The rocker had been on tour when he died Wednesday night in Detroit, according to a statement from his representative Brian Bumbery. He described the death as "sudden and unexpected" and said that his friends and family were shocked by it.

On Thursday, the Detroit medical examiner announced that after a preliminary autopsy, they believed the musician had committed suicide by hanging.

Chris Cornell became famous as the lead singer of the band Soundgarden, one of the leading groups of the grunge movement launched in Seattle in the 1990s, along with Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains.

Formed in 1984, Soundgarden's popularity among alternative music fans came with their third studio album, "Badmotorfinger" (1991), which included different hit singles such as "Jesus Christ Pose," ''Rusty Cage" and "Outshined."

Three years later, the band landed at the top of mainstream charts with the album "Superunknown," with memorable hits such as "Black Hole Sun," "Spoonman" and "Fell on Black Days." 

The Grammy Award-winning, Golden Globe-nominated singer, songwriter, guitarist, composer, and lyricist was recognized for his powerful, nearly four-octave vocal range. He was also the singer of the rock supergroup Audioslave, formed in 2001, which included members of Rage Against the Machine.

Cornell additionally started his own charity organization with his wife, the Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation, to support children affected by homelessness, poverty, abuse and neglect.

eg/kbm (AP, dpa)