When it comes to digital performance royalties, few names have left a louder or more lasting impression than Linkin Park. The band has just been inducted into the SoundExchange Hall of Fame, an honor reserved for the most streamed creators in the organization's 20+ year history. Not a bad milestone for a group that helped define a generation of rock.
SoundExchange is the music tech nonprofit that’s been ensuring artists get paid for digital streams since 2003. Acting as the sole administrator of the U.S. government’s Section 114 sound recording license, the organization has distributed over $12 billion in royalties to more than 700,000 music creators. It’s one of the industry’s most influential behind-the-scenes forces, turning streams into revenue and artists into data-backed legends.
That brings us to Linkin Park. With global sales surpassing 100 million, multiple GRAMMYs, and a discography that has helped shape the sound of 21st-century rock, the band is no stranger to breaking records. Their 2000 debut Hybrid Theory remains the best-selling debut album of the century, and subsequent releases like Meteora, Minutes to Midnight, and One More Light only solidified their standing.
Now in 2025, the band is charting new territory—again. Their latest album From Zero marked their first new release in seven years and quickly proved they hadn’t missed a beat. Led by the #1 single “The Emptiness Machine,” the album pushed Linkin Park past 2 billion streams this year alone—making them the only rock band to hit that milestone in 2024.
“They’re a monster group that has had tremendous impact on popular music,” said SoundExchange President and CEO Michael Huppe in a statement, “blending hard rock and hip-hop, scoring lasting hits, and soundtracking the lives of millions of fans the world over. We are proud to present Linkin Park with the SoundExchange Hall of Fame Award.”
The band’s current lineup includes founding members Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Phoenix, and Joe Hahn, joined by new co-vocalist Emily Armstrong (of Dead Sara) and drummer Colin Brittain (producer for artists like G Flip and One OK Rock). They’re currently touring worldwide in support of From Zero, with a deluxe edition of the album arriving May 16.
“We sincerely appreciate and celebrate everything that SoundExchange does for us and all recording artists,” said vocalist Mike Shinoda. “It is a true honor to be recognized as one of the most-streamed artists of the last two decades. The recognition is even more important to us now as our next chapter unfolds, honoring the past, present, and future of everything that is Linkin Park.”
