Singer Meat Loaf is dead at 74

Meat Loaf, the singer who starred in Rocky Horror Picture Show and recorded one of the best-selling albums of all time, died Thursday night, his longtime agent Michael Greene told Deadline. He was 74. "Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight with his wife, Deborah, by his side," according to a statement on his official Facebook page. "From his heart to your souls ... don't ever stop rocking!" No cause of death was given.

Born Marvin Lee Aday, Meat Loaf was a hit in Rocky Horror, playing Eddie in both the cult classic 1975 film and the stage musical it was adapted from. He and composer Jim Steinman released Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell album in 1977, with hit singles "Two of Three Ain't Bad" and "Paradise by the Dashboard Light." The album sold 14 million copies, making it one of the 35 bestselling albums in U.S. history.

Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell, released in 1993, has sold more than 5 million albums, and its hit single "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" spent five weeks at No. 1 and earned Meat Loaf a Grammy for Best Rock Performance. Steinman, who also collaborated on that album, died last year.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

"I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" was also the basis for a relationship competition show Meat Loaf signed a deal to develop last year, Deadline reports. Meat Loaf was executive producer and set to appear in the show as a behind-the-scenes master of ceremonies, while artists played their classic hits live in studio.

Along with his wife, Meat Loaf is survived by daughters Pearl and Amanda, both of whom "have been with him throughout the last 24 hours," according to the family's statement.