Tupac would’ve been 40 this week, if he hadn’t been shot at the age of 25. He’s not the only musician who died too young; in fact, some of the world’s best known musicians have passed before the age of 30. 

Here are just a few of the greats who passed before their prime: 

1. Buddy Holly. Today Holly is best known for the inspiration his glasses give to hipsters, but in the 1950s he was a well known rock ‘n’ roll star. Holly and two other well known young musicians all died in a tragic plane crash when Holly was just 22. Their plane crash became referred to ‘as the day the music died’ (yes, like the one referenced in the song “American Pie”).

 

2. Brian Jones. A founding member of The Rolling Stones, Jones was found dead in a pool at the age of 27. Originally, authoriites believed that he drowned; however, they later re-opened the case with a possible murder investigation. Regardless, the guitarist of the hit song “Paint It Black” didn’t make it to see just how big his band would get. 

3. Kurt Cobain. The Nirvana front man killed himself with a shot gun at the age of 27, although some grunge rock conspiracy theorists would argue it was his girlfriend, Courtney Love, who did it.  

Anyone else you would add to list?