Death is of course a horrible thing, only made worse when someone is taken at a young age, in or before their prime, leaving an incomplete legacy behind them. Countless musicians and artists have passed away young, either unable to handle the radical change in lifestyle or through other tragic means–be it natural causes or unavoidable accidents. Certain deaths have no doubt had a huge impact on how the industry has developed over time. Here are some celebrities who said goodbye to the world way too soon.

Elvis Presley

Elvis died on August 16, 1977 at the age of 42. He suffered from glaucoma, high blood pressure, liver damage, and a weakened body from years of drug abuse.The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, who had hits like “All Shook Up” & “Jailhouse Rock,” was discovered unresponsive on his bathroom floor and attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.

John Lennon

The legendary Beatles member and singer-songwriter of songs like “Instant Karma!” (We All Shine On) and “Imagine” was murdered in the street by Mark David Chapman. Lennon, 40, was shot several times in the back of the head as he returned to his apartment in New York on December 8, 1980.

Bob Marley

A rare type of cancer first seen under the singer’s toenail eventually spread throughout his body, causing his death. He fought it for months, until his vital functions gave out during a flight to Jamaica. The 36 year old singer landed in Miami and died in a local hospital on May 11, 1981. He gave us some hit songs like “No Woman, No Cry” and “Buffalo Soldier.”

Marvin Gaye

The legendary soul singer who made songs like “Let’s Get It On” and “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” was shot by his father, Marvin Gay, Sr. on April 1, 1984, after the singer intervened during an argument between his parents. He used the gun that Gaye had given him as a gift. Gaye was 44 years old.

Kurt Cobain

The lead singer of Nirvana shot himself in the head at the age of 27 on April 5, 1994, leaving a note that read: “Thank you all from the split of my burning, nauseous stomach for your letters and concern during the past years. I’m too much of an erratic, moody baby! I don’t have the passion anymore, and so remember, it’s better to burn out than to fade away.” Nirvana gave the world songs like “All Apologies,”  “Something In The Way” and “In Bloom.”

Selena

The queen of Tejano music and the “Always Mine” singer was shot by a former employee over a financial dispute on March 31, 1995. Selena, 23, died from blood loss and cardiac arrest, but she was able to make her way to the hotel lobby to name her assassin.

Tupac

The 25 year old figurehead of West Coast hip-hop was killed in a drive by shooting on September 13, 1996. However, he made an interesting come back as the first ever hologram to perform on stage to an audience at Coachella with Snoop and Dr. Dre back in 2012, “performing” his single “Hail Mary” and 1996 hit collaboration with Snoop, “2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted.”

Michael Jackson

The King of Pop’s best selling hits included “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” and “Thriller.” He had a troubled personal life leading up to his death on June 25,  2009. The singer was due to perform a series of huge gigs for his “This Is It” tour, but he died from acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication at his home on North Carolwood Drive in Los Angeles. He was 50 years old.

Amy Winehouse

After struggling with a well documented alcohol and drug addiction, her rapid descent was unfortunately played out in the media spotlight. The 27 year old singer-songwriter died of accidental alcohol poisoning during a relapse on June 23, 2011. Her most loved songs include “Valerie” and “You Know I’m No Good.” 

Whitney Houston

Houston was a best selling artist famous for her overwhelmingly powerful vocal talent showcased in many of her iconic songs including  “I Will Always Love You” and “The Greatest Love Of All.”  She was found accidentally drowned in a bath on February 11, 2012 with cocaine, prescription drugs and marijuana discovered in her system. She was 48 years old.

David Bowie

On January 10, 2016, Bowie, a singer-songwriter and actor, died at his Catskill home, having suffered from liver cancer for 18 months. He died two days after the release of his twenty-fifth studio album. The “Let’s Dance” singer kept his illness private, with many of his friends and fans surprised by his death.

Prince

The “Purple Rain” icon’s cause of death was thought to be his taking of the common painkiller Vicodin which, unbeknownst to him, was laced with deadly fentanyl. He was 57 years old when he left the world on April 21, 2016.

Christina Grimmie

The 22 year old singer-songwriter and finalist of The Voice was shot while signing autographs following a concert in Orlando on June 10, 2016. The shooter was tackled by Grimmie’s brother, but he broke free, backed against a wall and shot himself dead. She had some great songs like “Find Me” and “With Love’.

Avicii

The “Wake Me Up” DJ retired from touring in 2016 due to health problems. He suffered from severe stress and poor mental health for several years. On April 20, 2018, Avicii was found dead in Muscat, Oman from an apparent suicide. He was 28 years old.

Mac Miller

Rapper Mac Miller was found dead at the age of 26 on September 7, 2018 in his Studio City home at about noon of an apparent drug overdose. Miller had struggles with substance abuse in the past too. He had many hit songs like “The End Is Near”, “The Way”, and “Rain.”