PETALING JAYA, May 2 — Linkin Park is making plans for a 2025 reunion tour and considering the possibility of recruiting a female vocalist to succeed late singer Chester Bennington.
Since Bennington’s death in 2017, the band has been on hiatus.
However, reports from Billboard suggest that Linkin Park’s booking agency, WME, is currently open to offers for concerts and festivals featuring Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson and Dave Farrell.
Although the identity of Bennington’s successor remains uncertain, a source has told Billboard that the band is actively searching for a female vocalist for their reunion.
The announcement comes after speculation ignited by Jay Gordon of Orgy, who mentioned in March that he had ‘heard’ Linkin Park ‘had a girl singer now.’
He later released a statement to clarify his remarks, stating “With regards to this Linkin Park singer thing,” he wrote. “I know nothing about any of that.”
He also expressed frustration at people taking his words out of context and added that he loves the band and wishes them the best.
Following Bennington’s passing, there have been discussions regarding the future of the band.
Shinoda has opposed the idea of using a Bennington hologram, which he stated is “creepy”, while Amy Lee of Evanescence has firmly denied rumours suggesting she would take Bennington’s place.
In November, Shinoda talked to NME about the future of Linkin Park, saying that there are no plans at the moment.
He further stated “I always just tell people like when there’s news I’ll give you the news”
“We’ve been doing it for a while and I think our expectation for what’s a proper reissue is kind of high.
“I don’t love putting out Greatest Hits stuff or putting out re-masters of things we’ve done, so if we were to do a re-reissue of one of our Linkin Park albums, we want it to be a big deal.
“If we can’t make it that quality then we won’t do it. If it’s not great then I don’t think we should do it,” said Shinoda.
As one of the standout rock bands of the 2000s, Linkin Park has left an incredible mark on the music industry.
Their impressive track record includes charting 24 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, with notable hits like In the End in 2003, What I’ve Done in 2007, and New Divide in 2009, solidifying their place as one of the era’s most influential bands.
