'A very different vibe' Disquiet over Linkin Park's explosive comeback

Oasis may have sold a lot of tickets, but for many music fans there's an even bigger rock comeback this year: Linkin Park, whose first three albums went 25 times platinum between them in the US alone, have dramatically ended a seven-year hiatus that followed the 2017 suicide of co-frontman Chester Bennington.

- Dave Simpson

Last Friday, a simultaneous live-streamed concert, music video and Billboard interview revealed a forthcoming album, world tour and a new co-frontperson, Emily Armstrong. On Wednesday the group played their first full-length concert since 2017, at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California and they play the O2 in London on 24 September. The comeback has been concocted under a level of secrecy to rival even that Oasis reunion, with band members, crew and venues sworn to silence.

"I told everyone that I was going to Los Angeles to interview someone and couldn't give details," said Jason Lipshutz, executive director of music at Billboard, who was given the exclusive two weeks before the announcement.