Tom Petty died surrounded by friends and family

US rocker Tom Petty died on Monday after suffering cardiac arrest, his management has confirmed.

The star was rushed to an LA hospital after being found unconscious in his home.

In a statement, Petty's family said he was surrounded by close friends and family when he died.

“We are devastated to announce the untimely death of our father, husband, brother, leader and friend Tom Petty. He died peacefully at 8.40pm surrounded by family, his bandmates and friends," the statement read.

Tributes have poured in from around the world, with fans paying tribute to his talent and influence on rock music.

Petty rose to fame as part of the band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and later went on to act in films such as The Postman with Kevin Costner.

Petty's daughter initially slammed publications for falsely reporting her father's death while he was still "fighting for his life" but later took to Instagram to confirm his death.