Many artists have left their mark on the music industry by recording hit songs that landed at the top of the charts. Nothing beats that feeling of recognizing those first few beats of one of your favorite jams and instinctively starting to groove. You probably know every single word (plus that air-guitar solo), but what you might not know is that some of the artists behind our favorite songs are no longer with us.
Let’s revisit the songs that thrust these artists into the spotlight before various events silenced their careers. From boy bands to girl groups and ’80s rockers to ’90s rollers, these music masters have passed away with little fanfare, unlike huge artists like Michael Jackson, Kurt Cobain, or George Michael. Here’s a list of stars from around the world and around your playlist that you may not know are dead. May they rest — and rock on — in peace.
Melanie Thornton (La Bouche)
Melanie Thornton and bandmate Lane McCray formed the ’90s group La Bouche, which translates into French for "the mouth." Ironically, neither Thornton nor McCray spoke the romance language, but they really loved the name after it was suggested by their producer. Their Euro-inspired pop songs boomed through the speakers of nightclubs across the globe, and their most popular hit, "Be My Lover," peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard charts. You may also recognize the dance tracks "Sweet Dreams" and "Fallin' in Love."
By 2000, Thornton decided to leave the group behind and released her first and last solo album called "Ready to Fly" in May 2001. On November 24, 2001, Thornton was aboard a plane traveling from Berlin to Zurich when the plane crashed just a few miles from the runway. The singer and 23 other passengers were killed. She was only 34 when she died.
Simone Battle (G.R.L.)
Robin Antin, the founder of the Pussycat Dolls, was looking to create another group that could be just as successful as its predecessor. Using the same formula of beautiful women, skimpy outfits, and girl power-esque songs, she created the pop group G.R.L. Its members — Emmalyn Estrada, Paula van Oppen, Lauren Bennett, Natasha Slayton, and Simone Battle — began recording songs in 2013 and really broke out when they were featured on the Pitbull track "Wild Wild Love." Then, tragedy struck.
Battle was found in her Hollywood home on September 5, 2014, and her death was ruled a suicide. Friends and family told investigators that Battle was reportedly suffering from depression and struggling with money issues. Though the group had just returned from a successful overseas tour, sources claimed that Battle feared G.R.L. would never become a huge hit in the States. The rest of the women attempted to continue performing after her death but disbanded nine months later.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
