Kurt Cobain was 27 years old at the time of his death on April 5, 1994. His age is part of a well-established timeline documented by medical examiners, law enforcement reports, and official investigations. The following verified details clarify who he was at that age, how the date and circumstances are recorded, and what can be reliably stated based on authoritative sources. This explainer compiles factual records and widely corroborated information to address the query without speculation or sensationalism.
Key Facts at a Glance
The summary table below captures the most relevant, source-attributed attributes about Kurt Cobain at the time of his death.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kurt Donald Cobain | Birth certificate, obituaries |
| Date of death | April 5, 1994 | Medical examiner, police report |
| Reported age at death | 27 years old | Coroner’s report, law enforcement records |
| Last known location | Seattle home (171 Lake Washington Boulevard East) | Police and survey notes |
| Cause of death | Asphyxiation by shotgun; intoxication noted | King County Medical Examiner |
| Survived by | Daughter Frances Bean Cobain (born 1992) | Court, family records |
Timeline Leading to Age 27
To state how old Kurt Cobain was at death requires anchoring the date of death to the date of birth. The corroborated timeline is as follows:
- February 20, 1967: Kurt Cobain born in Aberdeen, Washington, United States.
- April 5, 1994: He was discovered deceased at his Seattle residence.
- Age calculation: From February 20, 1967, to April 5, 1994, is 27 years and approximately 44 days, making him 27 years old at death.
Medical and law enforcement records consistently use this arithmetic in public summaries, aligning with standard age computation practices. No credible source disputes the date of birth or the date of discovery in a manner that would change the reported age.
Official Reports and Verification
Multiple authoritative bodies have documented the age and circumstances around Cobain’s death. Primary records include:
- King County Medical Examiner’s autopsy and report, which lists age, date of death, and cause.
- Seattle Police Department files that note the discovery timeline and preliminary findings.
- Court filings related to his estate and the guardianship of his daughter, which reference birth and death dates.
Together, these documents form a consistent evidentiary basis for the age figure and help separate verified data from later commentary.
Context: Age 27 and Public Narrative
The age 27 has become culturally associated with the so-called “27 Club,” a pattern that groups musicians who died at that age. Cobain’s position within this pattern is recognized in broader culture, but the factual answer to the query is rooted in records rather than the pattern itself. Understanding the age requires separating biographical data from the cultural narrative that sometimes surrounds it.
Birth and Death Dates
Because age at death depends on two fixed points, clarity helps:
- Birth: February 20, 1967
- Death: April 5, 1994
- Resulting age: 27 years old at time of death
Coroner and Police Findings
The official ruling, supported by physical evidence and investigative notes, documents the manner and circumstances. These findings are widely cited in reference works and have remained stable across editions and summaries.
Common Misstatements and Clarifications
Some confusion arises from informal retellings or lists that approximate ages without citing sources. Variations such as “26,” “27,” or “near 27” appear in casual discussions, but the consistent use of primary records confirms 27 as the accurate age. Misstatements often stem from calendar conversion errors or misreading the timeline, not from legitimate ambiguity in the underlying documents.
Why the Age at Death Remains Reliable
The durability of this fact rests on several factors:
- Multiple independent agencies produced contemporaneous records.
- Court and estate records continue to reference these dates.
- There has been no official correction or retraction of the age reported by medical or law enforcement authorities.
For these reasons, the age at death can be treated as an established attribute in biographical and reference contexts.
Summary
Kurt Cobain was 27 years old when he died on April 5, 1994. This age is supported by coroner reports, police documentation, and publicly available timelines. Understanding the precise figure and its sources helps distinguish verified information from later cultural extensions of the story.