Get Things Done: The Commodification of David Bowie in 1983

ABSTRACT 1983 was a pivotal point in the career of musician David Bowie. It was a time of personal and artistic renewal, which ultimately transformed him from an “eternal outsider” into a global superstar. The 40 th anniversary of his landmark 1983 album Let's Dance provides an opportunity to consider the business acumen behind the dramatic repositioning of Bowie's brand, and to reevaluate accusations of ‘selling‐out’ and ‘inauthenticity’ in his quest for mainstream international success.