Linkin Park frontman dead

Photo: The Canadian Press

Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington, who sold millions of albums with a unique mix of hard rock, hip-hop and rap, was found dead in his home near Los Angeles on Thursday, the Los Angeles County coroner says. He was 41.

Coroner spokesman Brian Elias said authorities are investigating Bennington's death as an apparent suicide but no additional details are available.

The Grammy Award-winning group sold 10 million copies of their 2000 debut, "Hybrid Theory," and then another 4 million with 2003's multiplatinum "Meteora." Both albums explored feelings of frustration and fury.

The band also sold millions with its remix album, "Reanimation," and its mash-up record with Jay-Z, "Collision Course." They won Grammys for best hard rock performance in 2001 for "Crawling" and best rap/sung collaboration for "Numb/Encore" in 2005. Linkin Park was on tour and had a show at New York's Citi Field scheduled for next week with Blink 182.

Bennington, who sported piercings and tattoos, struggled with drug and alcohol addictions at various times during his life. He was married and is survived by six children.

Linkin Park released their most recent album, "One More Light," in May. It was a CD that divided critics and fans alike for its embrace of pop. Although the band had always experimented with different sounds, some claimed the band had sold out, which Bennington denied. It became the band's fifth No. 1 album debut on the Billboard 200.