A Deep Dive Into the 27 Club

Written by Katie Tarnutzer | Designed by Tamar Ponte | Graphics by Tess Adams and Polina Kharenko

Kurt Cobain • Jimi Hendrix • Brian Jones • Jim Morrison • Anton Yelchin Janis Joplin • Amy Winehouse • Kim Jong-hyun • Tyler Skaggs

Disclaimer: For the purposes of this article, the 27 club is being observed as a coincidental phenomenon, not a predictive or conspiracy theory.

These are the names of some of the most influential artists, actors, and athletes of all time. But they have more in common than their fame in life; they are also members of the 27 Club, a club whose membership can only be achieved in death. The 27 Club refers to a phenomenon in which a disproportionate number of famous musicians, actors, and artists commit suicide or die at the coincidental age of 27. This occurrence is perhaps best exemplified in the music industry, where in the majority of cases, musicians were dealing with suicidal ideation, eventually spiraling into hard choices and harder lifestyles—leading them either to suicide or drug-related deaths. Not all members died in this vein, as some were victims of tragic accidents, but the issue of mental health plagued the lives of almost every member of the club.

This infamous “club” is one that many people have heard of, but no one wants to be a part of. Since the death of blues legend Robert Johnson, the club’s informal founding member, in 1938, the 27 Club has gained many iconic members. The phenomenon rose to attention in pop culture following the suicide of Kurt Cobain. The story of the 27 Club is undoubtedly a sad one, yet it is often romanticized due to the talent of the members and the inexplicable drama of tragedy. It is important to note, though, that their art was born out of true misery, and it is not something to be simplified. The 27 Club is something that is so often romanticized, and to an uncomfortable extent, that it has almost become a cliché.

There’s an old blues legend that goes something like this: If a man wants to be the best guitarist in the world, he must go to the crossroads at night and sell his soul to the devil. This is the myth that surrounds the blues legend, Robert Johnson. Both the king of Delta blues and one of the grandfathers of rock and roll, Johnson earned a great deal of respect. The legend surrounding him comes from the mystery that shrouds his life, along with an anecdote from fellow blues legend Son House. Robert Johnson, according to House, used to follow him and other people around, making a racket on his guitar that drove them crazy, until one day he briefly disappeared and then reappeared, playing guitar like no other.

In the 1960s, Johnson had a posthumous renaissance following the 1961 release of “King of the Delta Blues Singers.” Before this was released, a personal copy was given to Bob Dylan. After hearing this, Dylan remarked that each song was a “perfectly crafted piece” and that when Johnson began singing, “he seemed like a guy who could have sprung from the head of Zeus in full armor.” Johnson’s music expresses the tragedy of his life, including losing two wives during childbirth. After this, Johnson lived a nomadic lifestyle and juggled many women at a time. The untimely death of Robert Johnson, occurring not long after his 27th birthday, is frequently attributed to a jealous boyfriend. While the exact cause of his passing is unknown, the rumor goes as such: Johnson’s lover already had a boyfriend, who decided to lace a pint of whiskey with poison to avoid losing her to Johnson. His death started the phenomenon of the 27 Club, along with the mystery of his life.

Jimi Hendrix is arguably one of the most talented guitarists of all time. Hendrix’s famous guitarplaying and unquestionable talent yielded popular songs like “All Along the Watchtower” and “Purple Haze.” Despite only having a brief fouryear period in the spotlight, Jimi Hendrix completely changed the game of electric guitar. After a stellar performance at a music festival, he won the adoration of fans by setting his guitar on fire—definitely one for dramatics. Despite his talent, Hendrix found it difficult to be in the spotlight. Behind the scenes, he battled bipolar disorder and struggled to maintain a stable lifestyle. He even named one of his songs “Manic Depression,” which, at the time, was the term for bipolar disorder. In the song, Hendrix includes revealing lyrics about how “manic depression is a frustrating mess.” Evidently, his coping mechanisms included using copious amounts of drugs and alcohol. On September 18, 1970, Jimi Hendrix was found dead after overdosing on sleeping pills. Unfortunately, this type of behavior wasn’t entirely out of character for Hendrix. He had a pattern of abusing drugs while he was on tour to manage the demanding life on the road, which was exacerbated by his personal demons. Despite being a musical genius, Hendrix battled mental illness and addictions for a long time before tragically passing away at such a young age.

In 2011, Amy Winehouse’s tragic and unexpected death reignited interest in the 27 Club. Her spiral into severe depression and addiction was made incredibly public, as Winehouse was often bombarded by paparazzi and could not avoid photos that captured her frail frame from battling bulimia and drug addiction. Amy was even booed in her last performance before her death. As she sang “Back to Black,” she stumbled around the stage and missed many of the words, nearly collapsing many times during the performance. She was far too inebriated to be performing at this time, and fans could tell. At one point she even took off her shoe and made a backup dancer sing the vocals to “Valerie.” The helpless expression Amy had while stumbling absolutely tore at my heart as I watched this performance. It’s as if she’s trapped in a nightmare while on stage. The rest of the tour was promptly canceled after this event. Amy Winehouse, sadly, was unable to turn around in time and eventually passed away from her alcoholism in 2011.

The tragic suicide of Kurt Cobain in 1994 is perhaps the most infamous in society’s recollection of the 27 Club. As the frontman of Nirvana, Cobain was hailed to be the voice of a generation. They were at the pinnacle of their field, and they were only getting better. The band’s appearance on MTV Unplugged just a few months before Kurt took his own life is without a doubt one of their most recognizable performances.

The truth is, Kurt’s struggles with addiction and depression were made very public. Cobain often abused painkillers and heroin. Before he took his own life, he was hospitalized for overdosing. He then snuck out of the drug treatment center where he was staying and returned home. Cobain never had an easy life and struggled with much emotional turmoil. Following the divorce of his parents at nine years old, Kurt was deeply scarred. He was a social outcast in high school, and emotional problems stemming from this treatment drove him to attempt suicide. In his teenage years, he frequently slept on couches and under bridges while turning to drugs as a coping mechanism. For some time, he learned to funnel his emotions into his art. He developed the grunge genre and shaped it into its current form through the music of Nirvana.

One common link between all of these artists is not only the age at which they tragically passed, but also the struggles they collectively faced. Each of these artists struggled heavily with being in the limelight. Due to their hectic lifestyles and environments, they often turned to drugs to manage the seemingly unmanageable burdens of fame and deteriorating mental health. Although many of these musicians’ struggles were available to a voyeuristic public, these artists still continued trying to make the music that everyone loved so much.

Although these musicians drew inspiration from their real-life experiences and pain to create their music, this was not the only reason they could create such wonderful art. Trauma is not necessary for creativity. In fact, it was in the moments when they were “doing better” that they created and performed some of their best work. Through their art, they were able to find an outlet for their pain and suffering. It is far too easy to romanticize a person’s suffering if they create beautiful art out of it. The true tragedy that underlies the members’ lives becomes obscured through the infamous lens of the 27 Club.

However, at the end of the day, these are still people—people who suffer the same as any of us. A person’s life can sometimes crumble under them when the pressures of the public eye and mental illness become too much for them to handle. These were some of the most influential artists of our time, but their influence had only just begun before it was cut short. So many of these artists were at the peak of their careers and still had so much to give the world. One can only imagine what the realm of grunge music would be like if Kurt Cobain were still alive today. Jimi Hendrix could have continued showing the world new possibilities on the electric guitar that no one else could have replicated. These artists’ suffering resulted in some of the most beautiful works of art, but the cost of that suffering is an unacceptable tragedy that must be examined.