Neil Sedaka, Pop Crooner and Songwriting Legend, Dies at 86
Neil Sedaka, the voice and pen behind timeless hits like “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” and “Laughter in the Rain,” has passed away at the age of 86, leaving behind a legacy of pop music innovation.
Neil Sedaka, the celebrated singer and songwriter responsible for unforgettable hits such as “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,” “Calendar Girl,” and “Laughter in the Rain,” passed away on Friday at the age of 86.
Sedaka’s representatives confirmed his death to Rolling Stone. The cause of death has not been revealed.
"Our family is devastated by the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Neil Sedaka,” his family said in a statement. “A true rock and roll legend, an inspiration to millions, but most importantly, at least to those of us who were lucky enough to know him, an incredible human being who will be deeply missed.”
Sedaka achieved immense success as both a performer and a songwriter throughout the Sixties and Seventies, marking two distinct periods of his career. In the early Sixties, his catchy pop and doo-wop influenced songs like “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” and “Oh! Carol” dominated the charts before the arrival of Beatlemania. A decade later, he re-emerged as an adult contemporary star with hits like “Laughter in the Rain” and “Bad Blood.”
Neil Sedaka
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Sedaka demonstrated exceptional piano skills early on, earning him a place at the prestigious Juilliard School of Music, where he attended both prep school and college. While receiving classical training, Sedaka also developed a passion for early rock & roll, leading him to co-found the doo-wop group, the Tokens. Although he left before the Tokens achieved chart-topping success with their well-known version of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” Sedaka soon found his own path to fame.
Working alongside his neighbor and longtime songwriting partner, Howard Greenfield, Sedaka established himself at the renowned Brill Building, contributing to the definition of the pop style that emerged from the New York City hit factory. Their success with songs like “Stupid Cupid” for Connie Francis helped Sedaka secure his own record deal. He scored his first Top 10 hit in 1959 with “Oh! Carol,” followed by other notable tracks like “Stairway to Heaven,” “Calendar Girl,” “Little Devil,” and “Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen.” This successful run culminated in 1962 when “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” reached Number One, and “Next Door to an Angel” peaked at Number Five.
Sedaka’s popularity extended beyond the U.S., as he gained a substantial international following. He reinforced his global appeal by frequently recording his songs in multiple languages, including Italian, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, and Japanese.
Neil Sedaka performing
However, the arrival of the Beatles in 1964 significantly impacted Sedaka’s solo career. His label eventually dropped him, and he faced financial difficulties after discovering that his manager had mismanaged his savings. Sedaka continued to support himself through songwriting, experiencing some success, but in an interview with The New York Times last year, he admitted feeling lost during the latter half of the 1960s.
“I missed it. I missed it with a vengeance,” he said. “I listened to the radio and thought what do I have to do? No more of the tra-la-las and do-be-dos, which I was the king of. I wanted to be an artist that fit into the culture of the time.”
In the early Seventies, Sedaka found new inspiration in England. He performed at small clubs and collaborated with members of the emerging pop group 10cc. Together, they recorded two albums, 1972’s Solitaire and 1973’s The Tra-La Days Are Over, which further elevated his profile in the U.K. He soon gained a strong advocate in Elton John, who signed Sedaka to his label and supported his comeback.
In 1974, John’s Rocket Record Company compiled many of Sedaka’s songs from his U.K. period into the compilation, Sedaka’s Back, which achieved gold certification in the U.S. The following year proved to be Sedaka’s most successful: He topped the Billboard Hot 100 twice as a solo artist, first with “Laughter In the Rain” and then with “Bad Blood” (featuring uncredited backing vocals from John), while his new ballad version of “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” peaked at Number Eight. Simultaneously, Captain and Tennille reached Number One with “Love Will Keep Us Together” (written by Sedaka and Greenfield) and the Carpenters hit Number 17 with their rendition of Sedaka’s song “Solitaire.”
Sedaka achieved two more Top 20 hits as a solo artist, first with the upbeat, rock-infused 1976 track, “Love in the Shadows,” and again in 1980 with “Should’ve Never Let You Go,” recorded with his daughter, Dara. He continued to enjoy success in the adult contemporary market during the late Seventies and early Eighties with hits like “Amarillo,” “Alone at Last,” and “Your Precious Love” (also with Dara). In 1983, Sedaka was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Neil Sedaka in the studio
In later years, Sedaka remained active as a live performer and recording artist. He explored classical and children’s music, and even recorded an entire album of songs in Yiddish. He released his final studio album, I Do It for Applause, in 2016, and eventually decided to retire from writing new music. “I felt if you can’t top it, you should stop it,” he said in a 2020 interview.
Sedaka experienced a resurgence in popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic, when he began recording and sharing performances from home. The octogenarian adeptly navigated the world of short-form video, continuing to post new and archival clips on TikTok and Instagram. A video of him playing his first hit, “Stupid Cupid,” this past Valentine’s Day, garnered over 338,000 views on TikTok alone.
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@neil_sedaka_official/video/7606076617886158110" data-video-id="7606076617886158110" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a target="_blank" title="@neil_sedaka_official" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@neil_sedaka_official?refer=embed">@neil_sedaka_official</a> Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤️ <a title="valentinesday" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/valentinesday?refer=embed">#valentinesday</a> <a title="fyp" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp?refer=embed">#fyp</a> <a title="music" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/music?refer=embed">#music</a> <a title="neilsedaka" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/neilsedaka?refer=embed">#neilsedaka</a> <a target="_blank" title="♬ Stupid Cupid - Neil Sedaka" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Stupid-Cupid-6789563267910336514?refer=embed">♬ Stupid Cupid - Neil Sedaka</a> </section> </blockquote><script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
“I think the reason I’ve been around so long is I’ve always been able to raise the bar, reinvent Neil Sedaka, and to develop and grow,” he said in that same 2020 interview. “It’s still very gratifying to hear my music played on the radio — the songs will outlive me.”
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