The 27 club is composed of celebrities who died tragically at the age of 27. Their deaths are some of music history’s greatest coincidences. According to Rolling Stone, “The term became widely known after Kurt Cobain’s death in 1994, with rock fans connecting his age to that of Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones and Jimi Hendrix” (“A Brief History of the 27 Club). Today, the club is composed of more than 20 people.

The deaths of Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse are some of the more notable.

Kurt Cobain’s body was found in his home by an electrician.  While there are speculations surrounding the timing of his death, all evidence points towards suicide. His substance abuse counselor once stated that he was stressed about losing his home in a lawsuit.

Amy Winehouse died of alcohol poisoning in her London home. Her body guard found her three days later. Her blood alcohol content was five times over the legal limit. She had stated that there were many things she still wished to do with her life, but she wasn’t sure how to go about them. Rolling Stone firmly believes that she was overwhelmed by her fame and done with the spotlight (“Rolling Stone”).

Besides the timing and circumstances of their deaths, another common theme among members of the 27 club is what Rolling Stone describes as “becoming a slave to their image” (“A Brief History of the 27 club”). This suggests that they became unhappy with the immense pressure from fans and media.

It seems that these tragedies are getting younger. Juice Wrld, a well known celebrity among generation z, died at  21. He had been a frequent drug user since sixth grade. He started using percocets and Xanax in 2013. On December 8, 2019, Juice WRLD overdosed in Chicago Midway airport. His girlfriend told news sources that it was an attempt to hide his stash from the police. Later, authorities found 70 lbs of marijauna on his plane.

There is no way to totally prevent these deaths from occurring, as fame only enhances issues with self image and addictive tendencies. However, I do think it would be beneficial if fans were not as intent on watching a celebrity crumble. Media sources release exaggeratory articles in their magazines, because they know they will clear shelves. These stories eventually find their way into the hands of the friends and family of the celebrity. Instead, let’s focus on uplifting one another. We each have our own flaws and struggles. In some cases, a simple compliment can save lives.

Source:

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-lists/the-27-club-a-brief-history-17853