Top 10 Musicians Who Died Too Soon

The Top Ten
1 John Lennon (40) 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 40. Lennon was characterised by the rebellious nature and acerbic wit in his music, writing and drawings,... read more

The world shared a collective heartbreak when he died...way too soon. Unbelievable!

Man, it's been almost 40 years, and I still miss him. He left us way too soon, and it's like he never died. Rest in peace, John Lennon.

Unlike most of the others, John died through no fault of his own.

2 Freddie Mercury (45) 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 vocal range. Before he became a singer he has been in 3 other bands (Ibex, Sour Milk Sea,... read more

He had a beautiful voice. Queen was awesome. We lost him way too soon. I wish he was still alive. May he rest in peace. We all love you.

Gone too soon... RIP Freddie, you made music history.

He should be number one on the list.

3 Kurt Cobain (27) 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 Seattle home in 1994.

No doubt in my mind as to who deserves the top spot on this list.

He died so young! He made history as the lead singer of Nirvana.

I wish I could bring him back from the dead.

4 Jimi Hendrix (27) 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 celebrated musicians of the 20th century. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as "arguably... read more

Best guitarist of all time in only four years making music.

He was awesome! He died so young.

5 Buddy Holly (22) Buddy Holly, born Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959) was an American musician and singer-songwriter who was a central figure of mid-1950s rock and roll. He was a rising star when a tragic plane crash struck him down at age 22.

During his short career, Holly wrote, recorded, and produced his own material. He is often regarded as the artist who defined the traditional... read more
6 Jeff Buckley (31) Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Buckley (November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997) raised as Scott "Scottie" Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.

Jeff Buckley was born in Anaheim, California, from musical lineage. His mother, Mary Guibert, was a classically trained musician, and his father, Tim Buckley, was a well-known folk singer. Buckley, however, only met his father one time; the two... read more
7 Jim Morrison (27) James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American singer, songwriter, and poet best remembered as the lead singer of the Doors.

He died way too soon! The Doors will always be legendary.

8 Michael Jackson (50) 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 is also known as The King of Pop (a title given to him by Elizabeth Taylor) or under the initials MJ... read more

I miss him so much because a lot of people liked him a long time ago, like when he was dating Lisa Marie Presley, Brooke Shields, Elizabeth Taylor, Madonna, Whitney Houston, and Debbie Rowe. That's why everyone loved him so much.

God, I miss him so much. He's seriously one of the most talented people who ever lived. Love you, MJ.

9 Cliff Burton (24) 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.
He died after the driver of the bands tour bus lost control on a patch of black ice and crashed at the town Dörarp in Sweden whilst promoting Metallica's third album "Master of Puppets"

Cliff... read more

Dimebag Darrell's death was a sad tragedy, as was Paul Gray's. However, they both died at 38, leaving a significant legacy behind that will forever be remembered. But Cliff Burton? He is only featured on three albums. If he were still alive, imagine how great And Justice for All or the Black Album would have been. He could make bass solos sound awesome, and he wrote incredible riffs, harmonies, and songs. Being the only classically trained musician among Metallica, if he were still alive, he probably would have created entire orchestral arrangements for Metallica songs. Too soon indeed.

One of the most talented musicians of his time was showcasing his talents when Metal reached its peak in 1986. He didn't even live long enough to join the 27 Club. Imagine what Metallica could have accomplished if Cliff was still alive. It makes me sad. Oh, and he died in one of the worst ways imaginable: getting crushed by your own bus.

10 Brian Jones (27) Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones was an English musician, the founder and the original leader of the Rolling Stones.
The Contenders
11 Janis Joplin (27) 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.

Why did she have to die so young?

12 Bon Scott (32) 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, with his family in 1952 at the age of six.
13 Ian Curtis (23) Ian Kevin Curtis (15 July 1956 – 18 May 1980) was an English musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the post-punk band Joy Division.

Curtis, who suffered from epilepsy and depression, killed himself on 18 May 1980 (at the age of 23), on the eve of Joy Division's first North American tour, resulting in the band's dissolution and the subsequent formation... read more

The lead singer of Joy Division, Ian Curtis, committed suicide by hanging on May 18th, 1980, before what would have been Joy Division's first North American tour. It's sad that he hung himself before what could have been a rise to stardom.

14 John Bonham (32) 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 tracks "Moby Dick" and "When the Levee Breaks"... read more
15 Chester Bennington (41) 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 Temple Pilots they released two albums with Chester before his death. Wake Me and No Sun Today,... read more
16 Chuck Schuldiner (34) Charles Michael "Chuck" Schuldiner (1967-2001) was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, best known as the founder and vocalist, guitarist and bassist of the American heavy metal band Death. He is considered the most influential figure in Death Metal, with some publications referring to Chuck as the "Godfather of Death Metal". Schuldiner died in December 13, 2001 of brain cancer, his death... read more
17 Amy Winehouse (27) 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.
18 Bob Marley (36) Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley was a Jamaican reggae singer, songwriter, musician, and guitarist who achieved international fame and acclaim.
19 Layne Staley (34) Layne Thomas Staley was an American musician who served as the lead singer and co-songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains, which he founded with guitarist Jerry Cantrell in Seattle, Washington in 1987. Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the early 1990s. In 2002, Staley was found dead in his home of a drug overdose.
20 Marvin Gaye (44) Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr.; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo artist with a string of hits, earning him the nicknames "Prince of Motown" and ...read more.
21 Elvis Presley (42) 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 with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race... read more
22 Aaliyah (22) Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born on January 16th 1979 and died August 25th 2001. She was a dancer, an actress and an R&B singer. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, raised in Detroit, Michigan and died at Marsh Harbour, Bahamas.

At the age of 10, she appeared on the show, Star Search and performed beside Gladys Knight, her aunt. At the age of 12, she signed a contract with Jive Records and her... read more

Aaliyah should at least be in the top 5. Not saying that the others don't deserve their ranking, but she died in one of the most tragic ways possible at the age of 22 as well.

23 Shannon Hoon (28) Richard Shannon Hoon was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He was the lead singer of the band Blind Melon until his death in 1995.
24 Otis Redding (26) Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, arranger, and talent scout.
25 Taylor Hawkins (50) Oliver Taylor Hawkins (February 17, 1972 - March 25, 2022) was an American musician, best known as the former drummer of the rock band Foo Fighters.
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