Celebrity deaths come in threes? Not in 2016, where the year's off to an even sadder start with a slew of departed musicians, actors and entertainers, the most recent being pop icon Prince.
Read more: Is this the worst year for celebrity deaths? We've said goodbye to over 50 famous people in 2016
Here's a look at famous people we've said goodbye to in 2016:
January
Natalie Cole (New Year's Eve)
R&B singer and daughter of music legend Nat "King" Cole, died New Year's Eve aged 65 from heart failure caused by lung disease.
David Bowie
Died two days after his 69th birthday, after an 18-month secret battle with cancer. The music legend was well-known for his fashion, movie roles, Ziggy Stardust and hit songs like "Space Oddity," "Fame" and "Let's Dance."
David Margulies
Character actor who played "Ghostbusters" mayor and "Ace Ventura" doctor, died aged 78.
Alan Rickman
Harry Potter actor and Die Hard villain, died of cancer aged 69.
Dan Haggerty
Grizzly Adams actor and '70s star best-known for his beard and rugged looks, died of cancer aged 74.
Clarence Reid
Better known as funk/R&B singer Blowfly, died aged 76. He wrote and produced tracks for artists like Sam & Dave and KC & the Sunshine Band, and his often R-rated solo songs were sampled by rappers like Snoop Dogg and Jurassic 5.
Glenn Frey
The Eagles guitarist and co-founder, died at 67. Frey co-wrote hits like Hotel California with Don Henley.
Abe Vigoda
Character actor in The Godfather and Barney Miller, died aged 94.
Paul Kantner
Jefferson Airplane co-founder and guitarist, died aged 74.
Signe Anderson
The original Jefferson Airplane singer who was replaced by Grace Slick, died aged 74 on the same day as band mate Paul Kantner.
Frank Finlay
Oscar-nominated actor who played Iago in Laurence Olivier's Othello, died aged 89.
Sir Terry Wogan
BBC radio and television personality and Eurovision Song Contest commentator died aged 77.
February
Maurice White
Founding member of disco-funk group Earth, Wind & Fire, died aged 74.
Dan Hicks
Led '60s band Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks, died aged 74.
Daniel Gerson
Co-writer of Monsters, Inc. and Big Hero 6, died of brain cancer aged 49.
Harper Lee
Pulitzer Prize-winning author of To Kill a Mockingbird, died aged 89.
George Kennedy
Tough-guy character actor best known for Cool Hand Luke and the Naked Gun movies, died aged 91.
March
Tony Warren
Creator of long-running TV soap opera Coronation Street, died aged 79.
Pat Conroy
Author of The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini, died aged 70.
George Martin
The "Fifth Beatle" best known as a producer for The Beatles, died aged 90.
Richard Davalos
Actor best known for East of Eden and Cool Hand Luke, died aged 85.
Paul Daniels
The magician and entertainer died from a brain tumour aged 77.
Keith Emerson
Founder and keyboardist of the progressive-rock band Emerson, Lake and Palmer, died aged 71.
Denise Robertson
This Morning's resident agony aunt, died of pancreatic cancer aged 83.
Sylvia Anderson
Thunderbirds co-creator and voice of the Lady Penelope puppet character, died aged 88.
Frank Sinatra Jr.
Singer and son of Ol' Blue Eyes, died of cardiac arrest aged 72.
Joe Santos
Actor best known for roles in The Rockford Files and The Sopranos, died aged 84.
Ken Howard
Televsision actor and SAG-AFTRA president, died aged 71.
Garry Shandling
Comedian and The Larry Sanders Show star, died aged 66.
Jim Harrison
Author of Legends of the Fall, died aged 78.
Patty Duke
Oscar and Emmy-winning actress, former child star and mother of Lord of the Rings actor Sean Astin, died of sepsis from a ruptured intestine aged 69.
Johan Cruyff
One of football’s most iconic players, died aged 68.
Ronnie Corbett
Comedian and star of The Two Ronnies, died aged 85.
April
David Gest
Doris Roberts
Emmy-winning actress on Everybody Loves Raymond, died aged 90.
Victoria Wood
Actress, comedian and writer, died of cancer at the age of 62.
Chyna
WWE star, whose real name was Joan Marie Laurer, was one of the most popular female professional wrestlers in the late 1990s, died aged 45.
Prince
Singer and songwriter, best known for the soundtracks to Batman and hit songs like Kiss and Purple Rain, died aged 57.
Read more: Is this the worst year for celebrity deaths? We've said goodbye to over 50 famous people in 2016
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