Rock singer Chris Cornell's death was a suicide hours after he played a concert, coroners have said.

The 52-year-old musician was found unresponsive in a Detroit hotel room hours after he performed with his band Soundgarden.

Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office said the cause of death was "suicide" in a short statement.

Cornell, who was also known as a performer in Audioslave, had posted a message expressing his excitement for the concert shortly before his death.

"#Detroit finally back to Rock City!!!!" he wrote on his official Twitter account.

News of his death was met with shock by musicians and fans alike, many of whom posted tributes.

Cornell's wife asked a friend to check on Cornell, according to the Detroit News.

The friend apparently forced open the hotel room's door and found the singer unconscious. Cornell was pronounced dead at the scene.

Cornell's publicist Brian Bumbery said his death was "sudden and unexpected."

Cornell was one of the founding members of Soundgarden in 1984, and was the lead singer until 1997 when the band announced it was breaking up.

He took up the mantle again when they reformed in 2010, and in the meantime enjoyed a successful solo career as well as being lead vocalist and songwriter for band Audioslave.

His theme song for 2006's James Bond film Casino Royale broke into the Top 10 in the UK singles chart.