20 bright stars who died before their time

There’s no perfect age to die, but these stars of the music, art and cinema scenes lost their lives while at the height of their careers. Here we take a moment to remember their short but unforgettable careers.



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Kurt Cobain

A figurehead of the grunge movement, Nirvana singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain sadly became a member of the 27 Club on April 5, 1994 when he killed himself with a bullet to the brain. The 27 Club is the name given to artists who died at the age of 27, and sadly includes several famous musicians. The genius behind three albums, Cobain has become one of the most influential musicians in the history of rock music.



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Avicii

The Swedish DJ Tim Bergling committed suicide on April 20, 2018 at the age of 28. The man that went by the stage name Avicii had retired from the touring circuit in 2016 due to mental health problems. He is often credited with making electronic music a commercial radio success over the past 10 years.



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Selena

The Spanish-speaking Texan singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, better known simply as Selena, was the first American woman to achieve success with Spanish-language songs. To this day, she is still one of Billboard‘s 30 most influential Latin artists. Her life was tragically cut short at the age of 23, when her friend and the manager of her boutiques shot her at point-blank range on March 31, 1995. Selena’s life was portrayed in a movie in 1997, with Jennifer Lopez stepping into the shoes of the singer.



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Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article


Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article

Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger makes for very easy watching as a handsome youngster in the teen comedy 10 Things I Hate About You. However, this young Australian actor’s short career also included more complex roles, such as his character in Brokeback Mountainand, of course, the Joker in The Dark Knight, one of the most intense movie performances of all time. He died from intoxication by prescription drugs on January 22, 2008, aged just 28.



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Jeff Buckley

Though he recorded only one album, Grace, this record has gone down in history as it contains a magnificent version of “Hallelujah,” originally by Leonard Cohen. Jeff Buckley remains one of the most celebrated singer-songwriters due to his unique voice and his moving folk-rock music. His body was discovered on June 4, 1997, a week after his disappearance, in the Mississippi river. His drowning was declared accidental. He was just 30. Tragically, his biological father Tim Buckley, also a famous musician, died at the age of 28 from a heroin overdose.



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Aaliyah

The “princess of RnB”, or Babygirl, as she was known, died in a plane crash in the Bahamas on August 25, 2001 when she was just 22. Discovered at the age of 10 on the program Star Search, Aaliyah was signed to Jive Records by the time she was 12. She famously collaborated with Timbaland and Missy Elliott, and helped forge the RnB and urban pop sound of the 1990s.



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Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes

A member of the band TLC, Lisa Lopes was the creative force in this RnB trio, co-writing most of their songs and creating their stage costumes. The rapper was also the only member of the group to record a solo album, Supernova. She died in a car accident on April 25, 2002, swerving off the road to avoid a collision. She was just 30 years old.



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Ian Curtis

The troubled lead singer of the cult band Joy Division (which later became New Order), Ian Curtis recorded only two albums, Unknown Pleasuresand Closer, before hanging himself on May 18, 1980, aged just 23. Suffering from epilepsy and severe depression, his on-stage performances and lyrics bore testament to his troubled life.



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Brandon Lee

The death of the actor Brandon Lee, while filming The Crow, is one of the movie industry’s most famous tragedies. The gun, which should have been loaded with blanks, contained a real bullet. Lee died in hospital on March 31, 1993, at the age of 28, from internal injuries. He was the son of the famous kung fu actor Bruce Lee, who also died suddenly, at the age of 32, from cerebral oedema.



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Naya Rivera

This American actor and singer started appearing in small roles as a child, but hit centre stage as Santana Lopez in the series Glee. In 2011, she won an ALMA Award for Favorite Female Music Artist. In 2016, she published a book entitled Sorry Not Sorry. Sadly, on July 8, 2020, she lost her life in a tragic drowning accident while boating with her son. She was 33 years old.



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Cory Monteith

Also an actor from the series Glee, Monteith died on July 13, 2013, at the age of 31, from an apparent alcohol and drug overdose. In addition to taking on a few acting roles over the years, Monteith also played with the band Bonnie Dune. He fought against homophobia as the spokesperson for the Straight But Not Narrow campaign. Plus, he won several awards, including the Teen Choice Award for best TV actor in a comedy series in 2011.



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Kobe Bryant

A tragic helicopter accident killed basketball player Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna on January 26, 2020. Discovered by NBA recruiters while still a very young player, Bryant quickly became the youngest player to take part in an NBA game. He is now counted among the greatest basketball players and was named player of the decade for the 2000s. Bryant earned the league MVP (most valuable player) title in 2008 in addition to accumulating trophies and honours throughout his career.



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Raphaël Coleman

Audiences first saw this actor as a young child in the film Nanny McPhee in 2005. Coleman collapsed suddenly on February 6, 2020, and never recovered. In addition to studying at the University of Manchester from 2013 to 2017, he took on roles in several films, including The Fourth Kind in 2009.



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Chris Trousdale

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has taken thousands of lives this year, is nowhere near forgotten. Chris Trousdale, who died on June 2, 2020, succumbed to the virus. This young man, on the verge of celebrating his 35th birthday, already had several achievements under his belt as a singer, dancer, and actor. The performing arts had been a part of his life since childhood.



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