Are we over emotional ?

I totally agree, I have heard little else on every channel.

I'm glad you started this thread, nankate. I've been thinking of starting one similar. My reaction when I heard Bowie had died was: People die.

I don't feel sad about his death. I'm interested to hear that he has died and it's quite nice looking at all the tributes. That's all. It's the same feeling I have when anyone famous dies... essentially a shrug.

That's life.

I like this one best: twitter.com/jesuisdean/status/686090202226528257

I did have that feeling it was going to go on all day when I was watching BBC breakfast this morning. As others have said its terribly sad but people die every day.

I agree its too much for a pop star who took copious amounts of drugs and had a very strange lifestyle its a wonder he reached the age of 69 really. Not my kind of music - its was even on Classic FM this morning.

I am so glad others are feeling the same. I was wondering about starting a thread myself!

As someone who has lost a daughter, mother and father all within a few years, to read comments like 'I was shocked / devastated' etc. made by people who have no personal connection and maybe just liked his music, leaves me cold.

I also feel it is distasteful to have so much media coverage so shortly after his death. I am really sorry for his close family who must feel their grief is being hijacked.

Last part of my rant (!) - to put things into perspective - the one time I made the mistake off posting something in memory of my daughter at an anniversary time on Facebook, it got one comment and three likes. The cute / dumb kitten video underneath it got over a 100. Strange world we live in.

Far too much coverage , 69 is too young to die yes pay a tribute but it is now 3.45 and it has been covered on rolling news since i switched tv on for news at 9am, before this is it was on the radio . He was a pop singer , that's it .

It was cancer that killed him. Anyone can get cancer, even 'virtuous' people who never take illegal drugs and who don't live strange lifestyles.

By all accounts he was a very decent man.

I don't think grief can be hijacked.

I must admit my first thought, I wonder what kind of cancer? He was, or used to be , a chainsmoker. After one of my aunts died of lung cancer from smoking I managed to cut my smoking down and eventually stopped, after many years.

I think what I find weird is not all the talk about the man and his music, but the fact that people say how sad it is that he's died. I don't think it's sad for anyone except his family and very close friends, who will miss him. We all die sooner or later.

I'm a bit conflicted on this one!

The last time was when Cilla Black died - she and Bowie were around the same age and famous for the past 40-50 years.

They were both cultural backdrops for most of our teenage/growing-up years, so it is a significant moment when they die.

The 'good and the great' in the media are of the same age so it's inevitable that their deaths get a great deal of coverage. Probably deserved, certainly in comparison to Lemmy whom most people had probably never heard of.

I suspect there's a feeling of, wow we're all getting old and death is not only for others.

Decent people die every day , decent people suffer cancer . It's a repeat of Diana's death , how can the death of a person one has never met leave one devastated

I have to ask, who is/was Lemmy?

I find it strange that with all the other newsworthy stories that so much airtime is spent on famous people when they die.

They did the same for Cilla Black.

Lemmy was an old rocker. He always wore a cowboy hat and had sideburns and a beard. You'd recognise him even if you aren't into rock.

Maybe!

Julie Burchill calls it "sob signalling". Chuckle.

I wouldn't/didn't recognise Lemmy. I'd never heard of him.

Thatbags, I have to disagree. Sorry if I have offended pedants by applying the verb 'hijack' to an abstract noun (grief), but the verb can mean to seize, to force to change direction, or to take over. In the case of media reporting of David Bowie's death, I feel the media (as ever with anyone famous) has 'taken over' or over taken what is essentially a private grieving time.

I know this sounds sweepingly judging of me, there will be many sad people today, but it is the disingenuous outpourings of grief that inevitably follow that are hard to stomach.

In my experience, real grief is mostly silent and shared by few.

I think it's a bit strange that the news coverage is so extensive. I would expect a mention during the news bulletins for a half a day, with some tribute programmes later on TV and radio, but not at peak times. If he died in an accident you might expect more coverage because of updates to the causes or circumstances, but David Bowie died of cancer in his own bed with his family around him.

Two things may be a factor, one is it was not publicly known he was ill and the other is he had just released a new album. But still.

At the end of every year we see photo shows and lists of well known people who died that year and I am always surprised at a few of the names. I don't understand why David Bowie is receiving this level of attention.

Bowie's family and friends will feel the same grief whether they see the media coverage or not is what I meant, imperfect. So long as people aren't banging in their doors and pestering them for comments, I don't regard what is happening as a hijack. Even of they were being pestered, it'd be their privacy that was being "hijacked" (I'd substitute 'invaded' there I think), not their grief.

Just wanted to add that David Bowie is from my 'era', so I am not unaware of his life. I think he was a very talented guy, but what's happening today is a sign of the times, the age of instant messaging.

Sorry can't recall Lemmy but thanks. Admit not into rock, I am a jazz fiend

I don't think it's too much. He was a great pop musician. One of the best. By all accounts he was a decent human being too. He figured hugely in many people's youths. Why would it be too much?