Mumbai, Jan 21 (NationPress) The enchanting Punjabi music star AP Dhillon recently had an unforgettable encounter with the iconic rock band Linkin Park, where he expressed his heartfelt appreciation for their profound impact on his creative path.

In a post on Instagram, the artist behind the hit “Excuses” shared three snapshots with the band members, stating, “I am privileged to meet these legends, thank you for your inspiration,” along with a guitar emoji.

Established in 1996, the present lineup of Linkin Park features vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn, bassist Dave Farrell, vocalist Emily Armstrong, and drummer Colin Brittain.

Initially, their first seven studio albums included Chester Bennington as the lead vocalist and Rob Bourdon on drums; following Bennington's tragic passing in July 2017, the band took a seven-year break, during which Bourdon decided to leave.

The announcement of their return came in 2024 alongside the introduction of Armstrong and Brittain.

Linkin Park achieved worldwide acclaim with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, launched in 2000, with the track “In the End” reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Their second album, Meteora, released in 2003, further solidified their success.

Their third album, Minutes to Midnight, released in 2007, marked a transformation in their sound. By the end of the 2000s, Linkin Park had established themselves as one of the most successful rock bands.

With over 100 million records sold globally, Linkin Park stands as one of the best-selling music acts in history. Their accolades include two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, ten MTV Europe Music Awards, and three World Music Awards.

As for Dhillon, his musical journey commenced in 2019 with the track “Fake” featuring Shinda Kahlon, released under their independent label Run-Up Records. He later appeared in the video and was credited as a producer for the track “Faraar” by Gurinder Gill and Shinda Kahlon.

His single “Deadly,” produced by Gminxr, reached number 11 on the UK Asian chart published by the Official Charts Company in 2020, also hitting the top 5 on the UK Punjabi chart.

Following this, “Droptop” with Gurinder Gill became his next single. In 2020, he and Gurinder Gill collaborated on “Excuses” by Intense, which peaked at number 3 on the UK Asian chart and topped the UK Punjabi chart.

His track “Brown Munde,” featuring Gurinder Gill, Gminxr, and Shinda Kahlon, along with Nav, Sidhu Moose Wala, Money Musik, Anmol Dalwani, and Steel Banglez, turned into a global sensation, catapulting him to fame.

In 2021, AP Dhillon made his live concert debut during the “Over The Top – The Takeover Tour,” performing in six major cities across India. He also became the first Punjabi artist to grace the stage at the 2023 Juno Awards in Edmonton, Canada, performing his hit song “Summer High.”