27 Club

The 27 Club is a list consisting mostly of popular musicians, artists, or actors who died at age 27. Although the claim of a "statistical spike" for the death of musicians at that age has been repeatedly disproved by research, it remains a cultural phenomenon, documenting the deaths of celebrities, some noted for their high-risk lifestyles. Names are often put forward for inclusion, but because the club is entirely notional, there is no official membership. Cultural phenomenon: The 27 Club includes popular musicians, artists, actors, and athletes who have died at age 27, often as a result of drug and alcohol abuse or violent means such as homicide, suicide, or transportation-related accidents. The deaths of several 27-year-old popular musicians between 1969 and 1971 led to the belief that deaths are more common at this age. Statistical studies have failed to find any unusual pattern of musician deaths at this age, comparing it to equally small increases at ages 25 and 32, with a 2011 BMJ study noting instead that young adult musicians have a higher death rate than the rest of the young adult population, concluding: "Fame may increase the risk of death among musicians, but this risk is not limited to age 27". The "club" has been repeatedly cited in music magazines, journals and the daily press. Several exhibitions have been devoted to the idea, as well as novels, films and stage plays. There have been many theories and speculations about the causes of such early deaths and their possible connections. Four years before the BMJ study was published, Cobain and Hendrix biographer Charles R. Cross wrote: "The number of musicians who died at 27 is truly remarkable by any standard. Although humans die regularly at all ages, there is a statistical spike for musicians who die at 27." History: Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison all died at the age of 27 between 1969 and 1971. At the time, the coincidence gave rise to some comment, but it was not until Kurt Cobain's 1994 death, at age 27, that the idea of a "27 Club" began to catch on in public perception. Blues musician Robert Johnson, who died in 1938, is the earliest popular musician who has been included in the members of the 27 Club. According to Hendrix and Cobain's biographer Charles R. Cross, the growing importance of the media—Internet, magazines, and television—and the response to an interview of Cobain's mother were jointly responsible for such theories. An excerpt from a statement that Cobain's mother, Wendy Fradenburg Cobain O'Connor, made in the Aberdeen, Washington, newspaper The Daily World—"Now he's gone and joined that stupid club. I told him not to join that stupid club."—referred to Hendrix, Joplin, and Morrison dying at the same age, according to Cross. Other authors share his view. On the other hand, Eric Segalstad, writer of The 27s: The Greatest Myth of Rock & Roll, assumed that Cobain's mother referred to the death of his two uncles and his great-uncle, all of whom had also committed suicide. According to Cross, the events have led a "set of conspiracy theorists to suggest the absurd notion that Kurt Cobain intentionally timed his death so he could join the 27 Club". In 2011, seventeen years after Cobain's death, Amy Winehouse died at the age of 27, prompting a renewed swell of media attention devoted to the club once again. Three years earlier, she had expressed a fear of dying at that age. An individual does not necessarily have to be a musician to qualify as a member of the 27 Club. Rolling Stone included television actor Jonathan Brandis, who committed suicide in 2003, in a list of "members" of the 27 Club. Anton Yelchin, who had played in a punk rock band but was primarily known as a film actor, was also described as a member of the club upon his death in 2016. Likewise, Jean-Michel Basquiat has been included in 27 Club lists, despite the relative brevity of his music career, and his prominence as a graffiti artist and painter. Scientific studies: A study published in the British Medical Journal in December 2011 concluded that there was no increase in the risk of death for musicians at the age of 27. Although the sampled musicians faced an increased risk of death in their 20s and 30s, this was not limited to the age of 27. A 2015 article in The Independent also provided statistical evidence that popular musicians are not more likely to die at the age of 27. In popular culture- Music: -The theme is referenced in the song "27 Forever" by Eric Burdon, on his 2013 album 'Til Your River Runs Dry. -The band letlive. featured a song named "27 Club" on their 2013 album The Blackest Beautiful. -Magenta's eighth studio album, The Twenty Seven Club, directly references the club. Each track is a tribute to a member ofthe club. -The name of the song "27" by Fall Out Boy from their album Folie à Deux is a reference to the club. The lyrics explore the hedonistic lifestyles common in rock and roll. Pete Wentz, the primary lyricist of Fall Out Boy, wrote the song because he felt that he was living a similarly dangerous lifestyle. -On his song "Brand Name" from the album GO:OD AM, Mac Miller says: "To everyone who sell me drugs, don't mix it with that bullshit, I'm hoping not to join the 27 Club." Miller died on September 7, 2018, at the age of 26; the autopsy revealed that his cause of death was an accidental overdose of fentanyl coupled with cocaine and alcohol. -The song "Colors" by Halsey references the club with the lyric, "I hope you make it to the day you're 28 years old". -Rapper Watsky references the club on his song "All You Can Do" with the lyric, "I tried to join the 27 Club, they kicked me out." The song then goes on to reference some famous members of the club, namely Amy Winehouse, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, and Brian Jones. -The song "27 Club" by Ivy Levan, released as a promotional single for her debut album No Good (released in 2015), refers to the club. -The song "Uno" by Rex Orange County refers to the club in the last line: "And every now and then I think about the fact that I'd become a legend if I died at 27." -Adore Delano released a song called "27 Club" on her third studio album Whatever (2017). Delano was aged 27 at the time of release. -Juice WRLD referenced the club on his song "Legends" where he says "What's the 27 Club? We ain't making it past 21." The song was dedicated to rappers XXXTentacion, who was murdered at 20, and Lil Peep, who died from an overdose at 21. Juice WRLD himself died at the age of 21 from an accidental overdose. Video games: In Hitman (2016), there is a mission named Club 27. One of the targets is a singer named Jordan Cross, who is celebrating his 27th birthday. Comics: Cartoonist Luke McGarry created The 27 Club comic series for MAD Magazine No. 1 in 2018. The comics featured Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones, Robert Johnson, Amy Winehouse, Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain as paranormal popstars descending from Rock & Roll Heaven to save the planet with the aid of mortal medium Keith Richards. The series continued in subsequent issues until the print version of MAD stopped publishing new content in 2019.