Should bands continue if their singer passes away?

Linkin Park and others ...

A few weeks back, the music news was abuzz with the announcement of Linkin Park's new singer and the band’s return after many years away. This raises an interesting question: Should bands whose lead singer has passed away continue with a new vocalist?

I'll be honest — I’ve never been a massive Linkin Park fan. I did a bit of a deep dive to confirm this, and while their songs are definitely catchy and great, I never really connected with the rap/rock thing, unless it was Rage Against the Machine. But I don’t need to love it to understand why others do. There were formative years when I didn’t appreciate The Smiths. My mother once went to London for work and asked for the hottest albums to bring back to me, and The Smiths’ was among them. Years later, I finally got it and realized how amazing some of those songs are.

So, while I’m not particularly excited about the Linkin Park reunion, the response on social media tells a different story. This band has been missed by millions of people.

Tragically, Chester Bennington passed away a few years ago, along with other iconic singers like Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots) and Chris Cornell (Soundgarden). Stone Temple Pilots continued after recruiting Jeff Gutt, while Soundgarden have officially stopped, per guitarist Kim Thayil.

In STP's case, I believe the songs are bigger than the band or its singer. I can’t realistically comment on their new singer since the shoes left by Weiland are incredibly tough to fill, much like those left by Cornell.

Mike Shinoda and Emily Armstrong of Linkin Park perform during the 'From Zero World Tour' at The O2 Arena on September 24, 2024 in London, England.

There seems to be a lot of criticism online for the new singer stepping into Chester's role, Emily Armstrong of Dead Sara. But the question remains: Should these musicians, who have worked their whole lives to get here, stop playing? Absolutely not. However, fans need to be realistic—tragic circumstances have led to these singers’ deaths, and they are not coming back. So let’s be easy on the other band members. They have a great catalog and the right to make a living by playing their music.

As long as fans approach this knowing that it’s going to be different and that they shouldn’t expect the same experience, all will be okay. I think Chester would have wanted his legacy to continue.

Let these musicians play! If you don’t have something nice to say, maybe keep it to yourself instead of spewing hate on social media. The anonymity of platforms like TikTok can lead to a tendency to lash out. Instead of hate, be happy that your favorite songs will live on; it’s up to you whether you choose to listen again.

(See my other article about bands with no original members.)

In certain cases, like AC/DC, replacement singers can be just as good (though that’s more of a nostalgic reference to the early Brian Johnson albums). So give it a chance! If you don’t like it, don’t go, but let these bands and their legacies live on. And in some cases, it’s best to keep your opinions to yourself. :)

Let us know what you think.

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