Is 2016 the Worst Year for Celebrity Deaths?

As if 2016 hadn’t already taken enough, this year has, once again, left many heartbroken as another iconic celebrity joins the list of this year’s tragic celebrity death count.

Pop culture legend, George Michael, is one of the most recent to be taken by the relentless year. On Christmas day, the 53-year-old singer passed away in his sleep due to a suggested heart failure. The news has left fans around the world shocked by the unexpected loss, and 2016 tis only further proving to be a truly abysmal year for many.

Countless other pop culture icons and celebrities have fallen victim to 2016’s tyranny, with a number of well-known artists and celebrities losing their lives this year. To name a few, we lost the musical talents of Prince, David Bowie and Leonard Cohen, the film industry lost British actor Alan Rickman and the sports industry lost boxer Muhammed Ali, as well as literary icon Harper Lee passing away earlier on in the year, only months after the release of her second novel Go Set a Watchman.

These are only a handful of the massive celebrity deaths that occurred over the year, and it has gotten many wondering, is 2016 the worst year for celebrity deaths?

While most of the unfortunate deaths occurred during the first four months of the year, 2016 was still significantly higher in statistics than the years prior (a whopping 42 throughout the year).

So why have there been so many deaths this year? Is it merely because there are more celebrities around? Is it easier for celebrities today to be caught in dangerous and fatal situations than it has been before? Or is it just a coincidence, and simply one more reason why everyone is so eager to leave 2016 behind?

While many are still mourning the loss of young stars, legendary artists and major idols, 2017 is finally here, and we can only hope the year will be a little kinder to us. For now, let’s celebrate these iconic lives that have brought us so much joy, and pray for some positive news in the near future