Music superstar Prince, one of the most successful artists of all time, has died aged 57.

The singer, born Prince Rogers Nelson, was discovered at his Paisley Park home in Minnesota.

He wrote hundreds of songs and released 39 studio albums in a career spanning four decades.

A look back and his life in images:

Prince performs in Switzerland in 1998

Here he performs in Wembley Arena in 1994 - one year after changing his name to an unpronounceable symbol

Prince pictured receiving an accolade at the Soul Train Music Awards in 2000

Prince pictured after a 1997 performance in LA

A royal connection: Prince pictured with Prince Charles in 1999

The artist pictured in a 1998 publicity photograph

Prince performs with a guitar shaped after the unpronounceable symbol he changed his name to

The singer pictured at the 1997 NAACP Image Awards in California

Two legends: Prince pictured with Muhammad Ali

The artistic gives a characteristically theatrical performance

Prince on stage in New York in 2009