Jimi Hendrix most likely did not die because he was 27, but rather as a consequence of the fame associated with being a rock star, says a study published in the Christmas issue on bmj.com – the same applies to Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Brain Jones, Janis Joplin and Amy Winehouse.
The researchers, led by Adrian Barnett from Queensland University of Technology in Australia explain:
“While fame may increase the risk of death for musicians, probably due to their rock and roll lifestyle, this risk is not limited to age 27.”
In order to test the 27 club theory, the researchers compared the mortality of 1,046 famous musicians (solo artists and band members) who had a number one album in the UK charts between 1956 and 2007 with the mortality of the UK population.
Between 1956 and 2007, 71 (7%) of the musicians passed away.
Rock ‘n’ Roll artists, death metal stars, crooners, and the Muppets (the actors, not the puppets) were included in the sample. The total follow-up time was 21,750 years.
Using mathematical analysis, the team discovered that at age 27 there was no increase in the risk of death, although they found that artists in their 20s and 30s were 2-3 times more likely to die earlier than the general UK population.
Some evidence of a group of deaths in musicians aged 20 to 40 in the 1970’s and early 1980s was found. In the late 1980s there were no deaths in this age group. According to the researchers, this may be because the music scene in the 1980s was more pop dominated, and heroin overdose treatments improved.
The team concludes that the 27 club is based on myth, however they caution that those in the industry have a generally increased risk of mortality during their 20s and 30s. They explain:
“This finding should be of international concern, as musicians contribute greatly to populations’ quality of life, so there is immense value in keeping them alive (and working) as long as possible.”
Written by Grace Rattue