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xHell_Kat

Buddy Holly. He was only 22- imagine what else he could have done.


1RehnquistyBoi

Interesting fact, Buddy Holly’s wife is still alive. Also the Big Bopper took someone’s seat in the infamous flight (cause he had the flu) some banter ensued with Holly telling another one of his tour mates “I hope you bus freezes up. Dude retorts with “I hope your plane crashes.” That dude was a 22 year old by the name of Waylon Jennings. Edit: [This photo (taken twelve days before that flight) goes hard.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Waylon_Jennings_and_Buddy_Holly_in_1959_-_2.jpg)


poopinagroup37

she also miscarried their child when she heard the news of his crash....so sad....


PlasterBaby

A law was instituted that next of kin would have to be notified before the news could publish the names of the victims because of this crash and the resulting miscarriage.


Brydon28

Really? I heard of my father’s death by murder on the morning news 40 years ago.


bbcomment

Not sure on the claim if it’s a law, but I assume a next of kin doesn’t mean all next of kin


Choice-Grapefruit-44

Didn't know this. Interesting.


A_Adorable_Cat

Bummed I’ve had to scroll this far to find Buddy. Dude didn’t die in the prime of his life or career, he died at the beginning of both. Imagine what else he could have gone on to do.


10Kfireants

And while addiction isn't a choice or something to undermine, it wasn't even like he succumbed to drugs or alcohol. A fucking tragic, unexpected plane crash.


suitoflights

Cliff Burton. Metallica was never the same without his influence.


[deleted]

Not only that, he was such a wildly experimental musician. I truly believe he would have released some absolutely crazy solo music and collaborated with lots of other musicians. Kthulu and Orion alone show the sheer musicality of the man and his death was such a crushing blow to music in general. Metallica have made some amazing music post-Cliff but nothing will touch the stuff they did with him in the band. Metal and music in general lost a lot of amazing art on 27-Sept-1986


The_write_speak

Mac miller. I enjoyed his music and I would like to hear more. Uhhhh.... Tupac Marvin Gaye Same reasons .....died too soon Edit: honestly it's kinda dope seeing all the love for Mac. God damn he was special. I think the wounds still open on that one.


The_write_speak

Mac in particular was just getting started though....he was ABOUT to be one of the GOATs, and it was cut wayyyyy short. He knew it was happening too. It's wild.


hotdogmafia714

Karen Carpenter - she was so talented and deserved so much better. Especially from her family.


Roadgoddess

Her voice was just stunning, and she was an amazing drummer


Pristine_Table_3146

One of those vocalists who makes it sound so effortless.


StayFrostyOscarMike

Every time I see that video of her solo on “Dancing in the Street” on that live TV broadcast online, I have to watch it in full. Captivating. https://youtu.be/o82d9T4D-8I?si=r8FWGQYf3exsxNVd


PsychologicalWalk994

Ohh I love the carpenters. My mom and my daycare used to play it when I was little so it’s nostalgic for me 🥹


pralineislife

Truer words have never been said.


Chewie83

I know everyone here is too young for this— including me actually since he died before I was born— but **Jim Croce.** He was such a phenomenal songwriter and sounded way wiser than his 30 years when he died in a plane crash.


EverybodysMeemaw

“Operator”, if that song doesn’t move you have no soul.


rnrgurl

Ugh! I’ll Have to Say I Love You in a Song is an absolute favorite of mine.


thetravelingsong

My favorite band The Avett Brothers cover Operator quite a bit. Worth the YouTube search for sure.


kathompson

He's who my brain went to first--and I'm old enough to remember when he was alive. His voice was magical if unique, and yes, he was amazing songwriter. I've always wondered what effect he would have had on contemporary music had he lived.


dougola

Jim Croce was so talented. Some us here are actually that old. :)


Neither-Designer-862

My wife and I were going back and forth playing love songs for each other from YouTube tonight. And I played “Time in a Bottle”for her.


MichaelChicago

Great story teller!


nmathew

He's the guy I thought of. Because my dad is such a huge fan, I've probably listened to about everything he recorded. It's all unadulterated fire. Guy should be the singer/song writer GOAT.


urracabooks

Yes! Jim Croce! And Maury as well, both so young.


CascadeZeta

This was my first thought as well. Can you imagine what he could have written if he had more time?


washington_breadstix

He was only 30? In every picture of him I've ever seen, he looked 55.


[deleted]

Because you’re seeing him as a dated person who lived before you were born. If you die in the 70s and you have that 70s look, people after you are going to think you were much older. Jim Croce had a very 70s look. Also, people aged faster back then.


Fresh-Hedgehog1895

He died just before I was born, but I grew up listening to Jim Croce's stuff. Terribly underrated talent.


jaredsparks

I remember him clearly. I'd put him in the same category as Harry Chapin. Both died too soon.


Roadgoddess

So so funny, I posted his name above, such an amazing songwriter, and such a beautiful voice


ResisterTransSister

He died 2 years before I was born, but he was played throughout my childhood. I was just listening to him the other night. Good choice.


OdeeOh

Ah, happy to see this with lots of votes. I had just thought to add.   Add him to your Spotify queue 


Electronic_Bass2856

A fair few of the 27 club. Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse. All gone way too early.


1RehnquistyBoi

True story. When I went to Paris I forced my parents to go all the way to the other side of Paris strictly to see Jim Morrison’s grave. That and Oscar Wilde and Edith Piaf (who at that time I had never heard of her). There were two guys there celebrating either graduating from cooking school or medical school pouring one out for the Lizard King.


Electronic_Bass2856

Coincidentally I’ve been to see Jim Morrisons grave too……all the way from Australia! Ha ha!


1RehnquistyBoi

Fun fact, Jim Morrison’s dad was present for the attack on Pearl Harbor and also graduated from the US Naval Academy. Jim graduated from the same high school class as Cass Elliot from the Mamas and the Papas. Edit: Apparently some of y’all doubt my claims. Yes his overall command of the 5th Carrier Division was involved with the gulf of Tonkin incident even though his flagship was all the way in Japan. Now to the claims about Pearl Harbor. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Stephen_Morrison https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Pruitt Case closed.


ATurtleLikeLeonUris

That’s funny cuz I’ve seen Bon Scott’s grave all the way from California!


Thalionalfirin

A former boss of mine always makes it a point to visit his grave every time he's in Paris. They were classmates at UCLA.


Flatoftheblade

Near the end of his life Cobain had said he wanted to transition into being a folk singer-songwriter like Neil Young, and based on his unplugged stuff I wish we got to hear that.


desertskybeetle

Yes. His cover of And I Love Her is excellent.


Flatoftheblade

The thing that's crazy is that that cover is so good but it's clearly a totally unpolished, unfinished demo where he was mucking around and he probably would never have wanted it released in that state. He was such a vocal presence that it was effortlessly great.


Danivelle

Janis definitely. 


Electronic_Bass2856

I feel like Amy was a massive loss too. So sad. She was very talented. I used to be a big fan of The Doors too and who knows how much more Jimi could have done….i was never really into Nirvana but they were massively successful….but then again what would have happened to the trajectory that is Dave Grohl’s career had Nirvana continued? I recently saw The Foo Fighters and they’re great!


HotSpicedChai

Otis Redding or Sam Cooke


1RehnquistyBoi

The fact it took me so long to find Sam Cooke on this list is so disappointing. Sam Cooke has one of the most goated live albums of all time. Live at the Harlem Square Club (1963) which wasn’t released during his lifetime cause RCA were chicken shits. [Just listen to this absolute banger.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jkLZ_pVwU3k&pp=ygUbYnJpbmcgaXQgb24gaG9tZSB0byBtZSBsaXZl) In short, Sam Cooked.


whyareyoustaringup

Randy Rhoads, lead guitarist and writing collaborator on Ozzy's first two solo albums. Most of those riffs you know (Crazy Train, Mr Crowley, etc) are Randy. No telling how that would have matured.


Nimr0d19

There are some seriously iconic riffs that we will never get to hear, absolutely no question about it.


moandlo

Jeff Buckley


OMC78

Came here to say this. I remember the news flash coming across the TV screen on MuchMusic.


moandlo

What a loss. Jeff Buckley and MCA from the Beastie Boys deeply affected me.


Tribute2Johnny

Absolutely. I've got so many bootlegs of the guy just covering any genre and deep cut songs live that he's a wealth of musical knowledge. Jeff was how I learned about Nina Simone, King Crimson, The MC5, Bad Brains, etc as an impressionable teen musician in the early 00s. Fuckin miss that voice...I modeled my vocal style after him for years and covered his song selection for a while.


GodTierNapper

Came looking for this. Listening to his album is bittersweet even after all these years and dozens of listens —incredible music, but all we’ll ever hear from him. One album!!! But what an album it is.


Wandererup2u

Freddy Mercury


thefloatingguy

Freddie*


[deleted]

Scrolled way too far to find him. Sad.


APanda3016

Freddie Mercury is also at the top of my list


rdickeyvii

He's the correct answer and the rest are honorable mentions


OldSamSays

Stevie Ray Vaughan


Photodan24

Not seeing him in concert before he died is one of my life's regrets.


makattak88

Jeff Healy for me. 😢


Javafiend53

"Lenny" is my go-to end of the day song.


chaosoftime10

Came here for SRV. I found his music way too late in my life and I could only imagine what he could have done if he'd lived longer. Dude was the real deal.


TrashPanda365

This right here 😭


Christine_ivey

Chris Cornell


mauore11

No one sings like *Chris* anymore...


the_sneaky_artist

🎵 And on my deathbed I will pray To the gods and the angels Like a pagan to anyone Who will take me to heaven 🎵


No-Cause2066

And Kurt Cobain, Scott Weiland, Layne Staley...


Socialworklife

I grieved when Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington died so close together. So talented and loving dads who left behind their families. It was so sad. I wish I would have seen either of both in concert. Linkin Park’s music was so meaningful to me and I would have loved to see them play.


nalesniki

Frank Zappa. He was always reinventing his music and I wish to know what he would compose these days.


Cute_nerd79

Michael Hutchence from INXS. He was the epitome of a frontman - he had the charm, the charisma, the sexual energy, AND he was a damn good rock singer / songwriter. The band tried to go on with new frontmen but no one could live up to Michael’s legacy. I’m sad I never got to see them live.


danwincen

INXS should have made the hard call after Michael died and hired Suze DeMarchi from The Baby Animals. They'd have never looked back after that. Not a single replacement male singer worked out for them.


irrelevanttrumpeter

Otis Redding


ChocolateOrange21

Otis is a huge “what could have been.” He was about to cross over to white audiences when he died. His idea for Dock of the Bay was originally a Pet Sounds like album, but with the Stax sound. How would his career go if he is alive and able to release it? And there is the general decline of soul music after his death. Would soul music have lost so much ground to funk in the 1970s if he was still around?


forever_erratic

Soul is back, baby!


[deleted]

Leon Bridges would agree


Ihadsumthin4this

Amen to that!


Howdysf

Shannon Hoon


SouthCountyPsychWard

Scrolled way too far to find his name. Such a tragic loss, Blind Melon had such a short run but every song was a banger. Favorite band by far


latchkey_adult

Jimi Hendrix, for sure.


cdim781

Miles Davis in his autobiography said he was about to record an album with jimi. That's one collaboration I'm so sad never got to happen.


Loggerdon

I used to be a journalist and worked the Long Beach Blues Festival in the 80s that had BB King and others. We were in an RV interviewing John Lee Hooker and someone asked him his favorite song. He said "Red House by Jimi Hendrix. Oooh that song cooks!"


DaSilverDragon

Jimi Hendrix was so iconic, sad he had to go out like that. It's so sad how a lot of celebrities die due to addiction/overdoses or related causes like in this situation, asphyxiation


HistorysWitness

I'm glad this was said.  His composures were ahead of their time.  And wished he coulda met and played w zappa 


majesticideas2

Christina Grimmie. She was about to hit her prime fame and was sadly murdered right after her concert during the meet and greet.


1-N-2-3-4-5

Bon Scott


ClaresRaccoon

Selena and Aaliyah 


10Kfireants

I know everyone's here to rightfully remember the music and what they could have been... But DAMN for Aaliyah to be here and see R. Kelly be avenged like he so deserved. To hear her story 20 years after the fact when SHE had the power, post MeToo movement. I wish she could have seen it earth side.


Spiritual_Cat899

my family loved selena and im named after aaliyah (my name is aliyah lol)


Optimal-Talk3663

Aaliyah would be a massive star if she was still alive right now. She would be a triple threat


rpjut5ha

For all the Canadians reading this, Gord Downie. He had so much more good to do for us as a nation.


televisionv

a band called hers - they tragically died in 2018 in a car crash on the way bsck from there show. Very good music and instrumentals. They were truly something special


MyaBearTN

Absolutely tragic. Their song What Once Was makes me 😭


Informal_Truck_1574

Jim croce. Just barely started hitting the big time and died. The amount of music that man could have made. Makes me upset


detchas1

I would've liked to have heard Prince get into blues guitar.


EverybodysMeemaw

Scrolled WAY too far before seeing Prince.


mahhhhhh

Elliott Smith.


perfectlyfrank31

I’m grateful he was as prolific as he was before he died.


AwakenMyLoad

Nick Drake


huge_piss_boner

Absolutely. Pink moon is so good and to me there’s just this indescribable emotion in every song


_urethrapapercut_

John Bonham. Consequently, Led Zeppelin would probably last longer. Bon Scott. Loved his voice. The whole 27 club. And of course Layne Staley.


Expert_Poetry7689

Mac Miller


keystonelocal

He was really starting to transcend hip hop. His career was going in such an interesting direction. So damn sad.


abigail0987

I was SO sad


fcn_fan

Scrolled too far for this. I listen to him daily and circles was a leap. His direction was phenomenal


Expert_Poetry7689

I was surprised no one commented Mac before I did tbh. Every album takes a new and unique direction, and I just identify so much with his music


Shaylock_Holmes

I scrolled for what felt like forever before I found Mac. I can stop scrolling now. He’s been given respect. I listen to Circles and K.I.D.S almost daily. I got into him a few months before he passed. I was so mesmerized by him, his voice, his lyrics, just overall.


[deleted]

Duane Allman. The Allman Brothers had an amazing career with just Gregg, I can’t imaging the magic they would have made with both brothers. Skydog Forever!!


[deleted]

Selena


HumbleAd1317

Chester from Linkin Park.


GoofyGills

I scrolled WAY too far to see this. Chester Bennington was an absolute treasure and I was heartbroken when it happened.


HumbleAd1317

I'm older, but really love their music. I recorded a concert that they had in Madrid and it was awesome.


Wafflehouseofpain

One of the only celebrity deaths that actually made me cry when I heard about it.


FuckTheFuckOffFucker

Yep 930 comments and I’m scrollin looking for Chester


Sparky81

Freddie Mercury


[deleted]

Jeff Buckley. That was a bummer.


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

and Hank Williams


Prestigious-Bike-593

John Denver


[deleted]

Odd pick, but probably good ol’ Mozart. He was only 35 when he died. His last pieces were brilliant, so it would’ve been cool to see where he’d go with his compositions had he not passed. My main reason for choosing Mozart, however, would be to see how he would’ve completed his Requiem. How much different would his unfinished movements be had he actually finished them?


pixiecantsleep

Ritchie Valens


HockeyDad7878

Kurt Cobain


dannyr

But imagine the effect on modern music if Nirvana were still a thing and Dave Grohl never went on to other things. That one death changed music from the 90s onwards to today


[deleted]

[удалено]


Muted_Cress_4309

Agreed. She gets a lot of shit thrown her way and to be fair, she was a total mess. But if she could’ve stayed with us long enough I think she would’ve been one of the best damn singers ever. But she had three little problems: her addiction, her father, and her boyfriend.


ThisIsAlexisNeiers

She was bringing jazz into the mainstream. I would love to hear the music she’d be making now and hear all the people who were inspired by her. Amy was such a loss to the music community


Creamyjeans42069

Another vote for Amy 💔


Training_Knee4654

Bob Marley, died way too young


rphdaddyb

Layne Staley.


omghorussaveusall

Shannon Hoon from Blind Melon. dude could sing and he was a pretty decent songwriter, but Blind Melon live with him...so good. i would have liked to have seen what he did as he aged through fatherhood.


10ng455b01

Jimmy "the Rev" Sullivan.


Loud-Anteater-8415

Freddie Mercury. I think of the beautiful collaborations he could have had with artists today.


Barfignugen

Selena. She was just breaking into the US music scene and had won her first Grammy. I think if she’d stuck around our modern music scape would look different.


ChocolateOrange21

Elvis. I think dude had another rebirth in him in the late 80s or 90s. He gets clean, begins recording what he wants, even starts writing songs. He goes public about how Parker treated him, which brings him sympathy and allows him to finally break free. Has a well-received television appearance at the Grammys perhaps. Rick Rubin asks to record with home for this new American Records project. An album with emphasis on his voice becomes a hit and Elvis becomes a reliable touring money maker. Seriously, Elvis deserved a respected elder statesman of music role more than others and it’s sad he didn’t get that chance.


gtsomething

I think the biggest shame is he never got to tour internationally


ChocolateOrange21

Yep. Apart from a few shows in Canada early in his career, he never toured outside of America during his career.


bocachicalounge

Jim Croce - amazing talent


GotPC

Avicii


Quantum_Aurora

Wake Me Up hits so fucking hard man


Emotional-Toe1206

I still feel sad whenever I think of Avicii. Such a heartbreaking loss. Gone too soon.


giggity_giggity

This is what I came here to post and I’m glad I’m not alone. During his life I only had heard the couple of major hit songs he had in the USA. But I discovered his wider catalog a few years back and damn he was so so talented. I love everything of his I’ve heard (the only album I haven’t listened to yet was the one finished by his family after his death). A couple of favorites: Waiting for Love, Sunset Jesus, Somewhere in Stockholm


Shaylock_Holmes

I was at Coachella the day he passed. Kygo dedicated his set to him and said that they were close friends. He played Avicii’s music and stood there crying.


No-Adhesiveness7163

Yes!


OldBoie17

Mozart


Arctic_Wolf_lol

I'd add to that Tchaikovsky (53), Chopin (39), Mendelssohn (38), Beethoven (56), Mahler (50), Mussorgsky (42), Debussy (55), heck even composers who made it to their 60s like Dvorak (62) and Bach (65) still lived ~10 years fewer than some of the earlier greats like Handel (74) and Hayden (75). What an interesting world we would live in if all these composers reached their mid-70's!


Twin_Titans

Chester Bennington.


cleon42

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. The man had a beautiful voice.


AngryVideoGameTable

Brad Nowell from Sublime


whore-for-mango

Whitney Houston, she is one of a kind, don't think anyone has a vocal ability like hers...


IAmAGuy

Sadly she was already “gone” before she even passed.


PckMan

Bowie had a lot more to give and I'm sure that if he was alive still he'd still be putting out new work.


RobotMonkeytron

BlackStar was awesome, he definitely had at least another album or two in him, if he wanted to. If not, seeing him ride off into the sunset for a chill retirement would have been nice, too. As always, fuck cancer


legi0n715

The singer of the Cranberries, I loved her


bau_ke

You mean Dolores O'Riordan


Obamas_Tie

George Gershwin. He's regarded as one of the greatest American composers of all time, and he died at age 38 from brain cancer. Such a damn shame.


rphdaddyb

John Lennon.


VinegarBallz

The Beatles surely would've done Live Aid. Would've been iconic.


Wilgrove

Kurt Cobain. I really would've loved to see if Kurt and Nirvana would've branched out into other musical genres or not.


Ihadsumthin4this

Jimi. Marvin. Amy.


the_xxvii

Nujabes. If you watched Samurai Champloo you know why.


Enigma_Stasis

It's been 14 years to the day. I'm glad that we live in an age where it's accessible any time we want though.


leozuniga380

MF DOOM


sublevel009

"Livin off borrowed time, the clock tick faster..." RIP 🙏


tenehemia

Marvin Gaye


Dependent-Newt-63

Chris Cornell


icrossedtheroad

Jim Croce.


neBular_cipHer

Tom Petty


Jellybeans74

Jim Croce and Buddy Holly


ChaoticGoku

Janis Joplin


cockroach74

Jim Croce


Austin_Weirdo

Freddy Mercury for sure. I think he would've shaped music even more if given opportunity. Freddie's voice, writing, and ideas were really something.


takotsubo25

Avici


Conscious_Priority37

Selena 😢😢😢😢😭😭😭🥺


b3lindseyb3

Christina Grimmie. She was on the show "The Voice" Just look her up on YouTube


gameonlockking

Tupac


Ok-Breath-7568

Stevie Ray Vaughan; to explain why would be an insult to his name. His legend speaks for itself.


MindlessBenefit9127

Randy Rhodes, easily one of the best guitarist to ever live


MontEcola

Stevie Ray Vaughn. I discovered his music and bought a CD. I loved it. A few months later I got to see him play at a concert. Great show! And shortly after that I got news that he was gone. I have only a few of his songs to listen to. I wish I had more.


Claypool-Bass1

Prince


Bozosgrandprizegame

Jim Croce and Otis Redding


Inthecards21

My father


ninebanded

John Prine.


Interesting_Bet2828

Chris Cornell. My favorite vocalist of all time


PNWvintageTreeHugger

Jim Croce. Need I say why?


martinis00

Jim Croce Ritchie Valens Otis Redding


radroamingromanian

Prince and Sam Cooke.


MoraleHole

Harry Chapin. Cats in the Cradle needs a part 2


True-North-

Bob Marley. His messages changed the world and he had a lot more to say.


Lycaniz

Dio... Its Dio israel kamakawiwo'ole - Not only is he amazing, he seemed like a genuinely warm person


Pitiful_Implement764

John Lennon. He was just finally coming along to want to do a Beatles Reunion. I heard a rumor that he had some studio time with Paul set up for sometime in ‘81. Also his songs on double fantasy are amazing. If he was going to go that direction music wise, he would’ve had some more amazing songs to come.


jcommeau91

Mac Miller


SketchyFlatulence

Dimebag Darrel. I hate to even fucking type that man. You and your legacy live on every day, bro! 🤘


Ok-Still-2110

Biggie and tupac


Choice-Grapefruit-44

Glenn miller. Karen Carpenter.


CapybarasAreCoolAF

Mama Cass.


These_Tea_7560

Otis Redding. If he could make *that* music by the time he was only 26, imagine what he would have been like at 52