Sum 41's Deryck Whibley Responds to Linkin Park Frontman Rumors

Speculation on the rock and metal rumor mill has been churning at full speed this week. Thanks to some coinciding announcements, the internet collectively decided that Sum 41’s frontman, Deryck Whibley, might be stepping in as the new voice of Linkin Park, filling the irreplaceable shoes of the late Chester Bennington. But if you were banking on that theory, prepare for disappointment.

Earlier today, Whibley poured cold water on the gossip via Sum 41’s official Twitter account. For anyone clinging to the idea of him fronting Linkin Park (or Oasis, for that matter—because sure, why not throw that into the mix), he made it clear: It’s not happening.

Here’s what he had to say:

“I feel the need to dispel some current rumours. It’s been brought to my attention that many people think I could be joining a reuniting band. But I just want to say, despite popular belief, I am not joining Oasis… or Linkin Park. Or any other band for that matter.

“I have my own ‘tour and book’ announcement that I will now move to the end of the week, ahead of our U.S. tour.

“I do look forward to seeing whatever both these amazing bands do in the future.”

There you have it, folks—Whibley’s “big announcement” is about his tour and his book. No Linkin Park. No Oasis. Just more of Deryck being Deryck. You’ll have to hold your breath until the end of the week for those details.

Meanwhile, Linkin Park’s own countdown ticks on, teasing something in just over 25 hours. The questionable game of guessing who could replace Bennington rages on, though recent history hasn’t been kind to the rumors.

Remember when Orgy’s Jay Gordon casually mentioned that a female vocalist might step in? He backtracked faster than a bassist on a missed note, blaming his words on being “taken out of context.” Then there was the Amy Lee theory (because apparently, no list of vocalists is complete without her). She shut that down real quick.

At this point, whoever steps into Bennington’s spot is bound to divide the fanbase. Some will celebrate, others will wail on Twitter about how their dream candidate was snubbed. One thing’s for sure: we’ll be here, shaking our heads, when it all unfolds tomorrow.

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