This page is a directory of rock stars who have passed away. It is offered with all reverence and respect for those who have passed, serving as a poignant reminder of their contributions to rock music.
Note: This page will always be a work in progress. We are currently adding more artists daily, and as more rock stars pass away, we will continue to add as many relevant rock stars as possible to make this the definitive list of rock stars who have died.
Artist Name
Bands
Date
Cause Of Death
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “A”
Abbott, Dimebag Darrell
Pantera, Damage Plan
December 8, 2004
Shot On Stage
Allman, Duane
Allman Brothers Band
October 29, 1971
Motorcycle Crash
Allman, Gregg
Allman Brothers Band
May 27, 2017
Liver Cancer
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “B”
Banali, Frankie
Quiet Riot, W.A.S.P.
August 20, 2020
Pancreatic Cancer
Baloff, Paul
Exodus
February 2, 2002
Car Accident
Bators, Stiv
Dead Boys, Lords Of The New Church
June 4, 1990
Brain Injury
Beck, Jeff
Yardbirds, Jeff Beck Group
January 10, 2023
Bacterial Meningitis
Bennington, Chester
Linkin Park, Stone Temple Pilots
July 20, 2017
Suicide
Betts, Dickey
Allman Brothers Band
April 18, 2024
Cancer
Bonham, John
Led Zeppelin
September 25, 1980
Alcohol / Pulmonary Aspiration
Bowie, David
David Bowie, Tin Machine
January 10, 2016
Cancer
Burke, Clem
Blondie
April 6, 2025
Cancer
Burton, Cliff
Metallica
September 27, 1986
Bus Crash
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “C”
Carr, Eric
KISS
November 24, 1991
Lung Cancer
Castillo, Randy
Ozzy Osbourne, Lita Ford
March 26, 2002
Cancer
Clark, Steve
Def Leppard
January 8, 1991
Alcohol And Overdose
Cobain, Kurt
Nirvana
April 5, 1994
Suicide
Collins, Allen
Lynyrd Skynyrd
January 23, 1990
Pneumonia
Columbus, Scott
Manowar
April 4, 2011
Unknown
Cornell, Chris
Soundgarden, Audioslave
May 18, 2017
Suicide
Crew, Todd
Jetboy
July 4, 1987
Overdose
Crosby, Robbin
Ratt
June 6, 2002
Heroin Overdose
Curtis, Ian
Joy Division
May 18, 1980
Suicide By Hanging
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “D”
D’Amour, Denis
Voivod
August 26, 2005
Colon Cancer
Dianno, Paul
Iron Maiden
October 21, 2024
Aortic Dissection
Dio, Ronnie James
Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio
May 16, 2010
Stomach Cancer
Dubrow, Kevin
Quiet Riot
November 19, 2007
Accidental Overdose
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “E”
Entwistle, John
The Who
June 27, 2002
Heart Attack
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “F”
Fisher, Michael
Heart
August 19, 2025
Unknown
Frey, Glenn
The Eagles
January 18, 2016
Rheumatoid Arthritis Complications
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “G”
Gaines, Cassie
Lynyrd Skynyrd
October 20, 1977
Plane Crash
Gaines, Steve
Lynyrd Skynyrd
October 20, 1977
Plane Crash
Garcia, Jerry
Grateful Dead
August 9, 1995
Heart Attack
Gillen, Ray
Badlands
December 1, 1993
AIDS Related Complications
Goettel, Dwayne
Skinny Puppy
August 23, 1995
Heroin Overdose
Gray, Paul
Slipknot
May 24, 2010
Overdose
Grimmett, Steve
Grim Reaper
August 15, 2022
Health Complications
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “H”
Hackman, Paul
Helix
July 5, 1992
Bus Accident
Hanneman, Jeff
Slayer
May 2, 2013
Liver Failure
Harrison, George
The Beatles
November 29, 2001
Cancer
Hendrix, Jimi
Jimi Hendrix
September 18, 1970
Undecided, Asphyxia? Overdose
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “I”
Interior, Lux
The Cramps
February 4, 2009
Aortic Dissection
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “J”
Janus, Jill
Huntress
August 24, 2018
Suicide
Johansen, David
New York Dolls
February 28, 2025
Cancer
Jones, Brian
Rolling Stones
July 3, 1969
Drowned
Jordison, Joey
Slipknot, Ministry
July 26, 2021
Neurological Condition
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “K”
Kelly, Tim
Slaughter
February 5, 1998
Car Accident
Kennemore, Phil
Y & T
January 7, 2011
Lung Cancer
Kilmister, Lemmy
Motorhead
December 28, 2015
Prostate Cancer
Kuehnemund, Jan
Vixen
June 19, 2022
Cancer
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “L”
Lane, Jani
Warrant
August 11, 2011
Accidental Overdose
Lennon, John
The Beatles, Solo
December 8, 1980
Shot To Death
LaBar, Jeff
Cinderella
July 14, 2021
Natural Causes
Lord, Jon
Deep Purple
July 16, 2012
Pancreatic Cancer
Lynott, Phil
Thin Lizzy
July 14, 2021
Heart Failure, Pneumonia
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “M”
Marsden, Bernie
Whitesnake
August 24, 2023
Baceterial Meningitis
McCarthy, Douglas
Nitzer Ebb
June 11, 2025
Cirrhosis Of The Liver
Menza, Nick
Megadeth
May 21, 2016
Heart Failure
Mercury, Freddie
Queen
November 4, 1991
AIDS Complications
Moon, Keith
The Who
September 7, 1978
Drugs / Alcohol Overdose
Moore, Gary
Thin Lizzy, Solo
January 4, 1986
Heart Attack
Morrison, Jim
The Doors
July 3, 1971
Possible Overdose
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “N”
Nicholls, Geoff
Black Sabbath
January 28, 2017
Lung Cancer
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “O”
Oliva, Criss
Savatage
October 17, 1993
Car Crash
Osbourne, Ozzy
Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne Solo
July 22, 2025
Parkinsons, Pneumonia
O’ ‘Riordan, Dolores
The Cranberries
January 15, 2018
Drowning / Alcohol Intoxication
Ostergaard, Henrik
Dirty Looks
January 27, 2011
Liver Failure
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “P”
Paul (Abbott) Vinnie
Pantera, Hellyeah
June 22, 2018
Heart Disease
Petty, Tom
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
October 22, 2017
Accidental Prescription Drug Overdose
Porcaro, Jeff
Toto
August 5, 1992
Heart Attack
Presley, Elvis
Elvis Presley
August 16, 1977
Heart Attack
Prichard, Dave
Armored Saint
February 28, 1990
Leukemia
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “Q”
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “R”
Ramone, Joey (Jeffrey Hyman)
The Ramones
April 15, 2001
Lymphatic Cancer
Ramone, Dee Dee
The Ramones
June 5, 2002
Heroin Overdose
Ramone, Johnny
The Ramones
September 15, 2004
Prostate Cancer
Ramone, Tommy
The Ramones
July 11, 2014
Bile Duct Cancer
Reale, Mark
Riot
January 25, 2012
Crohn’s Disease Complications
Roach, David
Junkyard
August 7, 2025
Cancer
Rhoads, Randy
Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot
March 19, 1982
Plane Crash
Russell, Jack
Great White
August 7, 2024
Dementia
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “S”
Samuelson, Gar
Megadeth
July 4, 1999
Liver Failure
Scaccia, Mike
Ministry, Rigor Mortis
December 22, 2012
Heart Attack
Schulinder, Chuck
Death
December 13, 2001
Brain Cancer
Scott, Bon
AC/DC
February 19, 1980
Alcohol Poisoning
Snare, C.J.
Firehouse
April 5, 2024
Cancer
Solinger, Johnny
Skid Row
June 26, 2021
Liver Failure
Staley, Layne
Alice In Chains
April 5, 2002
Heroin/Cocaine Overdose
Steele, Peter
Type O Negative, Carnivore
April 14, 2010
Sepsis / Diverticulitis
Static, Wayne
Static-X
November 1, 2014
Prescription Drug Toxicity
Strummer, Joe
The Clash
December 22, 2002
Heart Attack
Syke, John
Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, Blue Murder
January 20, 2025
Cancer
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “T”
Thunders, Johnny
New York Dolls
April 23, 1991
Drug Related
Trucks, Butch
Allman Brothers Band
January 24, 2017
Self-Inflicted Gunshot
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “U”
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “V”
Van Halen, Edward
Van Halen
October 6, 2020
Cancer
Van Zant, Ronnie
Lynyrd Skynyrd
October 20, 1977
Plane Crash
Vicious, Sid
Sex Pistols
February 2, 1979
Overdose / Suicide?
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “W”
Ward, Jeff
Ministry, NIN, Lard, Revco
March 19, 1993
Suicide
Watts, Charlie
Rolling Stones
August 24, 2021
Cancer
Way, Pete
Waysted, UFO, Fastway
August 24, 2020
Accident-Related Injuries
Wayne, David
Metal Church
May 10, 2005
Car Accident
Weiland, Scott
Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Revolver
December 3, 2015
Accidental Overdose
Winehouse, Amy
Amy Winehouse
July 23, 2011
Alcohol Poisoning
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “X”
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “Y”
Young, Malcolm
AC/DC
November 18, 2017
Dementia Complications
Artists’ Last Names That Start With “Z”
Zappa, Frank
Frank Zappa And The Mothers
December 4, 1993
Prostate Cancer
Zapata, Mia
The Gits
July 7, 1993
Murder By Strangulation
