Here we reflect on the well-known individuals who died in 2026, presented in alphabetical order.

Scott Adams, 68

During the 1980s Scott Adams held a position at a phone firm. That job sparked ideas for his famous comic series called Dilbert.

Toward the close of that decade the strip with its sharp office satire started running in papers nationwide.

The comic reached its height in more than 2,000 publications. A short animated show aired starting in 1999 and lasted two seasons.

Adams drew attention for blog entries that supported Donald Trump in the 2016 election campaign. By 2023 the strip was dropped from many U.S. papers after Adams made remarks viewed as racist.

He passed away on January 13 after battling metastatic prostate cancer.

Brad Arnold, 47

Brad Arnold served as lead vocalist for 3 Doors Down and propelled the band to success with the 2000 rock hit Kryptonite that climbed to number three on the Billboard Hot 100.

That breakthrough brought further successes including Loser, Here Without You, and When I'm Gone. His voice and themes of romance helped drive the group's popularity.

Arnold passed on February 7 after a battle with kidney cancer.

Afrika Bambaataa, 68

Lance Taylor, known as Afrika Bambaataa, emerged as a key hip-hop figure in the 1970s and 1980s after gaining notice as a DJ in the Bronx.

He joined Tommy Boy Records in 1981 and issued influential tracks such as Jazzy Sensation and Planet Rock. Over time he shaped artists including Queen Latifah and A Tribe Called Quest.

In the 1970s he launched the Universal Zulu Nation to guide youth away from gangs. He left leadership in 2016 amid abuse allegations.

Bambaataa rejected every accusation.

He died on April 9 from prostate cancer.

Rob Bass, 59

Rob Bass helped bring hip-hop into wider view through the classic 1988 track It Takes Two created with DJ E-Z Rock.

The song hit number three on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Songs chart and earned platinum status. In 1989 Spin magazine named it the top single ever.

Bass died on May 22 after a fight with cancer.

Nicholas Brendon, 54

Nicholas Brendon gained fame as a TV actor playing Xander Harris across all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

He also appeared in Criminal Minds and Kitchen Confidential.

Brendon passed away in his sleep on March 20 from natural causes, per a family statement.

In 2023 he experienced a heart attack and learned of a congenital heart issue. He also dealt with cauda equina syndrome that required multiple back operations.

While Nicholas faced challenges before, he followed treatment plans and felt positive about what lay ahead, the statement to The Hollywood Reporter noted. The family requested privacy while mourning and remembering a man full of energy, creativity, and warmth.

Peabo Bryson, 75

Two-time Grammy recipient Peabo Bryson earned acclaim for his timeless romantic ballads.

Bryson started releasing music in the late 1970s. One early success came in 1983 with the duet Tonight, I Celebrate My Love alongside Roberta Flack. He followed with the 1984 hit If Ever You're in My Arms Again and reached the top of the R&B charts in 1991 with Can You Stop the Rain.

Global recognition arrived via Disney songs. In 1991 he recorded the pop version of Beauty and the Beast with Celine Dion, and in 1992 he paired with Regina Belle on A Whole New World from Aladdin.

Bryson died on June 2. No cause was reported.

James Burrows, 85

Eleven-time Emmy winner and co-creator of Cheers, director James Burrows influenced modern television comedy through work on shows such as Will and Grace, Friends, and Frasier.

Renowned for sharp timing and detailed staging, Burrows began with episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He later directed installments of Frasier (earning an Emmy for the pilot), Will and Grace, Friends, and The Big Bang Theory. He oversaw more than 50 pilot episodes.

Burrows died on June 19. No cause was reported.

Kyle Busch, 41

Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch ranked among the sport's all-time great drivers.

Busch entered the hospital on May 21 ahead of scheduled races. He was pronounced dead hours later.

He succumbed to severe pneumonia that developed into sepsis.

Robert Carradine, 71

Robert Carradine was recognized for portraying Lizzie McGuire's father and the memorable nerd Lewis Skolnick in the 1980s Revenge of the Nerds series.

Coming from the well-known Carradine Hollywood family, Robert seemed destined for acting.

Early credits included a role in his brother David Carradine's 1970s series Kung Fu. Later parts ranged from Samuel Fuller's World War II film The Big Red One to the Lizzie McGuire show.

His family issued statements to Deadline stressing openness about mental health struggles.

We feel deep sorrow at the loss of this wonderful person and wish to note Bobby's long fight with Bipolar Disorder over nearly twenty years, the family said. We hope his story helps reduce the shame linked to mental illness.

Carradine died by suicide on February 23.

If you or someone you know is experiencing depression or has had thoughts of harming themself or taking their own life, get help. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Help is also available through the Crisis Text Line - just text HOME to 741741. The International Association for Suicide Prevention offers resources for those outside the US.

Bud Cort, 77

Bud Cort became widely known for playing Harold in the 1971 cult favorite Harold and Maude, embodying 1970s counterculture with his youthful appearance, humor, and refined style.

The dark comedy featured Cort as a young man fixated on suicide until he meets the eccentric 79-year-old Maude played by Ruth Gordon.

Earlier he had small roles in Robert Altman's M*A*S*H (1970) and Brewster McCloud (1970).

After Harold and Maude, Cort maintained a steady career with appearances in films such as Michael Mann's Heat (1995) and Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004).

Cort died on February 11 after a prolonged illness.

Eric Dane, 53

Long before becoming a familiar TV heartthrob, Eric Dane built experience with guest spots on Saved by the Bell and Married... with Children.

He later drew notice in Charmed before securing his breakthrough as Dr. Mark McSteamy Sloan on Grey's Anatomy. Most recently he appeared in HBO's Euphoria as Cal Jacobs, father of Jacob Elordi's character Nate Jacobs.

Dane has two children with wife Rebecca Gayheart. In April 2025 he revealed a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.

Dane died on February 19 at age 53, confirmed by his publicist in a statement to Business Insider.

He spent his final days with close friends, his devoted wife, and his two daughters Billie and Georgia, who meant everything to him, the publicist said.