27 Club

Encyclopedia

The 27 Club is a list consisting mostly of popular musicians, artists, or actors who died at age 27. Although the claim of a “statistical spike” for the death of musicians at that age has been repeatedly disproved by research, it remains a cultural phenomenon, documenting the deaths of celebrities, some noted for their high-risk lifestyles. Names are often put forward for inclusion, but because the club is entirely notional, there is no official membership.

Cultural phenomenon

The 27 Club includes popular musicians, artists, actors, and athletes who have died at age 27, often as a result of drug and alcohol abuse or violent means such as homicide, suicide, or transportation-related accidents. The deaths of several 27-year-old popular musicians between 1969 and 1971 led to the belief that deaths are more common at this age. Statistical studies have failed to find any unusual pattern of musician deaths at this age, comparing it to equally small increases at ages 25 and 32, with a 2011 BMJ study noting instead that young adult musicians have a higher death rate than the rest of the young adult population, concluding: “Fame may increase the risk of death among musicians, but this risk is not limited to age 27”.

The “club” has been repeatedly cited in music magazines, journals and the daily press. Several exhibitions have been devoted to the idea, as well as novels, films and stage plays. There have been many theories and speculations about the causes of such early deaths and their possible connections. Four years before the BMJ study was published, Cobain and Hendrix biographer Charles R. Cross wrote: “The number of musicians who died at 27 is truly remarkable by any standard. humans die regularly at all ages, there is a statistical spike for musicians who die at 27.”

History

Jim Morrison, lead singer of the rock band the Doorsand among the first 27 Club members

Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison all died at the age of 27 between 1969 and 1971. At the time, the coincidence gave rise to some comment, but it was not until Kurt Cobain’s 1994 death, at age 27, that the idea of a “27 Club” began to catch on in public perception.Blues musician Robert Johnson, who died in 1938, is the earliest popular musician who has been included in the members of the 27 Club.

According to Hendrix and Cobain’s biographer Charles R. Cross, the growing importance of the media—Internet, magazines, and television—and the response to an interview of Cobain’s mother were jointly responsible for such theories. An excerpt from a statement that Cobain’s mother, Wendy Fradenburg Cobain O’Connor, made in the Aberdeen, Washington, newspaper The Daily World—”Now he’s gone and joined that stupid club. I told him not to join that stupid club.”—referred to Hendrix, Joplin, and Morrison dying at the same age, according to Cross. Other authors share his view. On the other hand, Eric Segalstad, writer of The 27s: The Greatest Myth of Rock & Roll, assumed that Cobain’s mother referred to the death of his two uncles and his great-uncle, all of whom had also committed suicide. According to Cross, the events have led a “set of conspiracy theorists the absurd notion that Kurt Cobain intentionally timed his death so he could join the 27 Club”.

In 2011, seventeen years after Cobain’s death, Amy Winehouse died at the age of 27, prompting a renewed swell of media attention devoted to the club once again. Three years earlier, she had expressed a fear of dying at that age.

An individual does not necessarily have to be a musician to qualify as a member of the 27 Club. Rolling Stone included television actor Jonathan Brandis, who committed suicide in 2003, in a list of “members” of the 27 Club. Anton Yelchin, who had played in a punk rock band but was primarily known as a film actor, was also described as a member of the club upon his death in 2016. Likewise, Jean-Michel Basquiat has been included in 27 Club lists, despite the relative brevity of his music career, and his prominence as a graffiti artist and painter.

Scientific studies

A study published in the British Medical Journal in December 2011 concluded that there was no increase in the risk of death for musicians at the age of 27. Although the sampled musicians faced an increased risk of death in their 20s and 30s, this was not limited to the age of 27. A 2015 article in The Independent also provided statistical evidence that popular musicians are not more likely to die at the age of 27.

In popular culture

Music

  • The theme is referenced in the song “27 Forever” by Eric Burdon, on his 2013 album ‘Til Your River Runs Dry.
  • The band letlive. featured a song named “27 Club” on their 2013 album The Blackest Beautiful.
  • Magenta’s eighth studio album, The Twenty Seven Club, directly references the club. Each track is a tribute to a member of the club.
  • The name of the song “27” by Fall Out Boy from their album Folie à Deux is a reference to the club. The lyrics explore the hedonistic lifestyles common in rock and roll. Pete Wentz, the primary lyricist of Fall Out Boy, wrote the song because he felt that he was living a similarly dangerous lifestyle.
  • On his song “Brand Name” from the album GO:OD AM, Mac Miller says: “To everyone who sell me drugs, don’t mix it with that bullshit, I’m hoping not to join the 27 Club.”Miller died on September 7, 2018, at the age of 26; the autopsy revealed that his cause of death was an accidental overdose of fentanyl coupled with cocaine and alcohol.
  • The song “Colors” by Halsey references the club with the lyric, “I hope you make it to the day you’re 28 years old”.
  • Rapper Watsky references the club on his song “All You Can Do” with the lyric, “I tried to join the 27 Club, they kicked me out.” The song then goes on to reference some famous members of the club, namely Amy Winehouse, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, and Brian Jones.
  • The song “27 Club” by Ivy Levan, released as a promotional single for her debut album No Good (released in 2015), refers to the club.
  • The song “Uno” by Rex Orange County refers to the club in the last line: “And every now and then I think about the fact that I’d become a legend if I died at 27.”
  • Adore Delano released a song called “27 Club” on her third studio album Whatever (2017). Delano was aged 27 at the time of release.
  • Juice WRLD referenced the club on his song “Legends” where he says “What’s the 27 Club? We ain’t making it past 21.” The song was dedicated to rappers XXXTentacion, who was murdered at 20, and Lil Peep, who died from an overdose at 21. Juice WRLD himself died at the age of 21 from an accidental overdose.
  • The Pretty Reckless released a song titled “Rock and Roll Heaven” on the band’s fourth studio album Death by Rock and Roll. The song is about the club and mentions explicitly in the lyrics Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. Taylor Momsen wrote the song after falling into a depressive state from the deaths of her producer Kato Khandwala and Chris Cornell, the latter of whom her band had opened for the night before his death.
  • The Lemon Demon song “Lifetime Achievement Award,” from their 2016 album Spirit Phone, includes the lyrics “Good luck getting into Heaven if you live past 27,” referencing the 27 Club.

Video games

  • In the 2016 video game Hitman, one of the in-game missions, Club 27, involves killing an indie musician who is celebrating his 27th birthday.

Comics

Cartoonist Luke McGarry created The 27 Club comic series for MAD Magazine, debuting in their relaunch’s first issue in 2018. The comics featured Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones, Robert Johnson, Amy Winehouse, Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain as paranormal popstars descending from Rock & Roll Heaven to save the planet with the aid of mortal medium Keith Richards. The series continued in subsequent issues until Potrzebie Comics (the section in which the comic appeared) was retired upon the magazine’s 2019 format switch to the reprinting of classic articles for the majority of most new issues.

Identified members

Name Date of birth Date of death Official cause of death Fame Age References
Alexandre Levy November 10, 1864 January 17, 1892 Unknown Composer, pianist and conductor 27 years, 68 days
Henri Evenepoel October 3, 1872 December 27, 1899 Typhus Belgian Fauvism artist 27 years, 85 days
Louis Chauvin March 13, 1881 March 26, 1908 Neurosyphilitic sclerosis Ragtime musician 27 years, 13 days
Robert Johnson May 8, 1911 August 16, 1938 Unknown Blues singer and musician 27 years, 100 days
Nat Jaffe January 1, 1918 August 5, 1945 Complications from high blood pressure Swing jazz pianist 27 years, 216 days
Jesse Belvin December 15, 1932 February 6, 1960 Traffic collision (car) R&B singer, pianist and songwriter 27 years, 53 days
Rudy Lewis August 23, 1936 May 20, 1964 Drug overdose Vocalist of the Drifters 27 years, 271 days
Joe Henderson April 24, 1937 October 24, 1964 Heart attack R&B and gospel singer 27 years, 183 days
Rockin’ Robin Roberts November 23, 1940 December 22, 1967 Car crash Original member and singer of The Fabulous Wailers 27 years, 29 days
Malcolm Hale May 17, 1941 October 30, 1968 Poisoning (carbon monoxide) Original member and lead guitarist of Spanky and Our Gang 27 years, 166 days
Dickie Pride October 21, 1941 March 26, 1969 Drug overdose (sleeping pills) Rock and roll singer 27 years, 156 days
Brian Jones February 28, 1942 July 3, 1969 Drowned in a swimming pool; coroner’s report states “death by misadventure” Rolling Stones cofounder, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist 27 years, 125 days
Alexandra May 19, 1942 July 31, 1969 Road accident German schlager vocalist 27 years, 73 days
Alan “Blind Owl” Wilson July 4, 1943 September 3, 1970 Drug overdose (barbiturate), possible suicide Leader, singer and primary composer of Canned Heat 27 years, 61 days
Jimi Hendrix November 27, 1942 September 18, 1970 Asphyxiation Pioneering electric guitarist, singer and songwriter for the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Band of Gypsys 27 years, 295 days
Janis Joplin January 19, 1943 October 4, 1970 Drug overdose (probably heroin) Lead vocalist and songwriter for Big Brother and the Holding Company, the Kozmic Blues Band and Full Tilt Boogie Band 27 years, 258 days
Arlester “Dyke” Christian June 13, 1943 March 13, 1971 Murdered Frontman, vocalist and bassist of Dyke and the Blazers 27 years, 273 days
Jim Morrison December 8, 1943 July 3, 1971 Heart failure Singer, lyricist, and leader of the Doors 27 years, 207 days
Linda Jones December 14, 1944 March 14, 1972 Complications from diabetes Soul singer 27 years, 91 days
Leslie Harvey September 13, 1944 May 3, 1972 Electrocution Guitarist for Stone the Crows and brother of Alex Harvey 27 years, 233 days
Ron “Pigpen” McKernan September 8, 1945 March 8, 1973 Gastrointestinal hemorrhage associated with alcoholism Founding member, keyboardist and singer of the Grateful Dead 27 years, 181 days
Roger Lee Durham February 14, 1946 July 27, 1973 Fell off a horse and died from the injuries Singer and percussionist of Bloodstone 27 years, 163 days
Wallace “Wally” Yohn January 12, 1947 August 12, 1974 Plane crash Organ player of Chase 27 years, 212 days
Dave Alexander June 3, 1947 February 10, 1975 Pulmonary edema Bassist for the Stooges 27 years, 252 days
Pete Ham April 27, 1947 April 24, 1975 Suicide by hanging Keyboardist and guitarist, leader of Badfinger 27 years, 362 days
Gary Thain May 15, 1948 December 8, 1975 Drug overdose (heroin) Former bassist of Uriah Heep and the Keef Hartley Band 27 years, 205 days
Cecilia October 11, 1948 August 2, 1976 Traffic collision (car) Singer 27 years, 296 days
Helmut Köllen March 2, 1950 May 3, 1977 Poisoning (carbon monoxide) Bassist for 1970s prog rock band Triumvirat 27 years, 62 days
Chris Bell January 12, 1951 December 27, 1978 Traffic collision (car) Singer-songwriter and guitarist of power pop band Big Star and solo 27 years, 349 days
Zenon De Fleur September 9, 1951 March 17, 1979 Traffic collision (car) and subsequent medical complications Guitarist for the Count Bishops 27 years, 189 days
Jacob Miller May 4, 1952 March 23, 1980 Traffic collision (car) Reggae artist and lead singer for Inner Circle 27 years, 324 days
Masako Natsume December 17, 1957 September 11, 1985 Acute myeloid leukemia Actress 27 years, 268 days
D. Boon April 1, 1958 December 22, 1985 Traffic collision (van) Guitarist, lead singer of punk band Minutemen 27 years, 266 days
Alexander Bashlachev May 27, 1960 February 17, 1988 Fall from a height, probable suicide Poet, rock musician and songwriter 27 years, 266 days
Amar Singh Chamkila July 21, 1960 March 8, 1988 Murdered Singer, songwriter, musician, and composer 27 years, 231 days
Jean-Michel Basquiat December 22, 1960 August 12, 1988 Drug overdose (Speedball) Painter and graffiti artist; formed the band Gray 27 years, 234 days
Pete de Freitas August 2, 1961 June 14, 1989 Traffic collision (motorcycle) Drummer for Echo & the Bunnymen 27 years, 316 days
Finbarr Donnelly April 25, 1962 June 18, 1989 Drowning accident Singer with Five Go Down to the Sea? 27 years, 50 days
Chris Austin February 24, 1964 March 16, 1991 Plane crash Country singer and guitarist/fiddle player for Reba McEntire 27 years, 20 days
Dimitar Voev May 21, 1965 September 5, 1992 Cancer Poet, founder of the Bulgarian new wave band New Generation 27 years, 107 days
Mia Zapata August 25, 1965 July 7, 1993 Murdered Lead singer of the Gits 27 years, 316 days
Kurt Cobain February 20, 1967 April 5, 1994 c. Suicide by gunshot Founding member, lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for Nirvana 27 years, 44 days c.
Kristen Pfaff May 26, 1967 June 16, 1994 Drug overdose (heroin) Bass guitarist for Hole and Janitor Joe 27 years, 21 days
Richey Edwards December 22, 1967 February 1, 1995 Disappeared near a common suicide site; later presumed dead Lyricist and guitarist for Manic Street Preachers 27 years, 41 days
Stretch April 8, 1968 November 30, 1995 Murdered Rapper 27 years, 236 days
Fat Pat December 4, 1970 February 3, 1998 Murdered American rapper and member of Screwed Up Click 27 years, 61 days
Freaky Tah May 14, 1971 March 28, 1999 Murdered American rapper and member of the hip hop group Lost Boyz 27 years, 318 days
Kami February 1, 1972 June 21, 1999 Subarachnoid hemorrhage Drummer for Malice Mizer 27 years, 140 days
Rodrigo Bueno May 24, 1973 June 24, 2000 Traffic collision (car) Cuarteto singer 27 years, 31 days
Sean Patrick McCabe November 13, 1972 August 28, 2000 Asphyxiation Lead singer of Ink & Dagger 27 years, 289 days
Maria Serrano Serrano November 26, 1973 November 24, 2001 Plane crash (Crossair Flight 3597) Background singer for Passion Fruit 27 years, 363 days
Jonathan Brandis April 13, 1976 November 12, 2003 Suicide by hanging American actor 27 years, 213 days
Jeremy Ward May 5, 1976 May 25, 2003 Drug overdose (heroin) The Mars Volta and De Facto sound manipulator 27 years, 20 days
Davor “Moskri” Bobić November 24, 1977 August 25, 2005 Drug overdose Original member and lead rapper of Prti Bee Gee  27 years, 274 days
Bryan Ottoson March 18, 1978 April 19, 2005 Drug overdose (prescription medication) Guitarist for American Head Charge 27 years, 32 days
Valentín Elizalde February 1, 1979 November 25, 2006 Murdered Mexican banda singer 27 years, 297 days
Damien “Damo” Morris May 22, 1980 December 19, 2007 Traffic collision (bus) Member of Australian deathcore band The Red Shore 27 years, 211 days
Orish Grinstead June 2, 1980 April 20, 2008 Kidney failure Founding member of the R&B group 702 27 years, 323 days
Elizabeth “Bispy” Amirian January 20, 1982 February 12, 2009 Murdered Singer-songwriter 27 years, 23 days
Jade Goody June 5, 1981 March 22, 2009 Cervical cancer Reality-television personality 27 years, 290 days
Dash Snow July 27, 1981 July 13, 2009 Drug overdose Artist 27 years, 351 days
Lily Tembo November 20, 1981 September 14, 2009 Gastritis Zambian pop singer 27 years, 298 days
Nate Niec March 3, 1982 October 6, 2009 Road accident Bassist of numerous punk rock bands 27 years, 217 days
Achik Spin  July 1, 1982 April 17, 2010 Road accident Member of the Malaysian pop group Spin 27 years, 290 days
Amy Winehouse September 14, 1983 July 23, 2011 Alcohol poisoning Singer-songwriter 27 years, 312 days
Richard Turner July 30, 1984 August 11, 2011 Cardiac arrest Trumpet player, collaborator with Friendly Fires 27 years, 12 days
Nicole Bogner March 22, 1984 January 6, 2012 Undisclosed illness Singer for Visions of Atlantis 27 years, 290 days
Sahara Davenport December 17, 1984 October 1, 2012 Heart failure Drag queen, singer, television personality, and classically trained dancer 27 years, 289 days
Soroush “Looloosh” Farazmand October 31, 1986 November 11, 2013 Murdered Guitarist of Iranian-American band The Yellow Dogs 27 years, 11 days
Slađa Guduraš August 11, 1987 December 10, 2014 Road accident Bosnian pop singer and actress 27 years, 121 days
Tomas Lowe December 5, 1988 February 13, 2016 Road accident Bassist for Viola Beach 27 years, 70 days
Thomas Fekete July 1, 1988 May 31, 2016 Cancer Guitarist for Surfer Blood 27 years, 335 days
Anton Yelchin March 11, 1989 June 19, 2016 Accidental blunt traumatic asphyxia Actor, Chekov in the Star Trekreboot series, guitarist for The Hammerheads 27 years, 100 days
Kim Jong-hyun April 8, 1990 December 18, 2017 Suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning Lead vocalist and lyricist for Shinee 27 years, 254 days
Fredo Santana July 4, 1990 January 19, 2018 Cardiovascular disease and idiopathic epilepsy American rapper 27 years, 199 days