The music world says goodbye to another great today as Scott Walker has died at the age of 76. The influential musician rose to fame in the '60s as a teen idol in The Walker Brothers, enjoying a following that rivalled The Beatles with hits such as "The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore'. A life of fame wasn't for him though and Walker walked away from the spotlight going on to become a pioneer of avant-garde music, once referred to as "pop’s own Salinger".

Walker's label 4AD announced the news today: "It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Scott Walker. Scott was 76 years old and is survived by his daughter, Lee, his granddaughter, Emmi-Lee, and his partner Beverly.

"For half a century, the genius of the man born Noel Scott Engel has enriched the lives of thousands, first as one-third of The Walker Brothers, and later as a solo artist, producer and composer of uncompromising originality."

It goes on to say: "From teen idol to cultural icon, Scott leaves to future generations a legacy of extraordinary music; a brilliant lyricist with a haunting singing voice, he has been one of the most revered innovators at the sharp end of creative music, whose influence on many artists has been freely acknowledged.

"The scope and dynamism of his vision have added dimension to both film and dance, and he has stunned audiences with music whose composition transcends genre, and whose sheer originality defies pigeonholing." (Read the statement in full here.)

Radiohead's Tom Yorke is among many fellow artists and fans who have been paying tribute to Walker.