15 Rock Stars Who Died at 27 Years Old - Spinner

Between 1969-1971, the world lost four unrivaled musicians when Janis Joplin, Brian Jones, Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix all died either by the hand of heroin or another substance. This coincidental phenomenon generated the name 27 Club, which chronicles the untimely death of musicians like Kurt Cobain and Robert Johnson who died at the apex of their nascent careers. These harrowing tales spotlight lives taken too soon, but the legacies they leave behind will burn forever.

Kurt Cobain

Suicide (April 5, 1994)

Nirvana frontman Cobain rallied a generation with his 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' anthem and ushered in a new wave of rebellious teens during the Seattle grunge era in the early '90s. With sophomore record 'Nevermind' in 1991, Cobain changed the shape of the music industry and left an indelible mark on music history. His tumultuous relationships with fame, wife Courtney Love and heroin addiction culminated in his shocking suicide by self-inflicted gun wound, but over a decade later, Cobain's still revered as one of the most gifted voices of the 20th century.

Timeless Track: 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'