90s rock icon addresses rumour he’s replacing Chester Bennington in Linkin Park-Danni Scott-Entertainment – Metro

Linkin Park have teased a countdown on their website (Picture: Martin Philbey/Redferns)

The rock world has been in overdrive today as Linkin Park continues to count down on their website, with fans desperate to know what for.

Linkin Park has been on hiatus since the loss of frontman Chester Bennington in 2017, with mounting expectations around when they would return.

Therefore the countdown, randomly coinciding with Oasis’ announcement, has sent the hopeful fans into meltdown trying to work out what was going on.

Fans thought they had cracked the big secret when rumours of Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley joining the group emerged.

The Fat Lip singer had instructed American fans to ‘tune in’ on Wednesday morning, coincidentally around the same time the countdown ends.

Speculation became so huge that the 44-year-old singer has been forced to address it and ‘dispel’ the rumours.

Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 had to address the speculation (Photo by Francesco Prandoni/Getty Images)

Many fans thought he would be replacing the late Chester Bennington (Picture: Roger Kisby/WireImage)

On Instagram, he wrote: ‘I feel the need to dispel some current rumours. It’s been brought to my attention that many people think I could be joining a reuniting band.

‘But I just want to say, despite popular belief, I am not joining Oasis… or Linkin Park. Or any other band for that matter.

‘I have my own “tour and book” announcement that I will now move to the end of the week, ahead of our US tour. I do look forward to seeing whatever both these amazing bands do in the future.’

Linkin Park has been on hiatus since 2017 when the music world was left devastated at the news that Bennington had taken his own life aged 41.

They have performed as cameo appearances with other bands since but not released new music.

Not long ago they also released a career-spanning greatest hits album titled Papercuts (Singles Collection 2000-2023), which featured classics such as In The End, Burn It Down, and Numb.

It also included a previously unreleased track Friendly Fire, featuring Bennington’s vocals in a touching tribute.

Linkin Park has been on hiatus since Bennington’s death (Picture: Gary Wolstenholme/Redferns via Getty Images)

Deryck performed as part of Linkin Park’s tribute concert, along with members of Blink-182, Korn, Avenged Sevenfold, and Bring Me the Horizon.

The Linkin Park reveal remains unknown, although the festival Welcome to Rockville did share their teasing countdown post.

This has led fans to suggest that Linkin Park could reunite during the festival in 2025 – possibly with a female vocalist.

Evanescence star Amy Lee was rumoured as a potential new lead singer, which she addressed in an interview with iHeart Radio in Canada.

The Bring Me To Life singer said: ‘That is an incredible compliment, have not heard that. No, I have not been contacted by [Linkin Park] or anything like that.

‘But [I’m a] huge fan [and] feel like our worlds, our fanbases are a lot of the same people.’

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