Many of the greatest musical artists have fallen; but even after passing their legends, lives, and lessons will be remembered.
“It’s better to burn than to fade away” – Kurt Cobain.
John Lennon
Legendary lead singer of The Beatles, poet, and musical genius.
In 1980, John Lennon was murdered at the archway of The Dakota, New York. He was fatally shot by a former crazed fan, Mark Chapman, who had planned the murder for months and travelled from Hawaii to execute it.
Chapman stated he was angered by Lennon’s comment that “The Beatles were more popular than God”. After the incident, Chapman reportedly remained at the scene reading ‘The Catcher In The Rye’ until the police came to arrest him. John Lennon was only in his 40’s at the time of his death.
Whitney Houston
Houston had vocal capabilities that are one in a million to come by, reaching notes that other artists could only dream of; and she did it all effortlessly. She is one of the few artists who has reached 7 number-1 hits in a row while performing live music regularly.
At the age of 48, Houston was found dead after accidentally drowning in a bathtub in a Beverly Hilton hotel. It is reported that substances of cocaine, and suffering heart disease contributed to her death. In the days before her death, she had been seen out many times, including at pre-Grammy parties.
Tupac Shakur
On September 7th, 1996, American rapper Tupac Shakur was killed in a drive-by shooting when he was waiting at a red light. He was shot 4 times and died 7 days later from his injuries. The gunman was never caught, however, it is suspected that there was gang activity involved in his murder.
After his death, he went to symbolize noble struggle, and was remembered for his bravery.
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson has undeniably shaped the music world forever. He brought a uniqueness that had never been seen before. He excelled in his stage presence and flawlessly changed octaves throughout his vocals, making him one of the greatest entertainers the world has ever seen.
Jackson’s death was sudden. He went into cardiac arrest at the age of 58, and passed away after many failed attempts to revive him. Reportedly, his last words were “Please let me have some milk” – Milk refers to one of the most powerful anaesthetics, propofol, which he had overdosed on the day he died.
XXXTentacion
XXXTentacion was another tragic murder victim amongst young rappers. XXXTentacion was followed by an SUV while he was on his way to a motorcycle shop. As he was leaving the shop, the SUV blocked him off and shot him.
Unfortunately, he later died in hospital of his injuries. It is said he predicted his own death with an eerie message he posted online not long before, stating that if anything happened to him, that he hopes he has inspired people to lead a good life.
Amy Winehouse
English singer Amy Winehouse, known for her expressive vocals and deep tones, died after suffering alcohol poisoning in 2011 at 27 years old. She had suffered a long history of drug abuse, and although she had gotten clean at the time of her death, her body was weakened from bulimia. Winehouse rose to fame after the release of Back to Black in 2006.
Freddie Mercury
Mercury had all the qualities for an ideal lead singer and rose to fame with the band ‘Queen’. He had an irreplaceable voice capable of reaching decibels that few others could, and a stage presence that lured in any crowd he performed to.
Mercury contracted HIV, which then progressed into AIDs. Although he knew he was ill, Mercury ignored the problem for as long as he could. Mercury died after complications with his illness and succumbed to pneumonia. As he would have wanted, his death was as private as possible; with only one person knowing where his ashes have been spread.
Marvin Gaye
It’s rare that a singer has such an impact on American culture like Gaye did. At the peak of his career, he was known as the ‘Prince of MO town’. Gaye fought an uphill battle for most of his life, suffering beatings from his father when he was a child.
The feud came to a tragic end in 1984, on Gaye’s 45th birthday, when he was fatally shot by his father in their Los Angeles home after Gaye tried to break up an altercation between his parents. Gaye’s brother held him as his life faded; his last words were “I got what I wanted… I couldn’t do it myself, so I made him do it for me”.