Linkin Park have released an official statement regarding the death of vocalist Chester Bennington:
“Dear Chester,
“Our hearts are broken. The shockwaves of grief and denial are still sweeping through our family as we come to grips with what has happened.
“You touched so many lives, maybe even more than you realized. In the past few days, we’ve seen an outpouring of love and support, both public and private, from around the world. Talinda and the family appreciate it, and want the world to know that you were the best husband, son, and father; the family will never be whole without you.
“Talking with you about the years ahead together, your excitement was infectious. Your absence leaves a void that can never be filled—a boisterous, funny, ambitious, creative, kind, generous voice in the room is missing. We’re trying to remind ourselves that the demons who took you away from us were always part of the deal. After all, it was the way you sang about those demons that made everyone fall in love with you in the first place. You fearlessly put them on display, and in doing so, brought us together and taught us to be more human. You had the biggest heart, and managed to wear it on your sleeve.
“Our love for making and performing music is inextinguishable. While we don’t know what path our future may take, we know that each of our lives was made better by you. Thank you for that gift. We love you, and miss you so much.
“Until we see you again,
“LP
“Visit Chester.LinkinPark.com“
This comes on the heels of news that Linkin Park have, with good reason, canceled their upcoming US tour. Holders have been contacted and tickets have been refunded.
As with most deaths of high profile artists, Linkin Park sale numbers have skyrocketed according to Billboard. The band’s discography has received a total of 12.6 million on-demand audio streams on July 20, the day of Bennington’s death. “In the End,” from their debut album Hybrid Theory, was the most streamed track, with 923,000 streams that day. Of course, this says nothing of the impressive numbers recorded the day before, speaking to the band’s legacy.
The band has also seemingly changed their logo, the new one having a missing side, while the old one had six sides for the six members of the band.
Whether or not they intend to continue on without Bennington has yet to be seen, but the official statement and new logo seem to indicate that the band still has the drive to carry on.
