Linkin Park made a super cheesy pop song - and fans are not happy

NZ Herald

16 Feb, 2017 07:50 PM3 mins to read

Linkin Park have complained that the band's new song resembles a Taylor Swift ballad.

Linkin Park today sparked a massive fan backlash by releasing a new song that's worlds away from their roots as a nu-metal rock band.

The Los Angeles-based band's new song is called Heavy - but fans say it's anything but.

Featuring Illinois singer Kiiara, the ballad has little of the guitar grunt the band is known for as front man Chester Bennington emotes lines like: "I drive myself crazy / Because I can't escape the gravity."

It's the first taste of the band's new album One More Light, due for release on May 19.

Fans have quickly taken the band to task for ignoring their roots as a hard rock act.

"Heavy? I didn't know this was opposite day," wrote one YouTube viewer.

"This is not just a bad song - this is a disgrace to what was once my favourite band.," wrote another.

Fans quickly took to Twitter complaining about the band's new sound, comparing Heavy to a Taylor Swift ballad.

The only thing 'heavy' about Linkin Park's new song is heavy disappointment 👎🏼
— ℭ𝔞𝔯𝔬𝔩 😈 (@Cb_Devils) February 16, 2017

Was so psyched to hear Linkin Park - Heavy... definitely not heavy! 😔#dafuqisthis
— B (@beverley_jw) February 16, 2017

What happened to @linkinpark ?! I mean #Heavy is not that bad but it sounds a bit like a Taylor Swift song and not like Linkin Park! 😥😭
— Stefanie (@_dannina_) February 16, 2017

SOOO don't even want to listen to this new @linkinpark "Heavy". That band used to be great. #MLPGA
— the D (@DieselOnRadio) February 16, 2017

So upset... the new LP song "Heavy" sounds so poppy and mainstream. I love linkin park and always will. But this song isn't appealing...
— J (@thatfurJJ) February 16, 2017

Why is everything so #heavy, except #Linkinpark
— Slax (@der_Slax) February 16, 2017

There's more bad news for fans: Mike Shonoda explained to Billboard that the single perfectly represents the band's new album.

"One of the reasons why we chose Heavy as the first single is because it is really the core sound of the album," Shinoda said.

"This wasn't a scenario where the whole album sounds one way and the single sounds different. This is how the album sounds. So we wanted to go out with a song like that, where everybody can get a sense of the direction of this body of work."

The album art for One More Light has also been revealed, featured a group of children playing in the surf.