10 Tragic Deaths That Rocked The Music Industry

Death is the one aspect of life that no one can escape. No matter how many people try to pretend that they're larger than life, everyone comes with a death sentence and will eventually have to shuffle off this mortal coil. It's anyone's guess as to whether the rest of the world is prepared for them to go though.

Outside of the tragic assassinations that have happened over the years, it gets that much more sad when you realize the amount of potential a lot of these artists had when they were just starting out. Though some of them managed to live a long and prosperous life as a musician for decades, it still feels too soon for most fans to accept that they're not here anymore. All we're left with now is what they gave us while they were still alive and what we can do with their music in the future. Just because they're gone doesn't mean they have been forgotten though.

These acts have gone down as some of the most legendary performers of their generation and still manage to get the crowds going whenever their music is played. At the end of the day, these songs are going to last forever, and that's exactly the way they would have wanted it.

At the end of the '50s, most of the rock and rollers were still finding their sea legs. Even though Chuck Berry and Little Richard were paving the way with an influence from blues and R&B, Buddy Holly was another true original, with wire-rimmed glasses singing about typical teenage angst like on Peggy Sue. Just when it looked like he was about to hit his stride though, one snowy night brought things to a halt.

After a fantastic performance with radio host the Big Bopper and Richie Valens, Holly took a gamble and decided to fly to the next gig, despite the snowstorm that was approaching. Though his backing band braved the stormy conditions in their van, Holly was not so lucky, with the plane crashing in a field before they could make it to the next gig.

Since both Valens and the Big Bopper were also on that plane, people have immortalized this as the Day The Music Died, with almost an entire generation of rock icons dying at the exact same time. Buddy Holly has certainly not been forgotten though, being one of the main inspirations for John Lennon and Paul McCartney as well as being remembered in the storyline of Don McLean's American Pie and namechecked in the song Buddy Holly by Weezer. Holly's time may have been short, but it sometimes comes down to what you do with the time you have here.