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Someone Imagined How Pop Stars Would Look Today If They Were Still Alive, And Some Are Spot On

You've probably heard of the 27 club, a tragic list of famous people who passed away at that age, often due to the hedonistic and high-risk lifestyles they pursued.

Many of our most brilliant and talented famous celebrities sadly follow a similar pattern; they shine incredibly bright before departing way too soon. Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, and Janis Joplin are high-profile examples of this, and there are sadly many more. But what if they were still with us? How would these icons, eternally preserved in youth, look today as older people?

Sachs Media Group partnered with photo manipulation and restoration company Phojoe to create a gallery of these fallen legends aging gracefully, in a then and now tribute of what could have been. Scroll down below to check these cool photos out for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments!

This post may include affiliate links.

Bob Marley

Reggae music’s most influential artist passed away on May 11, 1981, aged 36. He would be 73 years old today.

sachsmedia Report

Final score:

119points

POST

Steve Bowman 6 years ago

It's Clifford from "Muppets Tonight". (Of course it is.)

1point

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John Lennon

Founder of the Beatles, influential songwriter and pioneer for peace, John Lennon, was murdered on December 8, 1980, at the age of 40. He would be 77 years old today.

sachsmedia Report

Final score:

109points

POST

Deborah Nolan Gregory 6 years ago

John Lennon would have turned into Alan Rickman?!

38points

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Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin was an extraordinary rock-blues singer, she passed away on October 4, 1970, aged 27. She’d be 75 years old today.

sachsmedia Report

Final score:

96points

POST

Miss Cris 6 years ago

I think she'd wear white hair, not blonde.

29points

Jayne Wilson 6 years ago

I don't think it's dyed blond. It looks like mine -- the brown has got lighter with age, and the grey streaks have crept in. I think this is pretty good.

5points

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DancingToMyself 6 years ago

Definitely, I think so too. It's hard for me to see her like fake blonde. Just no. :)

3points

Andrea Jaje 6 years ago

I looked at some pics of her that looks like she has a red tint to her hair, red doesn't grey like everyone else. My fiance was a true redhead and, now, at age 55, his hair is more blond than anything else.

2points

Teri Donovan 6 years ago

Janis was a ginger. Red hair turns blond long before it turns white.

0points

Anna Lourie 6 years ago

why do you think so?

0points

Joann Barry 6 years ago

Would look a lot more aged from a hard life.

1point

Elsie Collins 6 years ago

IF Janice were alive today, she'd have her hair in every color in the rainbow all at once!!!

1point

Kate Edwards 6 years ago

Janis Joplin would have combed her hair?!

1point

Molly Block 6 years ago

I wish they would have left that peace symbol off of the necklace.

1point

Chris Steele 5 years ago

I think Janis Joplin wouldnt look too bad in her 70's.

0points

Id row 5 years ago

She'd look older than that. A Keith Richards lifestyle ages you tremendously.

0points

Coco Joans 5 years ago

She’d Be skinnier cause of drug abuse. She looks to Healthy and unrealistic :-)

0points

Jennifer Sacrison 6 years ago

I guess they don't take into consideration the damage all the hard core drugs woulda done.

0points

Elsie Collins 6 years ago

NOPE!!! They got this one all wrong!! She would have looked much worse for the wear with the life she led!!!

0points

Teleri Nyfain 6 years ago

Only if she managed to quit drinking, smoking, doing drugs....

0points

Diane Mackereth 6 years ago

Janis was a natural person, she didn't dye her hair when she was alive so why did you think she would dye it blonde?

0points

Calypso poet 6 years ago

With her hard partying she would look a lot rougher than that.

0points

CrunChewy McSandybutt 6 years ago

I have a feeling Janis would have been heavier, simply because she was a hedonist and that tends how things go later in life.

0points

n Y 6 years ago

Possibly..

0points

Den Star 6 years ago

OMG she looks like one of the grammas in my yoga class!!!

-2points

Cookie 6 years ago

Janis Joplin has reincarnated as Joss Stone.

-3points

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Elvis Presley

The King of Rock and Roll passed away on August 16, 1977, aged 42. If he was alive today, he’d be 83.

sachsmedia Report

Final score:

73points

POST

Alberto 6 years ago

The one on the right looks more 60 than 83…

27points

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Jimi Hendrix

Widely hailed as rock’s greatest guitarist, Jimi Hendrix passed away on September 18, 1970, aged 27. He’d be 75 years old today.

sachsmedia Report

Final score:

73points

POST

Aahzmandus Pervect 6 years ago

African-American Kramer.

35points

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Bobby Darin

Hit-making singer in the earliest days of rock ‘n’ roll, Bobby Darin, passed away on December 20, 1973, aged 37. If still alive, he'd be 82 years old.

sachsmedia Report

Final score:

59points

POST

Last Hurrah 6 years ago

Mack the Knife did the plastic surgery.

5points

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Kurt Cobain

Considered by many to be the greatest rock artist of the 1990s, Kurt Cobain passed away on April 5, 1994, aged 27. If he was alive today, he’d be 51 years old.

sachsmedia Report

Final score:

50points

POST

RaroaRaroa 6 years ago

I think there could be two "if they were alive today" pictures. One if they carried on with the drugs, etc and one if they got their lives sorted out. This one looks like he got it sorted.

74points

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Karen Carpenter

The drummer and singer of the duo The Carpenters passed away on February 4, 1983, aged 32. If she was still alive, she'd 68 years old.

sachsmedia Report

Final score:

50points

POST

Grumble O'Pug 6 years ago

I think she’d be much thinner and knowing her background, lots mote work done. Now to go find Superstar and rewatxh it for the 5th time.

3points

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Keith Moon

Keith Moon was the drummer and member of The Who, he passed away on September 7, 1978, aged 32. If still alive, he would be 71 years old today.

sachsmedia Report

Final score:

46points

POST

Kiahna 6 years ago

Looks a little bit like Alan Rickman.

22points

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Dennis Wilson

Dennis Wilson, the co-founder and member of the Beach Boys, passed away on December 28, 1983, aged 39. He would be 74 years old today.

sachsmedia Report

Final score:

46points

POST

Sasy 6 years ago

He looks like Huey Lewis

26points

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#11

Jim Morrison

Ethereal “Lizard King” singer and songwriter for The Doors passed away on July 3, 1971, aged 27. He’d be 75 years old today.

sachsmedia Report

Final score:

13points

POST

Alexandra Hughes 6 years ago

He'd have turned into Jon Voight?

67points

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This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

Read less »

This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

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What do you think ?

POST

Aahzmandus Pervect 6 years ago

This was seriously bad.

21points

diane a 6 years ago

seriously, hilariously embarrassingly bad

11points

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Wanda Queen 6 years ago

Should be titles "What Pop Stars Who Died Young Might Look Like If They Grew Old and Moved to Gated Communities and Became People Who Played Cribbage at the Country Club Every Wednesday at 2:00 not 2:05" aka these are....well they could be done better. Let's leave it at that.

17points

diane a 6 years ago

I do wonder - if there was something done30/ 40 years ago guessing what music stars of the era might look like in 40 years time - would be intresting to compare - They would have all got Cher wrong - lol

3points

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Marko Čibej 6 years ago

Is there an artist in the house? We have an emergency! Seriously, did anyone even look at these "after" pics before posting them?

14points

Wanda Queen 6 years ago

Yes, my friend, I am here.....and I am appalled.

10points

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Aunt Messy 6 years ago

It's like someone handed a 13-year-old some crayons and told them to add some grey....

4points

diane a 6 years ago

Looks like a few have been removed - here is the worst one - mama cass mama-cass-...f499cf.jpg

2points

Alberto 6 years ago

I find that "old ones" looks all very younger than the age they are supposed to be.

4points

Bear Trapp 6 years ago

If rock stars lived to become high school guidance counselors.... This was dumb.

3points

diane a 6 years ago

Not one of these could be described as a "pop star" - it is demeanig to them - was Janis Joplin a pop star? - Kurt Cobain??

3points

diane a 6 years ago

1 Direction are pop stars

1point

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jamie1707 6 years ago

good gosh, those were some scary after pics.

3points

diane a 6 years ago

The only one that looks even possible is Keith Moon - and as for Mama Cass, I dont think anyone could look like that ever

3points

Just a Purpler 6 years ago

Oh gosh hhahahhahaha, thanks for sharing XD That's tragically hilarious lol

1point

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SJM 6 years ago

Title says ".. Today If They Were Still Alive, And Some Are Spot On..". I am impressed that Boredpanda knows this - do they have access to an alternate reality? lots of questions here.

2points

diane a 6 years ago

Well - it does say "let us know what you think on the comments" - guess its kind of unanimous

2points

DancingToMyself 6 years ago

Why on earth would you do that?! It's just a big fat NO. lol :/

2points

Krystine Patterson 5 years ago

This should've been called, "What celebs look like now who weren't addicts and alcoholics who lived a very healthy life in a Florida retirement home".

1point

Matthew Jones 6 years ago

This reminds me of my favorite joke from Seinfeld - Estelle Costanza: "Frank, if Aunt Baby were alive today, how old would she be?" Frank Costanza: "She'd never make it."

1point

Bored Office Girl 6 years ago

I just turned 27 and will be a little apprehensive until I turn 28! (Several of these people are in the "27 Club")

1point

SusanS 6 years ago

Pfffft that was a waste of time. Spot on? Hardly.

1point

Rob Chapman 6 years ago

So, Bored Panda, how could "some of them be spot on" if they all died young

1point

Andrew Keane 6 years ago

This seems completely out of touch. For the most part the artists just made them old but to me these people had no idea what these people were like. I mean obviously they could not know them personally, but even their public persona would give some idea of how they'd be now.

1point

diane a 6 years ago

Even Karen Carpenter is soo wrong

1point

Kata Stropha 6 years ago

Hmmm, I need my soulemate Amy Winehouse, pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase...

1point

diane a 6 years ago

does the author work as artist impression maker for the curts? ( no offence creatorr)

0points

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diane a 6 years ago

Just leave them alone - we want to remember them as they were at their best

1point

Phillip Moderow 6 years ago

AH HA ! Aren't you the same person who likes colorized icons ?

-1point

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devi L. 6 years ago

So they all had cosmetic work done..

1point

Irmina Kuźniak 6 years ago

I think in the vision they have too much hair, lol

1point

diane a 6 years ago

Jimi Hendrix looks like just some random old guy's head stuck on

1point

JP 6 years ago

I thought he looked like Morgan Freeman with Jimmy's face stuck on...

3points

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Miss Cris 6 years ago

For the "before" ones, I remembered them and had the idea of being so old, and now I see them so young! They all die too early! Ops, I'm old (and alife)

1point

diane a 6 years ago

Bobby Darin was amazing

0points

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Rose the Cook 6 years ago

Whether the likeness of the older person is probably accurate doesn't seem to be the real issue. Isn't it just possible that those commenting can't cope with the idea of their idols as old and unattractive? Could the beautiful Jim Morrisson have turned into an ugly old man? A harsh reminder to the young and lovely that beauty is transient.

0points

Jeannie Carle 6 years ago

The "artist" not only aged them, they changed their ENTIRE "personalities". Most of them don't even look RELATED, for Pete's sake!

0points

Eddie77 6 years ago

it's just a future projection of how they could have been

0points

Monica Jfk 6 years ago

This post made me sad...

0points

Sharron Marie 6 years ago

Kurt Cobain's "older" version looks like Bill Engvall. (pic via Twitter) billengval...b3fb52.jpg

0points

diane a 6 years ago

thats more like what he could have looked like

0points

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noitall man 6 years ago

awful

0points

KT Trondsen 6 years ago

These were terrible.

0points

владимир добрев 6 years ago

Freddie Mercury?

0points

владимир добрев 6 years ago

Freddie Mercury?

0points

Calypso poet 6 years ago

I found the comments people made on the photos more interesting than the actual content of the post. Some hilarious takes here!

0points

Shruti Naik 6 years ago

What about Freddie Mercury? I was actually looking for him.

0points

Wina Alkerchief 6 years ago

What happen with the age of 27....

0points

Vonskippy 6 years ago

"And Some Are Spot On" - how could you possibly know? They're dead, you have no clue what they would look like as they age - look at Macaulay Culkin for example - no one could guess that the cute kid would grow up into the mutant drug freak.

0points

Mayson 6 years ago

They definitely would not live THAT long to be THAT ugly.

0points

Dongo Dongo 6 years ago

Title should be "How to defy gravity".

0points

Basil 6 years ago

Terrible. Chunky, weirdly lit, and with a very poor idea of age markers, especially for people who lived a hard lifestyle. It looks like a program was used to do this, not a person. Entertaining though, lol.

0points

Lara L. 6 years ago

They might have changed their hairstyle in about 50 years.

0points

Misterscooter 6 years ago

Spot on?? How could they possibly be considered spot on?

0points

POST

Aahzmandus Pervect 6 years ago

This was seriously bad.

21points

diane a 6 years ago

seriously, hilariously embarrassingly bad

11points

Load More Replies...

Wanda Queen 6 years ago

17points

diane a 6 years ago

3points

Load More Replies...

Marko Čibej 6 years ago

Is there an artist in the house? We have an emergency! Seriously, did anyone even look at these "after" pics before posting them?

14points

Wanda Queen 6 years ago

Yes, my friend, I am here.....and I am appalled.

10points

Load More Replies...

Aunt Messy 6 years ago

It's like someone handed a 13-year-old some crayons and told them to add some grey....

4points

diane a 6 years ago

Looks like a few have been removed - here is the worst one - mama cass mama-cass-...f499cf.jpg

2points

Alberto 6 years ago

I find that "old ones" looks all very younger than the age they are supposed to be.

4points

Bear Trapp 6 years ago

If rock stars lived to become high school guidance counselors.... This was dumb.

3points

diane a 6 years ago

Not one of these could be described as a "pop star" - it is demeanig to them - was Janis Joplin a pop star? - Kurt Cobain??

3points

diane a 6 years ago

1 Direction are pop stars

1point

Load More Replies...

jamie1707 6 years ago

good gosh, those were some scary after pics.

3points

diane a 6 years ago

The only one that looks even possible is Keith Moon - and as for Mama Cass, I dont think anyone could look like that ever

3points

Just a Purpler 6 years ago

Oh gosh hhahahhahaha, thanks for sharing XD That's tragically hilarious lol

1point

Load More Replies...

SJM 6 years ago

Title says ".. Today If They Were Still Alive, And Some Are Spot On..". I am impressed that Boredpanda knows this - do they have access to an alternate reality? lots of questions here.

2points

diane a 6 years ago

Well - it does say "let us know what you think on the comments" - guess its kind of unanimous

2points

DancingToMyself 6 years ago

Why on earth would you do that?! It's just a big fat NO. lol :/

2points

Krystine Patterson 5 years ago

This should've been called, "What celebs look like now who weren't addicts and alcoholics who lived a very healthy life in a Florida retirement home".

1point

Matthew Jones 6 years ago

This reminds me of my favorite joke from Seinfeld - Estelle Costanza: "Frank, if Aunt Baby were alive today, how old would she be?" Frank Costanza: "She'd never make it."

1point

Bored Office Girl 6 years ago

I just turned 27 and will be a little apprehensive until I turn 28! (Several of these people are in the "27 Club")

1point

SusanS 6 years ago

Pfffft that was a waste of time. Spot on? Hardly.

1point

Rob Chapman 6 years ago

So, Bored Panda, how could "some of them be spot on" if they all died young

1point

Andrew Keane 6 years ago

1point

diane a 6 years ago

Even Karen Carpenter is soo wrong

1point

Kata Stropha 6 years ago

Hmmm, I need my soulemate Amy Winehouse, pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase...

1point

diane a 6 years ago

does the author work as artist impression maker for the curts? ( no offence creatorr)

0points

Load More Replies...

diane a 6 years ago

Just leave them alone - we want to remember them as they were at their best

1point

Phillip Moderow 6 years ago

AH HA ! Aren't you the same person who likes colorized icons ?

-1point

Load More Replies...

devi L. 6 years ago

So they all had cosmetic work done..

1point

Irmina Kuźniak 6 years ago

I think in the vision they have too much hair, lol

1point

diane a 6 years ago

Jimi Hendrix looks like just some random old guy's head stuck on

1point

JP 6 years ago

I thought he looked like Morgan Freeman with Jimmy's face stuck on...

3points

Load More Replies...

Miss Cris 6 years ago

For the "before" ones, I remembered them and had the idea of being so old, and now I see them so young! They all die too early! Ops, I'm old (and alife)

1point

diane a 6 years ago

Bobby Darin was amazing

0points

Load More Replies...

Rose the Cook 6 years ago

0points

Jeannie Carle 6 years ago

The "artist" not only aged them, they changed their ENTIRE "personalities". Most of them don't even look RELATED, for Pete's sake!

0points

Eddie77 6 years ago

it's just a future projection of how they could have been

0points

Monica Jfk 6 years ago

This post made me sad...

0points

Sharron Marie 6 years ago

Kurt Cobain's "older" version looks like Bill Engvall. (pic via Twitter) billengval...b3fb52.jpg

0points

diane a 6 years ago

thats more like what he could have looked like

0points

Load More Replies...

noitall man 6 years ago

awful

0points

KT Trondsen 6 years ago

These were terrible.

0points

владимир добрев 6 years ago

Freddie Mercury?

0points

владимир добрев 6 years ago

Freddie Mercury?

0points

Calypso poet 6 years ago

I found the comments people made on the photos more interesting than the actual content of the post. Some hilarious takes here!

0points

Shruti Naik 6 years ago

What about Freddie Mercury? I was actually looking for him.

0points

Wina Alkerchief 6 years ago

What happen with the age of 27....

0points

Vonskippy 6 years ago

0points

Mayson 6 years ago

They definitely would not live THAT long to be THAT ugly.

0points

Dongo Dongo 6 years ago

Title should be "How to defy gravity".

0points

Basil 6 years ago

0points

Lara L. 6 years ago

They might have changed their hairstyle in about 50 years.

0points

Misterscooter 6 years ago

Spot on?? How could they possibly be considered spot on?

0points

Related on Bored Panda

Someone Imagined How Pop Stars Would Look Today If They Were Still Alive, And Some Are Spot On

Bob Marley

John Lennon

Janis Joplin

Elvis Presley

Jimi Hendrix

Bobby Darin

Kurt Cobain

Karen Carpenter

Keith Moon

Dennis Wilson

Jim Morrison

Gerda

Gerda