The 27 Club---Why Do So Many Rockers Die at Age 27?

Gavin B. · 11-13-2013, 03:56 PM

It's amazing how many notable rock musicians die at the age of 27 and the cause of death is usually a drug overdose or suicide. Here's a partial list of 10 of the 50 well known rockers in the 27 Club:

Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones
Al "Blind Owl" Wilson of Canned Heat
Jimi Hendrix
Janis Joplin
Jim Morrison of the Doors
Ron "Pigpen" McKernan of the Grateful Dead
Pete Ham of Badfinger
Kurt Cobain of Nirvana
Kristen Pfaff of Hole
Amy Winehouse

It's also interesting that nearly all of the people on the list were only 3 or 4 years into their public reigns as rock stars... Perhaps many of them were disillusioned with their new found status as celebrities.

Nearly all of the above members of the 27 Club had expressed some form of disenchantment with their lives prior to their deaths...But I know for a fact that Jimi Hendrix's death was a complete accident. By all accounts he was excited by his notoriety and was bursting with plans for his own musical future. (Hendrix died from an overdose of the prescription drug Seconal given to him by a girlfriend to help him to sleep).

Mr. Charlie · 11-13-2013, 06:05 PM

It's an interesting question.

Have more notable rock stars/musicians died at 27 than, say 26 or 28?

Maybe it's coincidence and the number isn't that high considering the large number of rock stars?

Maybe that's when humans feel they're most invincible and consequently over do the drugs/booze?

Maybe it takes several years of heavy drug/alcohol use for the body to reach tipping point and aged 27 is when most heavy users reach that point?

I don't know. Maybe it's none of those. It makes you wonder.

Screen13 · 11-14-2013, 07:58 AM

It's really a coincidence and a very well known name for a group of performers considering that a number of the name stars that passed away at that age were from the "Classic Era of Rock" and that most of it's best known were gone in a very close space between each other. It's a sad mark of the time, considering that those who passed away obviously had a lot of ides, and also sometimes an occasional occurrence to other notable artists who many seriously miss.

Silenzio · 11-14-2013, 09:06 AM

It's always sad to pick up on such facts, but the truth is, a lot of influential musicians died at a young age.

Chopin died at the age of 39 on October 17, 1849 due to pulmonary tuberculosis.
Mozart died 1791 in Vienna due to kidney failure, as a 35-year-old.
Schubert died 1828 in Vienna at the age of 31, due to syphilis.
You might say medicine and the life-style wasn't good at that time, and I don't doubt that.
If you take a closer look at those diseases you'll determine that most are infectious diseases. Obviously, love was their drug.

In my opinion, genius and insanity lie close together.
The people we're talking about are very ambitious, talented and beyond their society.
Of course their lives weren't always perfect, and something might have been missing,
may it be success, love or anything other "normal" people seem to have.
So they try to find a substitute, and if they over-consume it and that spells the end for these people.

I'm sure there are real coincidences, but the risk is higher that there were other reasons for their death.
It's at any rate a great loss to music history, fans and of certainly the family of the musician.

Rjinn · 11-14-2013, 03:40 PM

Don't really think there's much to it more than inflating fame controversially speaking because some rock icons made it stick out like nails to a crucifixion. Unless you believe the music loving grim reaper's favorite number is 27, there's really no sense in it but to make these legends live on.

blackdragon123 · 11-17-2013, 12:50 PM

It does wonders for your legacy to die at 27........You might even say...it's the most beneficial career decision you can make in the music industry....

Paul Smeenus · 11-17-2013, 12:52 PM

You left out Mia Zapata RIP

11-13-2013, 03:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
Gavin B. Model Worker Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,248	The 27 Club---Why Do So Many Rockers Die at Age 27? It's amazing how many notable rock musicians die at the age of 27 and the cause of death is usually a drug overdose or suicide. Here's a partial list of 10 of the 50 well known rockers in the 27 Club: Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones Al "Blind Owl" Wilson of Canned Heat Jimi Hendrix Janis Joplin Jim Morrison of the Doors Ron "Pigpen" McKernan of the Grateful Dead Pete Ham of Badfinger Kurt Cobain of Nirvana Kristen Pfaff of Hole Amy Winehouse It's also interesting that nearly all of the people on the list were only 3 or 4 years into their public reigns as rock stars... Perhaps many of them were disillusioned with their new found status as celebrities. Nearly all of the above members of the 27 Club had expressed some form of disenchantment with their lives prior to their deaths...But I know for a fact that Jimi Hendrix's death was a complete accident. By all accounts he was excited by his notoriety and was bursting with plans for his own musical future. (Hendrix died from an overdose of the prescription drug Seconal given to him by a girlfriend to help him to sleep). __________________ There are two types of music: the first type is the blues and the second type is all the other stuff. Townes Van Zandt

11-14-2013, 03:40 PM	#5 (permalink)
Rjinn The Aerosol in your Soul Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: New South Wales, Australia Posts: 1,546	Don't really think there's much to it more than inflating fame controversially speaking because some rock icons made it stick out like nails to a crucifixion. Unless you believe the music loving grim reaper's favorite number is 27, there's really no sense in it but to make these legends live on. __________________ last.fm

11-17-2013, 12:50 PM	#6 (permalink)
blackdragon123 don't be no bojangles Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Wales Posts: 496	It does wonders for your legacy to die at 27........You might even say...it's the most beneficial career decision you can make in the music industry.... __________________ 'Well, I'm a common working man, With a half of bitter, bread and jam, And if it pleases me, I'll put one on ya man, When the copper fades away!' - Jethro Tull

11-13-2013, 06:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mr. Charlie Shoo Thoughts Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: These Mountains Posts: 2,308	It's an interesting question. Have more notable rock stars/musicians died at 27 than, say 26 or 28? Maybe it's coincidence and the number isn't that high considering the large number of rock stars? Maybe that's when humans feel they're most invincible and consequently over do the drugs/booze? Maybe it takes several years of heavy drug/alcohol use for the body to reach tipping point and aged 27 is when most heavy users reach that point? I don't know. Maybe it's none of those. It makes you wonder.

11-14-2013, 07:58 AM	#3 (permalink)
Screen13 Music Addict Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 1,388	It's really a coincidence and a very well known name for a group of performers considering that a number of the name stars that passed away at that age were from the "Classic Era of Rock" and that most of it's best known were gone in a very close space between each other. It's a sad mark of the time, considering that those who passed away obviously had a lot of ides, and also sometimes an occasional occurrence to other notable artists who many seriously miss.

11-14-2013, 09:06 AM	#4 (permalink)
Silenzio Music Addict Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Austria Posts: 210	It's always sad to pick up on such facts, but the truth is, a lot of influential musicians died at a young age. Chopin died at the age of 39 on October 17, 1849 due to pulmonary tuberculosis. Mozart died 1791 in Vienna due to kidney failure, as a 35-year-old. Schubert died 1828 in Vienna at the age of 31, due to syphilis. You might say medicine and the life-style wasn't good at that time, and I don't doubt that. If you take a closer look at those diseases you'll determine that most are infectious diseases. Obviously, love was their drug. In my opinion, genius and insanity lie close together. The people we're talking about are very ambitious, talented and beyond their society. Of course their lives weren't always perfect, and something might have been missing, may it be success, love or anything other "normal" people seem to have. So they try to find a substitute, and if they over-consume it and that spells the end for these people. I'm sure there are real coincidences, but the risk is higher that there were other reasons for their death. It's at any rate a great loss to music history, fans and of certainly the family of the musician.