, and emotional lift. It’s a song that naturally encourages curiosity and playfulness, a brilliant reminder of the cosmic sense of wonder that defined Bowie’s Ziggy era.

Looking back on Bowie’s legacy

As we celebrate David Bowie’s birthday, it’s clear that his influence is as boundless as the stars he often sang about. From his early days in London, crafting bold, experimental pop, to his rise as the intergalactic Ziggy Stardust, Bowie created musical worlds that endlessly evolved. Even while he was still here on Earth, his work challenged norms, inspired generations, and gave listeners a sense that anything was possible. A decade after his final album Blackstar and his departure from our world, Bowie’s legacy continues to orbit the cultural consciousness, touching new listeners, influencing artists across genres, and reminding us that music can be both deeply human and beautifully otherworldly.

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