 Roback died in Los Angeles on February 24, 2020 from metastatic cancer.Numerous musicians paid tribute to him, including Susanna Hoffs, Clairo, Jennifer O'Connor, Joe Pernice, Craig Wedren, Steve Wynn, Matthew Caws of Nada Surf, Doug Gillard of Guided by Voices, Grasshopper of Mercury Rev, J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr., Mac McCaughan of Superchunk, Colin Meloy of The Decemberists, Anton Newcombe of The Brian Jonestown Massacre, A. C. Newman of The New Pornographers, Simon Raymonde of Cocteau Twins, as well as bands The Pastels, Sleigh Bells and The Vacant Lots.Roback's songwriting and guitar work has, according to Alexis Petridis of "The Guardian", been highly influential, "most strikingly on Lana Del Rey