The Curse Of 2016, The Worst Year On Record For Celebrity Deaths

The phenomenal number of celebrity deaths this year has made 2016 the most dangerous year on record for famous figures and has many people wondering who’s next.

If the trend continues to surge upward, the list of who’s who in the world will keep shrinking, and there are a few very good reasons why that’s happening, according to BBC obituary editor Nick Serpell.

People who started becoming famous in the 1960s are now entering their 70s and are starting to die off

There have been way too many celebrity deaths in 2016 so far: https://t.co/MORdWILORD pic.twitter.com/vfxmnGNnC8

— HELLO! (@hellomag) April 22, 2016

Many of the stars leaving this world belong to an older generation and as they continue to age out, the number of celebrity deaths will continue to increase.

“There are also more famous people than there used to be. In my father or grandfather’s generation, the only famous people really were from cinema, there was no television.”

We also have more celebrities than ever before; the rise of social media along with the demise of newspapers and magazine has fueled an explosion of celebrities who are famous for being famous.

Prince

The music superstar whose voice defined a generation, passed away at his Paisley Park mansion Thursday morning after battling the flu.

Chyna

Joan Laurer, the 45-year-old groundbreaking female wrestler was found dead in her Redondo Beach home Wednesday.

Doris Roberts

Emmy award winning actress, perhaps best known for her role as Raymond’s mother in the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, died in her sleep at the age of 90 in Los Angeles.

Merle Haggard

Country singer songwriter who helped create the Bakersfield sound died on his birthday at the age of 79 in his Northern California home after battling pneumonia.

Will Smith

The former New Orleans Saints defensive end was shot over a traffic incident in early April.

Victoria Wood

This British comedian, 62, died peacefully in her London home after a short, but brave battle with cancer.

Patty Duke

This Emmy award winning actress who starred in her own show, The Duke Show, in 1963, passed away at the end of March.

Garry Shandling

This comedian, actor, director, perhaps best known for his work on Showtime’s It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, died in March from a massive heart attack with no prior warning.

Nancy Reagan

Former first lady and wife of former President Ronald Reagan died at the beginning of March at the age of 94 of congestive heart failure.

Keith Emerson

Founding member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, an early progressive rock band, died in Santa Monica from a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Sir George Martin

Beatles producer often referred to as the “fifth Beatle,” died in his sleep at the age of 90 in his home in Wiltshire, England.

Joey Feek

Country music singer/songwriter who died in March after a two-year battle with cancer.

George Kennedy

A prolific actor who is perhaps best known for his roles in Cool Hand Luke and the Naked Gun movies died of heart disease at the age of 91 in February.

Maurice White

Founding member of Earth, Wind and Fire, this musician won seven Grammys and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He died in his sleep in February at the age of 74.

“Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.” – Harper Lee, #Booksthatmatte… pic.twitter.com/uSrWozZGtZ

— Books That Matter (@m8ttr) April 22, 2016

Harper Lee

Nelle Harper lee who wrote the Pulitzer Prize winning Book To Kill a Mockingbird; died in her sleep in February in her newly acquired Alabama home at the age of 89.

Paul Kantner

Guitarist and singer songwriter who co-founded the psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane; died in January at the age of 74 from multiple organ failure and septic shock.

Larry Drake

Actor and comedian, best known for his role as Benny Stulwicz in L.A. Law, found dead in his Los Angeles home at the age of 67.

Glenn Frey

Founding member of the Eagles, this singer songwriter won six Grammys and five American Music Awards; died at the age of 67 after battling pneumonia.

Abe Vigoda

Actor best known for his role as double-crossing Tessio in The Godfather; died at the age of 94 in January at his daughter’s home in New Jersey.

Dan Haggerty

Known for his role in The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams this actor died of spinal cancer in January in Burbank.

Alan Rickman

English actor best known for his role of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter movie series; died in a London hospital in January from pancreatic cancer.

David Bowie

English singer, songwriter who helped define today’s music scene with his hugely popular music; died from liver cancer in his New York apartment in January two days after his 69 birthday.

[Photos by Kevin Winter/Jo Hale/Ethan Miller/Getty Images for NCLR]