David Bowie (July 7, 1979) DJ Single Advert – Melody Maker

A full‑page black‑and‑white advertisement promoting David Bowie’s new single “DJ,” taken from his album Lodger, featuring a striking image of Bowie in motion with the letters “DJ” painted in light behind him.

Writer: Uncredited (RCA Records Advertising Dept.) 

Artist: David Bowie

 Date: July 7, 1979

 Length: 1 page advertisement

The advert announces the release of David 

Bowie’s single “DJ” from his album Lodger on

 RCA Records. It features a dynamic 

photograph of Bowie in a white shirt and

 trousers, captured mid‑gesture against a 

striped background with the word “DJ” sprayed in bold letters beside him. 

The design is minimal yet visually arresting, typical of Bowie’s late‑1970s artistic style. 

Text along the bottom reads “DAVID BOWIE

 New single DJ taken from LODGER BOW 3,”

 with a corner banner stating “out now picture

 bag RCA Records.” The image reflects the

 avant‑garde and fragmented themes of the 

Lodger era.

PUBLICATION

Publication: Melody Maker

Date: July 7, 1979

Country: United Kingdom

Section / Pages: Advertisement Page

Title: David Bowie – DJ Single Advert

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS

Event: Promotion for David Bowie’s single “DJ” from Lodger

Era: Late 1970s experimental period

Tone: Stylised and modernist

Photography: Black‑and‑white image of Bowie in motion with “DJ” painted behind him

Audience: Melody Maker readers and Bowie 

fans

PRIMARY QUOTE

"New single DJ taken from LODGER."

THE STORY BEHIND IT

Released in the summer of 1979, “DJ” was the second single from David Bowie’s album 

Lodger, the final part of his Berlin trilogy with 

Brian Eno. The song and its accompanying

 video explored themes of media identity and 

urban alienation, mirroring Bowie’s own 

disenchantment with celebrity. 

This advert appeared as part of RCA’s 

campaign to promote the single in the UK

 music press, using bold imagery to capture the song’s restless energy and Bowie’s continuing reinvention.

WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS

Event: Advertisement for David Bowie’s single “DJ”

Era: 1979

Tone: Promotional and artistic

Photography: Expressive portrait of Bowie with painted “DJ” backdrop

Audience: Music press readers and record buyers

"Out now picture bag RCA Records."

CONTEXT AND NOTES

This advert captures the visual language of

 Bowie’s Lodger period — fragmented, 

angular, and experimental. The typography 

and composition echo the album’s themes of

 displacement and modern communication. 

Appearing in Melody Maker at the height of

 Bowie’s post‑Berlin phase, it illustrates how his artistic presentation was as important as the 

music itself in defining his late‑1970s persona.

RELATED MATERIAL

• David Bowie – Lodger Album (1979)

• David Bowie – DJ Music Video (1979)

• Melody Maker – RCA Promotional Adverts Archive 1979

Additional related entries can be found via the

 tag index at the foot of the page.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.

---