Linkin Park Reveals Why Finding A 'Chester Sound-Alike' Was Never An Option

Linkin Park revealed that they had no interest in finding a singer who could simply sound like Chester Bennington when the band regrouped years after his death.

In their new documentary Unshatter, the rock group opened up about why recreating Bennington's voice was never the goal.

"Why don't you just find a good singer who sings like Chester and then you can play your songs again?" bandmember Mike Shinoda recalled people asking. "In my mind, that's the worst version possible."

Instead, the "In the end" hitmakers wanted someone who could bring their own identity to the music. That person turned out to be Emily Armstrong, the Dead Sara singer who officially joined Linkin Park in 2024.

"It was important for us to not be a cover band of ourselves," bandmate Joe Hahn told PEOPLE. "We would bring people in to just work with us, have fun, make stuff. And Emily was one of those people that just kept coming in. We thought she was cool."

Unshattered is currently playing in select theaters. The band's new album, Unshatter, includes exlcusive recordings and is out now.