I know the topic can be heavy but I really, really hope that Linkin Parrk will continue making music, in whatever form. LP has been without Chester once when it started as Xero/Hybrid Theory. I hope that at least the founders Mike Shinoda and Joe Hahn will reinvigorate ideas that have been left beside, that we will hear more of the vibe of Fort Minor, more refined music, more sophisticated art again. Life is often like this, one door closes and makes way for a new beginning, new opportunities. As much as I revelled in Chester's verses, I always got the impression that without him LP would have not dived so deep into pop territories, mainstream accessibility, that there would have been more room for artistic refinery. I'd like to hear further developments of the tradition that songs like High Voltage, Dedicated, the remix Album Reanimation, songs like Session, Tinfoil, Issoh Ni, A Thousand Suns, Kenji and others have set. Maybe it won't happen, it's up to the remaining Band, up to Mike and Joe primarily in my eyes. But I only found this style with LP and if this would be the end of it, that would be such a pitty.
Admittedly this would be cool, but I sincerely doubt it. Mike and the rest of the band have evolved beyond that. That style of music worked great when it was the 90s and the band were an underground group. Mike isn't going back to the multisyllabic rhymes for the sake of multisyllabic rhymes because he's evolved as a songwriter and artist. Sure his rapping may not be as technical now but technicality over substance isn't what makes good music. Maybe more hip hop/trap music in the future tho? Very very likely.
I highly doubt it. I mean have you ever checked Mike's playlists? they're full with modern electronic/pop/hip hop music. so he was responable for the evolution of Linkin Park's music not Chester! so I think if they decided to continue making music then they gonna contunie making stuff like OML, The Mall soundtrack...etc
I know Chester had an incredibly unique voice and contributed a lot of lyrics, but sonically I don't see much changing. Mike (and to a lesser extent Brad) has always formed the backbone of the band's songwriting, sound, sonic shifts, etc. Even looking at the most recent album (the first time we got to see actual writing credits), Shinoda is credited on all tracks, Delson on seven and Bennington on two. If they do carry on (and if they do so without a new vocalist), I think the main impact Chester's passing will have from a genre point of view is that they probably won't head back towards a more aggressive, scream-heavy sound, but aside from that, I don't think it'll impact the genres that the rest of the band want to explore much.
This. I think a lot of guys underestimate Brads role in the band, Mike is the captain and Brad was far and away the second in command. It's fun to speculate where they might go (albeit under horrible circumstances), but where they've been thus far was probably due in large part to Mike already. He'll obviously need to work around the lack of a major asset in Chester, so that will no doubt play a huge role in everything moving forward, but as far as any stylistic decisions, those were all made by Mike. At any rate I would like to see more Mr Hahn contributions, I'm not sure what the guy has even done on the past few albums.
You have a huge misconception about how the band has always worked. Mike has always been the driving factor behind LP's music, even up until now. It was Mike who said they should throw the rulebook out the window with A Thousand Suns. It was Mike who wanted to combine the lessons learned from ATS and reconcile them with the nu-metal rulebook. It was Mike who decided to go full abrasive rock with The Hunting Party. It was Mike who ultimately decided to go full pop. Chester and the rest of the band have openly admitted that at the end of the day, LP is the "Mike show." I guarantee you that even without Chester, we'd be getting more or less the same thing today.
Well, that's hard to say because without Chester who knows if the band would have found any kind of success. If they were successful and stuck around as long, then the end result might not be all that different as Mike has been mostly the deciding factor for what directions the band takes with Brad being the other biggest contributor. I think if anything the band would have strayed even more towards pop and hip-hop if they didn't have someone that could scream and sing like Chester. And if they do continue, I expect that even more so with Mike as lead singer.
Whatever they do, I do not want a Chester replacement. Just retire the songs that heavily rely on Chester.
The band will likely go a more electronic/modern hip hop route, but I doubt the band is going to change drastically. Linkin Park isn't gonna transform into some darkwave industrial band where Mike is rapping more "It's Going Down" stuff and shit. There were likely be more 2-3 minute pop songs that follow the LP single/pop formula with lyrics that are vague. Whether theyll be as successful without Chester is another question. I do HOPE that Mike's writing changes on future LP stuff. Maybe longer rap verses, maybe more introspective lyrics, etc. Maybe more detailed lyrics like Fort Minor. Now with Fort Minor, depending on what happens in the future, the chances increase or decrease. Due to tragic circumstances, more Fort Minor material is likely with LP probably taking a break for a bit. That means probably another song or so. On the other hand, if LP albums from now on will be solo Mike albums, then Fort Minor is pretty unnecessary.
Last I checked this was exactly Mikes explanation for why there hasn't been any Fort Minor in like a decade, barring that one single a few years back. He felt like what he wanted FM for were songs he didn't feel like "fit with Linkin Park", something he felt changed later on where he could bring different elements to the primary band.
Yep, you're right. Fort Minor came out of the inability to do straight up rap songs with nu-metal Era LP, now that is possible, so Fort Minor is all but completely dead. I pretty much doubt their will ever be a "second Fort Minor album." Maybe another song like Welcome but that'll be it.