Fans of iconic American singer and founder of rock band Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, have been marking the 18<sup>th anniversary of his death.

Cobain founded Nirvana with Krist Novoselic in 1985. Drummer Chad Channing was the third member.

Their first album, Bleach in 1989, created a huge stir among music fans hungry for a return to loud guitar rock and the Geffen label snapped them up.

By the time they recorded their second album, Nevermind in 1991, they had been joined by a new drummer, Dave Grohl, and were credited with inventing the grunge sound. They found international success with song like Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Cobain married fellow singer Courtney Love in February 1992 and they had a child, Frances Bean Cobain.

Cobain battled substance abuse problems and found it difficult to deal with fame. He got heavily into heroin and killed himself with a shotgun on 5 April, 1994.

On the anniversary of his death fans tweeted numerous tributes.

@FemaleTramp tweeted: "RIP Kurt Cobain. You really were something and it's a shame you don't get to see how much respect and love people have for you."

@BrendonsSinner: "RIP Kurt Cobain you influenced many lives, one of them is mine. Thank you for your contributions to music. Your legacy will live on 4ever."

@TeamJanetUK tweeted: "18 years since Kurt Cobain passed away, he was a true legend and his music will live on forever. RIP Kurt Cobain."

@CallumGC said: "a fascinating man whose music is still some of my favourite ever written, a good five or six years after I first heard it.

@Charl_Rigby tweeted: "one of the last musical legends that ever walked this earth!"

Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain performing at the 1992 Video Music Awards. Kurt Cobain rocketed to unexpected, and unwanted, fame with Nirvana and their 1991 album, Nevermind. Cobain’s public battle with depression reflected in his music with lyrics such as “I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black”. His suicide on 5 April, 1994 resulted in public outcry, with diehard fans of the grunge-pioneers blaming his wife, Courtney Love of murdering the tortured soul. Reuters
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain, lead singer for the 'grunge' rock group Nirvana performing during a September 1992 performance at the MTV Music Awards show in Los Angeles. Cobain died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, Seattle radio station KIRO said April 8, 1994. REUTERS/Lee Celano AT
Fragments of a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar that was smashed to pieces by singer Kurt Cobain
Fragments of a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar that was smashed to pieces in 1992 by singer Kurt Cobain is pictured at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, California during a media preview December 2, 2008 REUTERS/Fred Prouser
An Iraqi policeman, wearing a shirt emblazoned with a picture of the rock band Nirvanas late frontman Kurt Cobain
An Iraqi policeman, wearing a shirt emblazoned with a picture of the rock band Nirvana's late frontman Kurt Cobain, takes part in a demonstration in Baghdad November 16, 2003 by security forces demanding three months of unpaid salaries REUTERS/Hazir Reka
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