Instagram/David Bowie 1983 Music Explore Bowie's 1983 pop transformation and the double-edged sword of his massive U.S. breakthrough with the Serious Moonlight tour. April 7, 2026 AceShowbiz - During the 1970s, David Bowie was a pioneering force in rock music, transitioning through phases as a glam-rock icon, an alien-like soul figure, and a futuristic pop visionary. While he was a celebrated superstar in the U.K., his success in the United States was inconsistent. By the early 1980s, Bowie had released several albums that failed to produce major hits on the U.S. charts.