From Janis Joplin to Liam Payne, music legends who died too young

(From left) Liam Payne, Janis Joplin, and Sidhu Moose Wala

Singer Liam Payne’s untimely death at the age of 31 is a sad addition to the growing list of musicians who left the world too soon. Found dead after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Payne’s passing brings a sense of the grisly end to a life that was once defined by global fame as a member of One Direction. Like other young artists before him, Payne faced personal struggles as he rose to fame in the music industry.

A quick look at the history of musicians passing away at the peak of their careers – the infamous legend of the ’27 Club’ is still taking lives – is enough to understand how Payne’s death echoes the same sense of loss that Enhanced is their connection to the generation that grew up with One Direction’s infectious hits. Although the British artist’s solo career has been active in recent years, Payne’s legacy as one of the greatest boy bands of all time remains intact. His death, along with other musicians gone too soon, is a reminder of the immense pressures of fame and the all-too-common fragility of people who seemed invincible.

Here are some of the many music icons who found their lives tragically cut short at the peak of their fame: