Linkin Park is counting down to something big. On Saturday (Aug. 24), the rock band shared a mysterious 100-hour countdown timer on its social media accounts, with a link to the group’s official website.

At press time, LinkinPark.com featured a YouTube livestream with the same timer and an accompanying live chat filled with fan speculation — much of it anticipating the announcement of a new vocalist to replace late lead singer Chester Bennington, who died by suicide in July 2017 at the age of 41.

“​​I hope they announce the new singer, LP deserves to continue [with their legacy,” one user wrote in the chat. Another fan asked, “If LP has a new singer and it’s female, who do you want it to be?”

Linkin Park’s countdown timer is scheduled to end on Wednesday, Aug. 28.

Earlier this year, several sources close to Linkin Park told Billboard that the band’s three surviving members were mulling a possible 2025 reunion tour and considering hiring a female vocalist to succeed Bennington. In late April, booking agency WME was taking offers for a potential Linkin Park tour along with headlining festival dates featuring LP’s Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson and Dave Farrell, the sources said. The band had not indicated who would sing on behalf of Bennington, but one source told Billboard that LP was hoping to find a female vocalist to front the reunited group.

Fueling speculation at the time, Orgy’s Jay Gordon said he had heard rumors about a Linkin Park reunion while appearing on Wired in the Empire on KCAL 96.7.

“Very, very cool guys and obviously a great band,” Gordon said. “They’ve been around a long time and they’re still going for it,” he said. “It’s going to be tough without Chester, but we’ll see. I hear they got a girl singer now. That’s what I heard.”

Gordon later issued a statement saying his comments had been taken out of context. “With regards to this linkin park singer thing. I know nothing about any of that,” he wrote.

As previously reported, Shinoda was asked about a possible reunion around the April release of Papercuts (Singles Collection: 2000-2023).

“Rumors always go around. People always ask what’s next for the band, and the best answer I can ever give anybody is when there’s something to tell you, we will tell you,” Shinoda told Revolver magazine. When there’s an announcement to be made, it will be on LinkinPark.com. If you’re hearing it from somebody else, you can trust that information as much as you want to trust it.”

Linkin Park is one of the most successful rock groups from the 2000s, having sold more than 29.4 million albums in the United States, according to Luminate. The band has charted 24 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, including three top 10 hits: “In the End” in 2003, “What I’ve Done” in 2007 and “New Divide” in 2009.

See Linkin Park’s countdown post on YouTube here and Instagram below.

Celebrating life through the lenses of contemporary African American poetry and lyrical art is the creative force behind the new Atlantic Records album, On Imagination. Produced by award-winning music producer, engineer and singer-songwriter Ebonie Smith, the project features 12 poems performed by legendary Black women artists and cultural icons such as Roberta Flack, Valerie Simpson, U.S. Representative Maxine Waters and Dr. Angela Y. Davis.

June Jordan, Gwendolyn Bennett, Phillis Wheatley and Georgia Douglas Johnson are among the esteemed poets whose work is showcased on the new project. As noted in On Imagination‘s press package, the premise was to “harness art’s transformative ability to turn grief into joy and resilience, honoring the tradition of music as a life-giving, affirmative revolutionary force while shining a light on language as a pathway to healing within the Black community.”

Available now, On Imagination was first revealed in commemoration of this year’s Juneteenth celebration with Dr. Angela Y. Davis reciting Jordan’s 1982 poem, “Moving Towards Home.” The full-length album’s cast of performers also includes Valerie June, Danyel Smith, Genesis Be, Lori Lightfoot and Flyana Boss. 

Currently an in-house engineer and producer for Atlantic, Smith has also worked on prior projects such as Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording), Sturgill Simpson’s A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer and Cardi B’s Grammy-winning Invasion of Privacy.

In announcing On Imagination’s arrival, Smith stated, “The poems on this album are restorative. They helped me heal and re-center after COVID. The language is challenging, requiring the listener to work for a deeper understanding, but those who make the effort will find the words of these poets truly powerful and transformative. In the wake of [Migos member] Takeoff’s passing, I turned to these poems to help me heal and make sense of the deaths occurring in and around hip-hop culture. The language on this album helped me find strength during that time.”

Another of the album’s notable tracks is the Bennett-penned “Fantasy,” which artist Dawn Richard performs. It’s accompanied by a dance piece choreographed by Ailey II artistic director Francesca Harper and filmed in collaboration with Richard and Ailey II alumni Maya Finman-Palmer, Brena K. Thomas and Maggy van den Heuvel with former The Ailey School student Raven Joseph. The “Fantasy” video was filmed at Ailey’s home, the Joan Weill Center for Dance.

Commented Richard, “19 years later I get to step through the doors of Ailey on my own terms. The last time I danced in Ailey’s theater was in [ABC/MTV reality series] Making the Band. To be back here and recreate a world of regality and beauty through femininity and empowerment makes this moment so special. It speaks to the power of womanhood and perseverance. You can shape your own dreams, tell the story you wish to tell and dare to imagine the possibilities you wish to create.”

“It was an absolute pleasure working with Dawn Richard, creating movement and collaborating with her on an anthem celebrating the resilience and power of women of color from the African diaspora,” added Harper. “As Ailey stands on the shoulders of our founder Alvin Ailey, who saw the importance of using dance as a vehicle for change, we are honored to partner with Atlantic Records on this milestone project serving as a testament to the power of art in our lives.”

From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.

Cazzu’s Tribute to Selena

This week, Cazzu surprised fans by reappearing on social media — following her very public breakout with Mexican artist Christian Nodal in June. The Argentine rapper was a guest on “Sesiones ¡FA!,” a platform hosted by Argentine actor and musician Mex Urtizberea, where she performed a heartfelt cover of Selena‘s timeless “Como La Flor.” Beyond giving the song a refreshing, reggae twist, the singer seemed happy and healed in the video. Cazzu and Nodal, who have a daughter together, called it splits in June after dating for nearly two years. “I feel the need to let you know that I AM OK, going through it in the best way possible,” she previously said on her Instagram Stories. “I choose to step away from social media for a while to detox and focus on my baby, who is my priority, and on my work.”

J Balvin to Make Acting Debut

J Balvin is set to make his acting debut in the forthcoming drug drama Little Lorraine, directed by Andy Hines. Starring Stephen Amell and Sean Astin, the film is “based on true events from the late 1980s, depicting a remote mining and fishing town’s transformation into a hub for a major cocaine smuggling operation,” according to Variety. “I’ve started acting — like real acting, not just cameos — and I just wrapped filming for a movie I’m in that comes out next year,” the Colombian artist, who will portray an Interpol agent investigating a Colombian drug importation ring, said. “I love that side of myself.”

Chencho Announces Debut Solo Album

After a 25-year trajectory, where he gained success through the popular reggaetón duo Plan B, Chencho Corleone is ready to launch his debut solo album. Earlier this week, the Puerto Rican artist revealed the cover art and release date of his upcoming studio set. “The wait is over…,” he wrote on Instagram, revealing that his album Solo (alone) will be out on Sept. 13. “This album represents my commitment to my fans, who always expect the best from me,” Corleone said in a press statement. “Every track describes a situation that transports you and, at the same time, motivates you to dance. I’m thrilled to finally share ‘Solo’ with my fans and can’t wait to see their reactions.”

LAGOS Supports Venezuelan Immigrants

In efforts to support the Venezuelan community, pop duo LAGOS has partnered with the United Nations to ensure that Venezuelan refugees in Latin America and the Caribbean have access to food, shelter, medical care, education, and formal employment. Proceeds from their Alta Fidelidad 2024 Tour in Mexico will be donated to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. “This is a collaboration that is not only part of our present, but will also be a long-term commitment,” the duo expressed in an Instagram post. “We know that music has the power to unite and heal, and we want to do our bit for those who need it most.” Donations can be made here.

Donald Trump may consider Robert F. Kennedy Jr. his hero, given he played the Foo Fighters’ 1997 anthem “My Hero” to welcome him to the stage at a rally Friday (Aug. 23) in Glendale, Arizona, after the independent presidential candidate suspended his campaign and endorsed the Republican nominee — but the band is calling the move a big zero.

“Foo Fighters were not asked permission, and if they were, they would not have granted it,” a spokesperson tells Billboard of the unauthorized usage. Furthermore, “appropriate actions are being taken” against the campaign, the spokesperson continues, and any royalties received as a result of this usage will be donated to the Harris/Walz campaign.

“I don’t think too many of you people have heard of him, he’s very low-key,” Trump said before the chorus of “My Hero” began blaring as Kennedy joined Trump onstage and a row of flash pots went off. “He’s a very low-key person, but he’s highly respected. He is a great person. I’ve known him for so long. For the past 16 months. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.”

Additionally, in a response to being asked by the X account with the name Wu-Tang Is for the Children if the band “let Trump use ‘My Hero’ to welcome RKJ Jr. on stage,” the Foo Fighters account simply replied, “No,” and then posted the exchange, adding, “Let us be clear.”

The move marks the second time this week — and third time this month — Trump’s campaign has run afoul of a superstar for using music without permission. On Tuesday (Aug. 22), Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung posted a 13-second video on his X account of footage of Trump stepping off a plane as Beyoncé’s “Freedom” played. The video arrived long after his opponent, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, had been using the song (with permission) for weeks. 

On Wednesday (Aug. 21), Beyoncé’s record label and music publisher sent a cease-and-desist notice to Trump’s campaign over its use of “Freedom.” Later that evening, the video was deleted from Cheung’s X account.

Additionally, on Aug. 11, lawyers for the Isaac Hayes estate filed a notice of copyright infringement and threatened further legal action against the Trump campaign over its use of Hayes’ “Hold On, I’m Coming” at multiple Trump rallies without authorization between 2022 and 2024. 

The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

TickPick has raised $250 million from Brighton Park Capital and golfer Rory McIlroy’s investment partnership Symphony Ventures, it was announced Thursday (Aug. 22).

TickPick was founded in 2011 by co-CEOs Brett Goldberg and Chris O’Brien as an independent ticketing marketplace. Since launching, TickPick has been downloaded 14 million times and transacted more than $1 billion in sales, according to a press release.

“We’re thrilled to announce our latest growth investment, which will help accelerate our ability to transform the ticketing industry,” said O’Brien in a statement. “We founded TickPick with the unwavering commitment to deliver a transparent and hassle-free ticket-buying experience for consumers. This investment will allow us to deepen this commitment by accelerating the pace of product innovation, raise our brand awareness, and reach more customers than ever before.”

Goldberg added, “We have built a relationship with Brighton Park over many years and the firm is our clear partner of choice given its strong track record of partnering with founder-led companies and marketplace platforms, which we believe will help us continue to scale the business and drive a lasting impact.”

Kevin Magan, partner at Brighton Park Capital, added, “TickPick has demonstrated tremendous growth by offering a strong value proposition that both enhances the customer experience and removes one of the biggest pain points for consumers with its no-fee model. TickPick’s recent growth and partnerships with some of the largest sports leagues and teams in the world is a testament to their appeal among a broad customer base, and we’re excited to partner with Brett, Chris and the incredibly talented TickPick team as they continue to disrupt the ticketing industry.”

As part of the transaction, private equity firm GreyLion will exit its position in TickPick following its 2019 investment in the company.

Wells Fargo served as financial advisor and Kirkland Ellis served as legal counsel to TickPick and GreyLion. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as legal counsel to Brighton Park.