Musicians The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30  

Ranker Music
Originally by
31.8k votes 4.9k voters 137.4k views 44 items

List Rules The best musicians and singers who didn't make it to thirty

List of the greatest musicians who died before they reached the age of 30. On this list you’ll find all of the musicians who had the misfortune to die before turning 30 — from all time periods and including rock stars who died young and singers from other genres. Some died in horrific ways, others were the victims of unfortunate accidents or genetics, but they all left the world a little too soon, earning them a place on this, the list of the most amazing musicians who died before 30.

This list includes members of The 27 Club — those young and rising stars who died at the age of 27. Tragically, many died of overdose or under drug-related circumstances, including Jimi Hendrix, Amy Winehouse, and Kurt Cobain. Other musicians on this list died from poisoning (Robert Johnson), plane crashes (Otis Redding, Buddy Holly, and the Big Bopper), and even murder (Mia Zapata). In the hip-hop world, both Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. were killed outright, both having been shot repeatedly. No one knows for certain who murdered the two rap legends, but it is beyond a doubt that the musicians died too young. The two rappers may be gone, but they live on in fans’ memories.

On this list you can find all of the musicians who died too young, never reaching the age of 30. The list contains rock musicians, rappers, guitar players, drummers, singers, jazz musicians, and more, but the musical style differences aren’t important. Fans still mourn these great artists, often wondering what might have been had these musicians lived.

1
1,505 437
Jimi Hendrix is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
krazykids1011 added Blues-rock, Rock music, Experimental rock Died at 27 (1942-1970)

2
1,436 461
Jim Morrison is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
krazykids1011 added Blues-rock, Rock music, Acid rock Died at 27 (1943-1971)

3
1,471 496
Kurt Cobain is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
krazykids1011 added Grunge, Alternative rock, Punk rock Died at 27 (1967-1994)

4
961 385
Janis Joplin is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
krazykids1011 added Blues-rock, Rock music, Folk music Died at 27 (1943-1970)

5
859 314
Otis Redding is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Melissa Harr added Southern soul, Soul blues, Rock music Died at 26 (1941-1967)

6
811 259
Buddy Holly is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
ConnorRichardson added Lubbock sound, Rock music, Rockabilly Died at 22 (1936-1959)

7
1,082 621
Tupac Shakur is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Melissa Harr added Hip hop music, Political hip hop, Gangsta rap Died at 25 (1971-1996)

8
905 582
Amy Winehouse is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Melissa Harr added Doo-wop, Pop music, Neo soul Died at 27 (1983-2011)

9
442 271
Duane Allman is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
FireMonkey added Blues-rock, Rock music, Jazz fusion Died at 24 (1946-1971)

10
735 554
Aaliyah is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Melissa Harr added Hip hop music, Pop music, Neo soul Died at 22 (1979-2001)

11
718 434
Selena is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Melissa Harr added Mexican cumbia, Pop music, Latin American music Died at 23 (1971-1995)

12
534 290
Ronnie Van Zant is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
FireMonkey added Rock music, Southern rock Died at 29 (1948-1977)

13
542 243
Ritchie Valens is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Chicano rock, Rock music, Rock and roll Died at 17 (1941-1959)

14
325 231
Brian Jones is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
TracyDrane added Blues-rock, Pop music, Rock music

15
438 280
Randy Rhoads is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
FireMonkey added Glam metal, Heavy metal, Neo-classical metal Died at 25 (1956-1982)

16
663 468
The Notorious B.I.G. is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Melissa Harr added Hip hop music, Hardcore hip hop, East Coast hip hop Died at 24 (1972-1997)

17
296 118
Hank Williams is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
kingbee63 added Outlaw country, Western music, Folk music Died at 29 (Sep. 1923-Jan. 1953)

18
383 278
Robert Johnson is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Rock music, Blues, Country blues Died at 27 (1911-1938)

19
323 244
Cliff Burton is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
FireMonkey added Thrash metal, Progressive metal, Power metal Died at 24 (1962-1986)

20
334 370
Sid Vicious is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
miriam added Rock music, Punk rock Died at 21 (1957-1979)

21
156 68
Sam Cooke is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Pop music, Rhythm and blues, Jazz

22
283 313
Tammi Terrell is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Melissa Harr added Pop music, Rhythm and blues, Soul music Died at 24 (1945-1970)

23
232 205
Bradley Nowell is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
ryanjjjj8 added Hip hop music, Alternative hip hop, Ska punk

24
227 212
Marc Bolan is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
TracyDrane added Psychedelic folk, Protopunk, Pop rock

25
220 276
Shannon Hoon is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
FireMonkey added Rock music, Folk music, Grunge Died at 28 (1967-1995)

26
216 270
Gram Parsons is listed (or ranked) 26 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Melissa Harr added Rock music, Country rock, Country Died at 26 (1946-1973)

27
251 263
Ian Curtis is listed (or ranked) 27 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Melissa Harr added New Wave, Gothic rock, Punk rock Died at 23 (1956-1980)

28
217 50
Avicii is listed (or ranked) 28 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Electro house, Alternative dance, House music

29
122 153
Christina Grimmie is listed (or ranked) 29 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Thunderwing added Hip hop music, Pop music, Dance-pop

30
91 103
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kingbee63 added Rock music, Rockabilly, Rock and roll Died at 21 (1938-1960)

31
150 251
Tim Buckley is listed (or ranked) 31 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Melissa Harr added Traditional music, Folk music, Experimental rock Died at 28 (1947-1975)

32
202 234
Frankie Lymon is listed (or ranked) 32 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Melissa Harr added Doo-wop, Pop music, Rock music Died at 25 (1942-1968)

33
130 200
Tommy Bolin is listed (or ranked) 33 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
ScottLounsbury added Blues-rock, Rock music, Jazz fusion Died at 25 (1951-1976)

34
102 124
Nick Drake is listed (or ranked) 34 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
wat is love added Folk music, Folk rock Died at 26 (1948-1974)

35
80 108
The Rev is listed (or ranked) 35 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
phillipsrrn added Progressive metal, Third-wave of ska, Ska

36
28 46
Pete Ham is listed (or ranked) 36 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Pete Ham

37
90 222
Rudy Lewis is listed (or ranked) 37 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Melissa Harr added Rhythm and blues Died at 27 (1936-1964)

38
44 111
Mitch Lucker is listed (or ranked) 38 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
brieanna-coolican added

39
81 203
Shorty Long is listed (or ranked) 39 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Melissa Harr added Rhythm and blues, Soul music Died at 29 (1940-1969)

40
60 174
Chris Bell is listed (or ranked) 40 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
ryanjjjj8 added Rock music, Power pop Died at 27 (1951-1978)

41
30 8
Mac Miller is listed (or ranked) 41 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
Hip hop music, Alternative hip hop, Pop music

Died at 26 (1992-2018)

42
31 107
Euronymous is listed (or ranked) 42 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
angelopoulos-segovia added Thrash metal, Black metal, Death metal

43
21 85
Richey Edwards is listed (or ranked) 43 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
TommyLondo29 added Alternative rock, Glam punk, Hard rock

44
21 124
Chris Bender is listed (or ranked) 44 on the list The Greatest Musicians Who Died Before 30
skwagen added Contemporary R&B, Rhythm and blues