Whitney Houston, American pop music queen and one of the most awarded female singers of all times, has died at the age of 48.

She died at 3.55 pm Pacific Time, according to the police spokesperson, Mark Rosen.

"At 3:55 pm Whitney Houston was pronounced dead at the Beverly Hilton Hotel," Mark Rosen told reporters.

Cause of the death of Whitney Houston, music industry's unchallenged queen is still unknown, and the police is investigating the death. She was believed to be battling drug abuse and alcohol for a long time.

Kristen Foster, her publicist confirmed the death to the media, but did not reveal the cause of the death and the location.

Death of Houston, the six time Grammy winner, came on the eve of 54th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, the biggest annual day in the music industry. It came as a shock and disbelief to her fans, fellow singers and composers.

She released seven albums and three film soundtracks and won six Grammys, besides selling over 200 million albums and singles worldwide. She earned 30 Billboard Awards, 22 American Music Awards and two Emmy Awards.

She was born to gospel singer Cissy Houston, the cousin of 1960s pop diva Dionne Warwick. Houston first started singing in the church as a child, and later sang backup for Chaka Khan, Jermaine Jackson and others.

She reigned as the unchallenged queen of the music industry from the middle of 1980s till the late 1990s.