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What is the 27 Club? -

The idea was born in the 1970s when a number of a rock icons died within a short time period, all at the age of 27. It grew as more and more famous artists met their untimely end at that age. Those who die at 27 are said to join the so-called 27 Club. Let's take a look at some of the most notable members. 

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Brian Jones -

Brian Jones (left), lead guitarist of the Rolling Stones, was found drowned in his swimming pool in 1969. It was ruled "death by misadventure," but there are theories that he was in fact murdered that night. 

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Ron 'Pigpen' McKernan -

McKernan was a founding member of the Grateful Dead, an American rock band with a massive cult following in the '60s and '70s. He had ongoing health problems which were worsened by his alcoholism, and he tragically died of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage in 1973.

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Dave Alexander -

Another lost rockstar, Dave Alexander died of pancreatitis in 1975 after years of alcohol abuse. He had been fired from the Stooges by lead singer Iggy Pop five years earlier after he was too inebriated to go on stage. 

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Fredo Santana -

Chicago rapper Fredo Santana died suddenly in 2018 after an intense seizure. It was discovered that the rapper suffered from epilepsy and was also being treated for kidney and liver failure. 

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Anton Yelchin -

Actor Anton Yelchin died in a freak car accident in 2016. He was the son of two Russian figure skaters, and was best known for his role as Chekov in the new 'Star Trek' movies. 

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Aaron Hernandez -

Aaron Hernandez was the star of the New England Patriots football team. In 2013 he was charged with the murder of his friend Odin Llyod. Police investigations linked him to several other deaths. He was undergoing legal proceedings for the other cases when he hung himself in his jail cell in 2017. 

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Jean-Michel Basquiat -

Jean-Michel Basquiat was a graffiti artist turned painter who became the star of the 1980s art scene. He socialized with the likes of Andy Warhol and his reputation soared, until he tragically died of a heroin overdose in his New York studio. 

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Sahara Davenport -

Sahara Davenport, also known as Antoine Ashley, was an American drag queen known for her appearance on RuPaul's Drag Race. She died suddenly of heart failure 2002.

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Andrés Escobar -

Andrés Escobar (no relation to Pablo) was a defender on the Colombian football team. In the second match of the 1994 World Cup, he scored an own goal which resulted in the team losing their place. A week later, he was shot and killed by members of a drug cartel. It's believed his murder was payback for the World Cup mistake.

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Pete Ham -

Badfinger guitarist Pete Ham died three days before his 28th birthday. The rockstar was reportedly in a bad financial situation and an ongoing battle with the band's manager, Stan Polley. He took his own life in 1975 and specifically mentioned Polley in his last note.

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Janis Joplin -

The hippie icon of the '70s, Janis Joplin's death rocked the music world. She was found dead in her hotel room only three weeks after Jimi Hendricks. It was ruled a heroin overdose, but in recent years a close friend of Joplin's has theorized that she tripped and broke her nose which caused her to asphyxiate while she was unconscious. 

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Jim Morrison -

The death of The Doors lead singer has been shrouded in mystery. He was found in the bathtub of his Paris hotel room in 1971, but his death certificate states he died of natural causes. An autopsy was not required by French law. It's believed it was likely related to a drug overdose.

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Amy Winehouse -

British singer Amy Winehouse was known worldwide for her incredibly soulful voice, but unfortunately also for her struggles with addiction. She died of alcohol poisoning in her London flat in 2011. 

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Kim Jong-hyun -

Kim Jong-hyun was the lead singer of one of South Korea's biggest boybands, SHINee. The world of K-pop is known to be intensely competitive. Jong-hyun sadly took his own life 2017, leaving behind a harrowing note. 

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Reggie Lewis -

Reggie Lewis was a star basketball player for the Boston Celtics, seemingly in perfect health. He suddenly collapsed during a game in 1993. He was advised that he had a severe heart condition and could never play again. After getting a second opinion he was advised he could resume light exercise, but he died of heart failure while shooting baskets three months later.

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Kurt Cobain -

The iconic grunge artist Kurt Cobain took his own life with a shotgun in April 1994. He had struggled with addiction to drugs and alcohol up to this point, and his pivotal music expressed a great deal of pain. 

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Jonathan Brandis -

Jonathan Brandis is one of the sad stories of child stardom. He had his first acting role at the age of six, and continued to work as he grew up. He became a teen idol after starring in the sci-fi show 'SeaQuest DSV.' He sadly took his own life in 2003.

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Les Harvey -

Leslie Harvey, guitarist of '70s rock band Stone the Crows, suffered an extremely public and dramatic death in 1972. He was electrocuted live onstage when he grabbed a faulty microphone. 

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Harry Hains -

Australian actor Harry Hains was best known for his roles in 'American Horror Story' and 'The OA.' He passed away after an accidental fentanyl overdose in January of 2020.

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Tyler Skaggs -

Tyler Skaggs, pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels, was found dead in his hotel room in 2019. The toxicology report showed that he had consumed fentanyl, oxycodone, and alcohol. It was considered an accidental death.

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Thomas Fekete -

Thomas Fekete was a founding member of the American indie rock band Surfer Blood. He left the band after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2017. His band mates auctioned unreleased songs to raise funds for his treatment. He sadly passed away in 2018. 

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Richey Edwards -

Richey Edwards was the guitarist and lyricist of the Manic Street Preachers. He mysteriously disappeared in 1995. His car was found near a bridge and it was assumed he had killed himself. His body was never found and he was declared dead in 2005. There are theories that he actually faked his own disappearance and is still alive somewhere. 

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Jade Goody -

Jade Goody was one of the best known and most scorned reality TV stars of the 2000s. She appeared on 'Big Brother' and 'Celebrity Big Brother,' and always gave the tabloids what they wanted. She was diagnosed with terminal cervical cancer, and famously made deals with the tabloids up until her death to leave as much money as possible to her two sons. 

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Jimi Hendrix -

Legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix died after taking too many sleeping pills in October, 1970. Some believe that he killed himself, based on a poem that was found in his hotel room. However, others say that the poem was standard for his style of writing and didn't indicate anything out of the ordinary. 

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Pete de Freitas -

Pete de Freitas (right) was the drummer of the English rockband Echo & the Bunnymen. He had a tumultuous time in his twenties, but had seemingly settled down when he married and had his daughter, Lucie Marie. Sadly, his life was cut short by a motorcycle accident in 1989.  

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Chris Bell -

Chris Bell (left) was a member of the '70s power pop band Big Star. After the band broke up and his attempts at a solo career failed, he returned home to work at his father's burger restaurant. This broke the hearts of all who knew his musical genius. He died in a car accident in 1978.

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Alexander Baslachev -

Alexander Baslachev was a soviet rockstar in the 1980s, known for his poetry as well as his music. He was referred to as a 'rock bard.' He experienced a creative crisis in 1987, and the following year he died after falling out the window of his St. Petersburg apartment. It's believed he jumped. 

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What's the cause of this phenomenon? -

Statisticians who ran the numbers say that there were undeniably many rockstars who died young, but the "curse of 27" is a misconception. The high mortality rate is no surprise given the lifestyle and heavy drug use during the heyday of rock and roll, but the deaths occurred at a wide range of ages. The 27 Club may just be the result of cherry-picking celebrity deaths to support the theory. 

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Conspiracy theories -

Many people maintain that there is something strange about the deaths, and there are several outlandish theories floating around. Some say that the stars made a satanic pact for talent and fame, while astrologists believe the effects of Saturn are felt at 27. This might somehow push people to a moment of crisis.

To read about some conspiracy theories which were proven to be true, follow this link.

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