Image: Linkin Park, Hybrid Theory Album Cover
Linkin Park, the American Nu Metal band, has inspired generations since the 90s. With their emotional lyrics and heavy sound, they have always been able to reach the hearts of their listeners. Today we're putting together the 5 best Linkin Park songs of all time for you!
The group from Los Angeles released their last album, titled One More Light, in 2017. In the same year, not long after its release, the world had to bid farewell to Chester Bennington, the band's longtime singer. He was the role model of many young people and an icon of Alternative Metal. Linkin Park's music is referred to by numerous other bands and artists as an inspiration and influence. And the songs continue to be an integral part of the metal scene. That's why today we're going to introduce you to 5 of the most popular songs from their band history.
1. In The End (2000)
An undisputed classic that everyone knows. It is the most famous and successful song of the band, released on the popular album Hybrid Theory from 2000 - their debut album! It brought the group their international breakthrough shortly after their formation. It is also an example of the defining sound of hip-hop combined with alternative rock: Nu Metal. The hard riffs and catchy melodies perfectly complement the profound lyrics sung by Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda. Topics like frustration and despair affect everyone in their daily lives, which makes the song so relatable. The emotional atmosphere captivates every listener. In addition, the song has long since achieved cult status. It's simply impossible not to sing along!
2. Numb (2003)
"Numb" was a single and appeared on the band's second studio album, Meteora. It is also among Linkin Park's most popular albums and has sold nearly 30 million copies to date. This places it just behind Hybrid Theory. As the title "Numb" already shows, the song is about inner emptiness and a feeling of numbness that makes it difficult to have emotional relationships with other people.
3. What I've Done (2007)
Next up is the follow-up album Minutes To Midnight. The song "What I've Done" is about another personal issue that takes a lot of courage for many people: self-reflection. Chester Bennington's powerful voice clearly conveys how difficult it can be to look back on one's past and question one's own decisions. Linkin Park show their emotional depth in many ways. It's understandable why so many people have listened to the band's music since they were young, and still do so.
4. One Step Closer (2000)
Our Top 5 take us back to Linkin Park's debut, Hybrid Theory, once again. It's hard to imagine this list without "One Step Closer". The success of the track already became obvious a few weeks before the album's release, as radio stations played Linkin Park's first single over and over. Chester Bennington lets his emotions run free, which must have accumulated more and more due to the bullying in his school days. Accordingly, the song and lyrics feel very honest.
5. Crawling (2000)
We still continue with the Hybrid Theory era. The song "Crawling" was the second single release from Linkin Park's debut. Chester Bennington himself stated that the song was difficult for him to sing. The track is inspired by his personal struggle with drug abuse and the loss of control that comes with it.
And the list could be much longer than this. Surely everyone has their own favorites on the tracklists of the seven studio albums. After all, everybody has their own topics that they can relate with the best. Anyway, it's clear that Linkin Park should be in your playlist for a very long time!
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At Impericon, you can discover an wide selection of Linkin Park Merch. With the logo and cover prints on our t-shirts and hoodies you can show that you are a real Linkin Park fan. You can also find many vinyls and CDs in our shop, of course including the albums with the best songs of the band! Take a look around and discover your favorite designs right now.