Replacing The Lead Singer

My Thoughts

Replacing a lead singer is a very tricky topic because many artists and fans alike carry a tremendous amount of nostalgia for them beyond the formative years of a band. I have seen success with doing this overtime when we look at bands like Yellowcard, Real Friends and From Ashes to New. I would put money on the possibility that many non-OG fans of Yellowcard even know that Ryan Key was not the original singer of the band. We see bands evolve and transform over time and find success with a new voice behind the mic but is it always for the better? Emotion is carried through the lyrics, and every word means something a bands devoted following. I am not talking to people who casually listen to artists but those who know the lyrics to entire records, who follow a band’s discography through its ups and downs.

          The lead singer of a group not only conveys emotion through their words but also has the unique responsibility to command the crowd during lyrical passages that demand crowd participation. The lead singer is truly the face of the band and in many respects the band’s legacy rests on their shoulders. It’s amazing that some of the greatest songs in history started with a few words on a piece of notebook paper and a chord progression that sounded decent. When a lead singer leaves the band or passes away it leaves a rift in the foundation of not only the group itself but their fanbase.

          Many artists cannot hold it together after losing a lead singer. Fan interaction and how the singer conducts themselves play an extremely large part in fan perception of the band and their lasting impact on the music scene as a whole. Long time followers of the band may feel as though the band has lost their identity as the lead singer carries with them not only a voice but also in many cases the commercial perception of how the band is viewed in the media etc. Songwriting dynamics may also change given the comradery the other members had with the original vocalist. Lastly, can it be done? Yes, Should it be done?

What do you guys think?

Chester Bennington (Singer of Linkin Park, passed away 2017)

Mitch Lucker (Singer of Suicide Silence, passed away 2012)