# What is the name for this faulty logic: Low average age of rock stars at death?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-faulty-logic-low-average-age-of-rock-stars-at-death/549153>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 4, 2010, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-faulty-logic-low-average-age-of-rock-stars-at-death/549153 "2010-08-04T15:20:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-faulty-logic-low-average-age-of-rock-stars-at-death/549153/41 "2010-08-10T20:25:06Z")

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And now I see that Ravi Shankar is 90 years old. He wouldn’t necessarily be classified as a rock musician, but his status as a rock star is certainly viable.

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**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-faulty-logic-low-average-age-of-rock-stars-at-death/549153/42 "2010-08-10T20:35:15Z")

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> [@scr4](#):
>
> > [@Annie-Xmas](#):
> >
> > So what is is logic fallacy called?
> 
> I’d call it _[sampling bias](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_bias)_ or _selection bias_.

Agreed.

The user NickM explains it better on [this site](http://www.countingcats.com/?p=7227) than I could.

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**Author:** ![Galileo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Galileo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galileo)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-name-for-this-faulty-logic-low-average-age-of-rock-stars-at-death/549153/43 "2010-08-10T22:09:09Z")

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FWIW, not everyone in the list of _Premature Deaths of Rock Stars_ was a rock star, or a rock musician, or even a performer.

For example, Stu Sutcliffe, the original bass player of The Beatles, was never a rock star. He left The Beatles before they had their first record, and he then enrolled in an art college. He died about a year later.

Tommy Tedesco was a very successful studio musician and composer, but never a rock star. He died at age 67, and not age 53 as indicated in the list.

Jaco Pastorius was a jazz musician, not rock.

Joe Meek was a record producer, not a performer. In the music business, yes, but not a rock star.

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