Burns was catapulted to fame in 1985 with the huge success of the group's single "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)", and later participated in the 2006 edition of "Celebrity Big Brother", in which he finished fifth.
"All of his family and friends are devastated by the loss of our special star," a statement released by his manager and former band member, Steve Coy, his partner, Michael Simpson, and ex-wife, Lynne Corlett, read, according to Guardian.
Raised in Liverpool and dropping out of school at just 14, Burns began working in a local record shop and formed a band, Mystery Girls, which quickly led to him forming Dead Or Alive with Mike Percy, Steve Coy and Tim Lever in 1980.
Upon success, he became iconic for his androgynous style and forward-thinking approach to gender.
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Other minor hits for the band followed, but none were as big as their signature song, and various attempts to launch Burns' solo career also proved to be unsuccessful.
Burns' fellow "CBB" contestant, George Galloway, also offered his thoughts. "Sad to hear of the demise of Pete Burns. He was a cross between Oscar Wilde and Dorothy Parker. You don't get more brilliant than that. RIP."
Burns was frank about his decades-long addiction to cosmetic surgery, having over 300 operations during his lifetime, mainly on his face, and coming close to death during an operation on his nose in 2006.