Ashhar Alam/New Delhi

Legendary American pop maestro and timeless hitmaker Neil Sedaka, whose music shaped generations with chartbusters like Breaking Up Is Hard to Do, Bad Blood, Laughter in the Rain, and Calendar Girl, has passed away at the age of 86, leaving behind a rich musical legacy that defined multiple eras of pop culture.

Sedaka’s family confirmed his death through a heartfelt statement shared on social media, remembering him not just as a global music icon but also as a beloved family man. “Our family is deeply saddened by the sudden loss of our dear husband, father, and grandfather… a true music legend and an extraordinary human being who will be greatly missed,” the statement read.

Born on March 13, 1939, in Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach, Sedaka displayed exceptional musical talent from an early age. His passion for music earned him a scholarship to the prestigious Juilliard School’s Preparatory Division for Children, where he initially pursued classical training before transitioning to pop music during his teenage years.

While studying at Abraham Lincoln High School, Sedaka began performing publicly and later formed the doo-wop group the Linc-Tones, which eventually evolved into The Tokens. The group later achieved global fame with the 1961 classic The Lion Sleeps Tonight.

Sedaka’s creative partnership with lyricist Howard Greenfield became one of the most successful collaborations of the Brill Building era. Working alongside some of the biggest names in New York’s music scene, the duo first gained recognition writing songs for other artists. Their breakthrough came in 1959 with Stupid Cupid, performed by Connie Francis, followed by hits like Where the Boys Are.

Sedaka soon established himself as a solo superstar after signing with RCA Victor, delivering a string of memorable hits including Oh! Carol, Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen, Next Door to an Angel, and the original 1962 version of Breaking Up Is Hard to Do, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The changing musical trends of the British Invasion in the mid-1960s shifted Sedaka’s focus back toward songwriting, where he continued to create music for legends such as Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, and The Monkees.

His remarkable career revival came in the 1970s, supported by Elton John, who helped promote Sedaka’s work through his Rocket Records label. The 1974 album Sedaka’s Back marked a powerful comeback, followed by chart-topping success with Laughter in the Rain and Bad Blood in 1975. His songwriting also helped create the smash hit Love Will Keep Us Together, later popularized by Captain & Tennille.

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Across more than six decades in the music industry, Sedaka achieved three No. 1 Billboard hits and nine Top 10 singles. He was honored with five Grammy nominations, inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1978. He retired from songwriting in 2022 and later sold his music catalogue to Primary Wave Music.

Sedaka is survived by his wife of over 60 years, Leba Strassberg, and their children, Marc and Dara, who remember him as a loving family figure and an unparalleled musical genius.