Gone But Not Forgotten

Celebrity spin-master DJ AM died recently from what appears to be a drug overdose. He's not the first, and he certainly won't be the last, celebrity to die from excess. We have lost many great and talented celebrities over the years. Many of them still get recognized and honored today for all of their accomplishments. No matter what, they will always have a large impact on pop culture. The question still remains on how DJ AM will be remembered by future generations.

Michael Jackson died on June 25 at the age of 50. Being ruled as homicide, his death was the result of a lethal injection of propofol along with two sedatives, lorazepam and midazolam. The King of Pop, who suffered from insomnia, often referred to the propofol as his "milk". A public and televised memorial was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and was viewed by over 30 million people. As a result of his death, his record label, Epic Records, have stated that they will be releasing many of Jackson's unreleased recordings in the future. The King of Pop paved the way for pop music, as he still continues to influence people all over the world, including fellow artists, Usher, Chris Brown and Justin Timberlake.

Heath Ledger died on January 22, 2008 at the age of 28. His death was due to an accidental overdose of painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs, and sleeping pills. He still lives on, as he posthumously received an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight. One-third of the way through filming, his death halted the production of his next movie, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus." Instead of shutting down production completely, actors Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell were cast to portray transformed versions of Ledger's character traveling through a magical realm. Depp, Farrell, and Law chose to donate the money they earned from the movie to Ledger's daughter, Matilda. Director Terry Gilliam also changed a part of the credits from "A Terry Gilliam film" to "A film from Heath Ledger and friends".

Kurt Cobain died on April 5, 1994 at the age of 27. He had committed suicide. He, like Ledger, continues to live on as he is still considered one of the most iconic rock musicians ever. In 2005, a sign was put up in his hometown of Aberdeen, Wash., that read "Welcome to Aberdeen - Come As You Are" as a tribute to Cobain. The sign was paid for and created by the Kurt Cobain Memorial Committee, a non-profit organization created in 2004 to honor Cobain. A few years later, many books, movies and documentaries were made about his career and his death.