27 Club

Although the claim of a "statistical spike" for the death of musicians at that age has been refuted by scientific research, it remains a common cultural conception that the phenomenon exists, with many celebrities who die at 27 noted for their high-risk lifestyles.

[2][3] This perceived phenomenon, which came to be known as the "27 Club", attributes special significance to popular musicians, artists, actors, and other celebrities who died at age 27, often as a result of drug and alcohol abuse or violent means such as homicide, suicide, or transportation-related accidents.

[6] The cultural interpretation of events gave rise to an urban myth that celebrity deaths are more common at 27, a claim that has been refuted by statistical research as discussed in the scientific studies section below.

[8] This phenomenon, deemed the "27 Club effect", reflects the power of collective storytelling and media reinforcement in turning unrelated events into lasting cultural narratives.

In his analysis of how her quote helped popularize the 27 Club, Eric Segalstad, author of The 27s: The Greatest Myth of Rock & Roll, asserted that she was actually referring to the "tragic family matter" of Cobain's two uncles and his great-uncle, all of whom had committed suicide.

[23] Other contemporary journalists linked her quote to the then-recent heroin-related deaths of fellow young Seattle rock musicians Stefanie Sargent of 7 Year Bitch and Andrew Wood of Mother Love Bone, both aged 24.

"[17] In 2011, seventeen years after Cobain's death, Amy Winehouse died at the age of 27, prompting a renewed swell of media attention devoted to the 27 Club.

Rolling Stone included television actor Jonathan Brandis, who died by suicide in 2003, in a list of 27 Club members.