Image Credit: FilmMagic Kurt Cobain, the late lead singer of Nirvana, left behind a legacy in the rock music world. Known for hits including "Smells Like Teen Spirit," Cobain's death still strikes a chord among fans more than 30 years after his death. In early 2026, an independent researcher came forward with claims that Cobain may not have died by suicide, suggesting that his death may have been staged and was actually a homicide. Here is everything we know so far about the research surrounding Cobain's cause of death. How Old Was Kurt Cobain? Cobain was just 27 when he died on April 5, 1994.