In these past decades we have sadly lost many of our favorite artists, due to the influence of drugs. Leaving us, the listeners,  mourning their deaths and taking their lyrics more to heart. The real question though is, what are we doing to minimize drugs influence on society not only in the music industry, but everywhere?

Drug overdoses have been and are a common issue that’s often discussed when one of our famous stars disappear. Today, in hip-hop music, it’s hard to come across a song that does not talk about the use or promotion of drugs. Especially the “new wave” where we have artists like Tekashi (6ix9ine), Post Malone, Migos, or even Drake talking about pill popping, drinking lean, and taking xans (xanax). It’s no surprise why so many people glorify the use of drugs: Hip-hop is not only at fault. Other genres like rock and roll, indie, reggae, and jazz sometimes socialize narcotics and prescription drugs through their songs. Bands like Guns and Roses, Junker’s Blues, and Bob Marley have had a couple songs about drugs and how consuming them feels good.

During the past decades, as more and more victims in the music industry abuse drugs, a club was created that commemorates those who have died at twenty-seven years of age– giving it the name, 27 Club. The two notorious rock stars, Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix, are included for their tragic deaths involved with the use of narcotics.

Both Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix were lost because of their uncontrollable urge to use drugs which lead to their inevitable death. Cobain’s case was classified as a suicide, because he had previously been in rehabilitation for abusing heroin, but continued to use the narcotic the same week before he shot himself according to the article, “Inside Kurt Cobain’s Tragic Suicide 23 Years After the Nirvana Legend’s Death” by Gillian Tenning. Jimi Hendrix went through the same situation, of being addicted, and wound up ending his own life consuming barbiturates, which are any class of sedative and sleep-inducing drugs. Other well known artists like Prince, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and the most recent victim, Gustav Ahr, socially known as Lil Peep, have been through the same situation of ending their life early because of the abuse of drugs.

As I interviewed some friends, I got similar reactions on their view towards the influence of drugs in the music industry, and all together society. “Drug talk is what music is all about today. Frankly drugs are becoming the social norm in music and no one is willing to do anything until it is too late, but than again it all depends on the person’s situation. They could be going through psychological problems,” stated Mark Gomez, student at Orange Coast College. There are multiple reasons to why people engage in narcotics. Santa Ana College music professor, Johnny Marr, stated, “Rockstars use because they are successful, classical musicians use because they are depressed, and jazz musicians use because they need to create.” These are some common stereotypes for why artists consume drugs, and behind every stereotype there is a bit of truth.

We don’t usually look back when we hear one of our favorite singers include lyrics about using drugs so we don’t think about it. “It is sad having to lose someone. In Lil Peep’s situation, we knew he used drugs as a way to help with his depression, but it was still surprising when he was declared dead by overdose. It would really help if the music industry stopped glorifying drugs, ” claims current Middle College High School student, Luis Garcia. Society does nothing when these circumstances happen. Have we not seen enough stars fall to think twice about narcotics? Society should focus on bettering our community’s drug problem by regulating and giving less glorification to drugs within music.