Neil Sedaka Dead at 86

On February 27, 2026, Neil Sedaka passed away at the age of 86 in Los Angeles, after being taken to a hospital by ambulance earlier that morning. His family said they were ‘deeply saddened’ by the ‘sudden passing’ of someone they described as ‘a true rock-‘n-roll legend and an inspiration to millions.’ The news struck the music world like a bolt from the blue, as Sedaka, spotted just two days earlier at a dinner in Los Angeles, always seemed indestructible.

Anyone who thinks of Neil Sedaka as a cheerful crooner with smooth, light-hearted melodies may not fully grasp how influential he was in shaping pop music. Sedaka was, first and foremost, a brilliant craftsman: a composer of the highest order who understood the anatomy of the pop song like few others.

Neil Sedaka was born on March 13, 1939, in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, and grew up in a musical environment that took him to the Juilliard School, one of the world’s most prestigious music academies, at an early age. He was a talented classical pianist noticed by Arthur Rubinstein at a young talent competition. But rock-‘n-roll called louder. Together with his childhood friend and neighbor Howard Greenfield, he formed one of the most productive songwriting duos of their generation, working from the legendary Brill Building in New York, the pop music factory where Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Barry Mann, and Cynthia Weil also worked.

It was in these circles that ‘Oh! Carol’ (1959) was born, Sedaka’s first major hit, written for his high school crush, Carole King. The song reached the Top 10 in the United States and stayed seventeen weeks on the UK charts. What followed was a stream of captivating singles: ‘Calendar Girl,’ ‘Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen,’ and ‘Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,’ which reached number one in 1962. During the same period, Sedaka also wrote ‘Stupid Cupid’ for Connie Francis, a song that helped define her career.

The British Invasion, led by the Beatles and their contemporaries, quickly eroded Sedaka’s popularity in the U.S. By the mid-1960s, he had virtually disappeared from the American radar. Where others might have given up, Sedaka chose a strategic retreat to the United Kingdom, a decision that would prove crucial. In 1972, through impresario Harvey Lisberg, he was introduced to the four future members of 10cc: Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley, and Lol Creme. The band, which would soon achieve international success with classics like ‘I’m Not in Love,’ produced the album ‘Solitaire’ for Sedaka, recorded at their own Strawberry Studios in Stockport, England. The collaboration was no mere formality: 10cc brought their signature sense of harmony, arrangement, and studio craftsmanship, while Sedaka contributed pop musical intuition that was both refined and instinctive. The result was an album proving that Sedaka’s talent had survived his earlier hit period and that he was far from finished.

Sedaka’s true comeback in America was spearheaded by Elton John, who signed him to his Rocket Records label. With ‘Sedaka’s Back’ (1975), he returned with a string of strong songs: ‘Laughter in the Rain’ and ‘Bad Blood’ both reached number one in the U.S. That same year, he reimagined his own classic ‘Breaking Up Is Hard to Do’ as a slow ballad, which also reached the Top 10. He became the only artist ever to have two completely different versions of the same song chart successfully. His influence as a songwriter extended far beyond his own career. ‘Love Will Keep Us Together,’ co-written with Howard Greenfield, became a number one hit for Captain & Tennille in 1975 and won a Grammy Award. ‘(Is This the Way to) Amarillo,’ his composition for Tony Christie, remained one of the most played British songs for decades. Less known, Sedaka wrote the English lyrics for ABBA’s ‘Ring Ring,’ helping launch one of the greatest pop careers in history.

Neil Sedaka was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and was nominated for a Grammy Award five times. In 2024, he sold his entire catalog of over 500 songs to Primary Wave. He had already announced his retirement from songwriting in 2022, stating that he could no longer meet the high standards he set for himself.

He continued performing into his later years, playing dozens of concerts each year. Sedaka passed away as he had lived: active, present, and still relevant. He is survived by his wife Leba Strassberg, to whom he was married for more than sixty years, their daughter Dara, son Marc, and three grandchildren.

Neil Sedaka was not a crooner. He was an architect, someone who understood the pop song from the inside out and reinvented it for two generations. His legacy continues to resonate.

Photos (c) Raph_PH (Licensed under CC BY 2.0)