While interacting with fans on Discord, LINKIN PARK’s Mike Shinoda shed light on why the band has been favoring their newer material over classic songs from the Chester Bennington era during recent live performances.
Acknowledging fan requests for older tracks, Shinoda explained, “We are in the fortunate position of having too many songs to play,” before adding, “New songs > old songs, right now at least.”
Clarifying his statement, he assured fans that the shift wasn’t a marketing strategy but a natural choice driven by the band’s enthusiasm for their latest work and the contributions of their new vocalist, Emily Armstrong.
“Not marketing. Band loves the new stuff + it’s Emily’s voice,” he wrote.
LINKIN PARK’s latest album, From Zero, released in November, marks their first studio effort since 2017’s One More Light. The record introduces both Armstrong as the band’s new vocalist and Colin Brittain as their new drummer, following Bennington’s passing in 2017 and the departure of Rob Bourdon in 2018.
In an interview with KROQ’s Kevan Kenney, Shinoda reflected on the emotional process of creating From Zero and how the lineup naturally came together.
“For me, two years ago, it was very overwhelming,” Shinoda admitted. “The best thing we did was to just let things happen organically, without pushing too hard. We found Emily and Colin naturally, and the music came into focus based on what we enjoyed the most.”
When Kenney suggested that From Zero feels like a return to LINKIN PARK’s roots, Shinoda agreed.
“I love that there’s such a strong LINKIN PARK DNA in the record,” he said. “It really does feel like LINKIN PARK, but it carries elements of every era of the band.”
Bassist Dave “Phoenix” Farrell added that while he isn’t sure how to define the band’s signature sound, the transition to their new lineup felt seamless.
“When we started gradually integrating Emily and Colin, it just felt like LINKIN PARK. That was the most rewarding part of the process—realizing that everything was coming together naturally and we were having fun the entire time.”
Now, with From Zero out in the world, Shinoda and his bandmates are embracing this new chapter—one that, for now, takes precedence over their past.
