Linkin Park

Linkin Park is a band that developed a huge fan base around 2000 with the hit single "One Step Closer". Many dismissed the band at first, but the few that did listen, pushed it on their friends, and those that listened to the whole CD, were awe struck with the different emotions the band could bring out. From the "raps" Mike Shinoda threw down in "Place for My Head" to the wave of fans that were drawn by the voice of Chester Bennington in "Crawling", Linkin Park could appeal to every fan in the world. They became a music phenomenon, that quickly became amazing. Hybrid Theory, their first album, contained 12 tracks. Re-Animation, their next album, remixed all 12 songs, and was released the next year. Many other artists appeared on the CD, working with the band to make the songs the fans loved, that much better. Some fans didn't agree with the decision, simply hoping for a new album, and disregarded it immediately. Meteora was released the following year in 2003, and the fan base just grew more and more. The song "Somewhere I Belong" grabbed most fans, but some again disregarded them as an "emo" band. {"Emo" had become a popular and stupid term around the time, as every single "new" band seemed to come out with the same tired LP wanna-be songs, that screamed and yelled the WHOLE song, and had nothing to offer.} Regardless, the fans stuck to the band they loved. The song they released next was called "Faint". This song was nowhere near 'emo' and was not even close to be considered a failure. The band literally took off even more with this intense, fast paced song. Many people were drawn in because of this song. The next song that came out nearly killed the band: "Breaking the Habit". What should have been an incredible song, was immediately turned into an out-cry of LP-Haters calling the song and the band 'emo'. As depressing as it sounds, and as petty as it is, the fan base started to slip. Meteora was and IS one of the most incredible CD's released in the world, and listening to it, will never fail to impress you. The final song they released to date is "Numb" bringing their song releases on one CD to 4! Numb, too, was another outcry of 'emo', but fans saw by that, listening to the lyrics, and not the people who hated them. You will literally find yourself listening to each album so many times you'll learn the lyrics without ever looking them up. The "unfortunate" next CD to be released was a collaboration with Jay-Z. Because many fans of LP didn't like rap/hip-hop, the collaboration seemed horrific and stupid on the part of the band. Some believed it was a desperation move to regain fans or get money. The CD (Which remixed the songs: Lying From You/Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Papercut/Big Pimpin', Faint/Jigga What, Numb/Encore, In The End/Izzo, and Points of Authority/99 Problems) was decent to many fans. Some believed it was amazing, others believed it was an utter disaster. Today, the band is on a bit of a "vacation". Chester is currently working on a side project, but rumor is he is going to hold off on that until the next LP CD is done. Mike Shinoda started the band Fort Minor as a side project, and the CD "The Rising Tied" is yet another amazing job well done, which gained not only much of the LP fan base, but a whole new base of rap/hip-hop supporters! Their next CD is due...and news on websites is that they're working hard, coming up with bits and pieces for songs and putting them together to come up with a CD that is Linkin Park, and something entirely new. It should be amazing after 3 years of wait. It took two for Meteora, and that was considered very much emo, so LP fans are hoping for a CD that turns EVERYONE'S heads, not just their own. --(As of July 2006)