Remembering David Bowie: The Best Tribute Performances

Exactly a year ago today (Jan. 10th), the heartbreaking news emerged that the iconic David Bowie passed away after a battle with liver cancer. Immediately following his death, there was an outpouring of messages and tributes from fans and peers on social media, and beyond.

Throughout the year, there were also some amazing tribute performances from many talented artists to help remember Bowie and his legacy. Take a look back on some of these performances honoring the late music legend and actor below.

Lady Gaga at the Grammys

During the Grammy Awards, not only did Lady Gaga rock a Ziggy Stardust-inspired look on the red carpet -- bright red hair and all -- she also performed a special David Bowie medley of some of his biggest hits. She performed "Space Oddity," "Changes," "Ziggy Stardust," "Suffragette City," "Rebel Rebel," "Fashion," "Fame," "Under Pressure," "Let's Dance," and "Heroes."

Annie Lennox, Gary Oldman, and Lorde at the BRIT Awards

Lorde performed Bowie's "Life on Mars?" from his 1971 Hunky Dory album.

But before Lorde hit the stage. Annie Lennox and Gary Oldman took the stage to say a few words about Bowie. Annie told the audience, "There was no one and nothing else like him. He was truly unique." 

Watch the full BRIT Awards tribute below:

Beck & Members of Nirvana at Clive Davis’ Pre-Grammy Gala

Beck, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and guitarist Pat Smea paid tribute to David Bowie AND Kurt Cobain by performing "The Man Who Sold The World" at Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy party.

Madonna In Concert

During a concert in Houston just a few days after Bowie's passing, Madonna remembered him by covering his song "Rebel Rebel." She told her fans, "He was one of the geniuses in the music industry, one of the greatest singer/songwriters of the 20th century, and he changed my life when I went to see him in concert in Detroit. He showed me that it was OK to be different. And he's the first Rebel Heart that I laid eyes on."

*Warning: Explicit Language

Panic! at the Disco in Concert

Just a few days after David Bowie's death, Panic! at the Disco played a concert at the O2 Academy Brixton in London, and during the show performed "Oh You Pretty Things" from David's 1971 album Hunky Dory. The band also donated all of the sales they made from their merch to Cancer Research UK.

Adam Lambert in Concert

At a show in in Osaka, Japan, Adam Lambert covered David Bowie's 1983 hit "Let's Dance." He told the crowd, "I loved him so much."

The Flaming Lips in Concert

Last February, The Flaming Lips didn't just perform one song in tribute to David Bowie, they performed an entire eight-song set, lasting 40 minutes to honor the late icon during a show in Aspen, Colorado. Their set included Bowie hits like "Space Oddity," "Life on Mars?," "Five Years," "Ziggy Stardust," "Fame," The Man Who Sold the World," "Golden Years" and "Ashes to Ashes."

Bruce Springsteen in Concert

During his concert in Pittsburgh, Bruce Springsteen paid tribute to David Bowie, who was an early supporter of the New Jersey-born rocker. He and his band covered "Rebel Rebel," and told fans at the show, "Not enough people know it, but he recorded our music way, way, way back in the very beginning, 1973. He rang me up and I visited him down in Philly while he was making the Young Americans record. He covered some of my music, 'It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City,' 'Growin' Up,' and he was a big supporter of ours."

Boy George at Stand Up To Cancer

At the most recent Stand Up To Cancer event in October, Boy George performed a gorgeous cover of Bowie's 1972 hit "Starman" from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, backed by the the NHS Choir. It was a truly moving, goosebump-inducing performance. 

Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, and Little Big Town at the ACM Honors

As part of the Stand Up To Cancer concert, in September at the 10th annual ACM Honors, Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, and Little Big Town came together on one stage to remember David Bowie with a cover of his 1977 song "Heroes."

Red Hot Chili Peppers at a Bernie Sanders Fundraiser

At a Bernie Sanders fundraiser back in February, Red Hot Chili Peppers took the stage and performed David Bowie's "Cracked Actor" from his 1973 album Aladdin Sane.

LCD Soundsystem at Coachella

LCD Soundsystem headlined this year's Coachella in Indio, CA, and in honor of David Bowie, covered his song "Heroes." The band's frontman James Murphy has worked with Bowie in the past  on 2013's The Next Day and 2015's Blackstar.

Chris Martin & Jimmy Fallon on "The Tonight Show"

While backstage at "The Tonight Show," host Jimmy Fallon ran into Coldplay's Chris Martin, who has sitting at the piano, and the two performed a duet: David Bowie's "Life On Mars?"

The David Bowie Tribute Concerts at Carnegie Hall & Radio City Music Hall

Following David Bowie's death, two David Bowie tribute concerts took place on March 31st and April 1st at New York City's iconic Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall. There, a lineup of artists performed covers of Bowie's songs including Michael Stipe, who performed a beautiful cover of "Ashes To Ashes," Cyndi Lauper, who sang "Suffragette City," and Debbie Harry, who performed "Starman."