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27 Club

The 27 Club is an informal list consisting mostly of popular musicians, artists, actors, and other celebrities who died at age 27.[2][3][4][5][6] Although the claim of a "statistical spike" for the death of musicians at that age has been refuted by scientific research, it remains a cultural phenomenon, with many celebrities who die at 27 noted for their high-risk lifestyles.

Cultural phenomenon

Beginning with the deaths of several 27-year-old popular musicians between 1969 and 1971 (such as Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison), dying at the age of 27 came to be, and remains, a perennial subject of popular culture, celebrity journalism, and entertainment industry lore.[2][3] This cultural phenomenon, which came to be known as the "27 Club," attributes special significance to popular musicians, artists, actors, and other celebrities who died at age 27, often as a result of drug and alcohol abuse or violent means such as homicide, suicide, or transportation-related accidents.[7] The cultural phenomenon gave rise to an urban myth that celebrity deaths are more common at 27, a claim that has been refuted by statistical research as discussed in the § Scientific studies section below.[8][5]

Scientific studies

Despite the cultural significance given to musician and celebrity deaths at age 27, the common claim that they are statistically more common at this age is an urban myth, refuted by scientific research.[2][3][4][5]


A study by university academics 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, stating that there were equally small increases at ages 25 and 32. The study noted that young adult musicians have a higher death rate than the general young adult population, surmising that "fame may increase the risk of death among musicians, but this risk is not limited to age 27".[8]


A 2014 article at The Conversation suggested that statistical evidence shows popular musicians are most likely to die at the age of 56 (2.2% compared to 1.3% at 27).[5]

The name of the song "27" by from their 2008 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.[24]

Fall Out Boy

's song "28", which appeared on his 2009 album Montana Tale, and 2018 live album Opening for Steinbeck, is written from the perspective of 27 Club members Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and Kurt Cobain, as each contemplates their respective mortality and imagines what they would do differently "if I could only make it to twenty eight."[25][26] Craigie wrote the song when he himself was age 27.[27]

John Craigie

The theme is referenced in the song "27 Forever" by , on his 2013 album 'Til Your River Runs Dry.[28]

Eric Burdon

The band featured a song named "27 Club" on its 2013 album The Blackest Beautiful.[29]

Letlive

's 2013 studio album The Twenty Seven Club directly references the club. Each track is a tribute to a member of the club.[30]

Magenta

's song "Long Live Rock & Roll" from their 2013 album Baptized references the club with the lyrics "they're forever 27 – Jimi, Janis, Brian Jones".

Daughtry

Rapper references the club on his 2014 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 members of the club; Amy Winehouse, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, and Brian Jones.

Watsky

's 2015 song "Brand Name" contains the lyric "To everyone who sell me drugs: Don't mix it with that bullshit; I'm hoping not to join the 27 Club". Miller died aged 26, after consuming counterfeit oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl.[31]

Mac Miller

The song "27 Club" by , released as a promotional single for her 2015 album No Good, refers to the club.[32]

Ivy Levan

's song "Colors," from her 2015 debut album, Badlands, includes the line "I hope you make it to the day you're 28 years old."[33]

Halsey

's 2016 album Black Ben Carson includes a song titled "The 27 Club", which the song refers to the club. He references members Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Kurt Cobain.[34]

JPEGMafia

's 2016 song "Nights" features the lyric "No white lighters 'til I fuck my 28th up", referencing the white lighter myth associated with some members of the 27 club.

Frank Ocean

released a song called "27 Club" on her 2017 studio album Whatever, with the repeated lyric "All of the legends die at twenty seven." Delano was aged 27 at the time of release.[35]

Adore Delano

In 2017, the released "Club 27", a song on their album "Orange", about the 27 Club.[36]

MonaLisa Twins

referenced the club on his 2018 song "Legends", where he says "What's the 27 Club? We ain't making it past 21." The song was dedicated to XXXTentacion, who was killed at 20, and Lil Peep, who died from an overdose at 21.[37]

Juice Wrld

released a song titled "Rock and Roll Heaven" on their 2021 studio album Death by Rock and Roll. The song is about the club and mentions in the lyrics Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. Frontwoman Taylor Momsen wrote the song after falling into a depressive state from the deaths of her producer Kato Khandwala and Chris Cornell, the latter of whom her band had opened for the night before his death.[38]

The Pretty Reckless

The song "Dark Side", the Finnish entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2021, includes the lyrics "Like the 27 Club, headshot, we don't wanna grow up".[39]

Blind Channel

23 enigma

Apophenia

Curse of the ninth

List of deaths in rock and roll

List of murdered hip hop musicians

Saturn return

White lighter myth

Howell, Michael; Ford, Peter (1992) [1980], (3rd ed.), London: Penguin Books, ISBN 0-14-016515-0

The True History of the Elephant Man

(October 24, 2023). "Skeptoid #907: The Science of the 27 Club". Skeptoid.

Dunning, Brian