Famous People Who Died Young

I often find these kinds of lists floating around the net, but they are often not very concise and don't include people from all professions and countries. I have done my best to include everyone I can think of who has had a major impact on our lives and has consequently garnered fame. If you think I have missed out anyone fundamental to a complete list, comment and I will add them.

Hopefully, I can make this list into a definitive one. Also, please note there is no ranking system. I have merely added them as I think of them, as opposed to ranking them by fame. My criteria has only one limitation: they must have passed on before 50 years old. Their nationality and reason for being "nationally" famous is irrelevant, as long as they are well known, they are suitable for adding.

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix died on September 18, 1970 at the age of 27. His cause of death is disputed, but the coroner believed that he choked to death on his own vomit.

James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music, and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as "arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music". Born in Seattle, Washington, Hendrix began playing guitar at the age of 15. In 1961, he enlisted in the US Army; he was granted an honorable discharge the following year. Soon afterward, he moved to Clarksville, Tennessee, and began playing gigs on the chitlin' circuit, ...more on Wikipedia

Age: Dec. at 28 (1942-1970)

Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, USA

Profession: Record producer, Guitarist, Songwriter, Entrepreneur, Musician, + more

Cause Of Death: Drug overdose, Inhalation of vomit

Place Of Death: Notting Hill, London, United Kingdom

Children: James Daniel Sundquist, Tamika Hendrix

Also Ranked

#45 on The Best Rock Vocalists

#9 on The Greatest Musical Artists of All Time

#85 on The Best Singers of All Time

#8 on The Best Rock Bands of All Time

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Jim Morrison

Jim Morrison died on July 3, 1971 at age 27. He was found dead in his bathtub, but no official autopsy was completed. He is suspected to have died from a drug overdose.

James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American singer, poet and songwriter best remembered as the lead vocalist of the Doors. Due to his songwriting, baritone voice, wild personality and performances, he is regarded by critics and fans as one of the most iconic and influential frontmen in rock music history, and, due to the dramatic tinges surrounding his life, in the latter part of 20th century he was one of popular culture's most rebellious and oft-displayed icons, representing generational gap and youth counterculture. He was also well known for improvising spoken word poetry passages while the band played live. ...more on Wikipedia

Age: Dec. at 28 (1943-1971)

Birthplace: Melbourne, Florida, United States of America

Profession: Film Score Composer, Poet, Songwriter, Musician, Screenwriter, + more

Cause Of Death: Heart failure, Drug overdose

Place Of Death: Paris, France

Also Ranked

#5 on The Best Rock Vocalists

#28 on The Best Singers of All Time

#78 on The Greatest Male Pop Singers of All Time

#4 on The Best Frontmen in Rock

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Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain died on April 5, 1994 at the age of 27. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Kurt Donald Cobain was an American musician who was best known as the lead singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the grunge band Nirvana. Cobain formed Nirvana with Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington, in 1985 and established it as part of the Seattle music scene, having its debut album Bleach released on the independent record label Sub Pop in 1989. After signing with major label DGC Records, the band found breakthrough success with "Smells Like Teen Spirit" from its second album Nevermind. ...more on Wikipedia

Age: Dec. at 27 (1967-1994)

Birthplace: Aberdeen, Washington, United States of America

Profession: Guitarist, Songwriter, Musician, Singer, Artist

Cause Of Death: Suicide, Gunshot

Place Of Death: Seattle, Washington, United States of America

Children: Frances Bean Cobain

Also Ranked

#20 on The Best Rock Vocalists

#35 on People We Wish Were Still Alive

#10 on The Best Frontmen in Rock

#91 on Famous Men You'd Want to Have a Beer With

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James Dean

James Dean died on September 30, 1955 at the age of 24. His death was the result of a car accident.

James Byron Dean was an American actor. He is a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement, as expressed in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause, in which he starred as troubled teenager Jim Stark. The other two roles that defined his stardom were loner Cal Trask in East of Eden and surly ranch hand Jett Rink in Giant. Dean's enduring fame and popularity rest on his performances in only these three films, two in which he is the leading actor. ...more on Wikipedia

Age: Dec. at 24 (1931-1955)

Birthplace: Marion, Indiana, United States of America

Profession: Actor

Cause Of Death: Traffic collision

Place Of Death: Cholame, California, United States of America

Also Ranked

#90 on The Best Actors in Film History

#6 on The Coolest Actors Ever

#56 on The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)

#45 on People We Wish Were Still Alive

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