Linkin Park are widely recognised as a pioneer of the nu-metal genre, a subgenre of alternative metal that fuses elements from hip-hop, heavy metal, alt-rock, and occasionally funk. Bands such as Pantera, Korn, and the thrash metal group Anthrax played pivotal roles in shaping this sound. Linkin Park’s blend of melodic ballads, intense riffs, and rapping formed an electrifying and aggressive musical style that gained popularity in the late 1980s and early 90s.
The band experimented with various musical styles before solidifying its distinctive sound. The key addition was Chester Bennington, whose exceptional ability to seamlessly transition from rhythmic singing to intense screams became the missing ingredient. His dynamic vocal range elevated Mike Shinoda’s rap verses and the band’s instrumentals, creating an explosive energy that fuelled hit after hit.
There’s no doubt about Linkin Park’s influence on modern rock and nu-metal. Since their groundbreaking entry into music, they’ve become one of the most versatile rock bands of the twenty-first century, known for their deep connection with fans and innovative approach to music.
On September 5, 2024, the band announced plans for a new album and tour, introducing Emily Armstrong from Dead Sara as their new co-vocalist. This marks an exciting new chapter for the band, honouring their legacy while exploring new musical paths.
After years of anticipation, the iconic rock band announced the dates for their long-awaited return with the “From Zero World Tour,” their first live tour in seven years.
The “From Zero World Tour” marks Linkin Park’s first major tour in seven years, taking place without the late Chester Bennington. The tour kicked off on September 11, 2024, at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, with sold-out shows across the United States, Brazil, South Korea, England, Germany, and many others. The tour’s first leg wrapped up in Saudi Arabia on December 12, 2024, at Riyadh’s Banban, following two high-energy performances in São Paulo, Brazil.
The 2025 leg of the “From Zero World Tour” began on January 31, 2025, at Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City. Starting in April, the band will tour across multiple continents, including Europe and North America, and Linkin Park tickets are in high demand for their shows.
As the “From Zero World Tour” gears up for its highly anticipated start, here are 13 interesting things you need to know about the multi-award-winning band.
They auditioned for over 40 label representatives
After the band completed their “Hybrid Theory” demo tape, they presented it to over 40 different label representatives. “We just kept pushing,” Bennington recalled in an interview with “Metal Hammer.” “Most bands probably play for three labels, get turned down, and give up. We performed for 45, but our attitude was, ‘These guys are fucking stupid if they can’t see what we’ve got.’ We knew what we had and never questioned it.”
“Hybrid Theory” was initially the band’s name
Before meeting Bennington, Shinoda and Delson’s band Xero underwent several lineup changes. Once they decided on Bennington as their new lead vocalist, they rebranded as “Hybrid Theory,” reflecting the fusion of musical styles they had crafted. However, due to a Welsh electronic band named Hybrid, they had to change their name again, ultimately settling on using “Hybrid Theory” as the title for their debut album.
Profound impact beyond music
Linkin Park’s influence stretches beyond just music, as evidenced by their groundbreaking collaborations in various industries. A prime example is their partnership with American DJ Steve Aoki on the gaming-inspired track “A Light That Never Comes,” created in collaboration with gaming giant Kuuluu Interactive Entertainment AG, showcasing their adaptability and range.
The label attempted to remove Mike Shinoda
During the “Hybrid Theory” recording sessions, Warner Bros. attempted to remove Shinoda from the band. Label representatives even privately met with Bennington to convince him to kick his co-vocalist out. “They wanted some fucking rapper from New York who no one knew to come and do vocals on the record,” Bennington vented to “Metal Hammer.”
“I just wanted to punch those idiots in the face because they couldn’t see that golden fucking teat of awesomeness that was right in front of them. Mike’s one of the most productive songwriters of our era, I think. God knows how many Number Ones we’ve had, but if he wasn’t in the band, we wouldn’t have had any of those!”
They’re multi-genre blending artists
Over their career spanning more than two decades, Linkin Park has continuously explored various musical styles, honing their signature nu-metal sound. While they are primarily recognised as a rock band, Linkin Park has consistently pushed genre boundaries, incorporating rap, R&B, and pop elements into their music. This approach has cemented their reputation as one of the most versatile and accomplished collaborators in the music industry.
This was particularly evident with the annual Projekt Revolution Tour launched in 2002. The tour brought together artists from diverse genres, including hip-hop, rap, punk, and metal, allowing fans to experience the fusion of various musical influences. Renowned artists like Korn, Snoop Dogg, and My Chemical Romance participated in the event. Through this initiative, Linkin Park showcased their ability to bridge the gap between genres and introduced fans to their evolving musical identity.
They performed in over 300 shows in one year
In 2001, the band performed a staggering 342 shows. They played at major music festival tours such as Ozzfest and The Family Values Tour, which were organised by Korn, and they headlined Projekt Revolution, the festival they created. This intense schedule demonstrated their commitment to connecting with their audience and solidifying their place in the music scene.
Chester Bennington wasn’t initially a fan of “In the End”
Although “In the End” would go on to become one of Linkin Park’s biggest hits, Chester Bennington wasn’t initially a fan of the track. “I was never a fan of ‘In The End,’ and I didn’t even want it to be on the record, honestly,” he confessed to “VMusic.”
“How wrong could I have possibly been? I basically decided at that point I don’t know what the f— I’m talking about, so I leave that to other people who are actually talented at somehow picking songs that people are going to like the most.”
Anger Towards The Machine inspired the “Shut Up” part of “One Step Closer.”
Shinoda revealed in an interview with “Billboard” that the famous “Shut up when I’m talking to you” line in “One Step Closer” was inspired by “Rage Against the Machine’s” “Killing in the Name,” particularly the repeated “Fuck you / I won’t do what you tell me” towards the end of the track.
“We wanted a part like that in one of our songs,” he explained, referring to the “Rage Against the Machine” anthem. “And we were in the studio writing and rewriting “One Step Closer,” and eventually, we got so mad that Chester was just writing words down about how mad he was at Don for making us rewrite shit.”
Chester Bennington had difficulty singing “Crawling” and “With You”
In a conversation with “Linkin Park Underground,” Bennington revealed that “Crawling” and “With You” were his most challenging songs to perform live. “I would say that ‘Crawling’ has caused me the most trouble live more than any other song,” he confessed. “Just because it’s that one long note the whole time, but I think probably ‘Crawling’ and probably ‘With You’ was hard when we used to play that one.”
“Hybrid Theory” is the best-selling debut album of the 21st century
By October 2019, “Hybrid Theory” had sold more than 32 million copies globally, making it the best-selling debut album of the 21st century.
According to an NME report, Linkin Park’s debut release, “Hybrid Theory,” is the top-selling debut album since Guns N’ Roses’ “Appetite for Destruction” (1987), and it remains the best-selling rock album of the 21st century. As of 2020, it is on the list of the best-selling albums of all time, ahead of U2’s “Joshua Tree” and Bon Jovi’s “Slippery When Wet.”
First rock band to reach a billion views on YouTube
Linkin Park made history as the first rock band to surpass 1 billion views on YouTube. The music video for “New Divide,” featured in the film “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” contributes to more than 10% of that total.
They refused to perform at the NYSE
In 2005, during what could be considered the peak of their popularity while working on the follow-up to “Meteora,” Warner Bros. requested that Linkin Park perform at the New York Stock Exchange to celebrate the company’s $750 million initial public stock offering. According to a report by “The New York Times,” the request baffled and angered the band. This reaction stemmed from the fact that the company had recently reorganised its business in preparation for the stock offering, cutting staff and trimming around $250 million in costs. Guitarist Brad Delson expressed his frustration, telling “The New York Times,”
“[This] just exemplifies how out of touch the ownership of the Warner Music Group is with our band. It doesn’t make any sense to us why we would play a show at the New York Stock Exchange. I don’t know what was going through their minds.”
Fallout with Warner Bros.
Linkin Park remained signed to Warner Bros. Records throughout their career while managing their label, Machine Shop. Despite this long-standing relationship, it wasn’t always without its challenges.
During the recording of their debut album, there were claims that specific individuals at the label attempted to remove Mike Shinoda from the band. In an interview with “Metal Hammer,” later republished by “Louder” in 2022, Chester Bennington recalled the incident: “They wanted some fucking rapper from New York who no one knew to come and do vocals on the record.” Ultimately, the attempt failed, and the band moved forward perhaps even with a reinforced sense of unity and an “us against them” mentality.
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