Legendary 80s icons who died too young

Icons and legends from the 80s suffered pandemics, illnesses, and shocking deaths. One of those sudden losses is that of Laura Branigan who had the glory and honor of being the queen of controversy before Madonna took the crown.

With 'Gloria' (1982), she achieved worldwide fame when the song was included in the blockbuster of the decade, the film 'Flashdance'. Two years later, 'Self Control' became a symbol of sensuality and rebellion, with a video that was censored everywhere - even by MTV.

Unfortunately, in 2004, Laura Branigan suffered a stroke in her sleep. It happened at her home in New York. She had complained to a friend of headaches in recent days and although it may have been preventable, there was no medical diagnosis to set the alarm bells ringing.

As we look back with nostalgia at the music of the 80s we cannot help but mention Australian rock band, INXS who left their legacy. One of those who made the greatest impact in the band was Michael Hutchence, leader of INXS, whose death shocked the world.

At age 37, Hutchence was found dead at the Ritz Carlton in Sydney. The coroner determined that he had taken his own life. Songs like 'Need you Tonight' and 'New Sensation' will live on in his memory. He is also missed until this day by Kylie Minogue. They were a couple that all Australians loved.

On 24 November 1991, one of the greatest musicians in history passed away. And the world mourned. Freddie Mercury was talent in its purest form and you only had to see him on stage to see how he could grow in size and aura to fill the entire space.

He was the frontman of the legendary band Queen and, three decades after his death, he is still considered as one with the band. His legacy includes legendary songs such as 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 'We Will Rock You' and 'Under Pressure'. Freddie Mercury was one of the thousands who got infected in an early stage of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. He could not benefit from new medication and passed away at the age of 45.

He made his name with 'Wham', a duo in which he was around 90% of the total band. Eventually he went solo and elevated his music to masterpiece status. He went on to sell over 80 million albums and when one of his songs came on, the world stopped. 'Freedom', 'Older' and 'Fastlove' are just a few of his anthems.

On 25 December 2016, the same year that Prince and David Bowie died, George Michael also lost his life. The cause was dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis, which claimed him at the age of 53.

Roxette is one of those bands that everybody likes. The Swedish duet is considered the most famous band in the history of their country, after 'Abba'. 'Sleeping in my Car', 'The Look', 'Listen to your Heart' or the song that provided the soundtrack to the happy ending of 'Pretty Woman', the unforgettable 'It Must Have Been Love', made Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle eternal.

But fate and a persistent brain tumour, which had kept Marie Fredriksson in suspense since 2002, finally took her away on 9 December 2016. She was 61 years old and the tumour made her forget everything - even her own lyrics. Despite everything, she never stopped giving concerts, even sitting down because she could not move one leg. "My voice never failed me," she said proudly. Neither her voice failed her, nor did she fail her millions of fans. Eternal, Marie Fredriksson.

The King of Pop was born for glory (and disaster). It was evident from the moment he debuted with the Jackson Five he would have a successful solo career. Perhaps the best in history. Revolutionary, visionary and peculiar, among his jewels are 'Thriller', 'Bad', 'Billy Jean', 'Smooth Criminal' and so many songs that the whole world knows and has danced to thousands of times. Other facets of his existence are, however, terrible.

Jacko's death remains shrouded in mystery. It was on 25 June 2009, when the singer seemed to be improving in health, that the news paralysed the world. He was 50 years old and a lethal mixture of drugs deprived the world of any more of his art.

'Addicted to love' (1985) and 'Simply Irresistible' (1988) may be two of the most heard songs in the history of 80s cinema. Both bear the signature of this English rocker who became a Hollywood must-have with his memorable videos and seductive rhythms.

Robert Palmer was only 54 years old when an acute myocardial infarction took his life in 2003. He was in Paris: working and in good health.

A great among the greats. A master with the power to create sonic masterpieces like few others. Not only did he release 39 albums, but he wrote hits for artists such as Martika, Bangles, Paula Abdul and Sinead O'Connor. Beyond music, Prince revolutionised the aesthetics of the 80s and his voice and style were unique. 'Purple Rain', 'When Doves Cry' and 'I wanna be your lover' are some of the immortal songs he left behind.

And Prince is gone. He left this world without warning at the age of 57 in the spring of 2016. At the time he was composing in his Minneapolis studio. The autopsy revealed that his death was caused by an overdose of fentanyl.

The story and death of Kirsty MacColl deserves to be told and remembered. The singer produced 'They Don't Know' and 'The Fairy Tale of New York' - her two greatest hits. However, she collaborated with other important bands in the 80s such as U2 and Simple Minds.

But the year 2000 came and fate played a cruel trick on Kirsty MacColl. The singer and her two sons were snorkelling on a beach in Mexico when a speedboat ran into them. Kirsty MacColl was able to save her eldest son from the impact but she was unable to pull herself out in time and died on the spot. She was 40 years old. The millionaire who was driving the boat, which was banned in the area, got off scot-free, to the detriment of an employee of his who took the blame.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, Whitney Houston holds the title as the singer with the most awards in history. She was the African-American singer who made radios and televisions all over the world explode. She has sold more than 170 million albums and among her hits are songs that make your jaw drop, such as 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody', 'I Will Always Love You', 'I Have Nothing' and 'Run to You'. She had - no, she was - magic.

But again the tale of addictions, overdose and substance abuse came to haunt the singer and took the life of one of the greatest artists of all time. In 2012, aged just 48, she was found lifeless in a bath in a famous Beverly Hills hotel. A lethal combination of drugs and alcohol forced her to take her last breath.

Of course, everyone has seen 'Dirty Dancing' (1987), and the first song you think of is 'The Time of My Life', but the entire original soundtrack is a delightful listen. One of the songs, 'She's Like the Wind', was composed and sung by Patrick Swayze, the protagonist of the film. In addition to acting and dancing, he sang like an angel and had several singles to his credit.

Thanks to his portrayals in 'Dirty Dancing' and 'Ghost', Patrick Swayze was the perfect son-in-law during the 80s and 90s. Sadly, however, pancreatic cancer crossed his path in September 2009, taking the actor's life too early - at the age of 57.

David Bowie is a true legend , to say that he triumphed in the 80s is an understatement, it was a decade that he almost completely dominated. His arrival in music was a true revolution. He mixed genres, fused arts, played with identities and, above all, did what he wanted, how he wanted and when he wanted. Among other things, songs like 'Heroes', 'Space Oddity', 'China Girl' or 'Rebel, Rebel'.

David Bowie was always elegant, even in the way he died. He had cancer, although few people knew it. That's why he never gave interviews or performed live; although it didn't stop him from releasing his last album, 'Blackstar', two days before he passed away. The title, according to experts, refers to illness he battled.

He was destined for glory and, with just two studio albums, Joy Division - the band fronted by Ian Curtis - changed the future of post punk and alternative music. 'Love Will Tear us Apart' is a generational anthem that, more than 40 years later, still makes your hair stand on end.

Unfortunately, Ian Curtis was not prepared for such sudden and overwhelming fame. He was a pessimistic character, with uncontrolled epileptic seizures and had no medication to control them. The young singer only lasted three years at the front of the band, until he took his own life. He was 23 when he died on 23 May 1980. On that day the band Joy Division also died, giving way to New Order.

It is almost inconceivable that the author of arguably the greatest album in history would lose his life at the hands of his own father. Marvin Gaye took music to the skies with his album 'What's Going On' (1971). However, in the 1980s he once again sublimated the art of song with his timeless 'Healing'.

A divorce, addictions, bad decisions and even worse company brought Marvin Gaye back to his parents' house where, at the age of 44, and after an argument with his dad, he ended up dying after being shot three times by his father.

Glenn Frey was one of the founders of The Eagles, a band that gave us memorable songs like 'Take it Easy', 'Tequila Sunrise', 'New Kid in Town' and, most famously, 'Hotel California'. But in the 80s, Glenn Frey would take the world by storm as a solo artist with 'The Heat is On', a song he composed for 'Beverly Hills Cop' (1984), and 'You Belong to the City', the main theme of 'Miami Vice', which stayed in the Billboard charts for 11 weeks.

A passionate golfer, he had no problem rejoining The Eagles in the new century, including several successful tours. But in 2016, complications from intestinal surgery took his life at the age of 67. Bruce Springsteen in Chicago and The Eagles in Los Angeles paid tribute to him by singing his timeless 'Take it Easy'.

The Bee Gees famous falsetto sound has been with us since the 1970s. However, in the 80s they continued to produce hits, as well as create songs for artists such as Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross and Dolly Parton. Of course, we all remember 'How Deep is your Love', 'I Started a Joke' and 'Holiday'.

But the misfortune of untimely death has befallen the four Gibb brothers. The family had already lost the youngest brother, Andy Gibb, in 1988, at the age of 30. Maurice died of a heart attack in 2003, aged 53. Robin lost his life in 2012, aged 62. And, to this day, only Barry Gibb is still with us.

The kings of punk who, strangely enough, have ended up becoming a mainstream group in the world of fashion. In fact, to this day, The Ramones have sold more T-shirts with their name on them than albums. The truth is that they didn't sell so many because it has taken time for the world to come to know their punk rock style. But they are music legends who have influenced artists of all kinds and genres.

Of its four founding members, not a single one is still with us today. If that isn't heart-wrenching enough, the one who lived the longest only reached the age of 65. It was Tommy Ramone, who lost his life in 2014 to cancer. Much earlier, in 2001, lymphoma took Joey Ramone, aged 49. An overdose was the cause of Dee Dee's death in 2002. He was 50 years old. Two years later, Johnny Ramone also passed, due to prostate cancer, at the age of 55.

The shadow of Kurt Cobain largely overshadowed Chris Cornell, but his legacy, and that of his band, Soundgarden, is recognised as the source of grunge in Seattle. Tormented, pessimistic and quiet, Chris Cornell led the band to become a benchmark of the genre in the 80s and early 90s.

53 years old, married with three children. Everything seemed perfect for Chris Cornell. But on 18 May 2017, he decided to take his own life in a hotel in Detroit, where he had just finished a concert. Vicky Cornell, his wife, explained he used excessive medication to control anxiety, which caused him, in the end, to lose his mind.