This is the average life expectancy of a pop star

A world tour here, an award show there – and in between posing on a yacht in the Mediterranean as if it’s all totally normal. The life of a pop star seems from the outside like one big shiny goodie bag filled with glitter, glamour, and free designer outfits. Many artists dream of becoming as famous as the biggest names in the business. But behind that perfect picture, that effortless “look-at-me-being-an-icon”, lies a reality that you’re less likely to make an Insta story about. Because the higher you climb on that fame ladder, the heavier the toll can become. Scientists looked into it and yes… Selling out a stadium every year doesn’t necessarily seem to be the recipe for a long life. Those pop stars really do live shorter than ‘the average person’.

First of all: why do those pop stars live shorter?

You would think: if someone has a personal chef, stylist, manager, and a villa with three swimming pools, then that should contribute to a long and healthy life, right? Unfortunately. New research shows that fame works more like a kind of slow burn for your health. Researchers from Germany studied the deaths of 648 singers. One thing became clear: those pop stars really do die earlier on average. And not just because of wild rock ‘n' roll nights, but also due to stress, pressure, and constant performance anxiety.

Actually, it makes sense. Haven't you ever been super nervous before a presentation? Now imagine experiencing that weekly. The more famous you become, the more you become a ‘brand’. That means a lot of work: performances, commercials, appearing at various events, and in between still writing music. It’s quite a busy schedule. And because you have so much to do, you come under high pressure. You don’t want to disappoint your manager and fans. That creates performance anxiety, especially if you tend to be a bit insecure. A more vulnerable person can handle all that drama and ‘always being on’ less well. All that building stress does a lot to your body: your cortisol increases, triggering all sorts of problems. You can enter a ‘fight or flight mode’, making you constantly alert to everything that could go wrong and ready to flee at any moment. That’s been in us since prehistoric times, but of course, it’s not the intention for you to always feel that way. Those unhealthy feelings become habits. You get used to them, they might fade a bit, but that ironclad pressure remains. You always have to be the best version of yourself. And what do many artists do then? They go partying, drink alcohol, use drugs, and do all sorts of things to avoid feeling that pressure.

All of this adds up to the fact that the bodies of pop stars deteriorate faster and thus last shorter than someone with a ‘regular’ job.

But, what is that average life expectancy then?

Yes, then the question you actually came for: how old do those pop stars get on average? Well… not as old as you might hope. Researchers discovered that famous singers live an average of 75 years, while lesser-known artists (you know, those people who play in local pubs and at smaller events) reach 79. That’s still quite old, that’s true, but that’s not the remarkable part. It’s the difference between famous and lesser-known artists that is serious. Especially when you consider how many of the most famous don’t even make it to the finish line. Just think of Whitney Houston who only lived to 48 and Avicii who didn’t even reach 30. Or Prince and George Michael who didn’t live to be older than 57 and 53.

And then you have that eerie ‘club 27’. That group of artists who, very coincidentally, all died at the age of 27. When it comes to early deceased artists, this is the most well-known phenomenon in pop culture. It started with Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison, who didn’t live to be older than 27 within a span of 2 years. From here, it went quickly. Other artists like Ron McKernan, Mia Zapata, Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, and Jonghyun from SHINee.

It almost sounds like a horror story from the music industry, but it mainly shows how intense the spotlight can be. It’s no coincidence that many of these artists fell prey to things that no award statue can compete with. Fame is nice, but you have to be able to put your life on mute for it.