Many projects listed in popular exchanges also die. Dead or no, not based on where they listed the coins, but the seriousness of the team in running the project. In this case the team's target must be clear in carrying out the project. Not just register to exchange, then they leave.
Popular and dead doesn't seem right in one sentence though, however I do agree that some of succesful project that could gather massive funding could endup dying slowly even after listed in the popular exchange, no need to mention but there are plenty. Most of them that have that fate will just losing volume day by day due to the inability of developers to advertise or atleast holding its popularity for long. They are too stingy to advertise and once they did advertise it's such a mess and innefective one or maybe people find out that the project is useless.
I think if what they develop can run optimally, then it is impossible for the project to just die. I see many projects there is no clarity of their goals. In fact, their website is only as where ICO was launched until now it has never changed. This means they don't see the fate of their project anymore. Just waiting for the dead domain.