Neil Sedaka, the famed Jewish pop singer and songwriter, has died at the age of 86 in Los Angeles, according to The New York Times. His death was confirmed by his publicist after he was reportedly taken to a hospital on Friday morning. Sedaka was one of the defining voices of late 1950s and early 1960s pop music, known for hits such as 'Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,' 'Calendar Girl,' and 'Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen.'

Born and raised in Brooklyn, he was deeply influenced by the borough's Jewish culture and was part of a generation of artists that included Carole King, Neil Diamond, Barbra Streisand, and Barry Manilow. A classical music prodigy, Sedaka earned a scholarship to the Juilliard preparatory division at age 9 and later became a key figure in Manhattan's Brill Building songwriting scene, co-writing numerous hits for himself and other artists.

After early success that included selling more than 25 million records between 1959 and 1963, his career waned during the British Invasion before resurging in the 1970s with new chart-topping songs such as 'Laughter in the Rain' and 'Bad Blood.' He continued performing into his 80s and later returned to classical composition. Sedaka is survived by his wife, Leba, and their two children.