Oasis may have sold a lot of tickets, but for many music fans there’s an even bigger rock comeback this year: Linkin Park, whose first three albums went 25 times platinum between them in the US alone, have dramatically ended a seven-year hiatus which followed the 2017 suicide of co-frontman Chester Bennington.
Last Friday, a simultaneous livestreamed concert, music video and Billboard interview revealed a forthcoming album, world tour and a new co-frontperson, Emily Armstrong. On Wednesday the group played their first full-length concert since 2017, at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, and they play London’s O2 Arena on 24 September. The comeback has been concocted under a level of secrecy to rival even that Oasis reunion, with band members, crew and venues being sworn to silence.
“I told everyone that I was going to Los Angeles to interview someone and couldn’t give details,” revealed Jason Lipshutz, executive director of music at Billboard, who was given the exclusive two weeks before the announcement. “Everything was kept under wraps. Now they’re playing arenas in the same week they announced that they were returning. I can’t believe that didn’t leak.”
Linkin Park’s hugely catchy new single The Emptiness Machine is now the fifth most played song globally on Spotify and looks destined for the UK Top 3 at a time when hard rock has scant presence in the singles chart. However, their choice of singer is proving controversial – and not just among elements of the fanbase who are uneasy with the band continuing at all, given the circumstances of Bennington’s death.
Armstrong has faced criticism over links to the Church of Scientology and initially came out in support of Scientologist and former actor Danny Masterson who, after a retrial, was convicted of two rapes last year. Last week, the singer went on Instagram to “clear the air”, writing: “Several years ago, I was asked to support someone I considered a friend at a court appearance. Soon after, I realised I shouldn’t have. I always try to see the good in people, and I misjudged him. I have never spoken with him since. Unimaginable details emerged … To say it as clearly as possible: I do not condone abuse or violence against women and I empathise with the victims of these crimes.”
Armstrong identifies as LGBTQ+, which Scientology sees as sinful. Although her parents remain in the church, where she grew up, in previous band Dead Sara she sang: “I heard the voices of the preacher / Telling me I’d die alone / I’m through feeling sorry, for the things I can’t choose.”
Meanwhile, Bennington’s 28-year-old son Jaime accused Linkin Park founder Mike Shinoda of “erasing my father’s life and legacy”. The band haven’t commented, but Metal Hammer editor Eleanor Goodman said: “I don’t think we know anything about Linkin Park’s relationship with Chester’s family members, but it must be incredibly difficult to go through the loss of your dad and then deal with that in the public eye. I’m sure the band have had to get through their own emotional knotweed.”
The new lineup features new drummer Colin Brittain (replacing co-founder Rob Bourdon) and this week it was revealed that co-founding guitarist Brad Delson won’t be touring, although remains a member. Rejigged lineups often divide fans, but this case is also rawer than most because Linkin Park followers are often very emotionally invested.
Lipshutz, also the author of forthcoming Linkin Park biography It Starts With One, said: “The band had a really forward-thinking sound in terms of merging rap, rock and electronic pop, but they were also early in talking about mental health, addiction, anxiety and depression. It’s a different landscape now, but Chester was very open in singing or talking about his nightmares and the abuse he suffered growing up and in doing so he helped millions of people feel less alone. I don’t think anyone could replace that but Emily will bring her own experiences.”
Goodman suggests that the sheer scale of the fanbase will help overcome any negativity: “Chester can never be replaced but bringing in a female singer instantly means a very different vibe. The single sounds contemporary, a modern Linkin Park.” Lipshutz said he felt “heartened that they didn’t just come back and play the hits with a Chester imitator. I don’t think that would be creatively fulfilling”.
Other musicians are supportive. “Chester was the king of tapping into whichever emotion and making you feel it in the song,” the Word Alive frontman Telle Smith said. “But once Emily feels the emotional energy of that crowd coming at her I’m sure she will thrive.”
Brent Smith, singer with platinum-selling American rockers Shinedown, agrees. “There are generations of fans who have missed this band and their message and they should be allowed to celebrate their legacy and create a new one,” he said. “The new single goes to the core of who they are – and Emily sounds fantastic.”
