Meat Loaf, the hardworking singer and actor whose Bat Out of Hell is one of the best-selling albums ever and who played Eddie in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, has died. He was 74.
The Grammy winner born Marvin Lee Aday died Thursday night with his wife Deborah by his side, Meat Loaf’s longtime agent Michael Greene told Deadline on behalf of the family. He added that the singer’s daughters Pearl and Amanda and close friends also had a chance to spend time with him and say their goodbyes during the last 24 hours. A cause of death is not being released.
“We know how much he meant to so many of you and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man,” Meat Loaf’s family said in a statement. “From his heart to your souls…don’t ever stop rocking!”
Written and produced by Jim Steinman, Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell is among the 35 best-selling albums in U.S. history, racking up 14 million units sold, per the RIAA. Its singles “Two of Three Ain’t Bad” and “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” — which peaked at No. 11 and No. 39 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively — both were certified platinum in 2018.
“Paradise by the Dashboard Light” — a duet with Ellen Foley, who went on to star in Season 1 of Night Court — famously features longtime New York Yankees announcer “calling the action” as the teenage narrator makes a move on his girlfriend. Watch the video for the song below, with Karla DeVito lip-synching the “Stop right there!” role. She then went on tour with Meat Loaf to support the album.
Meat Loaf and Steinman also collaborated on the 1993 album Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell, which has sold more than 5 million units in the U.S. alone. Its platinum lead single “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” spent five weeks at No. 1 in late 1993, by far Meat Loaf’s biggest hit. He also won the Grammy for Best Rock Performance, Solo. Steinman died last year.
Meat Loaf has sold more 100 million albums worldwide. His 1980s LPs Dead Ringer and Bad Attitude sold moderately stateside, but 1995’s Welcome to the Neighborhood made the Top 20 and went platinum. He taped an episode of VH1’s Storytellers that was released as an album in 1999.