Campaign to put Bowie's face on £20 note

In Spring the Bank of England’s Governor Mark Carney will decide which Briton will replace economist Adam Smith on the back of the banknote following a voting process from the British public.

The bank has previously stated that it wishes for the new notes released later this year to feature a “non-living visual artist”. Following the singer’s passing in New York aged 69 on Sunday, tens of thousands of fans have signed a petition stating that Bowie should be the replacement.

A spokesman for the campaign to get Bowie’s face on banknote said: “There is no better person to be on the next £20 note.

“Bowie’s innovation and art included painting as well as his better know music and acting careers. As a non-living visual artist he now meets the Bank of Englands Criteria for the next person to feature on the £20 note.”

At the time of going to press the petition had attracted more than 15,000 supporters.

Meanwhile Bowie’s final studio album Blackstar has entered the UK charts at number one with almost 150,000 combined sales, making it the fastest selling album of the year so far and clinching his tenth chart-topping record - although it was already on course for the top spot before his death.

A total of 623,000 Bowie records sold this week with the highest entry after Blackstar among Bowie’s 10 top 40 albums were classics Hunky Dory, The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust, and Aladdin Sane.