Top 10 Rock Stars Who Died Young

Many well-known rock stars have died at a young age. Research undertaken in the UK indicated that there were 100 deaths of famous rock stars between 1956 and 2005. Lives of over 1000 rock stars were examined in the study. 25% of these 100 people died owing to drug abuse and alcohol. Some famous rock stars that died young include:

1. Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley was a white southerner who is also credited as being the first real rock and roll star. The hip swiveling sexuality that accompanied his music made him an instant teen idol and a role model for the younger generation. He was considered a bad influence and was also dismissed as being incompetent and vulgar. He died on 16, August, 1977 in Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 42.

2. Sid Vicious

An English musician, Sid Vicious was best known for the bassist of the punk group “Sex Pistols”. He died at the age of 21 owing to heroin overdose on February 2, 1979.

3. Jerry Garcia

Jerome John “Jerry” Garcia was an American musician. He became popular for his work with the brand the Grateful dead. Garcia was considered to be the “spokesman” of the group. He died on August 9, 1995 at the age of 53.

4. Johnny Ramone

John William Cummings popularly known as Johnny Ramone was a leading guitarist for the rock punk group “The Ramones”. He was a founding member of the band and was a part of it all through his career. He died in Los Angeles on September 15, 2004 at the age of 55 after battling with prostate cancer.

5. Carl Wilson

An American rock and roll star, Carl Dean Wilson was well known as a lead guitarist of “The Beach Boys”. In 1988, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On February 6, 1998 he died at the age of 51.

6. Jim Morrison

An American songwriter, singer, film maker and poet, James Douglas Morrison was best known as the lyricist and lead singer of “The Doors”. He was regarded as the most charismatic front men in rock music. He died on July 3, 1971 at the age of 27.

7. Jimi Hendrix 

James Marshall Hendrix was an American guitarist, singer and lyricist. He was popular as the most influential and important musician across an array of genres during his era. On September 18, 1970 he died at the age of 27. The singer had been conferred with many prestigious music awards during his lifetime, and many other awards have been conferred upon him posthumously.

8. Kurt Cobain

An American musician, Kurt Donald Cobain became popular as the leading guitarist and lead singer of grunge and Nirvana. On 5th April, 1994, he died at the age of 27. Nirvana has sold over twenty-five million albums in the US alone since its debut and over 50 million copies have been sold worldwide, thus making Cobain one of the most successful songwriters and one of the most powerful and iconic individuals in the pop culture history.

9. John Lennon

John Winston Ono Lennon was an English song writer, singer, musician and peace activist who became famous worldwide after becoming the founding members of The Beatles. On December 8, 1980, Lennon died at the tender age of 40.

10. Brian Jones

An English musician, Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones was one of the founding members of the rock group, The Rolling Stones. The singer was well known for his rich attire, usage of multiple instruments an drug excesses. He died at the age of 27 on 3rd July, 1960.