Chester Bennington - lead singer of American rock band Linkin park - has died aged 41, LA County Coroner says.
The singer, known for his powerful voice, was found dead yesterday by his housekeeper, TMZ reports. Law enforcement officials say Bennington apparently hanged himself in his bedroom.
Mike Shinoda, principal songwriter and producer for Linkin Park, confirmed the news on Twitter, saying he was "shocked and heartbroken".
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Yesterday would have been the birthday of a close friend of Beddington's, Chris Cornell, former singer of Soundgarden who also died by suicide in May. Bennington sang at the late singer's funeral, and said in an open letter to Cornell that he "can't imagine a world without you in it".
With Bennington up front, Linkin Park sold 27.8 million albums in the US alone, according to Nielsen Music, and their most recent album, One More Light, topped the US charts earlier this year. The band had been due to begin a tour next week.
Bennington had "struggled for years with alcohol and drug abuse", says the BBC, and had been a victim of child abuse earlier in his life.
The music world expressed its grief on social media, with tributes from Stormzy, Rihanna and other artists.
