How tall was David Bowie

David Bowie's Height

5ft 9 ¾ (177.2 cm)

British singer and actor, best remembered for hits like "Heroes", "Life on Mars", "Space Oddity", "Let's Dance", "Starman", "Changes" and "Ashes to Ashes". In film he had memorable roles in Labyrinth, The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Prestige, The Hunger, The Last Temptation of Christ, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence and Basquiat. In a 1967 letter he wrote "I guess I'm 5'10"" and also claimed to be 5ft 10 and a half.

How tall is David Bowie
>David with Iman
Photo by PR Photos

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Add a Comment259 comments

Average Guess (109 Votes)
5ft 9.65in (176.9cm)
Young 52 in 2023 said on 23/Sep/23
David Bowie will always and forever be my favourite rock GOD. Still can't get thru it he's left us it is so SAD.I love David's films as well did a sterling performance in The Man Who Fell To Earth and Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence. I feel the World will never ever be the same without him it's really tragic. for David I'm giving a bit over five nine.
5'11james said on 13/Sep/23
5'9.75-5'10 peak
5'9.5-5'9.75 before death

RIP David Bowie
The Outsider Of Society said on 29/Aug/23
David Bowie was five nine but on screen play always seemed taller. I myself am five ten and a half but always am pondering, wishing I was taller. Bowie is great just more than great, alluringly nice.I always loved what Bowie did except the drink and drugs of course.Bowie's music rocks and is so moving and never ever boring. The musicians that Bowie got we're always on the level.Still for Bowie I'm going five foot nine.
Sandy Cowell said on 9/Jun/23
I’ve been watching a Mott the Hoople concert from New York, which was introduced by David Bowie.

Im the 70s, Ian Hunter had a huge mop of curly light brown hair. I was looking at him just now and he came over as quite tall so I decided to check out his height. He’s 6 foot. A page for him would be extremely welcome. 😉👌🏼
Sandy Cowell said on 13/May/23
I’m madly excited tonight as I’ve been listening to some David Bowie tracks.

By far the saddest and most moving is the tracks
was ‘Blackstar’. It was clearly evident that David knew he didn’t have much longer with us, and this track has me as in tears every time I hear it. My brother tried to hide it from me so I bought another copy. Now I have two!

Whenever I watch ‘The Man Who Fell to Earth’, David looks
so much taller than the other guys, especially in the opening scenes. I’d have expected he might be 5ft11, but he was ultra-slim so could pass for much taller than less than 5ft10, and ditto with the scenes in ‘The Hunger’.

There’s no doubt about it that David was a born actor. I miss
him so much. I didn’t start accumulating his discs until I was
19. There was a record store in Soho near to where I worked, and the bargains were unbelievable! They were very cheap but in perfect condition.

I already had some Bowie records from my early teens, but this store
got me quite carried away; I was more enthusiastic about bulking out my David records than anybody else’s.

On the basis of his film scenes, David can have 5ft10. Absolutely no fiddling here, just because I love him. He’s given me so much pleasure, but that’s no to up his height!
Sandy Cowell said on 2/May/23
It was great to see Ian Hunter singing with David Bowie in the Freddie Mercury Aids Awareness concert recently. They sang All The Young Dudes, which was penned by David to kick start Ian’s solo career. They’d had a long career together, Ian singing with David Bowie. I got into Mott the Hoople when I was 22, but I’d been a fan of their music for many years previous to that.

What a wonderful concert that was, and all the artists looked so HAPPY!
5'7 and a fraction said on 19/Mar/23
More like 5'9 1/2 peak.
Sandy Cowell said on 25/Feb/23
@ I want 1997 back! and @ James Jones: Nice tributes from you guys. I’d like a rerun of 1997 as well, BTW!

David Bowie was playing in the background in EastEnders just now, and I couldn’t stop but join in. Well, it’s not as though I’m disturbing anyone…..!

😜🎶

5ft10 peak.
I want 1997 back! said on 19/Feb/23
My hindsight, Bowie great guy, great posture, fantastic guy, will go with five foot nine from 17 up to his tragic death at 69.
James (178.3cm) Jones said on 14/Feb/23
5'9 in later life and around his death, and 5'10 or 5'10.25 in peak.


RIP David Bowie
Sandy Cowell said on 19/Jan/23
…. I don’t think 5ft10 is too much for David. He looked taller than most in the opening scene of The Man Who Fell To Earth - his first film.
Sandy Cowell said on 8/Jan/23
🎂 The legendary David Bowie was born 76 years ago today.

In his album, Dark Star, there’s a lyric which goes, “Look at me - I’m in Heaven!”

Well, I hope David is able to celebrate his birthday and lifetime’s achievements in the Beautiful Place, where all his rock star friends can join in with him for a singalong.

5ft10. XXXXX 🕯
Malcolm Oliver said on 10/Dec/22
Rob, would Baz Luhrmann (guy to the right of Bowie here) measure around the same as him? Also there’s 5’5.25 David Spade there for good measure:

Click Here
Editor Rob
Baz likely gaining height being nearer camera, doubt he's over 5ft 9
Chris Def A 91 said on 23/Sep/22
So ok Arch, weird name I spelt the French word wrong,Big deal not the end of the World mate. Steve never passed anything. Still for my Wonderful rock and Pop idol always my hero David Bowie five nine.
Arch Stanton said on 22/Sep/22
Crème de la crème not cream de la cream LOL
Tears Of a Clown 2000 said on 18/Sep/22
David Bowie in my opinion is the cream de la cream, the best artist that ever lived. It was so sad to hear on TV that he died nearly seven years ago, a massive loss to us all.On an advert poster releasing his Scary Monsters Album this month fourty two years ago it said 'Often copied, never equaled' and that to say People in the music biz often copied his hairstyles but no way we're they better than Bowie's.Bowie gets five foot nine 1.75 cm from me.
The rise and fall of 1998 said on 20/Aug/22
Not really known as a lift wearer, but 5'9 I'd say definetley, one inch shorter than pop mate Mick Jagger.
Becheese said on 29/Jul/22
5-10
Jerico said on 15/Jul/22
He looks barely 5'10" in his mugshot, where he's standing pretty upright, so once you subtract his hair and shoes he was probably under 5'9".
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 21/May/22
On this Freddie Mercury tribute concert, first we had David Bowie singing Under Pressure with Annie Lennox singing Freddie’s part, and then on came Ian Hunter, from Mott the Hoople, singing All The Young Dudes, a song David Bowie wrote for Mott the Hoople and joined in with the vocals, way back in the 70s.

David gets 5ft10.
Blasto said on 9/Apr/22
Didn’t really look over 5’9” flat.

The pic with Iman at top of page echoes that, even assuming she’s in standard heels.
khaled taban 5ft9 said on 26/Feb/22
More 5ft9 1/2
mannev said on 13/Feb/22
I always thought Bowie was taller. Though, 5 ft 9 inches might have been his average, over of the years.
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 26/Jan/22
So brilliant at everything he did, David sang the theme song for the film 'Seven', called just that!

He wrote, co-wrote and sang the songs to so many movies. 'Lost Highway' and 'Cat People' are two others which immediately spring to mind.
Joseph Debuse (182cm) said on 24/Jan/22
A man like that, no way he’s not in elevators. 172cm max.
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 8/Jan/22
🕯️🎶 Dear David Bowie, who gave so much to this world, was born 75 years ago today.

May he rest in peace. XXX 🎶🕯️

5ft10.
Honest5'11" said on 7/Jan/22
Definitely between 177 cm and 178 cm peak. Strong 175 cm before death.
The Chameleon of 1997 said on 24/Oct/21
I adore David Bowie his voice,looks,hair all generally about him oh not forgetting the boss films.It's a really massive shame he's not on this Earth anymore.It's hard to believe he's not here just imagine it.The album Ziggy Stardust is absolute stunner! Bowie wore big lifts in the early 1970's.He later wore just one or one and a half heel shoes and was not really frightend by other people being taller.I would give Bowie's height say five nine maybe and a half.
Stew said on 14/Oct/21
May seem like an obvious thing but I am confused as to whether these heights are based on barefoot or with shoes I have actually even been measured by my doctor with shoes on at 177cm but without roughly 174-175.
Christian Ruteg?rd said on 1/Oct/21
His passport said 5.10.
Click Here
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 28/Sep/21
There was a question on The Chase today as to which rock artist had a book regarding his career called 'Moonage Daydream'.

The answer was David Bowie, not Paul McCartney or Freddie Mercury. Nobody correlated that he had a song called just that from his album 'Ziggy Stardust'. Not even the Chaser, Paul Sinha.

David gets 5ft10. 🎶😄🎶

It's a brilliant song folks, so check it out.
Westbound on Olympic said on 24/Sep/21
Looked a legit 5-10 guy
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 4/Sep/21
I decided to sit in the porch this morning, listening to David Bowie's final album 'Black Star', which I find so sad. I was watching the videos on my phone, and hoping that I could introduce some decent music to my fox visitors. The big, bold one sat watching from the road, but I wanted him to eat his food. He's been right up to me before, so maybe he'll warm to the idea sooner or later. I was singing along as well, so perhaps that's what triggered his curiosity!

I agree with 5ft10 Dude that Bowie and Jagger were very close in height, and possibly even height twins. I'll give 'Dancing In The Street' a watch later, from Live Aid, 1985.

A little later: I've seen two versions of the aforementioned song and the 1986 one was introduced by Paul McCartney and showed loads of stars bopping along, including the late Rick Parfitt, from Status Quo.

5ft10. 🕯️,....🎶😍👌..🦊
5'10 Dude said on 19/Aug/21
A weak 5'10 for David Bowie makes sense when you see him next to Mick Jagger. They look incredibly close in height, but Mick had the slight edge. I feel that Bowie could sometimes look a solid 5'10.
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 6/Aug/21
David is playing a real vagabond in this John Landis movie 'into the night'!

It's from the mid-80s and in comparison to the other actors having dealings with a mild and harmless insomniac, played by Jeff Goldblum, David looks taller than many of the hoodlums. At the beginning of the film, I questioned whether they were members of the Mafia, but thought in no time, "No way! They're far too over-the-top and unprofessional."

David, on the other hand, who is speaking in an English accent, which Jeff notices immediately, is far more suave than the black-haired clan, and he looks taller than them too. He could even pass for nearing 5ft11. When he is restraining Michelle Pfeiffer, whose heels are around 2 and-a-bit inches, she comes up to between his eyes and his nose. Isn't she supposed to be 5ft6?

David has his Eighties short, blond hairstyle and, in the same way as he looked over average in 'The Man Who Fell To Earth', his first film from 1976, he looks like he could give the other criminals a run for their money in the height department. Let's face it, you have to be very tall indeed to look Jeff directly in the face! I was kind of surprised that he didn't look shorter next to Jeff.

I'm going for 5ft10.5, possibly the highest I've given him, but even back in the 70s and 80s, 5ft9.75 wasn't that much over average and David does look near to tall in these early films of his.
MaskDeMasque said on 6/May/21
Absolute legend of music. I adore his low album. He can pull off 5'10 range but he was very skinny. 5'9.75 is right on the money.
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 22/Apr/21
I've just read on my phone that Scottish singer, Les McKeown, who sang with 70s Scottish band the Bay City Rollers, has sadly passed on, aged 65.

I've written this on David's page because I was thinking of Les only the other day. The reason is that Les can be seen drumming with David Bowie's group when they appeared on Top of The Pops, and probably did full time touring etc. with David and the Spiders from Mars. I happened to be watching a David Bowie video around a week ago and saw Les drumming away!

The Bay City Rollers were teen idols when I was a teen. The girls in my class were crazy about them, but they weren't exactly to my taste as they were too 'poppish' for my liking, but their music was definitely melodic and they had loads of number one hits. Most of my classmates were mad on Woody, but I preferred Les and Eric.

I'm almost certain that Les had a relationship with Britt Ekland for a while, saying really nice things about her afterwards.

Les was 173cm tall. He leaves behind his spouse Peko Keiko and a son, Jubei.
Every sympathy to them, his other family members and friends, including the remaining Rollers, who are said to be heartbroken. 😢💔

RIP Les McKeown. 🕯️ XXX
12th November 1955 - 20th April 2021

David Bowie gets 5ft10.
heightmaster said on 18/Mar/21
Stood next to some of his stage outfits at that exhibition about him which toured world museums. The clothes looked like they were for a child. I think he was a lot shorter than this.
Andrew Jarvis said on 6/Feb/21
Click Here
stiggles said on 6/Feb/21
5ft 8.5 max for bowie.. plenty of pics of bowie on the internet with 5ft 11.5 tony blair .. where he looks at least 3 inches shorter .. same with elton john who at 5ft 6.5 looks only 1'5 inches below bowie.. i do think bowie was paranoid about he's slight frame & lack of inches.. that's why he always claimed 5ft 10.5
slim 6'1 said on 30/Jan/21
Spot on listing
Public Enemy said on 30/Jan/21
This hero is as listed.
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 11/Jan/21
Five years ago today, it was unleashed on the World that David was no longer with us.

David lives on in his music and in our thoughts.

RIP David 🕯️🎶🤗 XXX
8th Jan 1947 - 10th Jan 2016
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 8/Jan/21
David Bowie was born 74 years ago today. His last album, entitled 'Black Star' made it clear he knew he was dying. From all the excellent tracks, my favourite quotation goes, "Look at me - I'm in Heaven".

I'm sure he is too. He brought so much pleasure to so many. What a wonderful way to spend one's lifetime.

5ft10.

RIP David XXX 🕯️
slim 6'1 said on 5/Jan/21
Weak 5’10”
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 14/Oct/20
I noticed this morning that milk is made by (Rebel) Rebels! 🥛🐮

5ft10 for one of the best musicians and actors of my time. 🎶😄👌
Dr JJ said on 20/Sep/20
I concur with David Mortimer - I walked past him in the street in Liverpool in the late 1980s. He was with a small group of people, in a light blue suit, linking arms with a woman, the locals looking bemused but not crowding around at all, no throng. 5’ 8.5” myself, he was wearing thin soled shoes almost like dance shoes and I judged him to be 5’ 9.5”....
Dwarf Chris said on 18/Sep/20
Bowie is the creme be la creme.Forget Mick Jagger,Lou Reed and beyond.Bowie was i reckon better looking than Brad Pitt.In fact Bowie was the best looking guy on our planet until that very sad time he passed away.Bowie was a one off and i think he had a unique voice,just check out the soul he did in the mid seventies so great he could really pull it off! I really feel for Iman as it's hard to deal with such a sad big loss.Bowie will always be my big star,number one and he is extremely brilliant! For Bowie i will say at the most height 1.77cm
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 6/Aug/20
David Bowie's good friend, the pop artist Andy Warhol, was born 92 years ago today. I have read that Andy was 5ft10/5ft11, so a tad taller than David himself, who I'm convinced was a strong 5ft10 after 'studying' him in his movies 'The Man Who Fell To Earth' and 'The Hunger'.

Andy Warhol hung around with all the coolest rock stars, including Bowie, Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground, Blondie and many more besides. His legacy lives on though, his shooting having being dramatised by Evan Peters, listed as 5ft9.5 but made up to look the spit of the guy, in American Horror Story. Andy was shot just before he turned 40 in 1968.

Anyway, Andy died at approximately 58-and-a-half, and David at just turned 69, back in 2016.

Remembering Andy Warhol:
6/8/1928 - 22/2/1987
RIP Andy XXX 🕯️

The late David Bowie gets 5ft10. I enjoyed reading the last three comments about the one and only, most avant-garde rock artist that ever lived.

David Bowie:
8/1/1947 - 10/1/2016
RIP David XXX 🕯️
David Mortimer said on 26/Jul/20
I met him once in New York as a tourist in a deli shop in the 1990s before smart phones and selfies , standing right next to him Im 5'8.75 I think he was around 5'9.5 I was surprised he was only a small bit taller than me he was wearing shades and a beanie , I noticed two things his distinctive side profile and the voice it was like he was a normal joe soap he was the ultimate chameleon, I said nothing of course but it was great to have just stood next to such a cool man for that brief period
Loony James said on 2/Jul/20
David Bowie i think was the best of the best.Other artists could not reach Bowie's perfection.God i really miss him too much.Everything about Bowie was a brilliance, an adventure, a really smart creative man.I went to see him live in August 1990 at Milton Keynes on his sound + vision greatest hits tour.I have really fond memories of that.Bowie could be a quarter of an inch close to 177.2cm but only with one and a half inch lifts on.A true now it all David Bowie fan like me would know that in fact,in reality he was five foot nine spot on.
Happy Chris Mouth said on 17/May/20
Oh come on we all know Mick Jagger is and still is 5'10 1.78 cm.Jagger and Bowie both had impeccable posture which is why they never seemed ever to lose any height.Jagger always had just an inch over Bowie.I guess it was simply a fact that david was five foot nine inches tall spot on i think so 1.75 cm for David.Check out Bowie's limo driver in the man who fell to earth (1975) he's massive.
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 28/Mar/20
I'm listening to The Best of Bowie, given to me by my friend, Chris. He died of cancer at just 39/40. Chris played guitar in a band. God rest his soul.

David gets 5ft10. He looks taller than anyone else in 'The Man Who Fell to Earth'!
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 8/Jan/20
The adorable David Bowie would have turned 73 years old today. I miss him so much. I had a massive all-nighter last night, playing his music well into the wee, small hours and shedding more than a few tears.

The articulate David gets 5ft10. He was by far the tallest cast member in the opening scenes of 'The Man Who Fell to Earth'.

He might have left this mortal coil, but he will never, EVER be forgotten.

RIP David XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXX 😘🎶🎂🎶👌
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 30/Dec/19
@ Asti - What did the Old Bill want with David Bowie? Pah! What a load of ****!
Asti said on 25/Dec/19
There is Bowie’s police portrait showing that he was 5’10”
Click Here
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 14/Dec/19
@ Vitto - Ah! - 'Heroes' is a great song!

I've been watching David's two famous films 'The Man Who Fell to Earth' and 'The Hunger', and there's no getting away from it - David looks above average. Next to the late Rip Torn, he looks tall!

I already decided that I should go up a notch next time I vote, so as it's voting time again, David Bowie is getting 5ft10. 🐬🎶
Vitto said on 6/Dec/19
@Sandy I've just read your message from the 21 November 😄
I wish I could dream of him, too. (It reminds me of ''I, I wish I could swim like the dolphins, like dolphins can swim'')

In regard to height, I just wanted to say that someone guessed me shorter when I was younger and I was very thin just like David in the 70s.
So, what you said is true!

I guess 5'10 for David!
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 24/Nov/19
My brother just walked into my room and heard, 'And in the death as the last few corpses lay rotting on the slimy thoroughfare...'

His face was one of utter shock. I really don't think he'd ever taken in those lyrics before, but heard it? He must have done! It's not as if I don't play it loudly enough...😝

One thing I'm sure about is that David DID want his followers to listen to his lyrics. I remember reading a Steve Marriot interview (who was 165cm tall) and whose group, 'The Small Faces' were called that because they were ALL on the little side - honest! Anyway, I read in his interview that he used to get 'mugged' by his female fans and even had girls waiting for him by his house, but he didn't mind that unduly. What did upset him, however, is that many of them didn't listen to his lyrics. Now that they'll be upwards of their mid-sixties, they must surely have found the time, and they are either very funny or deep and meaningful, but always fantastic. When the Small Faces split up, all of them except for Steve, formed The Faces. Steve went into a group called Humble Pie with Peter Frampton, and Peter used to work with David Bowie and was educated with him.

It's a small, small World!
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 21/Nov/19
@ Vitto - I actually treated myself to a David Bowie blanket last night, so I'm going to snuggle up all nice and warm with David this Winter, and I hope it triggers many a happy dream!

David can have 5ft9.75. I had a schoolfriend who thought David was tiny, having seen him in concert. That's just one example of a person who, because of his slimness, has been taken for smaller in the height department too. Sounds funny, but it's happened to me as well when I've been very skinny. One would think that it would be the other way round!
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 10/Nov/19
David was also a fantastic actor, and I'm SO glad that Rob has included it as part of this great man's résumé.

His lyrics are so deep. It's just as well that I didn't get into him in a serious way until I was 22.

5ft9.75.
Miss Sandy Cowell said on 29/Jul/19
@ Vibram - I reckon David weighed much less in the Seventies!

5ft9.75.
Vibram said on 10/May/19
A flat 5ft10 in the 70's to 90's. He looked taller being thin because he can't of weighed over 145lbs for much of his life.
HonestSlovene said on 26/Mar/19
On Live Aid pictures seemed to edge out Mercury by almost an inch. Strong 5'9", pushing 5'10" is correct.
Crazy4u said on 7/Feb/19
Any idea how long his head could have been? Looks like a pretty big head to me, but not sure how much of this is caused by his rather small frame.
Editor Rob
His frame might accentuate it, but I'd expect 9.3-9.4 inch long.
Sandy Cowell said on 5/Feb/19
Turn and face the strain, David! You're 5ft9.75!

Oh, you pretty thing! 💋💞😊💞💋
Sandy Cowell said on 8/Jan/19
🎂 Happy Birthday David!🎂

This man accomplished so much in his life.
Sandy Cowell said on 18/Dec/18
Try singing along to the lyrics of 'African Night Flight'! I still haven't mastered it after all these years!
😵

I'll give one if the most beautiful people ever 5ft9.75!
James Keffer said on 16/Dec/18
He looks a full inch taller than Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson. He is a flat 5'10.
Mister lennon said on 20/Oct/18
He always looked a strong 5'9 to me.
Greatman said on 17/Oct/18
@JOD

This guy was seriously joking. Bowie is close to 5'10.
JOD said on 16/Oct/18
A friend who was a lighting engineer was doing a show with Bowie and asked his advance man how tall he was...5'5"...sounds ridiculous, I know, he appears mush taller, but the lighting engineer was adamant...said he emphasized to the advance man that he needed the real number or the spotlights would be wrong...comparisons to Jagger have to be taken with a grain of salt because Mick is also a shrimp. No insult to their talent intended, in fact it's a tribute to them that they could create such larger than life personas.
Sabrina said on 17/May/18
So good to finally see the updated and more correct height here, my guess for David Bowie was always 176.5 cm - 177 cm. Could definitely be 177.2 cm in his youth.
Sandy Cowell said on 4/May/18
Too many good lyrics to look back in anger 🍻.... Heaven loves ya anyway! 😉🎶💕
Sandy Cowell said on 19/Apr/18
@ Pox - I really did LOL at your name! 👍😂

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

As this is the page of the great David Bowie, I must leave a guess, and it is 5ft10!
Pox said on 17/Apr/18
A friend of mine was a lighting designer who worked on a show with Bowie. He asked Bowie's advance man how tall he was because he needed to know in order to prepare the spotlights: 5'5". Take it to the bank.
heightmaster said on 26/Mar/18
Just came from David Bowie Is exhibition. Going by the clothes, he looked about an inch shorter than my 5'9" 14 year old daughter. And they had his measurements for a suit there - he had a 26 inch waist! So I think he was so slender he looked taller than he was.
James B 170.8cm said on 22/Mar/18
Rob what is about 5ft9.5/5ft10 guys passing away from or developing cancer? I have noticed its a bit of a trend at that height.

My dads father and my great uncle on my dads side both died from cancet in there late 60s too and they were both 5ft9-5ft10 in there primes.
Editor Rob
Cancer strikes at all heights and ages, unfortunately.

Some of the research does indicate an increased risk of certain cancers the taller you are.
James B 170.8cm said on 12/Mar/18
Rob he doesen't look even 5ft9 3/4 when shaking hands with michael parkinson.

Click Here
Editor Rob
I think he still looked over 5ft 9 comfortably, but a full 5ft 10 was always a probably round-up...whether 5ft 9.5 is closer, I'm not sure, I think now on 9.75 I'm happy with that mark for Bowie.

Unless we drag up old G's photo with Bowie...then it was like 'he might be 5ft 9 with glenn'!
Gracian said on 9/Mar/18
Sometimes Bowie looked like a guy 5'10" but other times he looked a little under it. No matter if 5'10" or 5'9.75" because he always looked like a guy 177-8 cm in his youth so both letters seem to me correct and I think you can argue between that and that... I'm interested in one thing... Rob, how tall did Bowie look just before he died?
HonestSlovene said on 24/Feb/18
Good downgrade, this is spot on, no more no less.
Paul NS (6ft0.5) said on 20/Feb/18
Good downgrade. The photos of him with Black Francis who only claims 5'8 had me suspicious (although he might've lost some height by then).
Tall Sam said on 20/Feb/18
This is a fitting downgrade, he could at times look not more than 5'9.5" and the difference with Ray Davies can look easily more than 2 inches.
Rory said on 16/Feb/18
I think more 5ft9.75, doesn't look a solid 5ft10 with the likes of McCartney or Ray Davies.
Editor Rob
9.75 is probably a reasonable figure for him, I can see it as very likely.
Ted said on 4/Dec/17
Typical 5' 10.5''
Sam said on 29/Nov/17
Hmm, after some googling images, I'm not quite seeing him at a full 5'10". I'd say 5'9.5" would be best as his peak height barefoot. Sure, he could look roughly the same height as Jagger or Lennon, but I think they could've seemed a weaker 5'10" at their peaks as well. There's a bunch of pictures with him and Ray Davies and a few with Pete Townshend and the difference can look at least 2.5 inches with those guys (sometimes a good 3 inches w/ Davies). Paul McCartney looks at least half inch over him as well. Also, peculiar that the 5'9" listed Art Garfunkel looked to edge him comfortably and the 5'8" listed Lou Reed looked no more than an inch under him. I think there's a number of pictures from when he was 50-60 plus years old where he came off as a weak 5'9".
JKBEE,L said on 10/Nov/17
Freddie Mercury on stage usually wore custom. made adidas trainers with no one inch heel on.David Bowie in my mind back in 1988 i thought was 5'11 he could seem that in music video's and live performances.I was kind of convinced though in 1989 Bowie was about an inch shorter than Prince Charles who's 5'10 greeting together at the Live Aid launch in 1985.I reckon even back then Prince Charles wore custom lifts,Diana definetley was a good inch taller than Charles.Diana kind of stooped on the engagement of Prince Charles back in 1980.The deception was Diana pretended Charles was taller.Really,truely very lovely woman Di was so sad she's not around anymore such a BIG LOSS.Back to Freddie Mercury a good friend of mine called Steve was a part at the Queen making video for Radio Ga Ga he wore the white uniform got the bands autographs chatted to each member on stage and Steve my friend whos's 5ft 8 claims Freddie was 5ft 10 acouple of inches taller than him!
Tom said on 4/Nov/17
I think his peak height has been 5'11"
Anonymous said on 31/Oct/17
If Karlie Kloss is 6’1” in her bare feet then David Bowie’s daughter is 5’11” in her bare feet. Besides David Bowie’s daughter has size 10 feet.
ANDY PANDY said on 21/Oct/17
I Could Have Sworn That David Bowie Was ACTUALLY Five-Foot-Ten.
MSA said on 1/Oct/17
I saw him at a tickets only record signing in HMV London in 2002 when he was promoting the "Heathen" album. As he walked out I had a good view of him against a background of the columns and shop displays and he looked a solid 5'10" then.
Heightist said on 11/Sep/17
I looked at a lot of his concerts on YouTube when he was his 50s. He was wearing normal clothes in these later concerts. He had a small, lanky frame and long legs. He looked 5'10" from his build and proportions. He may have lost a bit of height in his 60s, but in his 50s, he looked 5'10".
BB said on 16/Jun/17
He was 5' 8''. For all you comparing pics, look at the shoes he's wearing. They are always high-heeled. Go to the David Bowie Is exhibition, you will see a lot of his clothes without his shoes and you will see he was quite short and petite.
HonestSlovene said on 7/Jun/17
Bowie always looked a bit taller than 5'9" but slightly shorter than his 5'10.5" claim, which is probably his height in normal shoes. I'd guess 5'9.75" would be spot on for his peak and closer to 5'9" before his death.
Sandy Cowell said on 24/May/17
@ Christiane F - Hi! Bowie was a skinny, lovable genius and one of a kind!
Christiane F said on 24/May/17
He was 5'8". He looked taller because he was skinny.
Mark said on 27/Apr/17
Back in the late 1980's I met Bowie, stood right next to him and we exchanged a few words. I'm 6'1" and he was definitely no more than 5'9"... maximum. Btw, he was a very nice bloke!
Nadir2zadir2017 said on 25/Apr/17
David Bowie was 5ft 9,Mick Jagger 5'10 listing is unbelievably wrong by an inch over! Iman is the same height as Bowie 5'9,Who created 5'10 thought? I've been a fan of Bowie since I was a child and he never ever bored me never tedious.Bowie could seem taller on music video's and seemed average height in The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976).Bowie stood 4 inches shorter compared to 6ft 1 Bryan Ferry and famously( many pictures 5ft 9 an inch taller than Lou Reed.Rob needs to change the listing to 5ft 9 and in Twin Peakes Fire Walk with Me film (1992) Bowie must have been wearing lifts as sometimes he did.Hope what I wrote believably helps.Finally everything Bowie did in life when he was alive was exceedingly remarkable,great haircuts,great Albums a brilliant guy showman.
average guy said on 24/Apr/17
look up Miguel ferrer and kyle maclachlan and david bowie all standing straight for a 90's pic with legendary director David Lynch...lynch is 5'11" bowie is an inch shorter. Ferrer is surprisingly taller than maclachlan by a clear 1.25 inches...
Valia said on 13/Apr/17
Imam is 5ft 10 in. Ifyou look up pictures of them where
Iman is wearing flats, David Bowie is taller than her
COLIN said on 4/Apr/17
Click Here
He was slightly taller than my dad in this photo - my dad is 5'8". By his stance probably he was 5'10"
The photo was taken back in 1962.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 24/Mar/17
With Elton you actually see him bend down slightly and lose a good 1in. So he was definitely nearer 5ft10 than 5ft9
HonestSlovene said on 17/Jan/17
177 cm in his youth sounds spot on.
Sandy Cowell said on 8/Jan/17
David would have been 70 today!
He lives on though in the hearts of all his many fans forever!
RIP David xXx
Marsan said on 29/Dec/16
I am so tin like Bowie and I got 1,76. But I ever feel me a little bit shorter than him. He got 1,78 or 1,79 probably in your best years
Bowie Forever!
Paul De Marsan said on 29/Dec/16
I am so tin like Bowie and I got 1,76. But I ever feel me a little bit shorter than him. He got 1,78 or 1,79 probably in your best years
Bowie Forever!
Rz said on 19/Dec/16
Could you add the vastly superior centimeters in parantheses to the guessing list please? :P

Freddie Mercury and David Bowie

Click Here
Click Here

I would put Freddie at 174.5cm (5′8.7″) and Bowie at 177.5cm (5′9.88″)
Sandy Cowell said on 31/Oct/16
I am listening to this fantastic singer right now! I love the socks of him! Such original lyrics, it is elevating in the extreme!
charls said on 31/Oct/16
177cm peak, down to 175cm when he was older, measured his height with shoes on that's why the 5ft 10 1/2 claim
Sandy Cowell said on 12/Oct/16
This exceptionally talented singer and actor will always be alive and well in my household! I have heard some of my girlfriends, who had seen him in concert, estimate him to be 'tiny' but that was his build surely and NOT his height! I had quite a few schoolgirl arguments about the matter! Anyway, he has to be a good 4 inches taller than Twiggy (5ft 6.5 according to her autobiography) on the album sleeve of 'Pinups'. I loved him in the Hunger!
Sebastian said on 3/Oct/16
Been watching YouTube,& Bowie doing "Magic Dance" ("You remind me of the Babe, what Babe? Babe with The Power!, ...") such a joy, brings a smile to my face, more so than 30 odd years ago. Good Fun!
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 25/Sep/16
Out of bed: 179-180cm
Before bed: 177-178cm
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 12/Aug/16
Here's extremely rare footage of David Bowie and Elton John chatting backstage at the Freddie Mercury tribute gig in 1992.

Click Here

Rob, would you agree that David doesn't look over 5ft9 with Elton?
Editor Rob
yeah he looks 5ft 9 range although maybe Elton at times could look near his own claim.
Alxr37 said on 16/Jun/16
i think he was 5'10 he was taller than Freddie Mercury but he looked a tiny bit shorter than mick Jagger. Mick probably had shoes that gave more height..
Editor Rob
for his age Mick has held up pretty well in the height stakes, not losing much really.
Strong 5ft9 said on 28/May/16
5'10.5 is probably close to his morning height
James B said on 19/May/16
He never looked 6ft to me
Allan said on 10/May/16
I actually thought he was way taller, like around 6 foot or so. I guess his thin frame enforced that illusion.
Mat said on 30/Apr/16
Rob, will you add to the top that he claimed 5'10.5?
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 27/Apr/16
Rob, how believable is that?
Editor Rob
not convinced he looked that tall...but then earlier in the day maybe he was near it and that's what he went with!
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 26/Apr/16
Rob, he claims 5ft10½ in this interview

Click Here

Between 0:40-0:50, he insists "I'm five foot ten and a half!" on it when Chris Evans jokingly says "You're not five foot ten and a half"
Editor Rob
yeah that's the height Bowie specifically had on his spotlight acting page in the 70's as well
James B said on 13/Apr/16
Rob the guy in this video caused people on the Internet to go a bit crazy. People actually thought it was David Bowie come back from the dead.

Click Here


A bit creepy huh?
Editor Rob
he looked a bit like him, but it's not like he's a spitting image or anything...
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 26/Mar/16
Rob, could you add Joe Elliott of Def Leppard?

Click Here

I've seen him listed at 6ft1½ and 6ft2. I do think the former is possible but I ain't so sure on the latter. I wouldn't go under 6ft1
Jedi Master 5'11 said on 24/Mar/16
He looks like a 5'11" guy with his frame
truth said on 18/Mar/16
rip true legend and a music inspiration to me and many others.
james said on 18/Mar/16
dave said on 4/Feb/16
I saw a video clip of David Bowie appearing on a show called 'TFI Friday' the show was hosted by Chris Evans. Evans asked Bowie how tall he was "5-10" was the reply. Evans looked incredulously at Bowie and said "your not 5-10" Bowie replied "i am, how tall are you?" "6 foot" came the reply after an awkward second or two they sat down. Bowie definitely looked more than 2 inches shorter.

awkward second?? they were having tons of fun, I re watched the footage, I dont see any awkward second
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 17/Mar/16
Might argue a weak 5ft10. But talent-wise he was over 10ft tall!
Sarah said on 18/Feb/16
I believe Chris Evans' reply about his own height was "6'2", not "6 foot" on the 'TFI Friday' show... While David Bowie on that show insisted he was as tall as "5'10 and a half". From various photos and videos David Bowie looked about 176cm-178cm, no more and no less, I think.
The Exorcist said on 5/Feb/16
Here he is in front of a height chart. About 5'10" in whatever shoes he was wearing that day.
Click Here
dave said on 4/Feb/16
I saw a video clip of David Bowie appearing on a show called 'TFI Friday' the show was hosted by Chris Evans. Evans asked Bowie how tall he was "5-10" was the reply. Evans looked incredulously at Bowie and said "your not 5-10" Bowie replied "i am, how tall are you?" "6 foot" came the reply after an awkward second or two they sat down. Bowie definitely looked more than 2 inches shorter.
Mat said on 26/Jan/16
David Bowie is dead yet he rocks the Billboard charts right now as we speak AND celebheights.com

He is gonna take down JB ;)
Martin said on 24/Jan/16
The famous David Buckley bio states Bowie claimed he was 176cm. I think it fits.
heelshealheight said on 13/Jan/16
Who cares WTF his physical height was.. David Bowie will always constitute a towering giant, albeit a very lonely one, against us all insignificant mortals.;-)
PJ said on 13/Jan/16
Bumped into him in Soho NYC once about 7-8 years ago ... he was 5'8 at most.
Brad said on 12/Jan/16
He was battling it hard for years. Treatment to treatment.
Bart said on 11/Jan/16
Seemed to be 5'8 in Crocodile Dundee
Don't smoke don't do drugs said on 11/Jan/16
Well he still looked rather short even in his cowboy boots when he was in Crocodile Dundee I'd guess 5'8: Click Here
Christian said on 11/Jan/16
What made you change your mind Rob about Bowie beeing 5'10'' instead of 5'9''? Do you think he looked 5'10'' all his career? May he RIP.
Editor Rob
I didn't change my mind, he had a peak/current as he looked to have lost height.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 11/Jan/16
Brad said on 11/Jan/16
Go to my February 1st 2012 post. He got longer than I was told from a decades old friend of his.

Jesus...so he had been diagnosed almost 4 years ago?
PetePro said on 11/Jan/16
Re. David Bowie RiP: Seeing one of the many tributes to this great all-round artist, he looked only an inch shorter than Mick Jagger (in 'Dancing In The Streets'). Both had very similar trainers (training shoes). So probably 5'9" (which is exactly the average for English/British of his generation).
Brad said on 11/Jan/16
Go to my February 1st 2012 post. He got longer than I was told from a decades old friend of his.
James B said on 11/Jan/16
Shocked over his death RIP
Jareth said on 11/Jan/16
RIP to a legend. And I think 5'10 is fair. His pictures with bully corgan certainly make him look at LEAST that, though shows may have been a factor.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 11/Jan/16
Really bummed out over his sudden passing today

RIP Starman
177-178 cm guy said on 11/Jan/16
R.I.P David.
Arch Stanton said on 10/Jan/16
Rob can you squeeze in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence? That's a great film worth mentioning. In The Man Who Fell to Earth at 7 minutes the camera shows his passport it's a bit blurred. It does appear as if one line says 1 m ...... 78 but the camera zooms in very quickly for it to be crystal clear. If you want to see it I'll send you a link externally, I'm always wary of sending links to film sites in public haha.
Rich in Portland said on 8/Dec/15
I accidentally backed into him at an after party for the Miami show on his Sound+Vision tour. I never considered that the dude going on about the Pixies behind me was actually him (since rock stars are too cool to go to the after parties for their own shows) which is probably a good thing as it kept me from doing or saying something eye-rollingly stupid). Any estimate that puts him taller than 5' 8" is being generous.
Turika said on 29/Oct/15
Met him repeatedly, worked with him often. I'm 5'8" and had to look up to him. 5'10" solid.
Cmogen said on 16/Oct/15
No way, I met him and I'm 5"10. He was a couple of inches shorter Han me
ZiggyPopdust said on 5/Aug/15
Looking at pictures of Bowie w/ Lou Reed in the 70s I'm convinced he is no more than an inch taller than Lou. If you ask me, he's probably a 5'9.5 out of bed 5'9" at the end of the day type and has been his whole adult life. Lou was probably 5'8.5" out of bed 5'8" at the end of the day type like Rob
Tr27 said on 11/Jul/15
Clearly, his mugshot shows that Bowie was 5'9 during his peak years, and that doesn't account for his footwear!
B-ran said on 21/May/15
I was pretty shocked to learn he was only 5'9 - 5'10 range. In old videos I always thought he appeared to be tall and lanky. I always assumed 6'1 or over.
Ben S said on 8/Apr/15
David Bowie signed an autograph for me in February 1996, and I'm 5'8 and he was around the same height as me. I would say he was no shorter than 5'8 and no taller than 5'9.

The V&A museum that showed the 'David Bowie Is' exhibition have his height down as 5'8 after all his costume/clothes measurements.
truth2 said on 9/Mar/15
@Yikes! Why on earth do you height trolls need so much to spew ultra BS? He was nothing under 5ft9.5-5ft10 peak, I actually though he was close to 6ft0 due to wearing high heeled footwear in the 70s ziggy footages. Jagger has at most half an inch in him, Mccartney around an inch, Lennon was the same height, Harrison slightly shorter.
Yikes! said on 24/Feb/15
My friend is a lighting designer and did a show with Bowie. He asked Bowie's advance man for his height because he needed an accurate fix to adjust the equipment: 5'5"
truth2 said on 24/Jan/15
I think Jagger was 178cm peak 177cm now, Bowie 177cm peak 176cm now. It is natural for men around 65-70 to lose 1cm after they start shrinking at 60,75-80 2cm, 85-90 3cm etc.
David said on 8/Jan/15
Happy Birthday David Bowie, 68 January 8th 2015.Rob the peak height of 5ft 10 is wrong.David Bowie always was 5ft 9 might still be at 68.Bowie has always had great perfect posture.I would say Mick Jagger also has perfect posture and in his early 70's has not lost height and still is 1.78cm 5ft 10 but is one inch taller than Bowie.
Arch Stanton said on 2/Nov/14
Rob can you add a photo and update with British singer and actor, best known for hits like Heroes, Fame, Let's Dance, Starman, Under Pressure and Ashes to Ashes. In film he has appeared in Labyrinth, The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Prestige, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Linguini Incident and Basquiat. I wish he'd done more acting. He was terrific in The Prestige.
Jerico said on 11/Jul/14
In Zoolander and he's taller than Ben Stiller but noticeably shorter than Owen Wilson so; probably around 5'9".
truth said on 8/Feb/14
a hair under 5ft10 peak (176-177cm), now 175cm flat.
Josie said on 11/Jan/14
I believe he was 5'10" easily when he was younger, he didn't seem particularly tall or short. But now at 67, I'd say he's probably 5'8"-5'8" 1/2.
truth said on 1/Jan/14
I think about 175-177cm range.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 1/Dec/13
I used to think he was at least a 6fter. Like, Freddie Mercury and Tom Jones, Bowie always seemed larger than life onstage or in music videos. Then you see them in person and you're completely mind blown by how that's just not the case. Don't get me wrong, they were never small guys but just smaller.
Zola said on 18/Oct/13
David Bowie walked right past me once. I'm 5'7 and he was about the same height, or very slightly taller, but there wasn't much in it. I remember being surprised as I always thought he was really tall. He's slight.
Sam said on 10/Oct/13
John Lennon and David Bowie were pretty similar in height. Interesting how the angle in the various pictures can make either seem taller than the other. Also interesting how skinny Bowie looks, making Lennon look solidly built in comparison.
Click Here
However, Bowie looks 2 inches shorter than Ray Davies who claims 5'11.75".
Click Here
So, I would guess that Bowie (and Lennon) are indeed right near 5'10" or a smidge under.
truth said on 7/Oct/13
Iggy Pop is either 5ft6.5 or 5ft7 then.
truth said on 7/Oct/13
Bowie if not 5ft10 is at least 5ft9.5 so pretty decent.
Sam said on 3/Oct/13
Iggy Pop is one to talk...Bowie looks generally at least 3 inches taller than him. I still think it would have been poor casting, but Elijah Wood was a good fit to play Iggy Pop in terms of Wood and Pop having similar stature.
Click Here
lavachevolante said on 30/Sep/13
I believe DB is not that tall (5ft10). Many pic shots when he is next to other people make me think that. Also he looks like someone with a very fine squeleton,shapes, figure, face... I think he must be small and with a long proportionned body. Often on videos, he might look tall (but he has high heels) because he is filmed in a way to look tall and sometimes there is another view (from the side or behind in a crowd of spectators like in the Starman video with the blue guitare in 72) and there he looks much smaller like a 1.70 (5ft7)tall person. AND ALSO I believe he's small because in an interview of Iggy Pop, he says that he was performing without knowing DB had comme to see him and, he says: "and there was that smal, tiny man on the side in the crowd weaving to me and it was David!".
David said on 23/Aug/13
Rob please can we have a height of crowded houses neil finn?
bb said on 4/Aug/13
He's 5'8'' and that's a fact.
syd said on 18/Jul/13
David is just about five ten. That was his peak height. As you get older you lean more forward. He walks tall so he can appear taller. If he was well overwight which he will never be he would also appear even taller. Syd Barrett walked tall as well and can appear taller than Roger Waters when they were together in Pink Floyd.
Bakura said on 16/Jul/13
He was an inch taller than 5'9" Freddie Mercury, definitely no less than 5'10" peak...
David said on 12/May/13
I have seen the picture where Ray Davies appears to be alot taller than David Bowie.That can't be right i mean Bowie who's 5ft 9 and Davies is a quarter of an inch off six foot.Well,there's 2 and 3 quarters of an inch difference in reality but the picture is very odd height wise.
truth178cm said on 5/Feb/13
today around 174cm, he was 176cm thought.
Jamesy said on 24/Jan/13
Didn't look 5'10 even at his peak more like 5'9
truth said on 5/Dec/12
5ft9.25 morning height to 5ft8.25/5ft8.5 evening peak height that what he looked to me to be honest. His skinny frame can trick you in believing 5ft10 +, but he is not over average height. Now 5ft9 morning down to 5ft8 evening. In the mugshot he was probably 5ft10 IN SHOES. Im 5ft9.5 evening and reach 5ft11-6ft range easily in shoes in the morning.
Adaliz said on 12/Oct/12
He's 5'10. His mugshot and his 1970 passport prove it. it's weitd that hes average height. He sems like a much taller man. Anyway, I love him. Hes a true original and legend.
David said on 4/Oct/12
David bowie is 5ft 9 and still is FACT.
Taz Mania said on 27/Sep/12
Bowie himself said he is 5'10" and a half (almost 5"11"). I've seen him up close and that seems right to me.
mcfan said on 31/Aug/12
Elton John, John Lennon, and David Bowie wore platform shoes. Lennon didn't look particularly tall in them because it made him hunch over even more.
little sue said on 27/Aug/12
He might have been wearing his platform shoes of the 70's though
Nicole said on 26/Aug/12
Check out David's mugshot from 1976. He's a couple of inches shy of the 6' mark.
mcfan said on 15/Aug/12
That might be right, David. My recollection was Lennon was about an inch taller than him, but I only think Jagger was a half-inch taller than him in Dancing in the Streets.
David said on 27/Jul/12
David bowie has been 5ft 9 since he was 17. One inch shorter than Sir Mick Jagger and on the video of Dancing in the street Bowie appears two inches shorter because there was no heel on Bowie's shoe. I love Bowie's rum haircuts and unique voice he will always be my number one rock star.
jas said on 9/Jun/12
check out youtube "lets dance" where he is playing in the outback pub, appears very small to be sure.
little sue said on 2/Feb/12
I would have put him at 5ft 9 in his prime. Brad, every year for the last 20 years someone has put it out that Bowie is seriously ill and expect to hear bad news but its all been rubbish.
Brad said on 1/Feb/12
He's gonna be well under 5' 10" in '12. Was told in L.A. this past weekend to expect a major item about his health very soon. You heard it here first. There's a reason he's hid from the world...sad sad stuff.
Pete said on 30/Jan/12
I met David Bowie in Toronto and he is 5'6 or 5'7 at the very most
stevie said on 22/Jan/12
Wow,always thought he was about 6 foot.
mcfan said on 24/Nov/11
Bowie was lucky if he was 5'9.5.
willy said on 28/Sep/11
in the martha and vendellas remake of dancin in the street why does
bowie appear to be a great deal(4-5") shorter than mick who is supposedly
5 10" ish and is doubtfully any more than that
lemontart said on 31/Aug/11
wow only 5-9

he looked 6 foot or 6-1 to me

must be b/c he is so thin
TheVerve180 said on 2/Apr/11
Click Here

if anyone is interested.
TheVerve180 said on 2/Apr/11
In "merry christmas mr. lawrence" in the scene when he kisses Ryuchi Sakamoto he has at least 2+ inches on him and Sakamoto is 5ft6.75 at least. He is no lower than 5ft8.75 EVER but he was 5ft9 to 5ft10 range in his youth definately.
Martyr said on 1/Apr/11
Danimal, bowie was taller than mercury wearing lift shoes, whereas Mercury wore sneakers...I think the guy was 5'9, 5'9 and a half, but no more than that...
Brad said on 17/Mar/11
As listed today, 5' 10" easy in '76. These 5' 7" figures are laughable.
MsKitty said on 14/Mar/11
Bowie is referred to as "The Thin White Duke", not the "Tall Think Duke"...just an fyi...I've never heard of him being described as "tall"...
Matt said on 13/Mar/11
Wow, this surprises me considering he's been referred to as the "Tall Thin Duke" as a defining characteristic throughout his career. I'm 6' 1", 5' 10" isn't what I would describe as tall. Either way, Bowie is a musical genius and icon in my book.
noons said on 8/Jan/11
5'8 or 5'9, he is really skinny thats why he looks taller than what he is.
Ben S said on 2/Nov/10
I met David Bowie in early 1996. I'm 5'8 and Bowie appeared around the same height as me. I'd say he's around 5'8 or 5'9. There is no way he's 5'5 or shorter than that, as I've seen him closeup a number of times to see he's not that short.
Anonymous said on 29/Jun/09
hey I havent got the picture yet (i'll upload it later), but its one of my dad with David Bowie. David Bowie is waaay shorter than my dad but my dad is, by no means a tall man. My dads about 5'9" yet hes a lot taller
Anonymous said on 21/Jun/09
I think he was 5'9 at most when he was young. He's very thin and has long legs for his height, which makes him look quite tall. But if you look at the picture when he was arrested for drug possession in 1976, you can see that he barely reaches 5'9, and he was probably wearing shoes. So I guess he was 5'8-5'9 at his peak. Mick Ronson was slightly shorter, I think. Probably 5'7-5'8.
Dez said on 19/Jun/09
My mates Uncle was one of old Dave's bodyguards during some tours in the 80s. He told me he couldn't believe how short he was when he stood next to him - 5ft 7in tops! I think he probably wears built up shoes in the photos some of you guys are talking about.
Dylan said on 18/May/09
I don't suppose anyone knows how tall Mick Ronson was?
Lozzer said on 15/May/09
Glenn definitley looking 5'8" at least. Proof here, it is his truthful height.
Dylan said on 1/May/09
Glenn - I must admit, in the bottom picture you look easily 5'8" and Bowie was probably at his peak height then.
glenn said on 29/Apr/09
these are pics where i look a legit 5-8.the time span adding to the authenticity.
Dylan said on 28/Apr/09
David Bowie was always listed as 5'10" and weighing 8st 7lbs in the early seventies, his wife at the time Angie Bowie was listed as 5'9" and 8st 3lbs, although when interviewed on the Russell Harty show, when asked she said she was 5'8". It was well known at the time that neither of them ate much, hence the skeleton frames. To say describe David Bowie as 6'3" and very muscular is absolute nonsense.
StraightToThePoint said on 19/Apr/09
Haha, good one, "Bowie fan". Thanks for the laugh. Wait, I'm worried. You were kidding, right? David Bowie never looked short to me. I wonder why. Perhaps because he's extremely thin? Or because he wears appropriate clothes? The hairdress? Any idea? Anyway, he looks rather tall, although he's not.
Anonymous said on 24/Jan/09
Looks about 2 inches shorter than 5'11 David Gilmour here:
Click Here

I would put him at 5'9.
mcfan said on 24/Nov/08
Bad photo here, but shows similar heights of Bowie and McCartney:

Click Here
Bowie fan said on 29/Oct/08
David Bowie is 6'3" without heels. He is just very muscular, which makes him look shorter. He just has very little body fat. Both of his wives are 5'9" and they look shorter than him.
DamonAlbarnswoons said on 20/Sep/08
He is a tad shorter than Damon Albarn in this video: Click Here

Damon is 5'11-6'0, so Bowie is probably 5'9 or 5'10
mcfan said on 10/Sep/08
Yeah, Bowie is about 5'10. Just look at Dancing In the Street video. He's just shy of Jagger's height and they're both wearing sneakers.
TopBowieFan said on 5/Sep/08
David Bowie is 5'10. My Mom dated him and I know the height of her then and according to the photo he's about 5'10 and that's also what his passport says.
Next to his supermodel wife Iman he looks like 5'8 or something. hehe! ;)
damo said on 18/Jul/08
I thought he probably wasn't very tall as he is dwarfed by his supermodel wife. He's probably lost height since he first became famous. He's still cute though :)
TNTinCA said on 20/Jun/08
Looks 5'10" in the top photo and 5'9" in the lower photo. So I would just split the difference. 5'9.5".
Bruce said on 19/May/08
common guys this man is 5'10"
mcfan said on 7/May/08
Bowie was 5'9.5...still looks close to that.
ABACAB said on 8/Mar/08
GLEN, YOU ARE MORE THAN 5'8". BOWIE IS A TALL GUY...
Jed said on 1/Jan/08
Looks 5'10 on both pics
glenn said on 10/Dec/07
1994 and 2007.
Danius said on 9/Dec/07
He looks 5'10 in those pics for some reason..when was this?
glenn said on 22/Nov/07
5-7 is pushing it.i heard 5-8 rumors.he can look 5-9 and was 5-10 peak.
Ace said on 22/Nov/07
He walked by me at a Sting concert and looks about 5'7".
Ian said on 20/Nov/07
He is 5ft 10 or was when they measured him on Chris Evans' TFI Friday(Channel4) 1999-2000
Middle-sized Cat said on 29/Oct/07
Completely agree with the 5'9" assessment. See the video of Freddie Mercury's Memorial at Wembley - Ian Hunter is a good 2 inches taller than DB. (Am sure Hunter is almost 6'.)
glenn said on 26/Oct/07
the guys nail puntured his eye.
ziggie said on 30/Jun/07
He has different eyes (the other is just reflecting brown.) when he was 13 his best friend George Underwood punched him in the face for hanging around with some girl. The result after a major surgery was a dilated pupil/eye. So, from that day on he has an eye that reflects brown and one blue normal eye (before he had blue eyes.)
ziggie said on 29/Jun/07
Now in the other picture he looks more 5-10ish.
CoolJ said on 25/Jun/07
He's starting to look like a zombie Ronald Reagan
The Horse of FUNK said on 25/Jun/07
Seems more 5'9.5" in Glenn's recent photo... He also seems unhappy. One eye is red and the other is blue.
sdASd said on 23/Jun/07
that dued is 5 10
antron said on 21/Jun/07
oldman is shorter than bowie imo. Gary is more like 5'8-5'9' and Bowie is more like 5'10"
Lmeister said on 21/Jun/07
Take a look at the "Dancing in the Streets". David is clearly 5'8''ish without boots. David/Gary Oldman have the same built which makes them look 5'10''-5'11'' + shoes...
spiderknut said on 14/Jun/07
Q magazine number48 pegs him as 5 eight!!
anthony quinn said on 26/May/07
Great site -and cool photos -Met a few of my music artists myself -David Sylvian,Bowie,Bryan Ferry,Jim Kerr(all twice ).Dannii minogue,Human League to name a few -your spot on with Bowie -as i'm 5ft7 -i have 2 photos with him .
I would love to meet -Sharon Stone ,Sheryl Crow and Madonna .

ALL THE BEST -TONY .
G-unit said on 12/Apr/07
goldfinger. man you're kidding? 60 years old, he looks 40. According to the picture I'd say 5'10.5.
Del Mar said on 10/Apr/07
In the pic seems 5-10, 5-11 but definitive wears boots or some kind of high shoes
Devlin said on 26/Mar/07
Looks a shade under 5-9 in that pic with the 5-11ish Ray Davies (greatest lyricist in Brit rock by the way...)
PJ said on 26/Mar/07
Bowie absolutely wears lifts, bumped into him in SoHo wearing sneakers standing 5'8.
goldfinger said on 13/Mar/07
Peak height? Bowie is 60 and still has a good posture.
Anonymous said on 10/Mar/07
one inch wolud be more precise....he is 175 centimeters trust me.
Lmeister said on 6/Mar/07
Hmm I just saw "Dancing in the Streets" video. Bowie and Mick Jagger are both wearing trainers. Eventhough they are "dancing" all the time Mick seems to be 2 inches taller...
Jed said on 22/Dec/06
Bowie is at least 176 IMHO. Also with Glenn, he seems to lean just a bit and is still about an inch taller than him.
Brad said on 5/Nov/06
I saw him in '76 onstage and he was really thin. He might have been 5' 8" back then before he went healthy and off the white stuff. His latest wife is gorgeous. Panic In Detroit is the finest thing he's done.
Anthony said on 21/Jun/06
Bowie has always been pretty thin. He looked pretty gangly back during his Ziggy Stardust days. I'd say he's about 5'9 1/2, with maybe hs weight making him seem a little over 5'10.
Glenn said on 24/May/06
In the 70s,maybe,MAYBE,he was 5-10.in one of his newer,all great cds,he sings "I wish I were taller".yes,he appears 5-9 to me now.but could be as low as 5-8.
Rastus said on 23/May/06
Come on people, Bowie is 5'9" tops and may even have shrunk down to 5'8.5" as he reaches 60. Yes, he wears lifts. Yes, he stands tall. Yes, his hair is nearly always 'up'. But like Dylan, the Stones, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop etc., he's a famous short-@rse. Have none of you guys ever seen the full picture from the Tin Machine CD cover? Bowie is in the foreground and they all look the same height in perspective. However, there's a full picture available somewhere and Bowie is actually standing on a box! Of course, he says he's 5'10", but all 5'8"-9" guys say that, especially famous ones!
sam said on 3/May/06
Almost 5'10" looks about right when compared to 5'11.75" Ray Davies here:
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