Reasons why becoming a rock star is lethal
Rock stars are notoriously known for their “crash and burn” lifestyles. And Rock stars are two to three times more likely to suffer a premature death than the general population as studies were done on more than 1,000 artists, spanning the era from Elvis Presley to rapper Eminem. So think twice maybe even thrice before you decide on a career as a Rock star.
The researches at the Centre for Public Health at Liverpool John Moores University examined 1,065 musicians between 1956 and 2005. There were 100 deaths among those musicians and some of which includes Elvis Presley, Doors singer Jim Morrison, guitar hero Jimi Hendrix, T Rex star Marc Bolan and Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain. A quarter of all the deaths were related to drugs or alcohol abuse, said the study in the Journal of Epidemial Community Health.
“The paper clearly describes a population of rock and pop stars who are at a disproportionate risk of alcohol and drug related deaths,” said Mark Bellis, lead author of the study.
He also added that the study raised questions about the suitability of using rock stars for public health messages such as anti-drug campaigns when their own lifestyle was so dangerous.
“In the music industry, factors such as stress, changes from popularity to obscurity, and exposure to environments where alcohol and drugs are easily available, can all contribute to substance use as well as other self-destructive behaviors,” the report said.
First 5 years risk is at its peak
It is found that musicians were most at risk in the first five years after achieving fame, with death rates more than three times higher than normal. Hendrix, Bon Scott of AC/DC and punk rocker Sid Vicious all died within five years of hitting the big time, said Bellis.
The risk remains high for 25 years
An artists risks of dying remains high for around 25 years after their first success, only then would their life expectancy returns to near normal. This is bad news for a 63-year-old Roger Daltrey, who famously first sang “I hope I die before I get old” in the song “My Generation” back in 1965. Sorry Roger, looks like you’re not likely going to die before you get old.
Be glad if you’ve made it through the 25 years but only if you’re a British artists as this trend was not found in North America.
Ageing American rockers remain almost twice as likely to suffer a premature demise, particularly from heart attack or stroke. American stars Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys and Johnny Ramone of the Ramones all died in their 50s.
Bellis suggested that the high death rate among older American musicians could be related to the continent’s greater appetite for reunion tours, exposing the artists for more years to an unhealthy “rock’n'roll” lifestyle.
It could also be due to the poor medical outlook for impoverished American ex-pop stars who have no health insurance, he said.