Linkin Park’s meteoric rise to the top of the music world and sudden fall from grace has been a spectacle to watch. From their humble beginnings as part of an underground movement in Los Angeles, they burst onto the mainstream scene with their best-selling album Hybrid Theory. The album was certified diamond by RIAA for 10 million copies sold and spawned hit singles such as ‘In The End’ and ‘One Step Closer.’
In their wake, they left a trail of broken minds and shattered expectations. Their sophomore album, Meteora was another best seller with key tracks such as ‘Somewhere I Belong’, ‘Numb’ and the iconic ‘Breaking The Habit.’
Linkin Park’s meteoric rise to the top of the music world and sudden fall from grace has been a spectacle to watch. From their humble beginnings as part of an underground movement in Los Angeles, they burst onto the mainstream scene with their best-selling album Hybrid Theory. The album was certified diamond by RIAA for ten million copies sold and spawned hit singles such as In The End’ and One Step Closer’ .
But it would be the pinnacle of their successes. They’ve been through numerous lineup changes throughout the years only for it to finally end in tragedy when singer Chester Bennington committed suicide on July 20th 2017. Linkin Park had already been working on their seventh studio album One More Light before his passing but after that tragic event decided not to release any new music under the name.
A fire burns inside the heart of a musician. It’s that drive to create something, and share it with the world without any regard for personal gain or recognition. A life spent in pursuit of this passion is often rewarded by adoration from fans who have been touched by their work. Linkin Park was no exception to this rule, but they were also subject to intense scrutiny when tragedy struck on July 20th, 2017. The band had just finished performing at the KROQ Weenie Roast in California when lead singer Chester Bennington took his own life onstage as he reportedly struggled with mental illness over many years. His death left many stunned and saddened; not only because they lost one of their favorite musicians, but also because they saw someone who they could relate to struggle with his own demons.
Linkin Park’s meteoric rise and sudden fall should serve as a reminder of the fragility of life, but it also highlights the importance of being kind to one another. Chester Bennington was not alone in this battle; he had friends, family members, and fellow musicians who loved him dearly trying their best to support him when no one else would have been able to understand what he was going through. Partially because mental illness is often viewed as something shameful that needs hushed up in order for people like Chester or anyone suffering from mental health issues can be free from shame or judgmental stares. Mental illness sufferers need empathy rather than disdain if we hope to make progress on this issue.
The meteoric rise and sudden fall of the rock band Linkin Park mirrors that of many other bands in the early 2000s. The piano-driven nu metal sound they pioneered with their releases Hybrid Theory, Meteora, and Minutes to Midnight catapulted them into superstardom as a voice for a generation. Their lyrics touched on themes like depression and suicide, which resonated deeply with their audience. However, as time went on Linkin Park’s music grew more pop-focused and less heavy; this lead to an eventual decline in popularity among listeners who craved what had initially made them so successful.
The article analyzes the success of Linkin Park, and how mental illness sufferers need empathy rather than disdain if we hope to make progress on this issue. The meteoric rise and sudden fall of the rock band Linkin Park mirrors that of many other bands in the early 2000s. The piano-driven nu metal sound they pioneered with their releases Hybrid Theory, Meteora, and Minutes to Midnight catapulted them into superstardom as a voice for a generation. Their lyrics touched on themes like depression and suicide which resonated deeply with their audience but over time they grew more pop focused and less heavy; leading to an eventual decline in popularity among listeners who craved what had initially made them so successful.
The band Linkin Park has been around for a while, but in the late 2000s they experienced meteoric rise to international fame. They were selling out arenas and stadiums across the world, had sold over 50 million albums worldwide, and won multiple Grammy Awards by 2010. But it was all too good to last; just two years later they released their 6th studio album “The Hunting Party” which failed commercially and critically. The follow-up album One More Light was met with similar results. This blog post will take an in depth look at this brief period of success as well as what is next for Linkin Park.
