'80s Musicians Who Died In Bizarre Ways

We all imagine the glitz and glamour of being a famous musician, but the lifestyle can come with a lot of unique dangers. Touring performers place themselves in a million different unexpected situations that could come with serious risks. The world of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll has created endless mysteries that have never been solved. Beyond the traditional dangers of a life on the road, musicians can face crazed fans, jealous bandmates, and endless tumultuous relationships that could result in an unfortunate end. It can be more fun to live as a professional musician, but it can also be a lot easier to die.

The 1980s live in the memory of modern observers as one of the best decades for music of all time. Interestingly, researchers for the journal Royal Society Open Science examined the diversity of popular music between 1960 and 2010. They determined that the most varied era was way back in the 1960s, and that the '80s were far less experimental. As much as that sounds like an insult, it actually means that a handful of styles and genres dominated the radio dial and the record store, ensuring overwhelming fame for a handful of powerful artists and new opportunities for rising talent. With that said, along with the unique qualities of that era were many '80s musicians who died in bizarre ways.

Marvin Gaye was one of the most versatile and gifted performers ever to grace the music scene. In fact, his career was so illustrious that he could genuinely be considered a '60s, '70s, and '80s artist. He made his Top 40 debut in 1962 and brought Motown its best-selling single of the decade only six years later. By the 1970s, he broke the Motown mold and became a political firebrand, but the decade eventually left him cold. He mounted a successful comeback in the 1980s, but things took a turn for the worse. Stuck living with his parents, Gaye lost his life in a domestic dispute with his father. 

On April 1, 1984, Marvin Gay Sr. shot and killed Gaye (the added "e" was part of Gaye's stage name) in their Los Angeles home after a disagreement became a physical fight. The relationship between father and son frequently led to conflicts, some of which escalated to the point of violence. Gaye's brother claimed that as the singer was dying, he expressed contentment with his demise, suggesting that the altercation arose from his desire to take his own life. Gay would later be convicted of involuntary manslaughter, for which he received a six-year suspended sentence and five years probation. Plenty of details make Gaye's death more tragic than you know.

An unfortunate stereotype haunts the members of every rock band — forcing those performers into boxes based on the instruments they play. Bassists, like the Rolling Stones' Darryl Jones, often get forgotten, but that unfair characterization minimizes the roll of a rock star like Cliff Burton. He started his music career in high school, carving out a name for himself as a thrash metal performer and helping to piece together future bands like Faith No More. By 1982, he met James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, who convinced him to join their up-and-coming act, Metallica. Burton lent his talents to the legendary album "Master of Puppets," but his tenure with the band was cut tragically short. 

On September 27, 1986, Burton died in a catastrophic bus crash in Sweden as Metallica traveled between touring destinations. The driver claimed to hit black ice on the road, leading the bus to leave the road and flip, sending Burton through the window and underneath the vehicle. Burton's bandmates were stunned by the loss, which arguably impacted the rest of their time as rock legends. While Hetfield alleged wrongdoing by the bus driver, a later investigation cleared him of responsibility, seemingly marking Burton's death as an accident.

Teena Marie was a unique moment in the history of rhythm and blues music. Raised around Black families in an area of Venice, California, Marie developed an appreciation and understanding for African American culture that she quickly put into practice. She was a professional singer by age 8, signing with Motown Records and eventually studying under Rick James. Nicknamed "Lady T," Marie became one of the most successful white R&B performers of the 1980s, with hits like "Lovergirl" and "I Need Your Lovin'" under her belt. Unfortunately, in 2004, she suffered an injury that would allegedly define the rest of her life. 

Marie reportedly sustained a severe head injury when a large picture frame fell onto her skull as she slept in a hotel room. This initial injury led to a pattern of seizures that would follow her for the next six years, including at least one grand mal seizure a month before her death. Marie's daughter found her unresponsive in her home in 2010, where paramedics later pronounced her dead. Sources cite her prescription drug addiction, but the injury to her head may have played an instrumental part in her passing. The Los Angeles County coroner ruled that she had died of natural causes.

Tenor Saw was a prodigy of the dancehall and reggae era, attaining immense fame and success in his very short life. Born Clive Bright in West Kingston, Jamaica, Saw grew up in the Seventh Day Adventist Church, where he developed his skill as a singer. His early hits featured religious lyrics, but he'd eventually unleash smashes like "Pumpkin Belly" and "Ring the Alarm." Saw's work brought him attention that eventually led American record producers to seek him out. In 1988, he received a contract with RAS Records, which likely would have elevated him to new heights. Unfortunately, he never got the chance to create that record.

In August 1988, Saw's unconscious body was found on the side of the road in Houston, Texas. After extensive medical attention, he died of his injuries, with few members of his family aware of his circumstances. This cruel and random twist of fate would be odd enough, but the lack of communications between Texas and Saw's homeland allowed rumors to spread and a mystery to form. Many contend that Saw was murdered, either by a deliberate hit-and-run, a savage beating, or other unfortunate circumstances. There's no evidence to suggest that his death was intentional, but fans may never accept that.

Pop culture runs in cycles, so it should come as no surprise that the blues music that dominated the early 20th century came back in the '80s. Stevie Ray Vaughan was one of the most prominent guitarists in the genre's gradual fusion into the rock 'n' roll it helped to inspire. Vaughan was an exceptionally varied performer, perhaps best-known for playing the iconic guitar riff from David Bowie's "Let's Dance." As a solo act, he released several successful albums and toured heavily throughout the 1980s, weathering several setbacks and remaining a legend in the field. Unfortunately, he died at the age of 35 in a tragic disaster.

Leaving a concert near Elkhorn, Wisconsin, Vaughan boarded a small helicopter piloted by a somewhat inexperienced professional. The pilot lacked the training to fly the aircraft using only the information on his instruments, leading him to lose control after being briefly blinded by the lights in a nearby parking lot. This caused him to crash the helicopter into a ski hill shortly after takeoff, killing Vaughan and four other passengers. While many blamed the pilot, the helicopter company had other available pilots who were far better suited to the conditions, shifting some of the accountability up the corporate ladder. Vaughan's brother, Jimmie, inherited the guitarist's estate. 

Loalwa Braz was mostly known for providing her vocal talents to the 1989 smash hit song "Lambada." The song was a powerful cross-cultural success featuring a French band covering a Bolivian folk song with an Afro-Brazilian beat and Portuguese lyrics. While "Lambada" was certainly a success in its own right, especially given the dance craze it brought to the world, the song truly lived on in the countless other pop hits it inspired. Decades after the song hit the charts, artists like Jennifer Lopez shouted out "Lambada" as a guiding light. Braz got to enjoy a lot of that legacy before her tragic death.

On January 19, 2017, Braz's body was found in a burned-out car near her home in Brazil. Authorities labeled the killing the result of a robbery gone wrong and eventually detained three suspects, one of whom was the manager of an inn Braz owned. The manager later allegedly confessed to the crime, granting a speedy resolution to the grim event. Braz was 63 years old and still relatively famous when she passed, leading to an outpouring of grief among fans.

It takes a mountain of talent and all the luck in the world to be a part of one great rock band, but Randy Rhoads managed to become a critical part of two in his tragically short career. When he was in high school, he pieced together a few local acts, eventually culminating in his work with singer Kevin DuBrow in Quiet Riot. Rhoads left the band shortly before it hit its most productive period, but he found a new world of success in Ozzy Osbourne's new solo arrangement. He crafted the iconic guitar solos from "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley," arguably defining a style millions of guitarists would aspire to. Unfortunately, he lost his life in a foolish stunt at the age of 25.

In 1982, Rhoads, a cook for Osbourne's band, and a bus driver with a suspended pilot's license died in a plane crash in Leesburg, Florida. The would-be pilot commandeered a vessel for a joyride without permission and repeatedly tried to buzz a tour bus as Osbourne, his wife, and other band members slept inside. Later toxicology tests found trace elements of cocaine in the pilot's blood. Rhoads died instantly, snuffing out a potentially tremendous life of groundbreaking hard rock music in a single avoidable mistake.

Some bands are one-hit wonders, but far more find themselves unfairly labeled as such by an uncaring world. Toto is best-known for their ubiquitous 1982 classic "Africa," which accounts for over 1 billion streams on Spotify. As a band, however, Toto has more than 3 billion streams, drawing immense attention for a wide variety of unique songs and musical styles. In their early days, Toto was led and named by their charismatic drummer, Jeff Porcaro, but a tragic yet mysterious circumstance robbed the world of his work far too early.

In August 1993, Porcaro told his wife he was feeling ill, went to a hospital, and died of an apparent heart attack. That's not particularly unique, but the circumstances surrounding it became a mystery that still confounds fans and onlookers to this day. Officials chalked the event up to an acute allergic reaction to a pesticide Porcaro was using on his lawn, but a later medical examination by a local coroner altered the report to claim atherosclerosis as the cause. Press stories later added some scandal to the musician's demise, claiming cocaine was involved in his passing. Porcaro's bandmates railed against journalists, strongly maintaining that drugs had nothing to do with his death.

Stiv Bators brought an unhinged, chaotic energy to his live performances that made him one of the early icons of Cleveland, Ohio's punk rock scene. He brought his vocal talents to multiple groups throughout the 1960s and 1970s, but the Dead Boys became his most popular home. In the '80s, Bators became a member of the punk supergroup Lords of the New Church, turning in international hits like "Open Your Eyes" and "Dance with Me." He even enjoyed a brief acting career with appearances in a couple of cult films. Bators was nothing if not a spectacle, even breaking up Lords of the New Church live on stage in 1989. Sadly, the world never got to see what he'd do next.

In June 1990, Bators was hit by a car while sitting on his motorcycle, though there's a lot of speculation over exactly what kind of vehicle struck him. He fell to the ground and suffered a head injury, but Bators had received far worse hits in his life, prompting him to underestimate its severity. Bators returned to his home, blissfully unaware of the blood clot in his brain that would kill him as he slept that night. The singer was only 40, but his legacy influences the punk rock genre to this day. His ashes were allegedly spread at the Paris burial site of legendary rock star Jim Morrison.

Øystein "Euronymous" Aarseth was a founding member of Mayhem and one of the central figures of the burgeoning genre of Norwegian black metal. He and his bandmates, including fellow founders like Jørn "Necrobutcher" Stubberud and newcomers like Per "Dead" Ohlin, forged the aesthetic and musical style of the movement. Elements of that movement became a terrorist organization that burned several churches. Aarseth was an icon, but elements of his personality and his perceived insincerity rubbed some fellow performers the wrong way. This eventually led a fellow performer, bassist Kristian "Varg" Vikernes, to attack and kill Aarseth.

In 1993, Vikernes fatally stabbed Aarseth 23 times with a dull pocket knife. Vikernes immediately started crafting a story that he continues to tell decades later, claiming that he took action in self-defense after overhearing alleged plots against his own life. Others claim that politics, money, or religion motivated Vikernes' attack. He was convicted of several counts of arson and Aarseth's murder in 1994, leading to a 21-year prison sentence. Vikernes was released 15 years later, allowing him to continue pursuing his black metal career. Mayhem, for their part, has also continued to tour the world, and a couple of original members are still in the lineup as of this writing.

Some critical members of beloved rock bands get lost in the shuffle, but they look like kings when you compare them to a performer like Dave Rowbotham. If you grew up around Manchester, England in the '70s and '80s, you might recognize Rowbotham as the guitarist of several local rock bands, including Fast Breeder, Flashback, Happy Mondays, The Mothmen, and more. His most notable outlet was probably Durutti Column, but he worked with several of the biggest talents in the area, from managers to fellow musicians. Rowbotham spent most of the late 80s as a studio musician, but his messy career ended suddenly in 1991.

On November 2, 1991, Rowbotham's girlfriend entered his flat to find the 33-year-old musician dead in a pool of blood. Later examinations discovered that he was almost certainly bludgeoned to death with either an axe or a hammer. Either way, no one was ever charged with the killing, nor was any particular motive ever verifiably established. When the authorities asked Rowbotham's neighbors, they found that no one in the area seemed to know anything about him. Cops sought out local drug connections and sex workers, prompting a couple of headlines, but they never found anything to explain Rowbotham's demise. 

Loverboy formed in a warehouse in Calgary, Canada in 1978, with a few members of somewhat successful local bands who sought to build something new. Bassist Scott Smith wasn't a founding member, but he joined the group after its first gig and became as important to the group's sound as anyone. Smith played his part in Loverboy's most iconic song, the endlessly popular rock staple "Working for the Weekend." The group was no one-hit wonder, however, with classics like "Turn Me Loose" and "Lovin' Every Minute of It" under their belt. Most of the original members still tour the world decades after their formation, but Smith is tragically absent from that lineup.

On November 30, 2000, Smith was swept away by a tremendous ocean wave while piloting his sailboat off the coast of San Francisco. He was considered lost at sea and presumed dead almost immediately, but his official designation remains missing as the date of his disappearance continues to rocket further into the past. The band briefly went on hold after Smith's disappearance, but that pause proved short-lived. Loverboy even went back on tour in 2022 and released a new single, refusing to allow the tragedy to slow them down. 

Kirsty MacColl was practically destined for music stardom, and she attained that destiny with aplomb. Her father was Ewan MacColl, a legend in the 1960s folk scene who guaranteed that she would grow up with the backdrop of the genre's return to prominence. She exploded onto the scene with a soaring single in 1979 and delivered multiple massive hits in the 80s. Most remember MacColl for her part in the classic Christmas anthem "Fairytale of New York," but she also worked with legends like the Smiths and Simple Minds. MacColl remained a popular touring artist into the 1990s, but the new millennium proved tragic for the singer/songwriter.

In December 2000, MacColl took her two sons diving off the coast of Cozumel, Mexico. Wealthy supermarket chain owner Guillermo González Nova's 31-foot motorboat entered into a restricted area, rocketing towards one of MacColl's boys and forcing her to push her son out of the way. MacColl suffered fatal injuries to her head and chest while saving her son from that grisly fate. The Mexican authorities struggled to bring justice to the vessel's pilot, allegedly an employee of González Nova's, eventually prompting MacColl's mother to start the Justice for Kristy Campaign. That initiative helped to uncover elements of a cover-up, but its eventual results were inconclusive.