Get the latest gossip

‘Instantly a very different vibe’: the glory and controversy of Linkin Park’s explosive comeback

On hiatus since the 2017 suicide of Chester Bennington, the rockers have had huge success with return single The Emptiness Machine – but there is disquiet over the frontman’s replacement

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. 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. 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.

Get the Android app