Birthday boy Bowie's announcement sends Twitter wild

The single refers to Bowie’s Berlin years, with mentions of Potsdamer Platz and famous department store KaDaWe.

Watch the video for Where are we now? below (youtube.com/user/SparkyHughes33)

The website announcement read: "In recent years radio silence has been broken only by endless speculation, rumor and wishful thinking ....a new record...who would have ever thought it, who'd have ever dreamed it! After all David is the kind of artist who writes and performs what he wants when he wants...when he has something to say as opposed to something to sell. Today he definitely has something to say."

The new record has been produced by long-term collaborator Tony Visconti and written by Bowie in New York.

Unsurprisingly, Twitter exploded when the announcement was made, with Bowie’s son Duncan Jones firing a warning shot towards Taylor Swift.

Would be lovely if all of you could spread the word about da's new album. First in ten years, and its a good 'un! http://t.co/3kZGoxUg

— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) January 8, 2013

Also, what better way to knock Taylor feckin Swift off the top of the charts! ;)

— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) January 8, 2013

My real name is David Jones – transcript of a letter sent by Bowie to a 14-year-old American fan in September 1967

Slightly left of field but well worth a read, the popular Letters of Note blog have posted a note sent by a 20-year-old Bowie to Sandra Dodd, a teenage girl who sent Bowie his first piece of fan mail from the US. He was so pleased that she digged his music, he sat down to write an immediate reply.

As it's clearly Bowie Day, here's the lovely letter he wrote to a young American fan in the '60s: http://t.co/aKE3moRc

— Letters of Note (@LettersOfNote) January 8, 2013

Yet Bowie’s decade long break seems like nothing in comparison to Doris Day, as English actor Stephen Mangan says.

Though Bowie's hiatus doesn't hold a candle to Doris Day's - she made her last movie in 1968. Keep 'em waiting, Doris.

— Stephen Mangan (@StephenMangan) January 8, 2013

Of course another couple of famous names were also born on this day…

Elvis, Bowie and Shirley Bassey all born on this day

— Zora Suleman (@ZoraSuleman) January 8, 2013

Although the chances of Elvis making a similar announcement today is slim.

We're not sure whether Where are we now? will earn him any new fans, but it is quite clear that many of his old supporters are just happy that he's back.

If Bowie released a video of him slapping a donkeys arse with some Berlin-era video references projected in the background I'd be content.

— Colm Tobin (@colmtobin) January 8, 2013

Full tracklisting for 'The Next Day':

'The Next Day'

'Dirty Boys'

'The Stars (Are Out Tonight)'

'Love Is Lost'

'Where Are We Now?'

'Valentine's Day'

'If You Can See Me'

'I'd Rather Be High'

'Boss Of Me'

'Dancing Out In Space'

'How Does The Grass Grow'

'(You Will) Set The World On Fire'

'You Feel So Lonely You Could Die'

'Heat'

Bonus tracks:

'So She'

'I'll Take You There'

'Plan'

[comment]We're celebrating the new release with a Greatest Hits playlist featuring Bowie's biggest hits from China Girl to Ziggy Stardust:[/comment]