Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell dies at 52

He played a gig last night.

Rock singer Chris Cornell, who gained fame as the frontman of Soundgarden and Audioslave, has died at the age of 52, according to his representative.

In a statement to the Associated Press, Brian Bumbery said Cornell died on Wednesday night in Detroit.

Mr Bumbery called the death "sudden and unexpected" and said his wife and family were shocked.

The statement said the family would be working closely with the medical examiner to determine the cause and asked for privacy.

As the lead singer for Seattle-based Soundgarden, Cornell helped inspire the 90s grunge rock movement.

He was also a Grammy award-winning, Golden Globe-nominated singer, songwriter, guitarist, composer and lyricist.

He later became involved in philanthropy and started the Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation to support children facing challenges, including homelessness, poverty, abuse and neglect.