# Whose artist's death robbed us of the best (future) hits by this person? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [July 18, 2023, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232 "2023-07-18T23:37:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/21 "2023-07-19T01:38:15Z")
I’m not sure I’d want to argue that Jimi Hendrix would have pursued a direction leading to a string of top-of-the-charts hits long term, but he would have made some awesome records had he lived on. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/22 "2023-07-19T01:42:08Z")
Oh, and Warren Zevon. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/23 "2023-07-19T01:57:23Z")
answering my own thread: I completely missed: **John Coltrane !!!** there was lots of music and talent left in this guy ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/24 "2023-07-19T01:58:37Z")
Not pointing any fingers, but keep in mind your favorite performer might have peaked before their untimely deaths. And, had they lived, would’ve just kept making the same kind of music for another decade or two. That’s how I feel, when I’m being honest, about some of the artists I miss most. Someone mentioned America. Well, Dan Peek died, but that wouldn’t have changed anything. Their best years were in the 70s. And Karen Carpenter? Might have just been a few more years of the same music. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/25 "2023-07-19T01:59:07Z")
Janis. Joplin, obviously. I’d trade all of my tomorrows, for one single yesterday. But if we’re also doing actors, too, then Phil Hartman. He had such a bright future that he was robbed of, and that we were robbed of, too. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/26 "2023-07-19T02:01:52Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Not pointing any fingers, but keep in mind your favorite performer might have peaked before their untimely deaths. And, had they lived, would’ve just kept making the same kind of music for another decade or two. > > That’s how I feel, when I’m being honest, about some of the artists I miss most. +1 … that’s why I don´t see many of the 27 club belonging in this thread … Morrison/Joplin/Brian Jones/Curbain were def. burnt out before … of course one can argue either case … ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/27 "2023-07-19T02:03:31Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > Oh, and Warren Zevon. he had 55+ to do what he did … not necesarily expecting something really big coming out of him past his 60ies … and yes, I am slightly cynical here, but so was he 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/28 "2023-07-19T02:05:54Z")
How about Michael Jackson? He certainly had some good years left in him. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/29 "2023-07-19T02:07:43Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > he had 55+ to do what he did … not necesarily expecting something really big coming out of him past his 60ies … Had the same reaction. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/30 "2023-07-19T02:11:43Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > But if we’re also doing actors, too, then Phil Hartman. He had such a bright future that he was robbed of, and that we were robbed of, too. I’ll add - John Belushi - Heath Ledger (after playing Joker he was due for the big time) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/31 "2023-07-19T02:12:30Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > How about Michael Jackson? He certainly had some good years left in him. Did he? He was getting legit weird in his later years. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/32 "2023-07-19T02:13:57Z")
John Keats. I mean, 'OnLooking into Chapman’s Homer" _slaps_. You know it does. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/33 "2023-07-19T02:23:49Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Janis. Joplin, obviously. Or Scott? ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/34 "2023-07-19T02:26:18Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > > [@dirtball](#): > > > > Oh, and Warren Zevon. > > he had 55+ to do what he did … not necesarily expecting something really big coming out of him past his 60ies … > > and yes, I am slightly cynical here, but so was he 😉 Really big? Maybe not. I think he could have had some good stuff left. But going back and rereading the OP, I’d have to admit I’m not prepared to argue he would be on the short list of artists we would have expected the greatest quantity and/or quality from. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/35 "2023-07-19T02:28:23Z")
Clifford Brown ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/36 "2023-07-19T02:33:49Z")
[Nick Drake](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idcaRTg4-fM). Dead at 26 basically unknown and, nearly 50 years later, a major influence with one of his three albums in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/37 "2023-07-19T02:45:35Z")
Edgar Allan Poe was only 40 when he died too. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/38 "2023-07-19T02:56:26Z")
Prince? ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/39 "2023-07-19T03:07:13Z")
Jeff Buckley John Kennedy Toole ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232/40 "2023-07-19T03:18:21Z")
Well, “Say Say Say” actually _was_ a Michael Jackson duet (so you’re probably thinking of “The Girl is Mine”). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-artists-death-robbed-us-of-the-best-future-hits-by-this-person/987232.md?page=3)