He passed away on Saturday at the age of 69, according to a statement from the hospital in Beirut where he was being cared for after a long illness.
Rahbani was the son of the famous singing diva Fairuz, who turned 90 last year, and is considered a pioneer in both Lebanon's and the entire Arab world's music scene.
He revolutionized Arabic jazz and composed several well-known songs – many for his own mother. At the same time, he wrote several theater plays, including satirical portrayals of Lebanon during the civil war.
Ziad Rahbani was also a militant political commentator, with pronounced secular left-wing views.
In a statement, Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun calls Rahbani "a voice that revolted against injustices, an honest reflection of the oppressed and marginalized".
