If you’re a musician and you hit it big, how long can you expect your stardom to last? This has been the subject of statistical study.
Today, nearly 75% of artists who have their first hit single on the Billboard Hot 100 are gone forever from the chart in less than a year. If we dig a little deeper, 27% of those songs come and go within a month. About 12% have singles spanning one to three years. Around 4% stretch things out to five years. There’s a slight bump for artists whose careers run six to ten years at 6%. Then it falls to just over 3% for a string of hit singles that run between 11 and 20 years.
Less than 1% of all artists can expect to have hit singles for more than 20 years.
There was a period in the early 90s when alt-rock saw a flood of heavy electro-industrial bands: Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, and more. Among that cohort was My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, a group–a collective, really–based in Chicago’s then-awesome industrial scene.
For a couple of years, MLwtTKK had some hits on both alternative radio and the dance club charts, contributing songs to a few soundtracks along the way. I bought most of their CDs, including Sexplosion!, which was released by the great people at Wax Trax. This was the single. Damn, alt-rock was so much heavier and harder back then, wasn’t it?
There’s been much study into the lifespan of musicians, a profession that’s loaded with a lot of dangerous situations and lifestyle choices. If we look at rock, the number one cause of death is some kind of accident, which accounts for about 24% of all fatal situations, which is about the same rate as cancer.
Next is heart-related, which can be blamed for 15% of all musician deaths. The suicide rate is 7% and homicide is just under 4%. If we narrow things down to punk, accidents are responsible for 30% of deaths, followed by cancer and heart problems. And if you’re into metal, accidents are also at the top of the list, but suicide is second at 19%.
And in case you’re wondering the homicide rate is highest among hip-hop and rap artists at 51%.
Bearbonez is a California-based guy named Kyle Hilmoe. He obviously loves Queens of the Stone Age and the later work of David Bowie. You’ll hear it immediate.
There are certain professions that the actuarial tables say are more dangerous than others. The worst possible gig you can have is that of a race car driver. The average lifespan of someone who goes fast for a living is 56.1 years. That makes a race car driver a worse choice than someone who works in the military (57.1 years), a boxer (59.7 years), a pro wrestler (60.5 years), and an activist (62 years).
In sixth place is a musician. With all the dangers, pitfalls, and lifestyle choices, the typical professional musician has a lifespan of just 64 years. That number is derived from a study of all musicians born since 1900, so things must have improved in recent decades, right? Well, if we narrow it to just the modern era, the average age of death for both male and female rock musicians is just over 50. Punk and metal musicians of both sexes die, on average, at the age of about 40.
Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry, episode 024: Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry, episode 024: The Bataclan & the Manchester Arena
You would think that going to a concert would be a safe thing for everyone First, you have thousands of like-minded people looking to have a good time. No one sets out to ruin the evening for everyone else. You paid good money for your tickets, and you’ve waited a long time for this night to come.
Second, there’s security everywhere. The last thing an artist, a promoter, or a venue wants is there to be some kind of trouble where someone gets hurt—or worse.
For 99.999% of all concerts, things run smoothly. Yeah, someone might get a little drunk or stoned and cause trouble. Maybe a fight breaks out because someone got pushed. But generally, these common issues are dealt with quickly and without any serious repercussions.
In other words, concerts (for the most part) are safe spaces…except when they’re not. Concerts are easy pickings for anyone who wants to cause carnage. They are mass gatherings—and such concentrations of unsuspecting people are easy soft targets for people determined to cause injury and death.
If you look at things on a global scale, concerts are more often the target of terrorism than you may realize. The Global Terrorism Database studied attacks on concerts and festivals dating back to 1970. They found 146 examples.
Most targets were religious festivals with 54. But in second place were concerts with 29. The most common type of attack was bombing followed by assaults, which included firearms. Most victims were on-site when it happened.
Between 1970 and 2019, 244 people were killed at concerts and festivals and 1,656 were injured. Those numbers have gone up substantially since that study concluded. They do not, for example, include the deaths and casualties in the Hamas attack on the Supernova Festival in Israel on October 7, 2023. At least 346 people died that day.
And if it seems that there have been more terrorist attacks on concerts and festivals, you’re not imagining things. There was a spike starting in 2015 that continued until the COVID lockdown in 2020.
I have details on two terrorist attacks that happened during that period. The first was on a seemingly normal Friday night in Paris. The other was late on a Monday evening when everyone was going home after a night of live music.
I’m speaking of the Bataclan massacre and the Manchester Arena bombing. This is episode 24 of Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry. And boy, have I got some stories for you…
Get Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry wherever you get your podcasts. Both Uncharted and The Ongoing History of New Music will be heard back-to-back overnights five days a week on these Corus news stations:
When the CD first appeared in the early 80s, there was no doubt that it sounded better than the crappy vinyl that was being sold at the time. But over the next few years, a few weird practices started cropping up, insisting that your CDs would sound even better if you did this. I remember two.
First, there was the insistence that if you put a CD in the freezer overnight and then played it, the sound would be much better. Although some people swore by that, it didn’t work.
Another practice involved taking a green Sharpie and running it around the edge of a CD. The theory was this did something to make the red laser that read the CD work better somehow. Sorry, but there was never any scientific evidence that this worked. It boosted the sale of green Sharpies for a while, though.
WATCH: Tips for preparing your yard or garden for spring
Fall is a beautiful time of year. The air is crisp, the pumpkin spice is back, and the leaves are beautiful – until they cover your lawn.
If you’re like me, you reach for your rake – and then for your back, which is breaking under the seemingly unending chore.
Luckily, there are alternatives to raking that can help make this annual process faster and more comfortable.
Leaf blowers are a well-known option, but after you’ve blown the leaves into piles, you still need to get them into the bags. A leaf vacuum solves that issue – the leaves go straight into a bag. Our neighbour just bought one and has zero regrets. [/product_listing]
If you don’t want to worry about finding external outlets, there are cordless options that allow you to move freely.[/product_listing]
But if you’re set on blowing leaves and want to save a bit of money, here’s a leaf blower that comes highly recommended.[/product_listing]
Now once those leaves are piled high, you don’t have to break your back scooping them all up. These plastic leaf grabbers help extend your reach and keep your hands cleaner and dryer.
[/product_listing]
I once thought wouldn’t it be amazing if there was a lawn mower that could sweep your lawn too? Turns out, someone already invented that. This height-adjustable push lawn sweeper with larger bag attachment can grab those little needles and debris left over from your hard work. [/product_listing]
WATCH ABOVE: The family of Brent Peters, 66, and his sons Brennan Peters, 34, and Matthew Peters, 32, is sharing what they know about the men killed in a targeted triple homicide last week in the Alberta/Saskatchewan border city of Lloydminster. Jasmine King reports.
A cousin of three men found dead in a Lloydminster home last week says her family is still trying to come to terms with what happened.
“They had good hearts. They were friendly,” Mary-Anne Parkhurst said.
“Cousin Brent was funny. They were all fun to be around. They just didn’t deserve what happened.”
Just after 5:50 p.m. Wednesday, Brent Peters, 66, and his two sons Brennan Peters, 34, and Matthew Peters, 32 were found dead inside a home in the area of 50th Street and 47th Avenue, which is on the Saskatchewan side of the border.
Matthew Peters (top L), Brent Peters (top R) and Brennan Peters (bottom R) were found dead inside a Lloydminster home on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024.
Courtesy / Mary-Anne Parkhurst
RCMP said they responded to a “call of a well-being check” at the home, and the trio was found dead inside.
Police said there is no risk to the public and this appears to be a targeted, isolated incident. The suspect, or suspects, involved in the case remains on the loose.
“We understand the concern this incident has raised within the community,” Lloydminster RCMP said in a media release on Monday.
“Please be assured that our officers are fully committed to solving this case and bringing those responsible to justice. While the investigation is ongoing, we want to emphasize that there is no ongoing threat to the public.”
Parkhurst said she found out about her cousins’ deaths on social media.
“I was actually sleeping and I got up to feed my three-month-old son and I opened Facebook and that’s where we found the news,” she said. “It was upsetting to find out it was on social media before everyone else got to know about it.”
Parkhurst said she was closer with the Peters when she was younger, then they lost contact for a bit before reconnecting more recently.
“They were good to be around and friendly and we got along well,” she said.
“It’s a lot more harder now that there’s three of them. It’s a family and not just one.”
Parkhurst said the men’s deaths have been particularly difficult on members of the family who are closer to the victims.
“They’re pretty upset about what happened and they didn’t really say too much because they’re at a loss about everything as well.”
Police have not released many details about the crime or how the men were killed. Autopsies were scheduled for late last week.
Anyone with information about the homicides is asked to contact the Lloydminster RCMP at 780-808-8400. Anonymous information can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
RCMP investigate after three people were found dead in the area of 50th Street and 47th Avenue in Lloydminster, Alta.
Jasmine King / Global News
RCMP investigate after three people were found dead in the area of 50th Street and 47th Avenue in Lloydminster, Alta.
Jasmine King / Global News
RCMP investigate after three people were found dead in the area of 50th Street and 47th Avenue in Lloydminster, Alta.
Jasmine King / Global News
RCMP investigate after three people were found dead in the area of 50th Street and 47th Avenue in Lloydminster, Alta.
Jasmine King / Global News
RCMP investigate after three people were found dead in the area of 50th Street and 47th Avenue in Lloydminster, Alta.
RELATED - Quebec Premier Francois Legault is facing criticism for not being present in parts of the Montreal area hit hard by flooding from tropical storm Debby’s remnants. The Opposition Liberals say the premier should be on the ground meeting with flood victims. As Global’s Dan Spector reports, they think the CAQ government isn't taking the issue seriously enough.
The remnants of tropical storm Debby that swept through southern Quebec last month was the “costliest severe weather event” in the province’s history, according to new insurance findings.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada says the torrential rain, which struck parts of Quebec on Aug. 9 and 10, has so far resulted in nearly $2.5 billion in insured damage. The whopping cost remains an initial estimate and could change, according to the bureau.
The financial fallout from Debby has already surpassed that of the 1998 ice storm in Quebec, at least in relative terms. In an email Monday, the IBC said the insured costs of the 1998 event came to $1.4 billion, which would cost about $2.4 billion today.
“The record-breaking downpour caused by the remnants of Hurricane Debby has led to a surge in insurance claims related to flooded homes, businesses and vehicles,” said Johanne Lamanque, the bureau’s Quebec vice president, in a statement last Friday.
Debby’s tail end brought up to 173 millimetres of rain to parts of the province in a 24-hour period, causing widespread flooding, power outages and washed-out roads. Montreal, which was particularly hard hit, was among more than 50 municipalities affected by heavy flooding.
Earlier this month, the bureau said the remnant of the tropical storm was among four disasters over the span of four weeks that led to a record number of insurance claims across Canada this summer.
It estimated a total of 228,000 claims were made this summer, a 406 per cent increase compared with the previous 20-year average. Of those, about 70,000 claims were related to the Montreal floods.
While Debby’s damage unfolded in mere hours, the IBC warns the claims process “will take time” for victims. Aside from the high number of claims, the bureau says insurers are facing labour shortages and “continued strains” in the country’s supply chain.
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