We lost many legendary musicians this decade. It can be hard to see some of your idols pass away. After all, many of them seemed immortal and able to transcend time. And in a way, they were. The music they created will remain for generations to come.
The musicians we lost this decade touched millions of lives and had a massive impact on culture around the world. Unfortunately, many passed away before their time, often from substance abuse. Sad as it may be, they won’t be creating any new music, and that is a shame. Here is a tribute to the musicians we lost this decade.
Prince
No one compares to Prince. And that is a pun to the song that made Sinead O’ Connor a star. “Nothing Compares 2 U” written by Prince. He is regarded as one of the greatest musicians of his generation. A gifted songwriter and singer, Prince was also an electrifying performer. He also had the rare ability of being really good at several instruments. As if writing songs, signing and performing at an incredible high level wasn’t enough. He was a prolific artist and released 39 albums during his lifetime, and left behind a vast array of unreleased projects that lie in a vault in his home. He left us in 2016 at the age of 57.
David Bowie
One of the most influential musicians of the 20th Century. David Bowie was revered not only by millions of fans but by music critics alike. His work during the 70s was particularly innovative and he sold over 100 million records, making him one of the best selling artists of all time. Bowie was inducted to the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. He died in 2016 at the age of 69.
Aretha Franklin
“The Queen of Soul” was one of the greatest voices the world has ever heard. Aretha Franklin’s career took off once she signed with Atlantic Records in 1966. She won 18 Grammy awards, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and was introduced to the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. In addition, she received the Pulitzer Prize posthumously in 2019. She left us in 2018 at the age of 76.
Chuck Berry
Legend has it that Chuck Berry invented Rock and Roll. He was so innovative that he was dubbed “Father of Rock and Roll”. He established himself as a star in the 1950s and had several hits and a lucrative touring career that he kept going for most of his life. In true Rock N Roll fashion, Chuck Berry had several brushes with the law, including a 3-year prison stint. His way of singing and playing were the pillars of many that came after him, including Elvis Presley. Chuck Berry died in 2017 at the age of 90.
Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston is one of the best selling artists of all time with over 200 million albums sold. She is also the most awarded female artist of all time. She became a superstar with the release of the album and film The Bodyguard in the early 90s. Her voice made her a global icon.
Unfortunately, she got tangled up in toxic relationships and behaviours. For instance, she had a tumultuous marriage to Bobby Brown, which spiralled into severe drug and alcohol addiction. In 2012 Houston drowned in a bathtub in a hotel in Beverly Hills at the young age of 48.
B.B. King
One of the greatest bluesmen to ever live, B.B King was also a star. He brought blues to mainstream America and then the world by introducing a unique and economical way to play guitar. He is regarded by some as the single most important electric guitarist of the last 70 years. And he lived the blues. B.B. King was born on a cotton plantation and later worked in one, experiencing the depths of racism in the 20th Century. He was able to turn all that suffering into music, and made blues music a staple of world culture. He died in 2015 at the age of 89.
Amy Whinehouse
Amy Whinehouse was one of the most expressive singers of the last 30 years. Her deep and soulful voice was the perfect vehicle for her bluesy songs. Her album Back To Black became one of the best selling records in UK history and made her an international superstar. She won five Grammys in one year, becoming the first British woman to accomplish that feat. She died of alcohol poisoning at the young age of 27, in 2011.
The artists above are some of the most celebrated in history. But they are just a fraction of the influential musicians we lost this decade. Other greats like Etta James, Lou Reed, Leonard Cohen, João Gilberto, Horace Silver, Alan Holdsworth, Ray Manzarek, Ornette Coleman and Chris Cornell also died in this past decade. They might be gone, but their art will live in the hearts of millions for years to come.
