On Thursday, March 27th, Linkin Park released their new song “Up From the Bottom.” Ahead of the track’s debut, in a conversation with Billboard, Linkin Park’s Joe Hahn, who directed the video said it was “the best song we’ve ever made,” while Mike Shinoda described it as “one of the best videos we’ve ever had.”
The band previously teased the track’s release through its LPTV From Zero video series, where co-vocalists Shinoda and Emily Armstrong were shown working on the song in the studio.
“Up From the Bottom” will also be included in the deluxe edition of From Zero, set for release on May 16 via Warner.
“We are so grateful for the incredible reception to From Zero,” Shinoda said. “This new chapter, our continuing journey, and the connection between the band and fans has been more than we could’ve hoped for. Thank you for listening.”
However, it seems Jaime Bennington, the son of the band’s late singer Chester Bennington, took issue with these remarks. Responding to Hahn and Shinoda‘s claims about “Up From the Bottom” being their “best song,” Jaime shared his thoughts on Instagram.
“In my opinion, Mike and Joe’s opinions are meaningless. How could their opinions carry any weight when they are liars, thieves, and hypocrites?” he said. “We are talking about people who cherry-pick the pieces of the picture that make up their image.”
“When Joe and Mike share their opinions about what they are calling ‘some of their best work,’ Emily and C-dawg [drummer Colin Brittain] nod in approval, and Tetris is like, ‘Wow, they all agree.’ And it’s like… Who the f**k are you? So the imposters are impressed. And what? How can they have opinions on the band’s best work ever when they are clearly transplants? You aren’t Linkin Park. You aren’t even Xero [the band’s original name].”
In September, 2024 Jaime also voiced his disapproval of the band’s decision to bring in musician Emily Armstrong as his father’s replacement. In an Instagram post, Jaime alleged that band co-founder Mike Shinoda had “quietly erased my father’s life and legacy in real time” by unveiling Linkin Park’s new lineup last week.
Shinoda acknowledged that the transition might be difficult for some fans, stating, “many people will take time to wrap their heads around” the change, and “if people are respectfully not there yet, I’m totally fine with that.”
Jaime also pointed to accusations regarding Armstrong’s ties to Scientology and her reported support of actor Danny Masterson during his 2020 r*pe trial.
On Instagram, Jaime remarked that fans were “having a hard time wrapping their heads” around Armstrong’s addition to the band.
He further claimed that the band had “failed to address the concerns of their diverse fan base” in light of the allegations and had “betrayed the trust” of their followers.
In a series of video posts, Bennington also accused Shinoda of blocking him on social media and stated that he had not been informed about the band’s reunion.
