Remember when all those celebrities died in 2016? At the time, we thought it was the worst year ever, unaware of the terrible years to come with the COVID-19 pandemic. It was still a ghastly year that laid waste to global ranks of celebrities, including huge superstars like David Bowie, Prince, and Muhammad Ali.
Bowie's death kicked things off just ten days into the year, but his loss was swiftly followed by a host of cultural icons. Here is a look back at the year of celebrity deaths that was 2016.
January
- David Bowie: Died January 10 (Age 69) – Visionary British rock musician and cultural icon. His death kicked off the terrible year that was to come.
- Alan Rickman: Died January 14 (Age 69) – Acclaimed British stage and screen actor (Harry Potter, Die Hard), best known for Severus Snape.
- Glenn Frey: Died January 18 (Age 67) – Guitarist and founding member of The Eagles.
- Terry Wogan: Died January 31 (Age 77) – Veteran BBC broadcaster and radio host.
February
- Maurice White: Died February 8 (Age 74) – Founder of the funk and R&B band Earth, Wind & Fire.
- Harper Lee: Died February 19 (Age 89) – Pulitzer Prize-winning author of To Kill a Mockingbird.
- Umberto Eco: Died February 19 (Age 84) – Renowned Italian scholar and author (The Name of the Rose).
March & April
- Nancy Reagan: Died March 6 (Age 94) – Former First Lady of the United States.
- Merle Haggard: Died April 6 (Age 79) – Legendary American country music singer and songwriter.
- Prince: Died April 21 (Age 57) – Groundbreaking multi-instrumentalist pop and funk superstar.
Summer
- Muhammad Ali: Died June 3 (Age 74) – Heavyweight boxing champion and global cultural icon.
- Caroline Aherne: Died July 2 (Age 52) – Beloved British comedy actress and writer (The Royle Family).
- Gene Wilder: Died August 29 (Age 83) – Iconic comedic actor (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory).
Autumn/Winter
- Leonard Cohen: Died November 7 (Age 82) – Celebrated Canadian poet, singer, and songwriter.
- Andrew Sachs: Died December 1 (Age 86) – Actor best known for his role as Manuel in Fawlty Towers.
- George Michael: Died December 25 (Age 53) – British pop superstar and former Wham! frontman.
- Carrie Fisher: Died December 27 (Age 60) – Actress, writer, and pop culture icon (Star Wars).
- Debbie Reynolds: Died December 28 (Age 84) – Hollywood legend and singer (Singin' in the Rain).
