Musician Chris Cornell, who gained fame as the lead singer of Soundgarden and later Audioslave, has died at the age of 52, his representative has revealed.

Cornell, who had been on tour, died Wednesday night in Detroit, Brian Bumbery, the singer’s representative, said in a statement to The Associated Press.

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

The cause of his death is currently unknown. Cornell's family is working with a medical examiner to determine the cause, the statement said.

Cornell was best known for fronting the two iconic bands and singing 'You Know My Name', the theme song for James Bond film Casino Royale.

The singer was scheduled to perform at the US festival Rock the Range in Columbus tonight.