The Beatles formally released a press statement on October 21 during 1969 to deny claims that Paul McCartney had died. He wasn't the first celebrity to undergo a death hoax nor would he be the last. One would think that with a news cycle that constantly updates during the new digital age, people would panic less about these things. Alas, it's almost gotten worse. Check out five of the most famous death hoaxes in the history of musicians and how they got started:
Paul McCartney
It's necessary to start with the most famous death hoax of all time: Paul is dead. Believe it or not, there was a time when McCartney got less media coverage than his fellow Beatles. Because of this, some realized that he was obviously dead. The rumor had a modest start, with McCartney having a real-life car accident and claims that if you played the track "Revolution 9" backwards, you'd hear the mysterious message "Turn me on, dead man." Also note that this rumor got rolling following an article written in Drake University's (an Iowa college) student newspaper. Another article written as a review in the University of Michigan's student newspaper, and very clearly a satire, used the cover of the new album Abbey Road to further the conspiracy, including the license plate and shoeless clues. The author was as astonished as anyone when the theory "went viral," including a two-hour program called "The Beatle Plot" on Detroit-based radio stations.
Frank Sinatra
There is a mysterious phenomenon where once tragedy strikes, the rest of society immediately assumes that celebrities have died. For example, following 9/11 many stars had to reassure fans that they were NOT in the World Trade Centers at the time of the attacks. New York was once again struck by celebrity death hysteria following the real-life passing of Franklin Roosevelt. The New York Times reported that "widespread jitters bordering on mass hysteria seemed to sweep New York yesterday in the wake of Franklin D. Roosevelt's death, as rumors of killings, accidents and deaths involving prominent persons flooded the city." Frank Sinatra and Charlie Chaplin were the big names rumored to die in Roosevelt's wake. At least there was no internet in those days. Unlike for...
Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi was enjoying Christmas as usual on Christmas during 2011 when suddenly he found out that he was dead. The perpetrator, Pennsylvania musician Jeffrey Goho, made his false tweets about Bon Jovi being found comatose somewhat convincing, by citing a false press release and adding followup tweets claiming hoards of reporters were waiting outside an Asbury hospital to hear an official status for the icon. One good way to debunk this theory in the era of Google was to see if anyone was actually reporting on this. Which they weren't. The reason for the sinister Christmas day plot? Goho was irritated that Bon Jovi was doing Advil ads and opening restaurants instead of releasing new music. Classy.
Celine Dion
The advance of apps has had as much an impact on the spread of celebrity death hoaxes as anything, even social media. The rumor that Celine Dion had been killed in a car accident was perpetuated by a smartphone user with an app that allows the placement of famous logos in corners, as to legitimize totally fake reports. Basically, as Dion mentioned in a very pissed-off tone when this happened during 2013, you are an a--hole if you take part in such shenanigans. But at the same time, if you see a rumor such as this spread by a non-news source on Twitter or Facebook, you deserve a part of the blame if you pass it along without doing due diligence. If it ain't on Music Times, don't buy it!
Tupac Shakur, Elvis Presley
Perhaps even more disturbing than hoaxes and pranks claiming that live performers have died are those that claim the confirmed dead are in fact still alive. Elvis Presley is the most popular example of this but Tupac Shakur's case has really gotten people into a tizzy. First of all, some readers called this reported some very vile names when he made light of the theories that Shakur was in fact eliminated by either the CIA or the Illuminati or a combination of the two. So you're not even safe just saying the rapper died under non-conspiracy-related theories. And then you get attacked again for actually believing he truly died. Some "legitimate" sources, including Death Row Records honcho Suge Knight—who was in the driving the car when Tupac was attacked—contend that he's still alive somewhere. These theories are even worse because they just keep reopening wounds for the loved ones left behind.
