Most Shocking Rockstar Deaths

1. John Lennon

   

   John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (born John Winston Lennon, 9 October 1940-8 December 1980), was an English singer, songwriter, musician, and political activist. He rose to worldwide fame as the co-founder, co-lead vocalist, and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles, the most commercially successful band in the... read more

   Lennon's death was the day the music died. He formed the most famous and best-selling band in history. He chose the members of the band and was always really the leader.

   He selected the most famous band name in history, the Beatles. He sang and wrote most of the songs, more than any other Beatles member. He had one of the most famous songs in history, Imagine, and definitely the most famous song compared to those of Paul, George, and Ringo. He is the only musician who had a number 1 single on the U.S. Billboard after he died.

   Lennon was a big threat to U.S. politics in the early '70s because of the Vietnam War and was not afraid to protest against kings, queens, and presidents, something not many famous people then and today would dare to do. Everyone who was alive in 1980 knew how big Lennon's death was, even bigger than Senator Kennedy and definitely more significant than Dimebag's, even though I love Pantera.

2. Dimebag Darrell

   

   Darrell Lance Abbott, also known as Diamond Darrell and Dimebag Darrell, was an American guitarist and songwriter. He co-founded the bands Pantera and Damageplan with his brother Vinnie Paul. Abbott was tragically shot and killed during a performance in 2004 by a mentally unstable fan.

   I agree with you guys. His death is the most tragic and should have never happened. No musician deserves to be murdered, especially not while on stage.

   Definitely the number 1 most shocking - shot onstage while performing!

3. Kurt Cobain

   

   Kurt Cobain (February 20, 1967 - April 5, 1994) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician, best known as the frontman of the grunge band Nirvana. Founded in 1987, Nirvana achieved global success in the early 1990s, reshaping rock music with albums like Bleach, Nevermind, and In Utero. Cobain died... read more

   Michael Jackson's a rockstar? Pretty sure he is a popstar, but Kurt is the most shocking though.

4. Freddie Mercury

   

   Freddie Mercury was a Zanzibari‑born British singer of Indian descent, songwriter, and record producer, best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Queen. He achieved fame for his flamboyant stage persona and remarkable four-octave vocal range.... read more

   Never have I heard anyone with such talent as Freddie. So sad and tragic that he died. Absolutely unique and irreplaceable. RIP, Fred. You legend.

   One of the saddest deaths in rock history. A beautiful voice was lost and will continue to be missed to this day.

   Miss him so much. I can't express my sadness in words. Such a great treasure we lost, such a tragedy.

5. Elvis Presley

   

   Elvis Aaron Presley was an American singer and actor, widely dubbed the "King of Rock and Roll" and regarded as a pivotal cultural icon of the 20th century. His energetic musical interpretation and provocative performance style, bridging racial music traditions in a shifting era, both fueled his fame... read more

   Elvis, the KING of Rock, ranked beneath the non-rocker Michael Jackson? Is this list serious?

6. Randy Rhoads

   

   Randall William "Randy" Rhoads was an American heavy metal guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. He was widely regarded for his innovative guitar work and neoclassical metal style. Rhoads was killed in a plane crash on March 19, 1982, at the age of 25.

   That bus driver was a jerk! He made us all lose one of the greatest guitarists ever born!

   He is one of the greatest guitarists of all time and he died in a plane crash (how I think Bruce Dickinson will go by the way). Everyone was shocked at his death.

7. Jimi Hendrix

   

   Jimi Hendrix was an American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Though his mainstream career lasted only about four years from 1966 to 1970, he's widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in popular music.... read more

   The top 3 can be considered the death of 'The King' Elvis, John Lennon, and Jimi Hendrix.

8. Cliff Burton

   

   Clifford Lee "Cliff" Burton (February 10, 1962 - September 27, 1986) was an American musician best known as the second bass guitarist for the American thrash metal band Metallica. He performed on the band's first three studio albums: Kill 'Em All (1983), Ride the Lightning (1984), and Master of Puppets... read more

9. Jeff Buckley

   

   Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Buckley (November 17, 1966 - May 29, 1997), raised as Scott "Scottie" Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.

   Buckley was born in Anaheim, California, into a musical family. His mother, Mary Guibert, was a classically trained musician, and his father, Tim... read more

10. 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 acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication, which was ruled a homicide. Jackson is widely regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures... read more

    I still cannot come to terms with this. It hurts so bad!

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Oliver Tree

    

    A helicopter collision ended the life of one of the best alternative pop and rock singers of the 21st century.

    He was known for songs such as Miss You, Cash Machine, Alien Boy, and Life Goes On.

    R.I.P. (June 29, 1993 - June 14, 2026).

12. ?

    Brent Hinds

    

    William Brent Hinds was an American guitarist and singer best known as a member of the Atlanta, Georgia, metal band Mastodon. In Mastodon, he shared guitar duties with Bill Kelliher and vocal duties with Troy Sanders and Brann Dailor.

The Contenders

13. Jim Morrison

    

    James Douglas "Jim" Morrison (December 8, 1943 - July 3, 1971) was an American singer, songwriter, and poet best remembered as the lead vocalist and lyricist of The Doors. He became a counterculture icon of the 1960s, known for his flamboyant stage presence and poetic lyrics. Morrison died in Paris in... read more

14. Bon Scott

    

    Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980. He was born in Forfar, Scotland, and lived in Kirriemuir for five years before moving to Melbourne, Australia, in 1952 at... read more

    Awesome lyricist and frontman - died right before AC/DC skyrocketed to the heights of rock and roll fame. Probably wrote most of Back in Black, the second or third best-selling album of all time.

15. John Bonham

    

    John Henry Bonham (31 May 1948-25 September 1980) was an English musician best known as the drummer of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Born in Redditch, Worcestershire, Bonham, nicknamed "Bonzo," is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential drummers in history. Noted for his speed, power, fast... read more

16. John Denver

    

    Henry John Deutschendorf Jr., known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer-songwriter, actor, activist, and humanitarian, whose greatest commercial success was as a solo singer starting in the 1970s... read more

17. Stevie Ray Vaughan

    

    Stephen "Stevie" Ray Vaughan (October 3, 1954 - August 27, 1990) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Despite a mainstream career that lasted only seven years, he's widely considered one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of music. He played a key... read more

    He had been clean for a year and was doing great until that horrible crash.

18. Chris Cornell

    

    Christopher John "Chris" Cornell (July 20, 1964 to May 18, 2017) was an American rock musician and singer-songwriter. He was best known as the lead vocalist, primary songwriter, and rhythm guitarist for Soundgarden and as the frontman of Audioslave. Renowned for his powerful voice, he possessed a wide... read more

19. Chester Bennington

    

    Chester Charles Bennington (March 20, 1976 to July 20, 2017) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the lead vocalist of Linkin Park.

    Before he became known for his work with Linkin Park, Bennington was the lead singer of the post-grunge band Grey Daze, which was... read more

20. Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan

    

    James Owen Sullivan (February 9, 1981 - December 28, 2009), better known by his stage name "The Rev," short for "The Reverend Tholomew Plague," was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was best known as the drummer, backing vocalist, and co-founder of the American heavy metal band Avenged... read more

21. Paul Gray

    

    Paul Dedrick Gray, also known as The Pig or by his number #2, was an American musician best known as the bassist and one of the founding members of the Grammy Award-winning metal band Slipknot. He contributed to the band's aggressive sound and image. Gray passed away in 2010, and his influence remains... read more

22. Amy Winehouse

    

    Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer and songwriter known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic blend of soul, rhythm and blues, and jazz. She is a well-known member of the 27 Club, having died from alcohol poisoning at age 27 on July 23, 2011. Her album Back to Black remains... read more

23. Marc Bolan

    

    Marc Bolan, born Mark Feld on September 30, 1947, was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and poet. He was best known as the frontman of the glam rock band T. Rex and became one of the pioneers of the glam rock movement in the 1970s.... read more

    When his manager once told him jokingly the rockiest way for him to die was at the wheel of a white roller, Marc joked back, No, I'm too small for a Rolls Royce. It'll have to be a Mini... a little purple Mini.

24. Randy California

25. Johnny Thunders

    

    John Anthony Genzale Jr. (July 15, 1952 - April 23, 1991), better known by his stage name Johnny Thunders, was an American rock and punk guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He rose to fame in the early 1970s as a member of the New York Dolls. Thunders later played with The Heartbreakers and also pursued... read more

26. Layne Staley

    

    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.... read more

27. David Bowie

    

    David Robert Jones, known professionally as David Bowie (January 8, 1947 - January 10, 2016), was an English singer born in London, the son of a sales promotion officer and a housewife.

    He earned praise for his experimental and creative music, winning numerous awards and gaining admiration from... read more

    Stupid cancer has taken the life of one of the greatest pop stars of all time. He left the Blackstar album so that he will always be remembered 100 years after his death. R.I.P. David Bowie!