Johansen passed away on Friday in his home in New York, reports Rolling Stone with reference to a family spokesperson.
A few weeks ago, it was announced that Johansen was seriously ill with cancer, which had then spread throughout his body. He had not been very open about his cancer illness earlier, but told that he had been affected by a brain tumor and needed care and supervision around the clock.
David Johansen broke through in the early 1970s in the rock group New York Dolls, which is often highlighted in rock history as punk pioneers. New York Dolls' style with sprayed hair, women's clothing, and a lot of makeup was also a trendsetter for what later became glam metal and bands like Mötley Crüe and Faster Pussycat.
When you're an artist, you mostly want to inspire people. So if you succeed with that, it's pretty fun, said Johansen to The Knoxville News-Sentinel in 2011.
The group also included, among others, Johnny Thunders and Sylvain Sylvain. After his time in New York Dolls, David Johansen launched a solo career.
In the 1980s, Johansen got a broader breakthrough with hits on the top lists, such as "Hot hot hot", when he performed under the artist name Buster Poindexter.
