Elliott Smith

Elliott Smith started out as the leader of Portland-based alt-rock band Heatmiser, who made three mid-1990s albums achieving good reviews but disappointing sales. Eventually Smith reinvented himself as a solo singer-songwriter, and his first couple of albums were spare, acoustic, Nick Drake-like affairs full of exquisitely sad, melodic songs. The soundtrack to the 1997 film GOOD WILL HUNTING rocketed Smith to stardom in a dizzying flash, as the formerly unknown indie-rocker quickly found himself performing at the Oscars. With a bigger budget, Smith indulged his '60s obsession, churning out Beatlesque albums of Baroque pop. His musical flame was sadly extinguished when the reportedly heroin-addicted songwriter committed suicide in 2003.

• rock