I’m going to start with a disclaimer: if you’re one of those
people that believe Linkin Park was only good at punk, or peaked
at a certain point, then you might not like my opinion. They’re
an alternative group through and through, and no amount of “But
Hybrid Theory!” can change my mind.
With that out of the way, Linkin Park initially formed in 1996 but
didn’t produce an album until 2000 with “Hybrid Theory.” In 2001,
a remix album of “Hybrid Theory” came out, titled “Reanimation.”
“Meteora” was released in 2003 and kept a pretty consistent style
with “Hybrid Theory,” with a little more experimentation. Linkin
Park worked with Jay-Z to create a remix album in 2004, “Collision
Course.”
Then, in 2007, “Minutes to Midnight” released. This would be the
first album to see a “Transformers” movie single. Additionally, the
entire album slaps, and it shows. Five of the 12 songs were released as singles;
all successful. They went on the Project Revolution tour shortly after releasing
an album and DVD under the same name, “Road to Revolution: Live at Milton
Keynes.”
The next single Linkin Park released in 2009, “New Divide,” was quite good.
They also worked with Hans Zimmer on the score for “Transformers: Revenge
of the Fallen.” In 2010, they began releasing singles for their next album, “The
Catalyst” on August 2, and “Waiting for the End” and “Blackout,” both on
September 8. The third album, “A Thousand Suns,” came out on September 14.
In 2012, a lot happened for the band. They performed the first single from their
next album, “Burn it Down,” live, released the music video for it and debuted
another single, “Lies, Greed, Misery,” on the same day. “Powerless,” yet another
single, was used in the credits for “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.” “Castle
of Glass,” you guessed it: another single was nominated for best song in a video
game at the Spike Video Game Awards. Oh, and did I mention they released their
fifth album, “Living Things,” too?
In 2013, Linkin Park Collaborated with Steve Aoki to produce the song “A
Light that Never Comes.” They also released another remix album, “Recharged.”
“Guilty all the Same” was the first single released from their next album, on
March 6, 2014. On June 13, 2014, the full album of “The Hunting Party” came
out. The final song on the album, “A Line in the Sand,” was just that.
Linkin Park’s next single released in 2017, titled “Heavy.” It was a pop song and featured vocalist Kiiara. The full album released on May 19, 2017, “One
More Light.” The entire album was much more pop-esque, but still pretty good.
Then, on July 20, 2017, Chester Bennington, their frontman, took his own life.
They did one final concert on October 27, 2017, to honor Chester’s death, and
that was it: the end of Linkin Park. Sorry for the somber note.
I’d like to take the fifth slot to honor some of their intro/interlude songs. “Wake”
is a powerful start to “Minutes to Midnight.” “Wisdom, Justice, and Love” and
“Fallout” is flawless transitions into their respective songs, and the former got
me to listen to a Martin Luther King Jr. speech. “Drawbar” is hauntingly beautiful,
if not a bit jarring at times.
“Hands Held High,” a rally piece is driven by march-like drums in the
background. It helps me to remember to stay strong, even if it feels like the
darkest hour. Stand your ground, even though the worst times.
“From the Inside” makes its tone immediately apparent with a nice guitar intro
before quieting down a bit and then thrusting you into the chorus. Short, but oh
so sweet.
I think “Halfway Right” acts as a solid representation of anxiety. It speaks of
fighting yourself constantly, a never-ending battle, questionable decisions, and
constant self-doubt. I can relate a lot, and thoroughly enjoy the song, despite the
“na na nas.”
My all-time favorite Linkin Park song would have to be “Mark the Graves.”
The song is a wonderful mix of their older and newer styles. It seamlessly
combines the heavier guitar solos of their early
music with the more alt-rock style they had
since taken on. I used it as my pacing song for
cross country, and it’s the first song I listen to
when I want to hear Linkin Park.
There are a lot more songs I’d like to cover,
so just give a few songs from all their albums a
try. Yes, even you, Mr. “Linkin park was only
good until…”
As always, send criticisms and feedback to
[email protected].