The Not-Even-27 ClubLike this list

13 items

• La Bamba

  Add La Bamba to your for later shelf

  A biopic about Ritchie Valens, the talented singer of "La Bamba" who died in a place crash at just 17 years old. The crash that killed Valens also killed Buddy Holly (aged 22) and the Big Bopper (aged 28). This is often called "The Day the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Baby Girl

  Better Known as Aaliyah

  Iandoli, Kathy,

  Add Baby Girl to your for later shelf

  Another tragic plane crash took the life of the multitalented Aaliyah, a singer and actress whose life ended at just 22 years old. Her life was a series of ups and downs and sadly, exploitation. Thankfully, her legacy lives on.

• Selena

  Add Selena to your for later shelf

  An iconic biopic about Selena Quintanilla-Perez starring Jennifer Lopez. At 23 years old, Selena was murdered by the manager of her clothing boutique (and president of her fanclub) soon after the manager was fired for embezzling funds.

• Para Selena, con amor

  Perez, Chris, 1969-

  Add Para Selena, con amor to your for later shelf

  A Spanish language biography of Selena written by her husband.

• Control

  Add Control to your for later shelf

  Another critically-acclaimed biopic, Control tells the story of Ian Curtis, who took his own life in 1980 at age 23. The singer-songwriter led the post-punk band Joy Division, which became New Order after Curtis' death. Despite his early…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• This Searing Light, the Sun and Everything Else

  Joy Division, the Oral History

  Savage, Jon

  Add This Searing Light, the Sun and Everything Else to your for later shelf

  A look at Joy Division through interviews with band members and people who were close to Ian Curtis.

• Gold

  Gaye, Marvin

  Add Gold to your for later shelf

  While Marvin Gaye did die young (at only 44 years old), several songs on this album feature duets with the wonderfully talented singer Tammi Terrell, such as "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," and "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing." Terrell…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Birth School Metallica Death. Volume 1

  Brannigan, Paul

  Add Birth School Metallica Death. Volume 1 to your for later shelf

  Cliff Burton was Metallica's bassist for their best albums, (including Master of Puppets, which is possibly the greatest metal album of all time and certainly my personal favorite), and unfortunately died at 24 in a bus crash while they…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• It Was All a Dream

  Biggie and the World That Made Him

  Tinsley, Justin

  Add It Was All a Dream to your for later shelf

  Christopher Wallace, also known as The Notorious B.I.G., Biggie, and Biggie Smalls, epitomized East Coast gangsta rap in the mid-1990s. He was murdered in a drive-by shooting when he was 24. Another artist whose influence can't be…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Tupac Shakur

  the Authorized Biography

  Robinson, Staci

  Add Tupac Shakur to your for later shelf

  Biggie's West Cost rival was murdered at 25, but his lasting legacy has impacted rap, hip hop, popular culture, social activism, and even poetry. Many of his songs are lyrical marvels that show incredible finesse and resonate with…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Changes

  An Oral History of Tupac Shakur

  Pearce, Sheldon,

  Add Changes to your for later shelf

  An oral history featuring interviews with people who knew Shakur throughout his short life, this book takes its name from the eponymous Shakur song, which became a cultural touchpoint after the murder of George Floyd in 2020.

• Otis Redding

  An Unfinished Life

  Gould, Jonathan, 1951-

  Add Otis Redding to your for later shelf

  Another amazingly influential, talented singer-songwriter, Otis Redding died in a plane crash in 1967 when he was 26. His songs "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay," "Respect," and "Try a Little Tenderness" helped define soul and rhythm and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Nick Drake

  the Life

  Morton-Jack, Richard,

  Add Nick Drake to your for later shelf

  While he died at 26 in relative obscurity, Nick Drake's music has gone on to influence countless musicians. Typically categorized as folk, his music conveys a feeling of solitude thanks to his soft baritone voice and frequently only…Read moreRead more of this annotation