The early 2000s saw some of the biggest nu-metal, alternative, heavy metal, and hard rock bands that defined a generation of fans. Leading one of the era's biggest names was lead singer and frontman Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, who would have celebrated his 50th birthday today, March 20.
Bennington was a singer-songwriter born in Phoenix, Arizona, who also fronted the bands Grey Daze, Dead by Sunrise, and Stone Temple Pilots at various points in his career. Linkin Park ended up being his biggest career success, with the band having formed out of Agoura Hills, California, in 1996.
It was originally formed by friends and band members Mike Shinoda, Rob Bourdon, and Brad Delson. They later recruited Joe Hahn, Dave "Phoenix" Farrell, and Mark Wakefield, but failure to secure a record deal led Wakefield to leave the band. Soon, Bennington was the frontrunner among the auditions and would become Linkin Park's lead vocalist.
Linkin Park started with a heavy metal and hip hop sound before becoming largely known as an alternative rock and nu metal band. They released their debut album Hybrid Theory in 2000 during the peak of the nu metal scene and dominated the charts with tracks like "One Step Closer", "Crawling", and "In the End." Their following albums, Meteora and Minutes to Midnight, became hits and cemented Linkin Park as one of the best-selling music acts.
Their popularity led them to win two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, 10 MTV Europe Music Awards, and three World Music Awards. Bennington has been tagged multiple times as one of the greatest rock vocalists of his generation.
Related: ’60s Music Legend Ranked ‘Greatest Rock Lead Singer’ of All Time
Despite the band's success, Bennington struggled with alcohol, substance abuse, and depression most of his life. He also experienced sexual abuse at a young age by an older male friend, but only revealed the truth to his father years later and never pressed charges. Throughout his time in Linkin Park, Bennington had multiple health issues and relapses.
On July 20, 2017, Bennington was found dead in his home in Palos Verdes Estates, California. He was 41, and authorities ruled his death a suicide by hanging. Following the news of his death, Linkin Park canceled their tour and held his funeral on July 29. Bennington's death also led Linkin Park to take a long hiatus before announcing their return in 2024 with new co-lead vocalist Emily Armstrong.
Linkin Park posted a photo of Bennington on their Instagram to celebrate the singer's birthday. They captioned it, "Happy Birthday, Chester."
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available 24 hours a day through the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
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