Microsoft founder Bill Gates lays down a tribute for the late David Bowie on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, where he unveiled his top eight songs to Kirsty Young. He's chosen some serious classics as his castaway must-haves, as well as a nod to modern pop culture and musical theatre.

Bill Gates Bill Gates unveils his Desert Island Discs

Following Bowie's sudden death from cancer on January 10th 2016, it's only natural that music fans everywhere have added a hit from the Starman himself to their own Desert Island playlist. For Gates, it's Bowie's collaboration with Queen that serves as his first choice; 'Under Pressure', his UK number one from 1981 that featured on Queen's tenth album 'Hot Space'.

'In my 20s and 30s, I worked a lot. But a few Fridays and Saturdays we'd go out and dance so this kind of reminds me of those disco days with a little bit of weekend freedom', he explains.

Gates also chose Willie Nelson's 'Blue Skies', revealing that he secretly booked the country singer as a wedding gift for his wife before their marriage in Hawaii, and Jimi Hendrix 'Are You Experienced?' in honour of his co-partner Paul Allen who would tease him for his lack of life experience.

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Other songs included U2's 'One', out of respect for Bono with whom he met and began a charitable partnership, and The Beatles' 'Two of Us' in tribute to late friend Steve Jobs. 'Steve was really into music and he loved the Beatles and so did I', Gates explains. 'And he actually mentioned the song, 'Two of Us', saying that was kind of like this journey we'd been on where we'd been competing and working together.'

Completing the eight Desert Island Discs were Ed Sheeran's 'Sing' for his 13-year-old daughter Phoebe, 'How Can Love Survive' from the Broadway performance of 'The Sound of Music', and 'My Shot' from Hamilton, the musical; a song that speaks to Gates' young, ambitious self.