Scientists from Witten/Herdecke University studying the relationship between fame and longevity have found significant evidence that famous singers die, on average, four years earlier than their peers if they are from the UK, Europe, or North America.
The researchers said the increased mortality risk appeared to exist “beyond the hazards of the job,” seemingly eliminating work itself as the cause. They also found that the typical longevity benefits associated with higher income identified in previous research are not enough to fully offset the detrimental effects of fame.
“Being famous appears so detrimental that it overrides any potential benefits associated with high socioeconomic status,” they explain.
Exploring the Link Between Fame and Mortality
According to a statement announcing the study, previous research had indicated that famous singers tended to die earlier than the average person. Although some have pointed to potential travel risks or inherent lifestyle risks in the music industry, determining the cause of the difference has remained elusive.
To identify a potential cause, the Witten team compared the risk of death among 648 singers. Half of the selected study subjects had achieved celebrity status, while the others had no measurable level of fame.
The singers who had achieved a measurable level of fame were selected using the top 2000 Artists of All Time on acclaimedmusic.net. According to the researchers, this resource’s database “aggregates global rankings based on published lists from music critics, journalists, and industry professionals, but not audience polls or sales data.”
To gather sufficient tracking information on the risk of death by the end of 2023, the team included only famous artists active between 1950 and 1990. The researchers then grouped the 324 “famous” singers by birth year, gender, ethnicity, nationality, music genre, and whether they were the lead singer in a band with other members of lesser fame or a solo artist.
A closer analysis of the selected group of famous singers found 65% in the Rock genre, 14% in the Pop genre, 6% in New Wave, 4% in Rap, and 2% in Electronica. 59% of the selected singers were in a band, 29% were solo performers, and 12% performed in both bands and as solo artists.
Partially due to the study’s inherent limitations in examining famous 20th-century singers, an overwhelming majority of the subjects (83.5%) were male. A significant majority (77%) were white, 19% black, and 4% of “other mixed ethnicities.” Although the average birth year was 1949, the “fame” group’s birth years ranged from 1910 to 1975. 61% of the singers were from North America, while the rest were from Europe and the UK.
Results Show Famous Singers Die Early
After collecting data on all 648 singers, the team compared their overall mortality risk. According to the study, singers who had achieved a measurable level of fame survived until an average age of 75. Conversely, the less famous vocalists survived until 79 on average.
Although initial data suggested a 26% lower risk of death for singers in a band when compared to solo artists, the team said this variable “didn’t influence the overall effect of fame.” In fact, regardless of band affiliation, the data showed that famous singers were still 33% more likely to die earlier than their less well-known peers.
The researchers noted that although virtually all of their subjects achieved some level of fame during their lives, 2 of the music stars achieved fame after they passed. They said this finding supported the suggestion that an increased risk of death from fame only occurred after fame had been achieved, and that the elevated mortality risk remained “significantly associated” throughout the entire period of fame.
Instead, the Witten researchers determined that the finding suggesting a heightened risk of death of famous singers “isn’t attributable to baseline differences or to reverse causation,” where an earlier death contributes to fame, but instead emerges specifically after the attainment of fame.
“Together, the analyses indicate that an elevated risk emerges specifically after achieving fame, which highlights fame as a potential temporal turning point for health risks, including mortality,” they write. “Beyond occupational explanations, our findings suggest that fame adds further vulnerability within an already at-risk group.”
Being Rich Doesn’t Help
One unexpected finding of the study showed that the financial security that often comes with fame did not appear to convey any increased longevity. They said this result is counter to the general population and to previous studies that found “wealth is usually associated with a lower risk of premature death.”
“Being famous appears so detrimental that it overrides any potential benefits associated with high socioeconomic status,” the study authors write. “Again, this highlights the increased vulnerability of famous individuals, suggesting a need for targeted protection and support for this population.”
When comparing their results to other heightened risks of death, they found that the potential “cost” of fame was generally similar to the risks of occasional smoking. which they said, “confers a heightened risk of death of 34%.”
The authors note that the observational nature of their study means that “no firm conclusions” about the cause-and-effect of fame and mortality among singers can be drawn. They also note that the study was not global and confined to singers. They said this inherent study limitation means their conclusion “might not apply to other regions of the world or to other domains of fame,” such as acting or competing in sport.
In the study’s conclusion, the Witten team did highlight the “unique psychological stress” that comes with fame. This factor, they note, typically includes intense public scrutiny, associated privacy losses, and the often-outsize pressure to perform. The researchers said these stressors may increase psychological distress and potentially harmful coping behaviors, “making fame a chronic burden that amplifies existing occupational risk.”
The study “The price of fame? Mortality risk among famous singers” was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.