iStockphoto
According to a new study, there is strong evidence that famous singers die, on average, four years earlier than their peers who have not achieved celebrity status. The study covered 324 famous music stars in the UK/Europe and North America who were active between 1950 and 1990, including names like Elvis Presley, Kurt Cobain, Sam Cooke, and Janis Joplin.
The study, conducted by scientists from Witten/Herdecke University, matched these 324 famous music stars using birth year, gender, nationality, ethnicity, music genre, and solo/lead singer in a band status with their lesser-known peers. The sample of famous singers was drawn from the Top 2000 Artists of All Time on acclaimedmusic.net.
“These stars seem to die around four years earlier, on average, than their peers who haven’t achieved celebrity status, and the effects of fame are on a par with certain other health risks,” the scientists said in a statement.
The scientists also revealed in their study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, that “fame itself may be a critical factor in shortening singers’ lives beyond the hazards of the job.”
Why would fame shorten a person’s lifespan?
“Analysis of the data showed that, on average, famous singers survived until they were 75; less-famous singers survived until they were 79,” the researchers wrote. “While band membership was associated with a 26% lower risk of death compared with going it alone, the inclusion of this variable didn’t influence the overall effect of fame, as famous singers were still 33% more likely to die earlier than their less well-known counterparts.”
The reasons for this, according to the researchers, may lie in “the unique psychosocial stress that accompanies fame, such as intense public scrutiny, performance pressure, and loss of privacy,” adding, “These stressors may fuel psychological distress and harmful coping behaviors, making fame a chronic burden that amplifies existing occupational risk.”
Being famous usually correlates to being wealthier, which, in turn, normally leads to the availability of better health care. That, however, doesn’t seem to be enough to lower a famous person’s risk of premature death.
“Being famous appears so detrimental that it overrides any potential benefits associated with high socioeconomic status,” the scientists explained. “Again, this highlights the increased vulnerability of famous individuals, suggesting a need for targeted protection and support for this population.”