Famous singers die an average of four years earlier than unknown performers, according to new research. University Witten Herdecke researcher Johanna Hepp led a team comparing 648 singers, half famous and half not, matched by birth year, gender, nationality, ethnicity, and music genre. Famous singers lived to age 75 on average while non-famous counterparts reached 79 years. “An elevated risk emerges specifically after achieving fame, which highlights fame as a potential temporal turning point for health risks including mortality,” Hepp wrote. Fame increased early death risk by 33%, similar to smoking’s 34% increase. Solo performers faced higher risks than band members, who showed 26% lower death risk. The study tracked artists active between 1950-1990 through December 2023, finding fame’s deadly impact comparable to other major health risks. (Story URL)
