Brad Arnold, frontman of rock band 3 Doors Down, has died at the age of 47.
He died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, surrounded by his beloved wife and family, "after his courageous battle with cancer," his management told Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) in an official statement.
The singer announced his cancer diagnosis last year in a video message on Instagram. At the time, he said doctors had diagnosed him with stage 4 kidney cancer that had already spread to his lungs.
The band then cancelled plans for a summer tour in the United States last year.
Arnold founded the band in the mid-1990s in the U.S. state of Mississippi, which won international fame through their debut single "Kryptonite" (2000).
Awarded the American Music Award for Best New Artist in 2001, 3 Doors Down's further hits include "Here Without You," "When I'm Gone," "Let Me Go," and "It's Not My Time."
The band's debut single "Kryptonite," which was nominated for a Grammy, has sold or been streamed 8 million times in the U.S. Arnold wrote the song when he was just 15, during a maths class, the band said in a statement shared on Instagram.
The track first gained popularity on local radio before attracting the attention of major record labels.
A founding member and vocalist who began his career with the band as its drummer, Arnold helped redefine mainstream rock music by combining "post-grunge accessibility with emotionally direct songwriting and lyrical themes," the statement said. "His music reverberated far beyond the stage," it added.
Arnold "will be deeply missed and forever remembered," the band said.
