Around the same time, Chester Bennington, a singer from Phoenix, Arizona, was searching for a new musical outlet after leaving his previous band, Grey Daze. Bennington's powerful voice caught the attention of Jeff Blue, a vice president of A&R at Warner Bros. Records, who suggested that Bennington join forces with Xero.
In early 2000, Delson and Shinoda made a trip to Tempe, Arizona, where they met Bennington and auditioned him as the lead singer of Xero. Impressed by Bennington's vocal abilities and songwriting contributions, the trio decided to officially form a new band and chose the name Linkin Park, inspired by Lincoln Park, a nearby recreational park in Santa Monica.
During the development of their music, the band expanded their sound by incorporating more electronic elements and DJ scratching techniques from Shinoda. Their debut album, "Hybrid Theory," released in 2000, became a massive success, driven by chart-topping singles like "One Step Closer," "Crawling," and "In the End." The album's fusion of alternative rock with hip-hop and electronic influences defined their signature style and earned them widespread popularity.
Since then, Linkin Park went on to release several critically acclaimed albums, such as "Meteora" (2003), "Minutes to Midnight" (2007), "A Thousand Suns" (2010), and "Living Things" (2012), among others. The band achieved international fame, selling millions of albums worldwide, and became known for their energetic live performances and collaborations with other artists.
Sadly, in 2017, the music community was shocked by the tragic passing of Chester Bennington, who took his own life at the age of 41. The band members understandably went into a hiatus period, struggling with grief and uncertainty about their future.