Linkin Park may have been one of the most popular rock bands of the turn of the millennium, but now it’s facing a modern-day backlash, including a Me Too controversy and accusations about Scientology.
On September 5, after a seven-year hiatus, Linkin Park announced a comeback and broadcast a live streamed performance featuring new lead vocalist Emily Armstrong, lead singer-songwriter of the rock band Dead Sarah. Yet instead of making headlines for the bold choice to replace Chester Bennington with a female lead singer, the band was immediately surrounded by backlash—not because of Armstrong’s gender, but because of the company he kept.
While many fans have vocally supported the band and Armstrong’s arrival, the announcement sparked a wave of outrage and backlash, particularly from Jaime Bennington, the son of the band’s former frontman Chester Bennington, who died by suicide in 2017.
Jaime Bennington said Linkin Park “betrayed the trust” of fans by choosing Armstrong because of his friendship with disgraced actor Danny Masterson, who was convicted of two counts of rape in 2023 and supported him during his trial. Bennington called out Armstrong for his alleged affiliation with the Church of Scientology, as did other public figures, including popular musicians and watchdog journalists.
Armstrong issued an apology in support of Masterson, who had been accused of rape by multiple women (although he identified him only as “I considered a friend”). But the level of problems does not stop there. Jaime Bennington’s strained relationship with his father’s former bandmates complicates matters, as does his grief. All of this clouds the question of how far an artist’s real life should extend their art when they’re allegedly associated with organizations with troubled histories and troubling influences — and what that means for the legacies of Linkin Park and Chester Bennington.
Fan support for Armstrong quickly declined as news of his alleged relationship with Scientology and Masterson spread.
initiallyThe fans were enthusiastic and supportive, and so was the band, which had been rehearsing with Armstrong More than a yearseem to have scored a hit—an important milestone for a rock group that continues to draw crowds and Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Linkin Park’s upcoming album, from zeroSet to drop in November, it will be the band’s first studio album since Bennington’s death. It will also feature Armstrong for the first time alongside longtime co-lead singer Mike Shinoda. The band timed the announcement of Armstrong’s arrival to coincide with hype for the new album and the kickoff of this month’s four-week stadium tour, teasing the identity of their new lead singer for weeks leading up to the news.
Mars Volta musician Cedric Bixler-Zavala is a former Scientologist whose involvement allegedly overlapped with Armstrong’s. His wife, Chrissy Cornell Bixler, is one of several women who have accused Masterson of sexually assaulting him. On September 6, the day after the band’s announcement, Bixler-Zavala Posted an open letter to Armstrong and his new bandmates via Instagram, where he criticized Armstrong for his alleged relationship with Masterson and controversial religion.
Scientology, L. A cult formed on the back of Ron Hubbard’s science fiction, known and then accused of attracting celebrities and elites Harassing them severely when they leave It has all kinds of complaints from former members Abduction and escapefrom forced labor And abusefrom brainwashing and extreme Contraindications And Antipsychotic Faith Scientology has repeatedly denied these allegations over the years.
“I’m surprised none of you wrote a letter on behalf of Danny Masterson since your corny singer showed up to support him in the prelims,” Bixler-Zavala wrote, referring to an appearance by Armstrong at Masterson’s preliminary court hearing.
Bixler-Zavala’s allegations quickly began circulating among Linkin Park fans, with many expressing concern and confusion on social media over Armstrong’s alleged relationship with Scientology. a lot others focused On the irony of Chester Bennington, whose mental health struggles were well-known before his death, he is being replaced by someone who may be connected to a group that claims Demonizes mental health treatment.
The highest concerns, however, were reserved for Armstrong’s friendship with Masterson. Many fans are concerned that Chester Bennington, who published In 2008 she survived years of sexual abuse as a child, now to be replaced by a singer who supported a serial sex predator.
September 6, Armstrong has been posted An Instagram story in which she apologized for her previous support for pretending to be Masterson and distancing herself completely from the actor:
Several years ago, I was asked to support someone I considered a friend, and went to the first hearing as an observer. Soon, I should have realized. I always try to see the good in people, and I get him wrong. I haven’t spoken to him since then.
Unspeakable details emerged and he was later convicted.
To be as clear as possible: I do not condone abuse or violence against women and I sympathize with the victims of these crimes.
Still, as many were quick to point out, his statement said nothing about Scientology, nor did he deny the views he shared with the organization. Journalist and longtime Scientology watchdog Tony Ortega to guess That Armstrong’s statement “seems designed to defend” Scientology. In a long thread of threads, journalist Yashar Ali, who also has a history Reporting On Scientology, argued Armstrong’s allegiance to Scientology made his apology unreliable.
Former Scientologist Mike Rinder, once a top-level member of the group, came forward Former Scientologist Aaron Smith-Levine also did so on his YouTube channel, Growing Up in Scientology, to tell Ortega about Armstrong’s mother, Gail Armstrong, and his years of dedicated service to the organization. Armstrong’s parents were allegedly Scientologists and high-ranking members of the group’s top-secret inner circle, the SEA Org.
According to Rinder, Gail Armstrong’s alleged role was public relations for the organization, and for a time she served as a speechwriter for the organization’s leader, David Miscavige. A 2006 video shared with Ortega shows Gayle Armstrong delivering a speech For a large body of assembled Scientologists. In 2015, in response to the Expose documentary going clearwhich prominently features details of Rinder’s abuse by Scientology, the group released a series of videos seemingly intended to discredit Rinder. at least two this video Features Gayle Armstrong as the insulting reindeer.
According to Former Scientologist Serge Del Mar knew Emily Armstrong as a Scientologist as a child. He will be seen Photo Attending Scientology events until 2013, and he complaint Attended Masterson’s trial within the company Scientologists.
Emily Armstrong’s defenders point out that we cannot know how much she believes in Scientology theology, despite her long history of association, given her general reticence to speak publicly about the group. Armstrong too identify Despite Scientology’s accusations as odd Institutionalized homophobia.
September 9, Jaime Bennington has been posted A series of screenshotted messages on his Instagram story feed, which were themselves screencapped and to share Around the internet. The post, addressed to his father’s former co-lead singer Mike Shinoda, accused Linkin Park of the “silent era”.[ing] My father’s life and legacy… during International Suicide Prevention Month.” Bennington accused Shinoda of nepotism in hiring Armstrong despite knowledge of his ties to Scientology and Masterson. He also accused Shinoda of “bringing[ing] you[r] fan base” and refuse to acknowledge Masterson’s victimization.
Despite and despite his strained relationship with his father’s former bandmates described After receiving “cruel, unusual and aggressive” harassment in recent days from Linkin Park fans who believed he was interfering with the band, Bennington attended the band’s September 11 show in Los Angeles. He posted that he would be present “for closure.” for recognition.”
“Please do not harass me or my partner while attending the show,” she wrote. “Dear, we are attending for closing … I am sorry.”
While Bennington’s statement has gained traction online and in the media, what few people are acknowledging is the emotional pain Bennington has gone through since his father’s death. he has stated RepeatedlyAlong with his Instagram bio As of publicationHe does not believe that Chester Bennington died by suicide and has a history of spreading conspiracy theories about his death. Deepening the rabbit hole is a chronic QAnon Conspiracy theory That Chester Bennington was killed by a ring of pedophiles because he was under pressure to expose them. this lieBut Jamie Bennington accused Linkin Park of “decoration“‘s fan base, a typical QAnon refrain that colored how some fans read his complaints
Can any of this be turned into good art?
If Armstrong is indeed a Scientology devotee, what does that mean for fans? This isn’t the first time the public has continued to support and enjoy art created by Scientology-affiliated artists — actors like John Travolta, Tom Cruise, and Elisabeth Moss still hold a lot of Hollywood power despite being associated with Scientology for decades. A spokesperson for the band, however, has yet to comment on the scandal redirected Variations on Armstrong’s apology. Vox has reached out to Armstrong for comment.
What seems to be getting lost in the conversation is the impact of choosing Armstrong on Bennington’s legacy, as well as on his fans who struggle with their mental health.
If Armstrong believes in the tenets of Scientology, that means he has to display art made by someone who has struggled with mental health issues despite subscribing to a dogma that casts doubt on these issues. Can he, as a former supporter of a convicted rapist, be forced to perform music by a victim of mass sexual abuse? What if the songs are not written by him?
All of this publicity seems to have revved up interest in the band’s comeback. The new album’s lead single, “vacuum machine,” already has more than 58 million Spotify streams and 21 million YouTube views as of Monday
Many fans dismissed Jaime Bennington’s accusations as a screed by someone who had issues pre-dating Armstrong’s arrival with the band.
Feedback is a lesson in influence — the influence art can have on audiences as well as the influence a powerful institution can have on its purported members.
And if Armstrong is a Scientologist, his new role in the band could affect his entire fanbase; That is, after all, how Scientology continues to spread and thrive despite decades of allegations of abuse and manipulation. Then again, this could be one of countless instances where fans choose to separate the art from the artist — however much the artist may benefit.
The continued silence over the Linkin Park controversy may very well outnumber the reaction, suggesting that, in the end, perhaps it doesn’t matter.
