When Swedish DJ and EDM music producer and artist Avicii committed suicide and died on 20 April 2018 in Muscat, Oman, the news was met with shock and sadness from music fans worldwide. It’s always extremely sad when someone dies. But, when that person is 28 years old with the world at their feet, it’s even more tragic.
Avicii, real name Tim Bergan, was born in Stockholm on 8 September 1989. His innovative production style that merged EDM with a Country Music vibe was groundbreaking. And Avicii’s musical style propelled him to the top of the Pop charts on a global level.
He was loved by millions of fans. But, it appears that he had inner turmoil that only his family and close friends knew about. How did Avicii die? Let’s find out.
Successful Music Career
Over a music career that began in 2008, Avicii has sold almost 5.3 million albums worldwide. His largest markets were the US, with over 1,000,000 sales, and the UK, with 360,000 sales. The majority of those sales were from Avicii’s super-popular album, TRUE. That album sold almost 5 million units.
Avicii first started making music when just 16 years old. He uploaded several homemade remixes to different EDM music sites at the time, which led to his first record deal.
He first sprang to prominence in 2011 with the release of a single called “Levels” from his debut album, TRUE. Another single from that album, “Wake Me Up”, peaked at #4 on the Hot 100 Billboard Charts in the US. This was Avicii’s breakout single that introduced him to the musical mainstream.
Taking it Up a Notch
By the time Avicii released his second studio album, Stories, and his 2017 EP, Avicii, he was one of the hottest commodities in the music industry. Some of the most famous singles from his short-lived career are the amazing “Hey Brother”, “Addicted To You”, “The Days”, “The Nights”, and “Lonely Together”. One of the most famous Avicii songs was a collaboration with David Guetta called “Sunshine”.
The much-lauded DJ has won multiple awards and accolades over the years. And, even though he had cut back on his touring schedule in 2018, he was reportedly making new music and planning to tour soon. Avicii’s life and circumstances at that time were a bit sketchy. But I will get back to that a little bit later.
How Much was Avicii Worth?
A record producer is one of the most lucrative roles in the music industry. They routinely make more money than Pop vocalists because they actually create and publish the music as opposed to being a glorified performer like most Pop Stars. It’s safe to say that Avicii had a monumental career in terms of the cash he generated and made.
His net worth was around a staggering $85 million when Avicii died in 2018. In a very short time, the young artist had gained a massive fortune. And he was well on his way to making even more in the coming years. He hadn’t even reached his peak at this point, so what happened next was even more shocking.
The Day Avicii Died
Avicii fans will never forget that infamous day in 2018 when reports began to surface that Avicii died from a mysterious illness. The news reported that Avicii had been found unresponsive in his hotel room in Muscat, Oman, where he was on vacation at the time.
Initial reports of illness as the cause of Acivii’s death were corrected six days later. His family confirmed that Acivii’s death was suicide, not an illness.
His family released a statement about the situation, saying that “He could not go on any longer… He wanted to find peace.” Foul play was ruled out by the police, so there was some closure in that respect. Although, there were still many questions about Acivii’s death at the time. We have an answer to the initial question, “How did Avicii die?” But, several questions remained unanswered:
[bl]- Why did Avicii kill himself?
- What happened on the day he died?
- What was the state of his mental health at the time?
- Why was Avicii so depressed?
Let’s try and answer some of those questions. Although, many of these things might never be known in full.
Months and Weeks Leading to Avicii’s Death
For several years before his death, Avicii had been suffering from some medical conditions. He was diagnosed as having acute pancreatic issues in 2014/15. This is believed to have been a result of a hectic party lifestyle and excessive alcohol consumption. Around that same time, it was reported that he had surgical procedures to remove his gallbladder and his appendix on separate occasions.
So, his health was definitely an issue…
All these health issues are reported to be the reason why Avicii announced his retirement from touring in 2016. His health and stress levels were believed to be reaching fever pitch. He was still making music but needed to step back from the chaos of touring to preserve his health and mental well-being.
You could already sense that something was going wrong with his mental health at this time. So, it’s pretty obvious that his family and friends knew something was going wrong too.
The dreaded opioid prescriptions…
Let’s be honest, doctors seem to be prescribing too many opioid medications to younger people who are having mental health issues. It only exacerbates their issues because of the addictive nature of opioids.
Due to the pain from his pancreatic and gallbladder problems, Avicii was prescribed opioids by doctors. He even mentioned how the pills had become another addiction in his life in a 2017 documentary about his life called Avicii: True Stories.
His addiction to pain pills…
…along with the stress he was also getting from his record company, fans, and management only exacerbated his mental health issues more. In his family’s statement letter after his death, they said that “Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions.”
The truth is that an artist like Avicii was not built for this sort of stress. He was not made for the record industry machine that churns out and spits out artists at an alarming rate. Sensitive artists like Avicii do not like the spotlight and attention. Instead of basking in it, like most Pop stars, he shunned it. And it affected him deep inside his soul.
In The Days Leading to Avicii’s Death
Reports on the last few days of Avicii’s life are sketchy, to say the least. At the time, Rolling Stone magazine reported that Avicii was currently working on his third studio album at his LA home with Joe Janiak, who was also a songwriter and producer. Avicii apparently flew out to Oman to meet some friends from the Royal Family out there in the middle of recording the album.
After Avicii died, Janial said that Avicii was in good spirits and didn’t seem to be someone who was about to kill themselves. Furthermore, Janiuk said that Avicii was “pumped” about what was currently happening in his life and was excited about working on the project. Avicii had told Janiuk that he would touch base when he got back from Oman. That was the last thing he heard from him.
Other reports at the time…
Janiuk is not the only one to report that Avicii seemed in good spirits in the lead-up to his death. Other people close to the DJ, such as the Head of Universal Music in Sweden and even his own guitarist, have since reported that Avicii seemed like he was happy at the time.
Avicii had retired from touring and was enjoying being in the studio and making music. The truth seems to be that Avicii was hiding his true feelings inside.
It’s obvious he was drinking in the lead-up to that fateful day…
That’s because one of his last videos was him with an alcoholic drink in his hand. And after his death, a family phone call was leaked that showed that the DJ might have been having some suicidal thoughts. But, before his family could get to him in Oman, he’d already taken his own life.
It’s been rumored that Avicii’s brother, David, flew immediately to Oman to comfort him. But he got there too late. Avicii had taken his own life just hours before David could reach him, and god only knows how that has affected David and the family.
Although there has never been an official statement about how Avicii committed suicide, it’s believed that he used a broken piece of glass to slit his wrists.
Reactions to Avicii’s Death
Because Avicii was so young when he died, it hits even harder. It’s always sad when someone commits suicide. But, when that person is so talented and so young, and seemingly such a nice guy, it just doesn’t add up.
You only have to see how happy Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington was in a family video earlier in the day before he committed suicide to know that these things come hard and fast, and if you don’t suffer from mental health issues, it’s really difficult to understand.
Avicii’s death was so shocking and unexpected that it took almost everyone off-guard. It’s reported that his death left his family and close friends in a state of shock and trauma for weeks afterward. His death was met with unified sadness, not just in the music industry and from his fanbase, but from nearly everyone who heard about the story.
Music industry reception
Avicii was very popular amongst his record music industry and DJ contemporaries. His fans, collaborators, and other artists from the industry paid tribute to Avicii in the days after his untimely death.
One of the most fitting tributes was at Coachella from DJ Kygo, where thousands of fans joined in to remember Avicii. In 2019, a tribute concert was organized in Stockholm at the Friends Arena, where over 50,000 fans met to celebrate and rejoice in Avicii’s life, music, and times.
He was finally laid to rest in a private funeral a few months after his death in his hometown in Stockholm. Even now, just five years later, the whole incident still seems surreal, and the way he ended his life is so shocking.
Interested in the Life and Death of Other Famous Musical Artists?
If so, check out our thoughts on How Did Eazy-E Die, How Did Mac Miller Die, How Did Bob Marley Die, and the Most Famous Musicians Who Died At Age 27 for more insight and history on famous musicians’ deaths.
Also, if you want more music like Avicii’s, have a look at our takes on the Best 2000s Dance Songs and the Best 90s Dance Songs for more amazing song selections.
How Did Avicii Die? – Final Thoughts
Even before Avicii’s death, there’s one thing we should already know. The record industry is a dangerous place. There are so many billions of dollars involved that the artist’s feelings get cast aside in the pursuit of hits, success, and monetary gain.
The truth is…
Some of the most talented people are also the most fragile. Often they cannot handle the constant touring and pressure that records companies and fans place on them.
Something needs to be done about the people and entities who run and control the record industry. But, sadly, money speaks louder than honor or decency. I would like to say that Avicii’s death sparked a change in the way that the record industry is run. But we all know that’s not going to happen any time soon.
RIP Avicii.
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