Linkin Park finally returned in 2024.
After a seven-year hiatus following the 2017 death of frontman Chester Bennington, the “In the End” rockers announced that they’d reformed with new singer Emily Armstrong of Dead Sara, a move that proved to be both exciting and controversial among fans.
Leading up to the reveal, Linkin Park teased their return with a series of countdown clocks, which finally concluded on Sept. 5 with a livestream concert. The show introduced Armstrong with an opening performance of a new song called “The Emptiness Machine,” which would serve as the lead single of Linkin Park’s next album, titled From Zero.
The set also included performances of classic LP songs, proving that Armstrong was adept at channeling both the melodic and heavy aspects of Bennington’s voice. For a brief moment, the buzz around Armstrong joining Linkin Park felt almost universally positive.
That changed, however, when reports of Armstrong’s past ties to the Church of Scientology and its member Danny Masterson, who was convicted of rape, surfaced. Those reports were amplified by The Mars Volta‘s Cedric Bixler-Zavala, whose wife, Chrissie Carnell-Bixler, is among the women who’ve accused Masterson of sexual assault.
Armstrong then put out a statement referring to Masterson, saying she was “asked to support someone I considered a friend at a court appearance, and went to one early hearing as an observer.”
“Soon after, I realized I shouldn’t have,” Armstrong wrote, adding she hadn’t spoken to Masterson since. She concluded, “To say it as clearly as possible: I do not condone abuse or violence against women, and I empathize with the victims of these crimes.”
Meanwhile, Bennington’s son Jaime Bennington and his mother criticized Linkin Park’s decision to bring in Armstrong and the way the reunion was announced.
Armstrong also wasn’t the only new face in the reformed Linkin Park. Original drummer Rob Bourdon, who elected to not take part in the reunion, was replaced by Colin Brittain, while guitarist Brad Delson announced he wouldn’t be joining LP on tour.
Still, Linkin Park powered through all that while continuing to play one-off shows around the world. “The Emptiness Machine” hit #1 on Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock and Alternative Airplay charts, and From Zero debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 upon its release in November.
Linkin Park’s comeback will continue into 2025 when they launch a full world tour.
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