Linkin Park Performing for America's Got Talent

[LPLStaff]

Linkin Park has just announced that they will be performing for America's Got Talent on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.

 

 

It is unclear at the time of this news being posted if the band will actually perform for the show or if an older performance video will be used, possibly from the Brazil 2024 performances being used for Unshatter promotion.

 

The band has a history of doing that for this era, with "The Emptiness Machine” from Seoul's Inspire Arena being broadcasted during the TF1 NRJ Music Awards in 2024, and then the same song from Sao Paulo being used for the Billboard Music Awards that year.

 

 

Another question that will come up with fans in relation to this performance is about live guitarist and member of the Linkin Park world, Alex Feder. Alex recently performed with Halsey at her Rock in Rio performance in Brazil on September 13th, before then going to Mexico City to perform with Reyno on September 16th. Safe to say, he's been quite busy! So, we are unsure if Linkin Park is actually performing or not as it probably makes more sense to use a Sao Paulo video to promote the film, but you never know. But it does look like Alex is free for the moment if we are asking that specific question.

 

So, let's see! We have no information on specifics but we're tuning in just like you will be. It airs at 9:00 p.m. EDT on NBC. As a reminder, the band also performed on Jimmy Fallon in 2024 with "The Emptiness Machine" too, which you can check out below.

 

 

9/22 Update:

The band will be performing!
 

 

[JZLP9CharlesMarcia]

This show is important for the USA i don't think that they will use a pre recorded performance, it's a finale they deserve to have a live performance.

 

what if the finalists perform w the band? that also seems likely.

 

it's  a one off perfomance they don't really need Alex, if he's not available the tech can fill in.

Edited September 22 by JZLP9CharlesMarcia

[Yucker]

Adam just confirmed that it will be a live perfomance on set.

[RexOnGame]

And Alex will perform too, Halsey's Tour has ended in Brazil past week

[rracer2013]

1 hour ago, JZLP9CharlesMarcia said:

This show is important for the USA i don't think that they will use a pre recorded performance, it's a finale they deserve to have a live performance.

 

what if the finalists perform w the band? that also seems likely.

 

it's  a one off perfomance they don't really need Alex, if he's not available the tech can fill in.

Maybe we'll see Nene Royal together with Emily on One Step Closer

[bloodbath]

14 minutes ago, rracer2013 said:

Maybe we'll see Nene Royal together with Emily on One Step Closer

I'd say Heavy is the Crown. Fits better with that program 

[LPLStaff]

 

[DXIC]

They’re up to something. I’m expecting Brad to return.

[RexOnGame]

2 minutes ago, DXIC said:

They’re up to something. I’m expecting Brad to return.

I highly doubt Brad will return; Alex has already finished his tour with Halsey, so it's likely we'll see him tomorrow.

[silverwing]

That's nice.
I always felt like LP wasn't invited enough to big spotlight moments on TV or other events in general.

I guess the new era is changing that. We need more primetime LP.

[thor3]

3 hours ago, RexOnGame said:

I highly doubt Brad will return; Alex has already finished his tour with Halsey, so it's likely we'll see him tomorrow.

it's nice to see everyone wants Alex to return. even if he's not an "official" member, he was there day one of the launch and i feel fans have come to love and appreciate him as well which is why this fanbase is the best. 

[RaimyBennington95]

Do you have a website to see this outside the US? 

[mikeatron85]

Live performance of Unshatter to promote the Unshatter movie? 🤔

 

Hey, a guy can dream right?

 

As long as it's not yet another live performance of The Emptiness Machine (as much as I love the song).

[Fleur de Lys]

My guess is... They will perform their biggest hits like In The End or Numb, maybe with a contestant. And then The Emptiness Machine on their own.

[LPLStaff]

14 hours ago, thor3 said:

it's nice to see everyone wants Alex to return. even if he's not an "official" member, he was there day one of the launch and i feel fans have come to love and appreciate him as well which is why this fanbase is the best. 

 

Yes, Alex is part of it all now. Hopefully they keep him permanently if Brad doesn't want to play. The band was so consistent for so long with the same lineup that any change like this immediately makes (the normal) people want to welcome in the new folks.

[Soeffingnaive92]

Turns out they play Mike's medley and Overflow ahahah

[MMM]

They should play some cover. It would fit with the theme of the talent show perfectly. Imagine a serious full version of Everebody Wants To Rule The World. That would be something XD

 

But realistically it will be TEM, UFTB, ITE, or Numb

Edited September 23 by MMM

[BeardyWilderness]

I don’t watch these sorts of shows, but I assume bands typically only play one song?

[YRQRM0]

6 hours ago, MMM said:

They should play some cover. It would fit with the theme of the talent show perfectly. Imagine a serious full version of Everebody Wants To Rule The World. That would be something XD

 

But realistically it will be TEM, UFTB, ITE, or Numb

 

Just heard one of my favorite bands do a cover last night and was thinking about how we haven't had a cover yet in LP 2.0. It'll be cool to see what they do there, if ever. Mike and Emily's voice together could do a lot. They could ofc always go for the easy hit of Bring Me To Life too lol 

[mikeatron85]

So for those who missed it, they performed The Emptiness Machine. No Alex. Instead, they had the contestant Nene Royal play and also sing parts of the song with Emily and Mike. She mostly took over Mike's parts (but my stream cut out after the first verse and only resumed around the bridge).

[Rasputin 93]

 

[YRQRM0]

Damn, both of them sounded great here. It's still so awesome to me they managed to get a hit this big after the comeback

[TPhil]

Anyone notice the lead guitar octave parts weren't played by either Mike or Nene? It still sounded different from the studio, so maybe a tech or someone was offstage playing it. I don't think they would do a playback for just one part of the song when the rest is live, unless the rest of the band were miming it.

[l00ps]

6 minutes ago, TPhil said:

Anyone notice the lead guitar octave parts weren't played by either Mike or Nene? It still sounded different from the studio, so maybe a tech or someone was offstage playing it. I don't think they would do a playback for just one part of the song when the rest is live, unless the rest of the band were miming it.

Brad/Alexs guitar parts are 100% playback for this performance. Can’t tell what Nene is playing (or if she’s even anything playing at all) since I can’t tell in the mix. What she’s playing does not match up at all with what Brad/Alex plays or Mike. 
 

It could be the guitar part was from a rehearsal or a previous live show that Alex played because it sounds a lot like the way Alex plays

Edited September 24 by c3bebuilder

[JerseyShore]

49 minutes ago, YRQRM0 said:

Damn, both of them sounded great here. It's still so awesome to me they managed to get a hit this big after the comeback

25+ years of hits and they still somehow can put out 100% banger unskippable songs. Wild. 

 

30 minutes ago, c3bebuilder said:

Brad/Alexs guitar parts are 100% playback for this performance. Can’t tell what Nene is playing (or if she’s even anything playing at all) since I can’t tell in the mix. What she’s playing does not match up at all with what Brad/Alex plays or Mike. 
 

It could be the guitar part was from a rehearsal or a previous live show that Alex played because it sounds a lot like the way Alex plays

Can I just say for a non-musically inclined person like myself who only knows "song sound good, I like" and can't hear the difference between almost anything, I so greatly appreciate comments like this. It's why I love this community because the depth of information that people share for us simpletons is endless.