Top 10 Biggest Losses to the Music Industry
Some artists, love them or hate them, have made a tremendous mark and influence on the music industry that their deaths have affected everyone in some way.
Michael Jackson (Michael Joseph Jackson; August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, dancer, and songwriter. He passed away from cardiac arrest caused by a propofol and benzodiazepine overdose on June 25, 2009. He donated (at least) a remarkable 500,000,000 dollars to charity. Michael... read more Michael should be #1 - MJ was a songwriter, composer, arranger, dancer, and singer. He was inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice. Michael was an artist who wrote nine #1 songs and created the biggest-selling album of all time (Thriller). He holds the Guinness World Record for the most awards. Michael created music - MJ is the King of Music. Period.
For real. He's the only artist I miss.
Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara, 5th September 1946 - 24th November 1991) was a Zanzibari-born British singer of Indian descent, songwriter and record producer, known as the lead vocalist and songwriter of the British rock band Queen. He also became known for his flamboyant stage persona and four-octave... read more I'm sorry to any Michael fan, but Freddie should be number one. He was both a Queen and a King to the music world, and having him die at such a young age was one of the worst things. He made so much great music and had so many ideas, but due to his untimely death, his ideas are forever lost in his mind, never to be retrieved. Michael at least had half of his life and career behind him, but not Freddie - hardly even half. He didn't even live to see the release of Made In Heaven.
RIP Freddie. You were truly the greatest... now, the greatest loss.
John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (9 October 1940 - 8 December 1980) was an English singer and songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as a co-founder of the Beatles, the most commercially successful band in the history of popular music. He was assassinated by Mark David Chapman on December 8, 1980 at age... read more Greatest human and musician we've ever had!
Number one biggest loss, hands down!
One of, if not the best musician ever.
Chester Charles Bennington (March 20th, 1976 - July 20th, 2017) was an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor, best known for being the lead singer of Linkin Park. Before he was known for Linkin Park, Bennington was the lead singer of post-grunge act Grey Daze who was heavily inspired by Stone... read more
Kurt Cobain was born February 20, 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington. In 1987, he started the grunge band Nirvana, which became one of the most successful bands ever. He was a talented yet troubled grunge performer. Kurt Cobain became a rock legend in the 1990s with his band. He committed suicide at his... read more This man was the temporary leader for a generation of kids. Sad as it may be that he took his own life at the age of 27, it doesn't mean he wasn't great at making music. He must have been really good if he continues to influence people today. To me, his death has impacted me the most, and I was born more than two years after his death.
The dark side's plan to ruin music: Kill off the lead singer of Nirvana, let Bieber live, and indirectly bring forth "What Do You Mean?"
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, producer, and model. In 2009, Guinness World Records cited her as the most awarded female act of all time. Houston is one of pop music's best-selling music artists of all-time, with an estimated 170–200... read more She had the most brilliant voice I've ever heard. Losing her to drugs is so sad. The saddest thing.
John Henry Bonham was born on May 31, 1948 in Redditch, United Kingdom. Bonham (nicknamed Bonzo) was a professional hard rock drummer who was best known for being the drummer in the band Led Zeppelin. Bonham was also one of the background singers in the band. His drumming is mainly displayed on the... read more One of the greatest drummers of all time.
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century. His energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined... read more
Clifford Lee "Cliff" Burton (February 10th 1962 - September 27th 1986) was an American musician, best known as the second bass guitarist for the American thrash metal band Metallica, recording three studio albums... read more How can we forget Cliff? Arguably the best and most innovative bassist of all time. Unlike many people on this list, Cliff didn't die of drug abuse or some crazy suicide. He died in an accident at just the age of 24. This makes it all the more sad. I can't even imagine the great heights Metallica and the whole genre of metal would have reached if he were alive today.
No doubt Metallica regained their ground once again after Burton's death, but there shall never be any bassist with the style of Cliff Burton.
Tupac Amaru Shakur, also known as 2Pac, was an American rapper and actor born on June 16, 1971 in East Harlem, New York. Tupac sold over 75 million records worldwide and has been referred to in multiple major publications such as Rolling Stone as one of the greatest music artists of all time. 2Pac was... read more
Randall William "Randy" Rhoads was an American heavy metal guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. He was killed in a plane crash. He had nowhere to go but up. He already proved himself a legend, yet he wanted to move on and get a degree in classical guitar playing. I'm a guitarist, and I can tell you classical is not easy. All this by the age of 24. Rest easy, and thank you for the music.
He was so great! Songs like "Mr. Crowley," "Crazy Train," and "Flying High Again" are so magical! The way the guitar "lifts" up the song is amazing! It was such a shame that he died.
Rest in peace, Randy Rhoads! Always remembered, never forgotten.
Why isn't he in the top 10? He was so good!
Jimi Hendrix (born November 27, 1942 - September 18, 1970) was an American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter.Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music, and one of the most... read more
John R. "Johnny" Cash (1932-2003) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, and author, who was widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century and one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 90 million records worldwide. He died of... read more
Christopher George Latore Wallace, born May 21, 1972, better known by his stage name The Notorious B.I.G (sometimes Biggie Smalls or just simply Biggie), is an American rapper from Brooklyn, New York. On March 9, 1997, he was murdered in a drive by shooting in Los Angeles, California at the age of only... read more
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American singer, songwriter, and poet best remembered as the lead singer of the Doors.
Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980. He was born in Forfar and lived in Kirriemuir, Scotland, for 5 years before moving to Melbourne, Australia,... read more
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer and songwriter known for her deep expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues, and jazz. She is also a well-known member of the 27 Club, as she overdosed on alcohol at age 27. So special, gifted, and talented in a time when originality was so scarce.
James Owen Sullivan (February 9th, 1981 - December 28th 2009), better known by his stage name "The Rev" (Short for "The Reverend Tholomew Plague") was an American musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the former drummer, backing vocalist and co-founder of the American alternative metal/ metalcore... read more How can we forget The Knife Master? Arguably the best and most innovative drummer of all time. Not only was he a drummer, but he was also a singer, played keyboard, piano, and guitar, and was a songwriter for Avenged Sevenfold. His loss is a big one for Avenged Sevenfold and its members. They are still together without The Rev... We love you, Rev, foREVer.
Janis Joplin (1943-1970) was an American singer who rose to fame as the main singer of acid band Big Brother and the Holding Company. She was known for her eccentric hippie style and psychedelic rock music. Her voice gave such a raw feel to the music she created. All her songs are instant attractions, and she would have kicked even more ass if only she had lived to see today.
Darrell Lance Abbott, also known as Diamond Darrell and Dimebag Darrell, was an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of two bands, Pantera and Damageplan, alongside his brother, Vinnie Paul. Abbott died in 2004 after he was shot by a mentally unstable fan.
Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 - April 21st, 2016) was an American musician, best known for being one of the most popular and influential artists from the 80s, with songs such as "Purple Rain", "Little Red Corvette", "1999", and "When Doves Cry" .
John Alec Entwistle, was an English singer, songwriter, composer, musician, film and music producer. He is mostly known as the lead bassist for the rock band The Who.
Stephen "Stevie" Ray Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. In spite of a short-lived mainstream career spanning seven years, he is widely considered one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of music, and... read more An amazing guitarist and will never be forgotten (well, he better not be forgotten or there will be hell to pay).
Stevie Ray Vaughan was one of the best guitarists to walk the planet. His loss will always be a sad one.
Kishore Kumar was an Indian film playback singer, actor, lyricist, composer, producer, director, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the most successful playback singers of the Hindi film industry.