Yesterday’s tragic death of Grammy-winning singer Amy Winehouse adds another name to the infamous 27 Club.

The number 27 has become a symbol for lost talent in music history – many great musicians have died during this age. This has led to the creation of the club known as the 27 Club.

More than 30 musicians have been added to the list over the years and and yesterday the Club  added another great singer.

Being part of this club for some can mean gaining status as a legend, for others its their natural end of their lives.

The 27 Club includes several artists that have made a remarkable impact on the music world. The original musicians usually referred to when speaking of the club are Rolling Stones man Brian Jones, pioneering guitarist Jimmi Hendrix, singer Janis Joplin, Doors front man Jim Morrison and the face of Seattle grunge Kurt Cobain.

Neil Young once said “it’s better to burn out than to fade away”, this phrase was found in the suicide note of Kurt Cobain. The burn word on this phrase emphasizes the idea of leaving a mark on this world rather than just being forgotten.

These great musicians ended up leaving this world at the height of their musical creativity, leaving an imprint that will never wear out through their bands — The Rolling Stones, The Doors, and Nirvana.

What all of these legendary musicians have in common besides their musical brilliance is the tragic way in which they died. Their deaths differ but most of them have been associated with drug abuse. It’s also said that with the exception of Janis Joplin, a confirmed suicide, all of these deaths have been suspicious in their own way.

Is 27 the age we should fear? Linda Blair, a clinical psychologist, try to answer this question by explaining: “Of course late twenties is not that old, but we spend an awful lot of our twenties defining ourselves with our jobs, with our relationships. When we reach 27 we’ve been trying so hard to reach certain goals – fame, money, success – that we might suddenly realize for the first time that we’re not that happy after all. And we are supposed to be grown-up and responsible, and we don’t feel ready.” The age represents the final step into adulthood and enforces the thought of growing up and leaving behind the carelessness of youth.

Some would say Amy Winehouse´s death was unavoidable while some are in shock. The responses coming in through twitter speak of both sadness and predictions – many from the music industry have expressed their deepest condolences to her family.

The only thing left by the legends lost at 27 is their music which will live on in our minds and their lyrics which will never be forgotten.

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About the author

Estefania Herrera
I come from the half of the world, Ecuador. I am 22 and by leaving my country to study abroad in Spain, I've grown up as a person in an incredible way. Therefore I say, its good to experience new things, and get to know new cultures. But most importantly LiVe, lOvE and LaUgH.

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