Nicole Richie Dated a Famous DJ Before Marrying Joel Madden

Celebrity couple Nicole Richie and Joel Madden have been together for years, since her reputation was more reality star and less jewelry designer. But before she married the Good Charlotte frontman, Richie dated a famous DJ who tragically died in 2009. 

Nicole Richie dated DJ AM

Richie, the daughter of singer Lionel Richie, rose to fame in the early 2000s with her best friend Paris Hilton via their hit reality series The Simple Life. It was around the same time that Richie started dating deejay Adam Goldstein, aka DJ AM. 

In 2005, while making the third season of The Simple Life, Richie and Goldstein got engaged. “He had a talk with my dad (asking to marry me) and my dad started crying,” Richie told People at the time. “I’m looking forward to marriage. Your name changes, which will be exciting.”

“I absolutely want to start a family with her,” Goldstein said when asked about his future with Richie. “Nicole is one of the funniest people I know – she’s my best friend.”

Richie and Goldstein broke off their engagement less than a year later. They didn’t reveal why. But in a statement, Richie’s publicist confirmed their split was amicable. 

Nicole Richie attended DJ AM’s funeral in 2009

After his relationship with Richie ended, Goldstein had a difficult few years. In 2008, he and his then-collaborator Travis Barker of Blink-182 fame were the sole survivors of a plane crash. The injuries he sustained from the incident led to the artist taking painkillers, which many believe contributed to his relapse after years of sobriety.

In August 2009, Goldstein was found dead in his New York City apartment. According to CNN, police found various drugs and paraphernalia near his body. A medical examiner’s report concluded that Goldstein’s death was caused by an accidental overdose. 

Richie — who was dating Madden at the time, and pregnant with their second child — was reportedly devastated by Goldstein’s death. And according to Marie Claire, she attended his funeral alongside Madden, his brother Benji Madden, Barker, and Lindsay Lohan. 

Nicole Richie and Joel Madden have been together for 16 years 

Richie and Madden first met in 2006 at a mutual friend’s party. The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Harlow, in 2008. And they celebrated the arrival of their second baby, son Sparrow, a year later in 2009.

The pair got engaged in 2010 and were married in December 2011. Richie and Madden like to keep the details of their personal lives private. But when talking to Marie Claire, Richie did reveal what she believes is the secret to maintaining a healthy long-term relationship. 

“I think it’s really important to enjoy the other person as an individual, not just as the role of your husband or the role of the father,” she said. “Appreciate that person for who they are and really prioritize having fun together. I wish that there was some trick. There’s not. It’s two people growing into themselves.”