On This Day: Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington Passes Away in 2017, Fans Remember His Legacy

Fans of the legendary alternative rock and nu-metal band Linkin Park were dealt a huge blow on this day in 2017. On July 20, Linkin Park’s frontman Chester Bennington passed away at the age of 41. He was found in his home in California after a lifelong battle with addiction and depression.

It’s hard not to see this day as a massive loss for the world of alt-rock, as well as a massive loss for the friends and family that loved Bennington. But if anything, the day of his death should be a day to remember his incredible contributions to the genre.

Chester Bennington’s Contributions to Alternative Rock

Chester Bennington was best known as the lead vocalist of the band Linkin Park. Though, it is worth noting that he was a vocalist for Stone Temple Pilots, Dead By Sunrise, and Grey Daze.

Following the successful debut of Linkin Park’s 2000 album Hybrid Theory, Bennington was quickly tossed into the spotlight. Hybrid Theory is considered one of the best-selling debut albums of the early 2000s.

Bennington continued to lend his unique vocal talents to six additional Linkin Park Albums. Each of those albums made it to the Billboard 200 after their respective releases. Bennington was known for his vocal range, which included his ability to transition from belting raspy screams to tender, delicate singing. His vocal style has influenced countless alt-rock and nu-metal vocalists that have debuted over the last two decades.

Bennington struggled with addiction and depression since childhood. In 2011, he said that he had quit drinking. Unfortunately, addiction and depression can be difficult battles to win, and Bennington committed suicide in 2017.

In the wake of Bennington’s death, tributes from around the music world began pouring in. Jared Leto, Blink-182, Jay-Z, and Coldplay’s Chris Martin are just a few names who paid tribute to the late great singer.

“[Chester] had a way of making anyone he spoke to feel heard, understood and significant,” said Limp Bizkit’s frontman Fred Durst, another pioneering artist in nu-metal. “His aura and spirit were contagious and empowering. Often those types of people have so much pain and torture inside that the last thing they want is to contaminate or break the spirit of others.”

RIP, Chester. The alt-rock world isn’t the same without you.

Photo by Junko Kimura

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