Neil Sedaka, Brill Building Pop Icon, Dies at 86

Neil Sedaka, the Brooklyn-born singer–songwriter behind hits such as Breaking Up Is Hard to Do and Laughter in the Rain, has died at 86. A Brill Building mainstay who also wrote for others (including Connie Francis and the Captain & Tennille) and played a pivotal role in ABBA’s early European success, Sedaka enjoyed a lasting six-decade career highlighted by a 1970s comeback with Elton John’s support. He earned multiple Grammy nominations and Songwriters Hall of Fame induction, retired in 2022, and sold his catalog in 2024. He is survived by his wife Leba Strassberg and two children.