Khaberni - Fame brings wealth and status, but new research suggests that it can also lead to premature death, as new analysis shows that famous singers tend to die 4 years earlier than those who do not achieve stardom.
This research supports the idea that fame itself can be deadly.
According to "Health Day", the pressures associated with fame may increase the likelihood of dangerous "coping mechanisms" that could shorten life.
The 27 Club
For example, the entertainment media in the United States coined the term "The 27 Club," a list of famous musicians who died at age 27, such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, and Amy Winehouse.
According to the study conducted by German researchers at the University of Witten/Herdecke, famous singers tend to die 4 years earlier on average than their non-famous peers.
To answer a question about the role of fame, researchers compared the average age of 648 singers, half of whom achieved fame, and the half who did not.
Comparing the Stars to the Non-Famous
Each of the "star" singers was paired as closely as possible with an unfamous counterpart in terms of year of birth, gender, nationality, ethnicity, music type, and whether they were a solo singer or a main singer in a band.
Over four fifths of the singers were male, 61% were from North America. Most of them (77%) were white, while 19% were black. Rock music dominated (65%), followed by R&B music (14%), and then pop music (9%).
Only active artists between 1950 and 1990 were included, and deaths were tracked until December 2023.
Study Results
The study found that the average lifespan of famous singers was 75 years, while the average lifespan of non-famous singers was 79 years.
The relative increase in the risk of death is only observed after a singer achieves fame, then remains constant throughout their life.
Solo work was found to be more dangerous, with the research team finding that joining a music band is associated with a 26% lower risk of death compared to solo singing.
While this study is observational and does not imply causation, the researchers pointed out that a reduction in average life expectancy of 4 years puts fame on par with other major health risk factors, such as smoking.
While fame increases the chances of premature death among singers by 33%, smoking increases the risk of premature death by 34%, as the researchers noted.
How Can Fame Hasten Death?
The research team believes the answer lies in the unique psychological and social strain associated with fame, such as intense public scrutiny, performance pressure, and loss of privacy.
The researchers said: "These factors can feed psychological distress and harmful coping behaviors, making fame a chronic burden that exacerbates existing occupational risks."
