Breakup and deaths

Joey was diagnosed with lymphoma in 1995. In his later years he became an avid follower of yoga and health food. During the late 1990s, he started day trading NYSE stocks. Joey actually wrote a song about CNBC financial news reporter Maria "Money Honey" Bartiromo, entitled "Maria Bartiromo", which is included on his 2002 solo album Don't Worry About Me.

On July 20, 1999, all of the former members of the group except for Richie appeared together at Tower Records in New York City for an autograph signing. This was the last occasion on which the ex-members of the group appeared together before Joey's death. Johnny attempted to make peace with his longtime bandmate and rival Joey, but Joey would have none of it and simply ignored him. Joey Ramone died of lymphoma on April 15, 2001 in New York. Joey's last partially finished works were compiled as a posthumous solo album, Don't Worry About Me.

In 2002, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. At the ceremony, Johnny, Tommy, Marky, and Dee Dee spoke on behalf of the band. Johnny blessed George W. Bush and his presidency. Dee Dee congratulated and thanked himself. This was one of his last public appearances, because two months later he was found dead at his Hollywood home on June 5, 2002 following a heroin overdose. Also at the ceremony, Green Day played "Teenage Lobotomy" and "Blitzkrieg Bop" as a tribute to the Ramones, showing the influence that the Ramones had on later rock bands.

In the summer of 2004, the Ramones documentary End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones was released in theaters. Johnny Ramone, who had been privately battling prostate cancer, died on September 15, 2004 in Los Angeles, California; almost exactly as the film was released.

On the same day as Johnny's death, the world's first and only Ramones Museum opened its doors for the public. Located in Berlin, Germany, the Ramones Museum Berlin features more than 300 original memorabilia items from the Ramones, including a stage-worn jeans from Johnny Ramone, a stage-worn glove from Joey Ramone, Marky Ramone's sneakers and CJ Ramone's stage-worn bass strap. The Ramones are scheduled to be inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2007.