Dec 8, 1980 - A day I will never forget!

[IronWaffle]

At the risk of being morbid or tasteless (and neither is my intent), I think what sets Lennon and Cobain's deaths apart are two-fold: both were highly regarded (rightly or wrongly) for making statements with their lyrics and having a greater public sense of self-awareness while Elvis and Jackson were performers first and foremost. As such, the depth (?) of mourning is different than, say, for Elvis, Jackson or even Houston. I think for many, Cobain and Lennon were like friends who offered guidance, solace and an outlet for emotional turmoil; the others were more purely idols who offered primarily escapist comfort.

Secondly, the intentional violence, whether perpetrated in Lennon's case or self-inflicted in Cobain's, was active while Elvis and Jackson met accidental ends that arguably read like their own isolation was leading to their sad, self-destructive ends. Had Lennon drunk or drugged himself to death, which seemed possible in 73-74, it would have shifted his legacy (for lack of a better word).

None of this diminishes the tragically premature loss of any of these excellent artists.