It’s been nearly eight years since Chester Bennington’s passing, and for a long time, Linkin Park seemed frozen in grief. But now, co-founder Mike Shinoda is steering the band into a new era—one that’s both exciting and controversial for longtime fans.
Since its 1999 debut, Linkin Park has been a household name in rock, blending rap, metal, and electronic elements into chart-topping hits like In the End and Numb. But after Bennington’s death in 2017, the group was left searching for direction.
After years of reflection, Shinoda made a bold decision: expand the lineup. He quietly auditioned musicians in the band’s studio without telling them it might lead to a comeback. That’s where he met Emily Armstrong, the former frontwoman of LA punk outfit Dead Sara.
“She was just excited to write music with me,” Shinoda said. “Something clicked instantly.”
Armstrong eventually joined as co-lead vocalist, alongside new drummer Colin Brittain, marking the start of Linkin Park’s rebirth.
But the change hasn’t been easy. Some fans couldn’t accept a new voice—especially a female one—fronting the band.
“People lashed out at Emily because she wasn’t a guy,” Shinoda explained. “They were used to six men and Chester’s voice leading the way.”
Armstrong herself admitted she was terrified.
“I wondered, ‘Why do I think I can do this?’ I didn’t want to ruin Linkin Park. They’re a legacy band.”
From grief to renewal
In the years after Bennington’s death, Shinoda released Post Traumatic, a solo album exploring loss and healing. But performing it live became overwhelming.
“I’d spend 90 minutes with half the audience crying. It was like being a therapist who needed therapy.”
So, instead of staying trapped in the past, Shinoda chose to move forward. Together with Armstrong and Brittain, Linkin Park crafted FROM ZERO, their eighth studio album released last November. The record nods to their early sound—rock-rap fusions, heavy guitars, and raw, angry lyrics—while carving out a new path.
A legacy continues
Now, with a new lineup, Linkin Park is gearing up for a US tour starting July 29. And while some fans still struggle to let go of the past, others are embracing the band’s evolution.
“This tour and album have already become one of our most successful,” Shinoda said. “It’s beyond anything I imagined.”
For Linkin Park, the future doesn’t erase the past—it builds on it. And while Bennington’s shadow will always loom large, Shinoda and Armstrong are proving the band’s story isn’t over yet.