Chester Bennington dead at 41

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

LB is a guilty pleasure. As a thirty something they aren't a group you'd normally list off except in specific company, but if one of their singles comes on the radio you'll move the volume dial up. They're a soundtrack for delinquents, but they are fun and nostalgic.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Me replying to posts doesn't mean I'm taking this personally. I couldn't care less. I'm just having a discussion.

And yes, we are talking about relevancy on a wider scale. Like I mentioned before, their massive respect amongst their peers in the industry makes them relevant. Their numbers/tours/awards over the years make them relevant. Their music inspiring other artists makes them relevant.

They aren't some artist clinging on to past hits playing at state fares for a fast buck.

I never said the phrase "relevant again". I've always maintained in this discussion they were always relevant.

Irrelevant acts don't headline big festivals across the planet and they were doing this in the recent years before Chester died.

It's funny because they were a main stage band during Meteora times, when they were massive for album sales, but often weren't the final act on a lot of those festivals.

I saw them as the 5th or 6th band on Ozzfest 01(supporting Hybrid Theory). I saw them as the third band in 03 behind Limp Bizkit/Metallica(supporting Meteora).

But they weren’t always relevant. Their peak was somewhere between Hybrid Theory and Minutes to Midnight, which coincides with their best sales. At that time, they were not only at their peak popularity, but at their peak creatively as well.

Let’s pretend those three albums don’t exist. Do you think they would sell out shows or headline major festivals without that artistic output?

One More Light was a critical bomb, and received a boost in sales after Chester died. Otherwise it wouldn’t have amounted to much.
46/100 on Metacritic
3/5 stars in AllMusic
1/5 stars from NME
D+ from Consequence of Sound

Hunting Party faired a little better.
65/100 on Metacritic
2.5/5 on AllMusic
3/5 on NME
C+ on Consequence of Sound

Living Things was a mix.
60/100 on Metacritic
3.5/5 on AllMusic
5/10 on NME
3/5 on Rolling Stone

Thousand Suns was similar.

Compare this to Meteora, for example, with a 4.5/5 on AllMusic. Or Hybrid Theory with a 5/5 from both AllMusic and Kerrang. Not only were these by far their biggest albums in sales, they were also their best reviewed.

Linkin Park was relevant once. Absolutely. They defined a genre, had some major and influential creative outputs, and sold tens of millions of albums back when albums actually sold. But which bands were inspired by One More Light? What creative influence did it have? Any? Would they have headlined big festivals without the portion of their catalogue that came a decade prior? You seem like a diehard fan, but even you had to admit that’s a “no.”

They stopped making influential, culturally relevant music a long time ago. That’s OK. But if you disagree, tell me what about the new song achieves those things. Maybe the album will, who knows, but we have the new song, so tell me what ground is being broken here and how it’s going to influence the culture.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

But they weren’t always relevant. Their peak was somewhere between Hybrid Theory and Minutes to Midnight, which coincides with their best sales. At that time, they were not only at their peak popularity, but at their peak creatively as well.

Let’s pretend those three albums don’t exist. Do you think they would sell out shows or headline major festivals without that artistic output?

One More Light was a critical bomb, and received a boost in sales after Chester died. Otherwise it wouldn’t have amounted to much.
46/100 on Metacritic
3/5 stars in AllMusic
1/5 stars from NME
D+ from Consequence of Sound

Hunting Party faired a little better.
65/100 on Metacritic
2.5/5 on AllMusic
3/5 on NME
C+ on Consequence of Sound

Living Things was a mix.
60/100 on Metacritic
3.5/5 on AllMusic
5/10 on NME
3/5 on Rolling Stone

Thousand Suns was similar.

Compare this to Meteora, for example, with a 4.5/5 on AllMusic. Or Hybrid Theory with a 5/5 from both AllMusic and Kerrang. Not only were these by far their biggest albums in sales, they were also their best reviewed.

Linkin Park was relevant once. Absolutely. They defined a genre, had some major and influential creative outputs, and sold tens of millions of albums back when albums actually sold. But which bands were inspired by One More Light? What creative influence did it have? Any? Would they have headlined big festivals without the portion of their catalogue that came a decade prior? You seem like a diehard fan, but even you had to admit that’s a “no.”

They stopped making influential, culturally relevant music a long time ago. That’s OK. But if you disagree, tell me what about the new song achieves those things. Maybe the album will, who knows, but we have the new song, so tell me what ground is being broken here and how it’s going to influence the culture.

Never once suggested Hybrid Theory and Meteora isn't where their most success came from. Those albums laid their foundation for what they became and no, they're not headlining festivals, pulling in the numbers that they do without them. I've never debated that at all.

But you seem to be putting them in a category of bands you would see while at a state fair and that's where I push back.

Again, this is boiling down to just us completely disagreeing on the word relevant. They are drawing millions of ears on their music(old and new) on a daily basis. To me, that's relevant. Maybe it's not to you. So be it.

[DownInFlames]

They should change the name to LinkedIn Park because I bet that's how they found their new singer.

#firsttimethisjokehaseverbeendone

[Looch City]

Linkin Park > Oasis

[Sliver]

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

I get when some bands change out a member they keep the name and brand, but I never got when a band kept going after they change out the front man. Chester is basically Linkin Park to me. I don't mind listening in to the former members of linkin park + new singers, but something in me has problems thinking that this is still linkin park. It's like when Queen toured after freddy mercury. Great- but not really Queen.

Although for some bands, it somehow works. AC/DC, Van Halen (the first time anyway), Genesis, Iron Maiden.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

Although for some bands, it somehow works. AC/DC, Van Halen (the first time anyway), Genesis, Iron Maiden.

Yeah, for some bands it does work. I guess we just wait and see.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

Although for some bands, it somehow works. AC/DC, Van Halen (the first time anyway), Genesis, Iron Maiden.

Yeah it is funny, I did think of AC/DC being a clear example of where it did work. I don't even really think of the Bon Scott AC/DC when i think of them though...

[Locke]

Well...Chester's son is...not a fan.

Linkin Park’s return with new vocalist Emily Armstrong has sparked controversy, with Chester Bennington’s son, Jaime Bennington, accusing Mike Shinoda of “quietly erasing my father’s life and legacy in real time.”

https://www.billboard.com/music/rock...ng-1235771097/

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by Locke

Well...Chester's son is...not a fan.



https://www.billboard.com/music/rock...ng-1235771097/

just for clarity, he's not a fan of Mike's choice for singer because of her background/beliefs.

He's not criticizing the choice to find another singer.

But yeah, he's not a fan of Emily, that's for sure.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Looch City

Linkin Park > Oasis

If you like a certain kind of music, maybe…

Musically… no. I would respectfully disagree. Oasis’ greatest hits album has 40 tracks and thirty of them are absolute bangers, to say nothing of the rest of their extended catalogue.

In particular, Noel is a musical genius beyond the level of anyone else involved in either group.

Linkin Park still rocks.

They’re just not better than Oasis.

[indes]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

If you like a certain kind of music, maybe…

Musically… no. I would respectfully disagree. Oasis’ greatest hits album has 40 tracks and thirty of them are absolute bangers, to say nothing of the rest of their extended catalogue.

In particular, Noel is a musical genius beyond the level of anyone else involved in either group.

Linkin Park still rocks.

They’re just not better than Oasis.

Probably era dependent...I would assume Oasis' 40 greatest hits are wonderwall 39 times and champagne supernova.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

So who's getting ressurected in 2026?

[Coach]

I do really like her voice and fits them well. Not a big fan of the song overall though. Haven't really liked much Linkin Park outside of Hybrid Theory and Faint. Would love to hear some versions of their hits with her for sure.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by indes

Probably era dependent...I would assume Oasis' 40 greatest hits are wonderwall 39 times and champagne supernova.

D’You Know What I Mean?
Roll With It
Live Forever
Whatever
Half a World Away
Little by Little
Supersonic
The Shock of the Lightning
Songbird
Talk Tonight
Lyla
Don’t Look Back in Anger
The Hindu Times
Stop Crying Your Heart Out
All Around the World
The Importance of Being Idle
She Is Love
Stand By Me
I’m Out of Time
Falling Down

That’s half their greatest hits, and any one of them Would be the greatest song 99% of bands ever wrote. And it’s before we dive into their back catalogue.

Or listen to Wonderwall 19 times and champagne supernova once.

[indes]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

D’You Know What I Mean?

Roll With It

Live Forever

Whatever

Half a World Away

Little by Little

Supersonic

The Shock of the Lightning

Songbird

Talk Tonight

Lyla

Don’t Look Back in Anger

The Hindu Times

Stop Crying Your Heart Out

All Around the World

The Importance of Being Idle

She Is Love

Stand By Me

I’m Out of Time

Falling Down



That’s half their greatest hits, and any one of them Would be the greatest song 99% of bands ever wrote. And it’s before we dive into their back catalogue.



Or listen to Wonderwall 19 times and champagne supernova once.

I don't want to argue over something as subjective as music but if you look at the song plays on YouTube for Oasis vs Linkin Park, Oasis' greatest hits would probably be LPs 3rd or 4th most listened to album.

Oasis 3.5 billion views on YouTube
Linkin park 15.7 billion views on YouTube

Spotify rank 54 vs 144, both obviously very influential bands but there's a significant gap in popularity.

[GreenLantern2814]

That’s fair about overall popularity, but I guess I would counter with Immortal Technique’s “universal truth is not measured in mass appeal”.

Take Whatever as an example. Whatever is, IMO, the song bittersweet Symphony thinks/wishes it was.

Never gets played. Most people have never even heard of it.

[Coach]

Oasis' catalogue destroys Linkin Park quality-wise, regardless of what views/listens may say (FWIW, Oasis has sold more albums at 75M vs 70M - which is way higher than I thought LP was to be honest). Both are from album sales times, although LP would have been right at the start of the download generation too.

I really like both bands but I would say it's not even close from a musical standard perspective. Drake is above Eminem in Spotify listens, probably views and I would guess money as well, I dont think anyone would argue that he's better musician.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

That’s fair about overall popularity, but I guess I would counter with Immortal Technique’s “universal truth is not measured in mass appeal”.

Take Whatever as an example. Whatever is, IMO, the song bittersweet Symphony thinks/wishes it was.

Never gets played. Most people have never even heard of it.

I like Oasis but no.
And some other Verve/Ashcroft stuff may actually be better than anything Oasis ever did.
Drugs Don't Work is better anything in the Oasis catalog for me.
Saying this as a fan of both.