Fame may shorten lifespan, new research finds

A unique and recent study has revealed that fame may shorten a person’s lifespan, with highly popular singers living significantly fewer years than their less well-known counterparts.

Stardom can shorten lives by 4.6 years, according to research published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

The research, carried out by experts at Germany’s University of Witten/Herdecke and published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, analyzed data from 648 singers.

Half of the artists in the study were well-known musicians selected from Aclaimed Music’s list of the “Top 2,000 Artists of All Time,” while the remaining half consisted of lesser-known performers.

The list of famous singers included globally recognized names such as The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, and Bruce Springsteen.

Researchers matched each famous artist with a less famous one based on gender, nationality, and genre of music, and then compared their average lifespans.

The findings showed that popular singers lived, on average, to the age of 75, whereas the less popular singers lived up to 79 years.

According to the study, fame is one of the factors that increases mortality risks and contributes to health issues. Solo artists, in particular, face higher risks compared to band members due to having less emotional and practical support.

Researchers stated that fame-related pressures — including loss of privacy, public criticism, and performance stress — may contribute to these health challenges.

Previously, a 2007 study from the United States found that pop stars who gained fame between the ages of 2 and 25 had a two- to three-times higher risk of death compared to the general population.

The study also cited recent examples of young artists who passed away early, including rapper Mac Miller (26), DJ Avicii (28), and Liam Payne (31).