Musicians Who Died Young

George Michael (Age 53)

Michael was found dead by his partner Fadi Fawaz on Christmas morning, 25 December 2016. No cause of death was immediately determined, his manager Michael Lippman conjectured that heart failure was the cause of death, and that Michael "passed away peacefully."

Michael Jackson (Age 50)

The king of pop passed from cardiac arrest induced from intoxication of prescription drugs (propofol and benzodiazepine) while lying in his Los Angeles mansion.

Whitney Houston (Age 50)

The legendary vocal powerhouse drowned in her bathtub at a Beverly Hills hotel. Heart disease and cocaine use contributed to her death.

Freddie Mercury (Age 45)

After being diagnosed with AIDS in early 1987, the Queen frontman revealed his HIV-positive status and his battle with the disease on November 22, 1991. He died a little more than 24 hours after the statement, from bronchial pneumonia made worse from AIDS.

Elvis Presley (Age 42)

The king of rock 'n' roll was discovered unresponsive on his bathroom floor and attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. It's suspected that years of prescription drug abuse affected his health.

John Lennon (Age 40)

The legendary singer-songwriter and Beatles member was assasinated by a gunman who shot him four times in the back of the head near his New York City apartment.

Bob Marley (Age 36)

Melanoma under the nail of the reggae pioneer's toe cancer eventaully spread throughout his body, causing his death. He fought it for months, until his vital functions gave out during a flight to Jamaica. He landed in Miami and died in a local hospital.

Jim Morrison (Age 27)

The details of the Doors' singer's death are hazy because no autopsy was performed. He was found in a Paris apartment bathtub with his death ruled as a result of "heart failure." His long-term girlfriend, Pamela Courson, believed the cause to be an accidental heroin overdose.

Kurt Cobain (Age 27)

The Nirvana frontman and grunge icon's death was officially ruled a suicide via a self-inflicted gunshot to the head.

Amy Winehouse (Age 27)

The soul-pop diva passed as a result of alcohol poisoning. She was found not breathing in her London residence and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Tupac (Age 25)

The rap icon was murdered in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, though many claim he never died.

Notorious B.I.G (Age 24)

While on his way to a Los Angeles party, a car pulled up next to and fired shots at the iconic rapper's SUV. Four bullets hit Biggie and despite major surgery, B.I.G. died. His murderer is still unknown. 

Selena (Age 23)

The queen of Tejano music was shot by a former employee, Yolanda Saldívar, while Selena was working out a financial dispute with her. Selena died from blood loss and went into cardiac arrest, but did make her way to the hotel lobby to name her assassin. During her time, the starlet broke many chart records along with barriers with Latin artists at the time.

Aaliyah (Age 22)

The R&B princess died in a plane crash in the Bahamas while filming her "Rock the Boat" music video.

Christina Grimmie (Age 22)

The singer-songwriter and finalist on The Voice was shot while signing autographs following a concert in Orlando in June 2016; the shooter killed himself after the attack.

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