Neil Sedaka, the pop singer‑songwriter who scored major hits in the early rock era and again in the 1970s, died at 86.

Neil Sedaka, the legendary singer-songwriter behind tracks like "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" and "Oh! Carol," has died at 86, his representative Victoria Varela confirmed to USA TODAY.

Sedaka, a skilled pianist nominated for five Grammy awards, also wrote hits for several other famous musicians in his six-decades-long career.