Linkin Park Announce New Singer, Album and Drop a New Song

After months of speculation that Linkin Park was gearing up for something big, the news is finally here. On Thursday (Sept. 5), the longstanding nu-metal band announced a new singer, drummer, tour, album and released a new song.

Linkin Park to Release FROM ZERO in November

Linkin Park will release their first album since 2017, FROM ZERO, on Nov. 15. The album is available for pre-order/pre-save via Warner Records. 

In big news from the band, Linkin Park also has a new singer in the fold, Emily Armstrong of Dead Sara, and new drummer, Colin Brittain. The rest of the lineup consists of longtime Linkin Park members Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Phoenix and Joe Hahn.

In addition, Linkin Park has released their first new song in seven years: “The Emptiness Machine,” which you can hear below. They made the announcement via a livestream performance on their social accounts.

Regarding the new era of Linkin Park, Shinoda said in a statement, “Before Linkin Park, our first band name was Xero. This album title refers to both this humble beginning and the journey we’re currently undertaking. Sonically and emotionally, it is about past, present, and future—embracing our signature sound, but new and full of life. It was made with a deep appreciation for our new and longtime bandmates, our friends, our family, and our fans. We are proud of what Linkin Park has become over the years, and excited about the journey ahead.”

Shinoda also talked about the new lineup, stating, “The more we worked with Emily and Colin, the more we enjoyed their world-class talents, their company, and the things we created. We feel really empowered with this new lineup and the vibrant and energized new music we’ve made together. We’re weaving together the sonic touchpoints we’ve been known for and still exploring new ones.”

Back in August, Linkin Park started teasing some big news that appeared to be slated to drop on Aug. 28. The band had a countdown clock on their website that was set to end at 2:15 p.m. Eastern time that day, but it didn’t. Instead, when the countdown clock hit zero, nothing really happened. When the countdown clock hit 00:00:00, it simply began to tick back up. Some fans saw a glitch at 00:09:05 and started guessing that the news would arrive on Sept. 5. They were right. That event was followed by a message on social media from Linkin Park, where the group stated that news would drop on Sept. 5. “Be part of something. September 5th. LinkinPark.com,” they wrote.

Founding Linkin Park member and vocalist Chester Bennington tragically took his own life on July 20, 2017, at the age of 41. The only concert the band has played since Bennington’s death was a tribute show in the fall of 2017.

Anne Erickson started her radio career shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and has worked on-air in Detroit, Flint, Toledo, Lansing and beyond. As someone who absolutely loves rock, metal and alt music, she instantly fell in love with radio and hasn’t looked back. When she’s not working, Anne makes her own music with her band, Upon Wings, and she also loves cheering on her favorite Detroit and Michigan sports teams, especially Lions and MSU football. Anne is also an award-winning journalist, and her byline has run in a variety of national publications. You can also hear her weekends on WRIF.