Cobain, Hendrix, Stevie Ray, Randy Rhoads.. to name a few were all great musicians in their own right... and they all were doing something different that other people weren't doing... The death of Cobain basically was the beginning of the end of Grunge (which was a major musical movement)... How far could he have taken it??? The death of Hendrix was the end of The Experience... which was one of the groundbreaking bands of the late 60's and early 70's... If he had not died... could have steered music in a different direction than it is today??? Stevie Ray Vaughan wasn't even at the peak of his career yet. He was just starting to get recognition for his own works besides his masterful covers of HENDRIX songs. His sudden death might have been what has kept blues out of the mainstream music market... you think??? Randy Rhoads is one of the few that have seen their musical genre thrive even after his death. Metal and "virtuoso" style guitar have caught on quite well since the death of Rhoads mostly because metal was already abundant while he was alive... and he doesn't carry quite as much "Lengend Status" with me as say John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, or Stevie Ray... but none the less... he is celebrated more now that he is dead. I think it also has to do with the publicity that their works get AFTER they die... When someone dies a tragic death it's generally broadcast nation/world wide... thus more people hear the name and the music... causing them to get more fans. That's my deep thought about instant legend status with death... I think they all deserve to be remembered, for good or bad...