David Robert Jones, known professionally as David Bowie was an English singer-songwriter and actor. He was a leading figure in popular music from the release of his first studio album in 1967 until his death. His career was marked by reinvention and visual presentation while his music and stagecraft significantly influenced popular music. During his lifetime, his record sales, estimated at 140 million albums worldwide, made him one of the world's best-selling music artists. In the UK, he was awarded ten platinum album certifications, eleven gold, and eight silver, releasing eleven number-one albums. In the US, he received five platinum and nine gold certifications. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. He passed away from liver cancer in 2016.