There is intense speculation in the rock community that Deryck Whibley, the lead singer of Sum 41, could take on one of the most iconic roles in modern rock as the new lead singer of Linkin Park.
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The rumor gained traction this week after cryptic social media posts from both bands appeared, putting fans on high alert.
Sum 41 lit the fuse on August 25, announcing a “Deryck Whibley announcement” scheduled for Wednesday morning (August 28) PST.
Interestingly, just one day earlier, Linkin Park had launched a 100-hour countdown on their website that was supposed to end at the same time as the unveiling of Sum 41. The highly coincidental timing naturally fueled intense speculation about a possible connection.
However, since the tragic death of Chester Bennington in 2017, the band has been without a full-time lead singer.
Beginning of the year Billboard reported that the band was considering a reunion tour in 2025, with sources suggesting the possibility of a female singer taking the lead.
Orgy’s Jay Gordon fueled the rumor mill earlier this year when he mentioned that the band might bring a female vocalist on board. However, Gordon later clarified that his remark had been taken out of context, saying, “As far as this Linkin Park singer thing, I don’t know anything about it.”
Whibley’s connection to Linkin Park runs deep. He performed at Bennington’s tribute concert in October 2017 and later joined Mike Shinoda on stage with Sum 41 at the 2018 Reading Festival for a cover of Linkin Park’s “Faint.”
However, when Whibley was asked in 2022 about possibly following in Bennington’s footsteps, he hesitated.
To The Jasta Showhe noted, “I think that’s an impossible task… I think it’s impossible to fill those shoes. I don’t know if (Linkin Park) will ever do anything. I have no idea what that would look like or who that might be.”
When asked if he would join the band if the opportunity arose, he replied: “It’s so unthinkable that it’s too strange to even jokingly consider it.”
“I don’t know how anyone could step into those shoes,” he added. “I think it would be difficult.”
Fan reactions to the possibility of Whibley joining Linkin Park have been mixed. On Reddit, one fan expressed his concerns: “I’m just worried he’ll be too similar to Chester and won’t be able to keep up.” Another expressed a more optimistic view: “He might not be able to sing the super screamy songs, but he could sing most of the setlist.”
However, there is also optimism among fans. One user noted, “Deryck sounds pretty good on (Faint) honestly… interesting.”
Whibley’s life and career are at a turning point, not only because of the speculation about Linkin Park, but also because of his recently released memoir. Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hellis expected to be published on October 8th by Gallery Books.
The memoir chronicles the rocker’s journey through the ups and downs of his life, both personally and with Sum 41.
“Ten years ago, I was lying in a hospital bed, close to death,” Whibley said in a statement about the book’s release.
“When I survived that moment, I made a promise to myself: I would fight harder than ever for this band and strive to become the best version of myself. Today, I’m proud to say that Sum 41 is experiencing the greatest success of our career, with our biggest hits on the radio and performing at the biggest shows of our lives.”
He continued: “This book is the story of that journey – through the good, the bad and the really damn ugly. It’s about how I fought back, the struggles I had to face along the way and how I turned those struggles into the fuel that drives me to do everything I do now.”
To promote his memoir, Whibley will embark on a U.S. book tour in October, stopping in cities such as Jersey City, Boston, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
In addition to his memoirs, Whibley and Sum 41 are currently on their final tour, Visit to the Setting Sumwhich began earlier this year. The band will play their biggest show yet in Paris this November, followed by their final performances in their hometown of Toronto in January 2025.
Their latest and final double album, Heaven :x: Hellwas a commercial success with singles such as “Landmines”, which topped the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart and was the band’s first number one single since “Fat Lip” in 2001.
As the clock counts down to the expected announcements, the rock community is in an uproar. Whether Whibley will be joining Linkin Park or something else entirely is in the works, fans are ready for the reveal.
You can find Linkin Park’s countdown post on YouTube here.
