Celebrity deaths that shook the world

Whitney Houston – 48

1963 – 2012

Whitney still is the only artist to ever chart seven consecutive number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100. She is the first and only woman to have two number one Billboard 200 album awards. Guinness World Records cited her as the most awarded female act of all time in 2009.

On February 11, 2012, Houston was found dead in her guest room at the Beverly Hilton in California. The official coroner's report showed that she had accidentally drowned in the bathtub. Her daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown also passed away in unusual circumstances. She was found lying unresponsive in a bathtub in January, 2015 and stayed in a coma for six months before passing away later that year.

Prince – 57

1958 – 2016

Prince Rogers Nelson, known to the world just as Prince, was found dead in a lift at his Paisley Park residence. Prince was one of the best-selling pop artists of all time, and was famous for his flamboyant outfits, stage performances and musical prowess. Official reports at the time showed a fentanyl overdose as the cause of death.

Freddie Mercury – 45

1946 – 1991

Frederick Mercury was the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. It is interesting to note that Freddie Mercury, along with his band, went through a resurgence following his death in 1991.

Queen had sold almost 35 million albums in the United States by 2004, out of which more than half was after the 45-year old’s death. He suffered from AIDS, and died of bronchopneumonia a day after announcing that he had contracted the disease.

A few other celebrities whose deaths shocked fans on a global level were Amy Winehouse, Janis Japlin, George Michael, Chester Bannington, Paul Walker, Heath Ledger and Jimi Hendrix, among others.