Top 10 Punk Musicians/Artists We Lost in 2020

R.I.P. to all the punk musicians and artists we lost in 2020.

I usually don't do this, but I made this list non-votable. The reason is that I don't like voting on whose death was sadder or more important than others. So even though this list is numbered, just consider it to be in random order. If you know of someone I missed, please message me so I can add them.

Honorable mention: Frederick Nathaniel Toots Hibbert (12/8/42-9/11/20), lead vocalist and guitarist of the reggae, ska, and rocksteady band Toots and the Maytals, who died from complications of COVID-19. Even though he's not a punk, reggae had a big influence on punk rock. Many punk bands, such as The Clash, The Ruts, Bad Brains, The Slits, and The Members, played reggae-influenced songs. Reggae also led to the whole Two-Tone ska genre and scene, as well as ska-punk.

The Top Ten

  1. Walter Lure

    Guitarist and vocalist for New York's punk band Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers.

    April 22, 1949 - August 21, 2020

    Cause of death: Liver and lung cancer.

  2. Steven "Thee Slayer Hippy" Hanford

    One of my all-time favorite punk drummers.

    Drummer for hardcore punk bands Poison Idea, The Accused, and Fetish.

    1969 - May 21, 2020

    Cause of death: Heart attack

  3. Ken "Mr. Chi Pig" Chinn

    Lead vocalist for Canadian hardcore punk band S.N.F.U.

    October 19, 1962 - July 16, 2020

    Cause of death: Undisclosed

  4. Josh Pappe

    Bassist for hardcore punk and thrash band D.R.I. and Boston's hardcore punk band Gang Green.

    May 30, 1966 - January 31, 2020

    Cause of death: Undisclosed

  5. Andy Gill

    Guitarist for the U.K.'s punk-funk and post-punk band Gang of Four.

    January 1, 1956 - February 1, 2020

    Cause of death: Pneumonia and multiple organ failure.

  6. Pierre Kezdy

    Bassist for Naked Raygun, along with other Chicago punk bands such as Strike Under, Pegboy, Trial By Fire, and Arsenal.

    January 4, 1962 - October 20, 2020

    Cause of death: Cancer

  7. Alec Baillie

    Bassist for New York punk bands Leftover Crack and Choking Victim.

    August 27, 1974 - November 10, 2020

    Cause of death: Undisclosed

  8. Jan Savage

    Guitarist with psychedelic rock and proto-punk band The Seeds.

    October 23, 1942 - August 5, 2020

    Cause of death: Heart attack

  9. Dave Greenfield

    Keyboardist for the U.K. punk band The Stranglers.

    March 29, 1949 - May 3, 2020

    Cause of death: COVID-19

  10. Bob Biggs

    Owner of the iconic independent label Slash Records in Los Angeles, California. Punk bands like Fear, X, Germs, The Flesh Eaters, The Plugz, The Gun Club, L7, and Violent Femmes were on Slash Records.

    Bands like Faith No More, The Blasters, and Los Lobos also had releases through Slash Records.

    1946 - October 17, 2020

    Cause of death: Complications from Lewy body dementia