Music News: Linkin Park, Machine Gun Kelly and Joe Exotic

Nu metal gods Linkin Park lost their lead vocalist, Chester Bennington, in 2017. Since that year, the remaining members of the band have not performed together or put out any new music. What they have done, however, is release music that was recorded previously or repackaged older albums in anniversary uniforms. Those anniversary editions have included a number of unheard songs, though, sometimes the music feels new.

Such was the case last week when the band gave fans a song that was recorded during the 2017 sessions for the album, One More Light. The track is called "Friendly Fire." Do not expect a straight-ahead banger, though. The song is more atmospheric without any bombast. Don't get me wrong, it's a fine piece of music, but it's more poppy than metal.

While announcing the release of the new song, Linkin Park also let their fan base know that on April 12, the band is putting out a greatest hits compilation called Papercuts (Singles Collection 2000-2023). The reported tracklist includes 20 songs including "Friendly Fire."

Linkin Park's new song and new singles collection

Here is the full reported tracklist:

1. "Crawling"
2. “Faint”
3. “Numb/Encore”
4. “Papercut”
5. “Breaking the Habit”
6. “In the End”
7. “Bleed It Out”
8. “Somewhere I Belong”
9. “Waiting for the End”
10. “Castle of Glass”
11. “One More Light”
12. “Burn It Down”
13. “What I’ve Done”
14. “QWERTY”
15. “One Step Closer”
16. “New Divide”
17. “Leave Out All the Rest”
18. “Lost”
19. “Numb”
20. “Friendly Fire”

Joe Exotic responds to Machine Gun Kelly

In other, more silly, news, Joe Exotic from Tiger King must have a bit of a thing for Machine Gun Kelly. This is a bit of shame as we are talking about MGK here who does not come across as a very likeable person many times. I only know this from observations like the one Martin Brundle had with the pop star (or whatever MGK wants to call his music).

But I am not one to judge Joe Exotic, so when he recently commented on an Instagram post from Machine Gun Kelly by saying, "A tiger and a bit of meth and you would be mine. Lol" I can only hope to assume Mr. Exotic was being funny. Or not. To each their own, I imagine.

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