[Aliantha]

it's not just the US. The same is happening here. I don't know if it's just because he was a celebrity though.

He's a man the world watched grow up. He's someone whose life was almost always mixed up and controversial. He's someone many people see as a hero (for a number of reasons aside from his music). He's a person many could relate to. He's someone individual who achieved greatness in his chosen field against the odds purely through his talent. He was a person many people felt they knew.

There aren't many people who walk the earth and influence or affect so many people one way or another. Whether you like it or not, his passing is big news to the world.