Madonna posted this picture of herself and David Bowie on Twitter after learning of his death. Photo / Twitter / Madonna
Tributes have poured in for David Bowie from around the world and beyond, with celebrities, politicians and astronauts praising the singer's legacy.
David Bowie tragically lost his battle to cancer over the weekend, just days after his 69th birthday.
Tributes to the musical genius flooded Twitter following the sad announcement of his passing, with hundreds of stars paying their respects to the Ziggy Stardust hitmaker.
Listen to an NZME radio tribute to Bowie below
A-list names like Madonna, Ricky Gervais and Kanye West led the mass influx of messages as celebrities took to social media in their droves to share their memories of the idol, thanking him for his unforgettable influence on music.
Gervais, who had just finished hosting the Golden Globes ceremony, wrote that he had "just lost a hero," while West called him "one of my most important inspirations".
Iggy Pop said his friendship with the star was "the light of my life".
Kiwi pop star Lorde, who met Bowie in 2013 penned a Facebook post saying she "woke up this morning with a tender head from tears and that big red cup of Japanese whiskey, gulped last night after the news came."
She said the night she met Bowie changed something in her.
"I felt a calmness grow, a sureness. I think in those brief moments, he heralded me into my next new life, an old rock and roll alien angel in a perfect grey suit."
He was meant to say something completely different.