Thu, 25 Apr, 2024

A Year Of Celebrity Deaths In 2016

By Mahan Adhikari

It has only been four months and 2016 has already proved to be a dark year for celebrities from all around the world. With just a quarter of the year passed, 2016 has been the year with the most number of celebrity deaths. It seems strange now for a week to pass without the death of someone famous. Right from David Bowie in the second week of January, to actor Alan Rickman a week later, to comedian Victoria Wood and now the pop sensation, Prince. So, is this normal or its some type of a curse? Does this happen every year or is 2016 different? Are there more deaths to come?

According to the recent survey by the BBC, it has been said that 2016 is indeed phenomenal if the deaths of celebrities are taken into account. There is an increase by 5 times in the number of deaths this year compared to the past years. The Daily Telegraph in the UK maintains a list of celebrities who die each year. The no of celebrities’ death in the year 2014 was 38, the past year it was 30 and this year the list has already reached the number 75.

The reason why 2016 has turned into a year of deaths for celebrities is mainly due to the generation they belonged to. Many of those who are now dying belonged to the so-called baby-boom generation, born between 1946 and 1964. Most of them hence are dying because of their increasing age. Another factor for such increase in the number of death is because of the increase in the number of so-called celebrities. 20 to 25 years ago, a person had to either appear on the TV or some movies or be a music sensation to be called a celebrity. But now with the rapid development in the sector of entertainment, it’s not a surprise to see so many people labeled with the tag of a celebrity. With so many public figures, deaths rising to such extend should be accepted as normal.