Liam Payne dead at 31 These stars died at a young age

Last Wednesday, Liam Payne died aged just 31 after falling from a balcony. He is not the only star to have died far too young. A reminder of unforgettable personalities.

Whether due to an accident, drugs or illness - there are many stars who have suffered an early death. In the rock'n'roll scene, there is even talk of a "Club 27", which includes musicians who died young. Often dead due to self-destructive causes such as drug abuse or suicide.

In the case of former One Direction member Liam Payne, the exact circumstances of his death are still unclear. The 31-year-old fell from the balcony of his third-floor hotel room in the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires on Wednesday and died.

Former boy band star Liam PayneFormer One Direction member dies after falling from hotel balcony

But he is not alone in his untimely death. There are many unforgettable personalities who had to leave too soon, but who will live on forever through their fans. Did fame become their undoing? In any case, these stars from the entertainment industry were torn from life too soon.

Aaron Carter (1987-2022)

Aaron Carter, younger brother of Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter, was found dead in the bathtub by his housekeeper on November 5, 2022. He died at the age of 34. After the official police investigation was completed, his death was ruled an accident. The singer left behind his son Prince, who was born in November 2021.

Naya Rivera (1987-2020)

The search for her lasted a week: 'Glee' star Naya Rivera disappeared on a boat trip with her then four-year-old son Josey on Lake Piru in California. Her body was eventually recovered from the water. The Ventura Country Coroner's Office subsequently announced on Twitter that Rivera had drowned and that her death was an accident. The US actress was 33 years old when she died on July 8, 2020.

Mac Miller (1992-2018)

US rapper Mac Miller was 26 years old when he succumbed to an accidental drug overdose on September 7, 2018. He died "tragically", his family announced. As the authorities announced shortly afterwards, according to the autopsy report, Miller had cocaine and the powerful painkiller fentanyl in his blood, among other things. Ariana Grande, the rapper's ex-girlfriend, sent a heartbreaking message following his death: "I loved you from the day I met you at 19 and I always will," the singer wrote on Instagram.

Avicii (1989-2018)

He was one of the most successful DJs of all time, hits such as "Wake me up" and "Hey Brother" were just two of his mega hits. Tim Bergling, better known as Avicii, made it to the top, but in the end, life in show business broke him. The Swedish musician died in Muscat on April 20, 2018 at the age of just 28. Bergling took his own life after struggling with alcohol and drug addiction for years. The musician also suffered from panic and anxiety attacks. The documentary "Avicii: True Stories" provides an insight into the troubled life of a DJ who had to go far too soon.

Chester Bennington (1976-2017)

At the age of 41, Chester Bennington, the frontman of the famous band Linkin Park, took his own life on July 20, 2017. As "TMZ" wrote, citing the autopsy report, the singer had alcohol and MDMA in the form of ecstasy in his blood. According to Rolling Stone magazine, Bennington is said to have struggled "with inner demons" throughout his life.

Paul Walker (1973-2013)

The death of Paul Walker was one of Hollywood's great tragedies: the actor died in an accident on November 30, 2013 at the age of 40. Walker, who became a megastar thanks to his role in the "Fast & Furious" film series, also loved fast cars in real life, which ultimately proved to be his undoing. Together with his friend and racing driver Roger Rodas, he crashed into a tree at 160 km/h near Los Angeles. His daughter Meadow was 15 years old when her father died.

Amy Winehouse (1983-2011)

On July 23, 2011, Amy Winehouse was found dead in her London apartment - she was 27 years old, and became a member of the tragic Club 27 of musical geniuses. Since her breakthrough in 2006, the singer had repeatedly struggled with alcohol and drug addiction as well as mental health problems, finally dying of alcohol poisoning in 2011. In 2024, the film "Back to Black" was released, which sheds light on the life story of the successful singer and shows how she went from being an unknown jazz musician to a Grammy award winner.

Brittany Murphy (1977-2009)

The death of "Clueless" actress Brittany Murphy shook Hollywood to the core. At the age of 32, the actress died on December 20, 2009 of heart failure due to pneumonia. Murphy had suffered from severe anemia, which made her susceptible to infections and severely weakened her. To this day, the actress' untimely death raises many questions. The documentary "What Happened, Brittany Murphy?" sheds light on the last weeks before Murphy's death and the role her husband played in it.

Heath Ledger (1979-2008)

At the age of 28, Heath Ledger lay dead in his apartment in New York on January 22, 2008. The actor had died of an overdose. The media reported that he had been struggling physically and mentally for a short time before his death. The Australian-born actor was awarded an Oscar for his role as the Joker in "The Dark Knight" in 2009 after his death.

Jonathan Brandis (1976-2003)

Actor Jonathan Brandis was also 27 years old when he ended his life. The boy from "The Neverending Story II" became world-famous with his role as Bastian Bux and died on November 12, 2003 - cause of death: suicide. After his breakthrough, Brandis went quiet and then fell ill with depression.

Tupac Shakur (1971-1996)

In his day, Tupac Shakur was the most successful rapper in the world and a celebrated hero to his fans. But his success brought him many rivals and enemies. When Tupac was 25, several shots were fired at the musician from a passing car and he was put into an induced coma. He finally died in hospital in Las Vegas on September 13, 1996. His death is still shrouded in mystery and legend to this day.

Kurt Cobain (1967-1994)

In April 1994, at the age of just 27, Kurt Cobain decided to end his life. The frontman of Nirvana was only found a few days after his death. He had an overdose of heroin in his blood and had also shot himself in the head with a shotgun. His daughter Frances Bean was only one year old at the time. His wife Courtney Love had previously reported him missing. Conspiracy theories abound about Cobain's death; some fans are convinced that the singer was murdered and that the cause of death was not suicide.

Bob Marley (1945-1981)

He is an icon of reggae music and was a celebrated hero in his native Jamaica. Bob Marley's songs are about justice, unity, love and peace. The singer fought for a non-violent Jamaica in which armed conflict was no longer an issue. Marley was diagnosed with skin cancer in 1977. He continued his concerts and fulfilled his wish to perform in Africa. In 1978, during a concert, Marley finally got the representatives of the opposing parties in Jamaica to shake hands on stage. On May 11, 1981, the reggae legend died at the age of 36 as a result of skin cancer. "One Love", a documentary about Marley's life, was recently released.

Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970)

According to Rolling Stones magazine, Jimi Hendrix is still the best guitarist of all time. The musician also ranks as one of the most famous members of Club 27. On September 18, 1970, he was admitted unconscious to a London hospital, where doctors were only able to determine his death. Hendrix is said to have consumed a large quantity of sleeping pills with alcohol before his death and then choked on his vomit.

Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962)

On August 5, 1962, Hollywood lost its blonde icon under mysterious circumstances: Marilyn Monroe died of an overdose of sleeping pills at the age of 36. To this day, there are conspiracy theories surrounding the actress's death, with the official explanation being "probably suicide". Some whisper that Monroe had to die because of the alleged affair with John F. Kennedy in order to protect the president. She was lying face down on the floor of her house without any clothes on when she was found. She was holding a telephone receiver in her hand.

James Dean (1931-1955)

Hollywood legend James Dean is still a symbol of the Beat Generation today. He was handsome, doubtful, rebellious - and young when he suffered a fatal car accident in his silver Porsche on September 30, 1955, aged just 24. The images of the mangled aluminum body of his 550 Spyder are still unforgotten today, as is the boy who dreamed of acting from an early age and loved everything that was fast. Dean only appeared in three major films, but became world-famous.

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