--- title: How David Bowie Predicted The Future Of The Internet 16 Years Ago description: See the iconic rockstar David Bowie predict the future of the internet 16 years ago. image: https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/hubfs/David_Bowie.jpg --- [![ASN Logo New](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Images_Compressed/ASN%20Logo%20New.png?width=203&height=95&name=ASN%20Logo%20New.png) ](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com) # Decoding Tomorrow: Futurism and Foresights Today Foresights and ideas that expand minds and inspire a change of heart. # How David Bowie Predicted The Future Of The Internet 16 Years Ago Posted by [anders@thinque.com.au](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/author/andersthinquecomau) on January 14, 2016 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) As many of you probably have heard the iconic rockstar, musician, actor and fashion icon [David Bowie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bowie) passed away last sunday following an 18 month battle against cancer. What some of you may not know is that he also was a great tech admirer and somewhat of a futurist. In this interview from 1999 Bowie accurately predicts the future of the Internet.   In the interview Bowie say that ***"the actual context and the state of content is going to be so different to anything we can envisage at the moment — the interplay between the user and the provider will be so in simpatico it's going to crush our ideas of what mediums are all about."*** ***I don't think we've even seen the tip of the iceberg***, said Bowie in the interview. This was typical of Bowie, he was always one step ahead of the curve and managed to spot the potential in new technologies and trends.  According to an article in [The Guardian](http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jan/11/david-bowie-bowienet-isp-internet), back in 1998 the successful rockstar launched a Internet Service Provider and offered subscription-based dial up access to the online world. Bowie had obviously seen the possibilities with the online world, unlike many other businesses and organisations that still were trying to understand the significance of the web.   ![David_Bowie on the future of the internet.jpg](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/hs-fs/hubfs/David_Bowie.jpg?width=571&name=David_Bowie.jpg "David_Bowie on the future of the internet.jpg") Today we are able to personalize our music listening and experience with software like [GeoTunes](http://blog.thinque.com.au/how-brands-use-digital-storytelling-to-engage-their-customers) on Spotify that lets us discover the relationship between songs and their geographical context. However, while we are digitizing and adopting new digital streaming services like Netflix and Spotify, we still appreciate the analogue sound from a vinyl record player. In fact [during the last 6 years we have actually seen a steady growth of sales in LP records. ](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/analogue-vs-digital-why-vinyl-records-are-making-a-comeback) As a finishing remark for this blog post I recommend that to Bowies latest album [Blackstar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-JqH1M4Ya8) that he released only two days before he passed way.  ### Written by [anders@thinque.com.au](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/author/andersthinquecomau) ** ### Sign up for the Decoding Tomorrow newsletter ### CATEGORIES - [Anders Sorman-Nilsson](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/topic/anders-sorman-nilsson) - [Futurist Speaker Sydney](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/topic/futurist-speaker-sydney) - [Thinque](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/topic/thinque) - [Disruptive Trends](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/topic/disruptive-trends) - [Future Thinking](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/topic/future-thinking) - [Thought Leaders](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/topic/thought-leaders) - [Artificial Intelligence](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/topic/artificial-intelligence) - [Futurist](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/topic/futurist) - [Future Trends](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/topic/future-trends) - [2nd Renaissance](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/topic/2nd-renaissance) - [AI](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/topic/ai) - [Sustainability](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/topic/sustainability) - [2020 Vision](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/topic/2020-vision) - [Disruption](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/topic/disruption) - [AI Keynote Speaker](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/topic/ai-keynote-speaker) ### INDUSTRY - [Anders Sorman-Nilsson](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/how-david-bowie-predicted-the-future-of-the-internet-16-years-ago#) - [Futurist Speaker Sydney](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/how-david-bowie-predicted-the-future-of-the-internet-16-years-ago#) - [Thinque](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/how-david-bowie-predicted-the-future-of-the-internet-16-years-ago#) - [Disruptive Trends](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/how-david-bowie-predicted-the-future-of-the-internet-16-years-ago#) - [Thought Leaders](https://www.anderssorman-nilsson.com/blog/how-david-bowie-predicted-the-future-of-the-internet-16-years-ago#) ### RECENT FORESIGHTS [** ](https://www.facebook.com/thinquetank/) [** ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/anderssormannilsson/) [** ](https://www.youtube.com/user/andersofthinque) [** ](https://twitter.com/asormannilsson) [** ](https://www.instagram.com/andersbygeorgsorman/) ### ANDERS SÖRMAN-NILSSON #### FUTURIST. 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