Linkin Park
An American rock band. They are the best-selling band of the 21st century, with cumulative worldwide sales exceeding 100 million copies. They have won two Grammy Awards and received six nominations. Their most famous songs include ‘In the End’, ‘Numb’, ‘What I’ve Done’ and ‘New Divide’. (Excerpted from Wikipedia)
The band was formed by Mike Shinoda (vocals, MC, guitar, keyboards) and Brad Delson (guitar), and later joined by Phoenix (bass), Joe Hahn (DJ), Chester Bennington (vocals), among others. Although there were several lineup changes and the band’s name evolved over time, it settled on Linkin Park after securing a contract with Warner Bros. Records. The songs are not the work of any single member, but are created collaboratively by the entire band, centered around Mike, Brad, and Chester. Although their style has evolved, they generally fall within the new metal and alternative rock genres, featuring an innovative style that makes heavy use of rap and shouting. Hit albums include ‘Hybrid Theory’ and ‘Meteora’.
To be honest, I don’t really listen to this kind of music much, and around the year 2000, I was so busy both personally and professionally that I didn’t have the time to explore the music I liked. Even so, ‘Numb’ caught my ear, and it was a song I couldn’t forget from the very first time I listened to it. After that, I’d occasionally listen to this song on YouTube, but since I’d never really gotten into heavy metal or bands that shout, I didn’t delve any deeper. But after listening to it for nearly 20 years, I finally realized that the vocalist has a truly unique voice and singing ability unlike anyone else. I really loved this song, so I looked up the vocalist and the band—and to my surprise, I found out that Chester, the lead singer, had passed away more than five years ago. The cause of death was apparently ruled as suicide, as he often suffered from mental distress due to childhood trauma and experiences with drugs; however, being a star, there seemed to be all sorts of conspiracy theories and speculation flying around.
After that, Linkin Park overcame the tragedy, welcomed new vocalist Emily Armstrong, replaced former drummer Rob Bourdon with Colin Britten, and reunited in 2024. Emily is a truly amazing singer in her own right, but personally, I feel a strange sense of regret that Chester—whom I had just discovered—had passed away, and the cause of his death was so shocking that ‘Numb’ became an even more unforgettable song for me.
Another thing that surprised me when I looked into Linkin Park was just how incredibly popular they are. Since the 1990s—around the time Freddie Mercury of Queen, whom I was a huge fan of, passed away—I hadn’t really listened to any new rock bands, so I had absolutely no idea which bands were popular or to what extent. I assumed Linkin Park was, at best, moderately popular (sorry… I’m not very savvy about hard rock). I never imagined they’d become “the best-selling band of the 21st century”! But, come to think of it, it makes perfect sense. With members of Japanese-American, Korean-American, and Jewish-American descent, they truly embody this era of diversity. Even in the U.S., a country known for its diversity, men from minority backgrounds often face challenges, so I was pleasantly surprised to find a Japanese-American in this massively popular band! With the addition of a female member, the band is sure to evolve even further.
But above all, what I regret most is that I never got to hear Chester's voice live, even just once. It seems that between the 1990s and around 2010, while I was busy with other things, the music scene in the West had undergone a dramatic transformation. I was living in New York at the time, and I have a feeling that before I knew it, the world had become a place where all you could hear was rap; yet apparently, in the intervening years, there had been grunge, and Linkin Park had popularised a style of metal that incorporated rap. Linkin Park also seem to be the band that elevated the shout to the mainstream. I think Chester’s shouts were in a league of their own compared to other bands. Perhaps it was the contrast with the beauty of his high notes? His shouting has a beauty that pierces the heart. Chester’s voice was one of a kind… Yet, his sudden death is so sad even for a fan like me; when I imagine how his devoted fans must have felt, it leaves me speechless… RIP
Linkin Park, of course, have many classic tracks, and I particularly like the songs mentioned above, as well as ‘Numb’. So, I’d like to express my gratitude to Linkin Park for everything they’ve done so far, and send them my best wishes for their new beginning.
