Marvin Gaye (130

Marvin Gaye
1939–1984
Suffering soul icon
Cause of Death: Shot dead by his father
From the Vault: Gaye's 23-year, velvet-voiced legacy was well-served by his death—coming in the early days of the CD revolution, it gave both Motown and CBS/Columbia all the more reason to launch a complete remaster program; in 1995, Motown followed this with the box set The Master 1961–1984.
Debts Get It On: Gaye's sudden, shocking murder threw his already dicey finances into further disarray. Not only did he not have a will at the time of his death but he also still owed ex-wife Anna Gordy $293,000 from their divorce settlement, and was $2 million in arrears for back taxes—later repaid from royalties. In 2000, Gaye's three children issued bonds against his future recording royalties, generating an eight-figure payday for the estate.
Peer Plaudits: 10,000 attended a funeral that featured Stevie Wonder singing and a reading from Smokey Robinson; many songs have been dedicated to Gaye, including Diana Ross’s "Missing You" and the Commodores' "Night Shift." With no fewer than six Gaye biographies and a recent Hennessy campaign using Gaye’s image from "What's Going On" as an imprimatur of urban sophistication, he remains as iconic as ever.