their music was taken from us far
earlier than we expected Polly wants a
cracker bit Gus check it out burgers
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top 10
musicians who died too soon
this list we’ve chosen musicians who
died abruptly and that were either on
the verge of reaching their full
potential or in the prime of their
careers
number 10 tie Tupac Shakur and the
notorious b.i.g in what is one of the
rare cases of a WatchMojo time here’s a
duo that started out as friends but
ended their lives as foes
now you tell me one they run and that’s
why POC and Biggie will forever be
linked in life and death – artists
gunned down in the prime of their lives
both men spent their artistic careers
struggling to express both the poverty
of their early years and the decadence
of their adult ears
the impact they could have made if their
lives hadn’t been taken so early is
daunting to consider and the only time
we tell it when we kill each other it’s
a yield something real time to heal each
other
number nine Jeff Buckley
see
despite critics heaping praise upon him
thanks to his 1994 debut record this
singer-songwriters music is remembered
even more fondly after his life
tragically ended due to an accidental
drowning
with his incredible voice and guitar
playing skills Jeff Buckley’s stamp on
music can be felt to this day
race the only full-length album he
released during his lifetime is so
timeless that it re-entered the
Australian charts a full 13 years after
it came out
it’s since gone double platinum and
prompted the release of multiple
posthumous recordings an artist who
would stand out in any crowd
Jeff Shore career has stood the test of
time
number eight
Ian Curtis
the lead singer and lyricist of seminal
post-punk act Joy Division Ian Curtis
his life was a short tortured one that
was ended by his own hand he spent his
life writing music rich with imagery of
isolation depression and loneliness and
left the world in the same fashion
after its suicide the music he recorded
influenced millions of young people who
thought they were the only ones who felt
alone but thanks to Curtis and Joy
Division they knew they were not
number seven Kurt Cobain
a reluctant megastar who buckled under
the pressure of Fame and took his own
life because of it Kurt Cobain’s arrival
on the US Billboard charts indelibly
altered music as we know it today
possessing a voice that was mired in
anger and isolation
there was no singer who was better
positioned to be the voice of his
generation than Cobain
during a short career Kurt managed to
write music that spoke to millions of
disillusioned youths when they needed it
most
thus Nirvana’s music and impact remains
widespread and influential to this day
number six Michael Jackson
I know you
a trailblazer throughout his long career
the king of pops death from a drug
overdose took the world by surprise
despite several years of relative
seclusion excitement for an announced
comeback tour was palpable
while the world was deprived of the
opportunity to see a master of his craft
one more time the library of music
Michael Jackson left behind will remain
a testament to his massive talent and
work ethic
number five Jim Morrison incapable of
compromise Jim Morrison was an artist in
the truest sense of the word to this
world a poet and filmmaker it was music
where his efforts would gain the widest
acceptance
taking his poetry and pairing it with
the efforts of his bandmates every
aspect of the doors had Morrison’s
fingerprints all over it
though the circumstances surrounding his
death are still disputed
it could be said that it was his
artistic drive that was ultimately his
undoing
but also his legacies salvation
number four John Lennon has come and the
land is done one of the biggest stars on
the planet for more than half of his
life John Lennon used that platform to
attempt to change the world for the
better
one thing’s for certain Lennon was able
to make a huge difference in the world
of music and the hearts of millions of
fans whether it was as a member of the
Beatles or as a solo artist
the victim of a senseless murder John’s
legacy is one of peace and love number
three Buddy Holly Buddy Holly was
arguably the biggest star of a trio of
artists who all died when the plane they
were traveling in crash instantly
killing them all in 1959
Ritchie Valens the Big Bopper and
Hollies deaths were such a big blow to
the music industry that the incident has
come to be known as the day the music
died despite a relatively short career
before his passing no early rock star
had a larger influence on modern music
number two Freddie Mercury thanks to his
four octave range and masterful stage
presence Queen frontman Freddie Mercury
emerged as one of the most talented and
versatile vocalists with the culmination
of his talents being showcased at their
show stealing set at Live Aid in 1985
mercury continued to compose music and
release albums after being diagnosed
with AIDS but he kept his condition
private until the day before he died at
the age of 45 in 1991
given his songwriting abilities singing
prowess and queens successful fusion of
musical genres mercury would have easily
continued to perform well into the
future
where he not taken away from us so soon
before we unveil our top pick here are a
few honorable mentions
No
Oh
number one Jimi Hendrix
a guitarist with such unique talent that
he’s become the measuring stick that all
others are compared to Jimmy was a force
to be reckoned with
leader of the jimi hendrix experience
and an underrated vocalist Jimi was
capable of taking any song and making it
his avatar as evidenced by his
incredible cover of the star-spangled
banner
and bob dylan’s all along the watchtower
if he hadn’t been taken from us when he
was by what’s most commonly believed to
be drug-related causes
there’s no telling how much larger his
impact could have been
do you agree with our list
who is your favorite musician who died
too soon for more music top 10s
published every day be sure to subscribe
to watchmojo.com somebody
earlier than we expected Polly wants a
cracker bit Gus check it out burgers
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top 10
musicians who died too soon
this list we’ve chosen musicians who
died abruptly and that were either on
the verge of reaching their full
potential or in the prime of their
careers
number 10 tie Tupac Shakur and the
notorious b.i.g in what is one of the
rare cases of a WatchMojo time here’s a
duo that started out as friends but
ended their lives as foes
now you tell me one they run and that’s
why POC and Biggie will forever be
linked in life and death – artists
gunned down in the prime of their lives
both men spent their artistic careers
struggling to express both the poverty
of their early years and the decadence
of their adult ears
the impact they could have made if their
lives hadn’t been taken so early is
daunting to consider and the only time
we tell it when we kill each other it’s
a yield something real time to heal each
other
number nine Jeff Buckley
see
despite critics heaping praise upon him
thanks to his 1994 debut record this
singer-songwriters music is remembered
even more fondly after his life
tragically ended due to an accidental
drowning
with his incredible voice and guitar
playing skills Jeff Buckley’s stamp on
music can be felt to this day
race the only full-length album he
released during his lifetime is so
timeless that it re-entered the
Australian charts a full 13 years after
it came out
it’s since gone double platinum and
prompted the release of multiple
posthumous recordings an artist who
would stand out in any crowd
Jeff Shore career has stood the test of
time
number eight
Ian Curtis
the lead singer and lyricist of seminal
post-punk act Joy Division Ian Curtis
his life was a short tortured one that
was ended by his own hand he spent his
life writing music rich with imagery of
isolation depression and loneliness and
left the world in the same fashion
after its suicide the music he recorded
influenced millions of young people who
thought they were the only ones who felt
alone but thanks to Curtis and Joy
Division they knew they were not
number seven Kurt Cobain
a reluctant megastar who buckled under
the pressure of Fame and took his own
life because of it Kurt Cobain’s arrival
on the US Billboard charts indelibly
altered music as we know it today
possessing a voice that was mired in
anger and isolation
there was no singer who was better
positioned to be the voice of his
generation than Cobain
during a short career Kurt managed to
write music that spoke to millions of
disillusioned youths when they needed it
most
thus Nirvana’s music and impact remains
widespread and influential to this day
number six Michael Jackson
I know you
a trailblazer throughout his long career
the king of pops death from a drug
overdose took the world by surprise
despite several years of relative
seclusion excitement for an announced
comeback tour was palpable
while the world was deprived of the
opportunity to see a master of his craft
one more time the library of music
Michael Jackson left behind will remain
a testament to his massive talent and
work ethic
number five Jim Morrison incapable of
compromise Jim Morrison was an artist in
the truest sense of the word to this
world a poet and filmmaker it was music
where his efforts would gain the widest
acceptance
taking his poetry and pairing it with
the efforts of his bandmates every
aspect of the doors had Morrison’s
fingerprints all over it
though the circumstances surrounding his
death are still disputed
it could be said that it was his
artistic drive that was ultimately his
undoing
but also his legacies salvation
number four John Lennon has come and the
land is done one of the biggest stars on
the planet for more than half of his
life John Lennon used that platform to
attempt to change the world for the
better
one thing’s for certain Lennon was able
to make a huge difference in the world
of music and the hearts of millions of
fans whether it was as a member of the
Beatles or as a solo artist
the victim of a senseless murder John’s
legacy is one of peace and love number
three Buddy Holly Buddy Holly was
arguably the biggest star of a trio of
artists who all died when the plane they
were traveling in crash instantly
killing them all in 1959
Ritchie Valens the Big Bopper and
Hollies deaths were such a big blow to
the music industry that the incident has
come to be known as the day the music
died despite a relatively short career
before his passing no early rock star
had a larger influence on modern music
number two Freddie Mercury thanks to his
four octave range and masterful stage
presence Queen frontman Freddie Mercury
emerged as one of the most talented and
versatile vocalists with the culmination
of his talents being showcased at their
show stealing set at Live Aid in 1985
mercury continued to compose music and
release albums after being diagnosed
with AIDS but he kept his condition
private until the day before he died at
the age of 45 in 1991
given his songwriting abilities singing
prowess and queens successful fusion of
musical genres mercury would have easily
continued to perform well into the
future
where he not taken away from us so soon
before we unveil our top pick here are a
few honorable mentions
No
Oh
number one Jimi Hendrix
a guitarist with such unique talent that
he’s become the measuring stick that all
others are compared to Jimmy was a force
to be reckoned with
leader of the jimi hendrix experience
and an underrated vocalist Jimi was
capable of taking any song and making it
his avatar as evidenced by his
incredible cover of the star-spangled
banner
and bob dylan’s all along the watchtower
if he hadn’t been taken from us when he
was by what’s most commonly believed to
be drug-related causes
there’s no telling how much larger his
impact could have been
do you agree with our list
who is your favorite musician who died
too soon for more music top 10s
published every day be sure to subscribe
to watchmojo.com somebody
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