3 One-Hit Wonders Who Died Too Young

When it comes to tragedy, the world of music has had more than its fair share. Whether you’re talking about the casualties of the East Coast-West Coast rap battles, the drug overdoses of grunge musicians, or the 27 Club populated by several deceased artists of the 1960s and 1970s, there always seems to be low lows with all the high sonic highs. From full-blown superstars to one-hit wonders, the music world has seen many talented artists die too young.

Videos by American Songwriter

Here below, we wanted to explore that phenomenon when it comes to the world of one-hit wonders. These artists composed songs that rose up the charts but didn’t quite have the same commercial success afterward. Indeed, here are three one-hit wonders who tragically died way too young.

Shannon Hoon (Blind Melon)

When Blind Melon released their self-titled album in 1992, the world seemed to be their oyster. They showed signs of being the next grunge breakout, but there was also something different about them. Something a bit more melodic and not as hefty. It was a welcome sonic concoction most obvious on their track “No Rain,” which hit No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. But it was all dashed when frontman Shannon Hoon passed away in October 1995 from a drug overdose. He was just 28 years old. With that, the careers of both a promising band and artist were dashed.

Biz Markie

One of just about everyone’s favorite rap songs is the delightfully herky-jerky offering from the New York City-born lyricist Biz Markie, “Just a Friend.” It was probably the rap song that landed on the most mix tapes in the 1990s and 2000s. Today, the track, which hit No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, has garnered 93 million views on YouTube alone, despite being released on the rapper’s LP The Biz Never Sleeps over 35 years ago. Sadly, Biz couldn’t see all the success the song would garner since he passed away in 2021 from several medical complications. And while he was 57 years old, he still left us too young.

Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne)

A founding member of the band Fountains of Wayne, which gave the world the amorous hit song “Stacy’s Mom,” Schlesinger died in 2020. The cause of death was health complications due to the pandemic. And while he was 52 years old, the rocker obviously is gone too soon. His hit track, which was inspired by a friend who was attracted to Schlesinger’s grandmother (!) and hit No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100, was one of many significant works for the artist, who also wrote for TV and film. For the award-winning Schlesinger, life was simply too short.

Photo by Niels van Iperen/Getty Images