Death is a sad but inevitable reality, and though we have mourned the loss of multiple major figures in the rock and metal community in 2022, we can also celebrate their lasting legacies.
Perhaps most notably, the death of Foo Fighter’s drummer Taylor Hawkins was felt worldwide, and spawned two amazing tribute concerts. The passing of rock superstar Meat Loaf also shook the globe earlier in the year. But of those who died in 2022 weren’t all performers.
Michael Lang, the founder and promoter of the Woodstock Music Festival died on Jan. 8 from a rare illness. Although the original Woodstock was a logistical disaster and money pit, the image of the show softened over time as its place in music and cultural history became more important.
The man who banked on Metallica also died early in 2022. Jonny Z, founder of Megaforce Records, was the man who saw potential in the thrash upstarts from a flea market demo tape. Members of the band were understandably broken when they heard the news. Metalheads owe a lot to Jonny Z.
Read on to find out some of the other significant deaths in the rock and metal world that have taken place in 2022. And may your favorite rockers continue to live long and prosper.
Rockers We’ve Lost in 2022
Rock + Metal Musicians Who Died in 2022
Rockers We Lost in 2021
R.I.P. to the rockers who died in 2021.