Lou Reed has died, aged 71, due to complications from a liver transplant the highly influential musician underwent earlier this year.

A musical great, Reed gained notoriety as the principal songwriter and lead singer of The Velvet Underground. Formed with John Cale and Nico, the Velvets were synonymous with Andy Warhol and the counter-culture of the 1960s.

Reed is particularly known for his experimental approach to music and the frankness with which he addressed taboo topics of sexuality and drug use. Reed went solo in 1972 and found commercial success that year with Walk On the Wild Side, the biggest hit from his Transformer album, produced by David Bowie.

The Velvet Underground was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. In 2008, Reed married the performance artist Laurie Anderson and remained active in music until the very end.