Music has changed the lives of many. It transcends language barriers, travels across the globe, and earns millions of devoted followers. Many legendary artists have left a trail of wonderful music they created throughout their long and fruitful careers, but there are only a few who, in their short-lived musical journey, created an impact so big that will nurture the world of music and music lovers for centuries to come.
Artists like Micheal Jackson and Avici have touched millions of souls with their music and continue to do so. But sadly there are few artists who couldn’t live long enough to witness the success of their music. Here are the top 10 famous singers who died at a very young age.
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10. Tupac Shakur
Widely regarded as the most influential rapper, Tupac Shakur went by the stage name 2Pac and Makeaveli. Tupac hardly performed the song live, but the unforgettable track, Dear Mama keeps on echoing within the hearts of music lovers. It is usually on repeat on radio stations and music channels during Mother’s Day.
Unfortunately, Tupac’s life ended when he was tragically shot on September 13, 1996, at the early age of 25. He was shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada in the United States. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he died of his injuries six days later, on September 19, 1996.
9. Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens was an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He introduced Chicano rock and Latin rock to the music freak denizens. Some of his famous songs include Donna, La Bamba, and Come On, Let’s Go. Well, eight months into the music industry, Ritchie Valens got killed in a plane crash.
La Bamba is a film directed by Luiz Valdez, based on the life of Ritchie Valens, the singer to pioneered the genre of Rock and Roll. Valens died in 1959, just a year after being signed to Del-Fi Records, in a plane crash that also killed two other stars, J.P. Richardson, known as Big Bopper and Buddy Holly.
8. Otis Redding
Otis is another singer on this list that faced the unfortunate consequence of a plane crash. Otis Redding was an American soul singer and songwriter who passed away at the age of 26. He is regarded to be one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music. A few of his famous songs include My Girl, the Dock of the Bay, and Cigarettes and Coffee.
Otis Redding was killed in a tragic plane crash along with four members of his band while traveling to Madison for a concert from Ohio. The cause of the crash was speculated to be the piolets miscalculation due to poor weather conditions. Redding’s death was a great loss to the music industry.
7. Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison was the lead singer of the American rock band The Doors, who is known to have a history of substance abuse along with a controversial lifestyle. Till the present day, he remains a cultural icon. His famous works include Riders on the Strome, Light My Fire, and End of the Night.
The American singer passed away at the age of 27 when he was found dead in a bathtub of his apartment in Paris, France. Although the exact cause of death was never revealed, there were speculations it was because of heart failure, possibly due to a drug overdose.
6. Aaliyah
The American singer and actress were known as the Princess of R and B and also the Queen of Urban Pop. As an artist, she was inspired by a number of artists which included Micheal Jackson, Donnie Hathaway, Janet Jackson, and Whitney Houston. In 2003 in memory of Aaliyah, the Entertainment Industry Foundation created the Aaliyah Memorial Fund to donate the money raised to charities she supported.
Sadly, on August 25, 2001, Aaliyah died in an airplane crash at the young of 22. In her lifetime, Aaliyah was celebrated as one of pop’s most forward-looking and futuristic artists.
5. Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix was an American rock guitarist who is regarded to be one of the greatest and most influential musicians of all time, passed away when he was 27. A few of his famous albums are Hey Joe, Purple Haze, and Foxy Lady. Ex-member of the boy band One Direction, Zayn Malik has shared a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Angel in the lead-up to what would have been the late guitar legend’s 80th birthday.
The American guitarist was found unresponsive in his London hotel room, choking on his own vomit after taking sleeping pills. Although the exact cause of the death is uncertain and has been a subject of speculation since then.
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4. Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain is the founder, guitarist, and lead singer of the famous rock band Nirvana. During the last years of his life, Cobain struggled with heroin addiction and chronic health problems such as depression. He could not handle the personal and professional pressures of fame.
On April 8, 1994, Kurt Cobain died at 27 in his home due to suicide by gunshot. A suicide note was found, which was addressed to Cobain’s childhood imaginary friend Boddah, that stated that “Cobain had not felt the excitement of listening to as well as creating music along with really writing for too many years now”.
3. The Notorious B.I.G
The Notorious B.I.G also goes by the stage name Biggie Smalls an American rapper. His music was often semi-autobiographical, often telling the stories of hardship and criminality. He was often considered, Tupac Shakur’s archnemesis and was under speculations during Shakur’s murder investigation.
Just six months after Tupac Shakur’s death, Christopher George Latore Wallace was murdered by an unidentified assailant in a drive-by shooting while visiting Los Angles.
2. Avicii
Avicii was found dead in Muscat, Oman while vacationing at the age of 28. Some of the greatest hits of the Swedish singer are The Nights, Wake Me UP, Without You and I Could Be the One. He was described as the “fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions”. The DJ’s dead lead to the awareness and importance of Mental Health.
Swedish DJ Tiesto remembered Avicii during The Fader’s podcast and said, “I never understood what happened. I wish I had more time to talk to him about what was bothering him. I feel like maybe I could have helped him.”
1. Elvis
Elvis, often known as the King of Rock and Roll, passed away at the age of 42. The rock singer was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor of his home. Some of his biggest hits were, Can’t Help Falling In Love, Jailhouse Rock, and You’re the Devil in Disguise.
The cause of his death was determined to be a heart attack, likely related to his long-term use of prescription drugs. His death was a huge blow to the music industry.
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