The end of the ’90s saw the rise in rap rock but Linkin Park was a bit different than some of the other bands of that era. You can hear influences of everyone from Depeche Mode to the Deftones. The album was so popular upon release that it was selling about 100,000 copies a week in 2002. It went on to sell over 10 million copies and, of all their records, it is certainly the most hip hop influenced. No. 2 pop hit “In the End” is the biggest track on the album that also included “One Step Closer” and “Crawling”.
Fun Fact: In an effort to get signed, the band played over 45 different shows in front of different record labels. It was basically a show of the nine songs from the demo tapes.
Learn more about the album:
Mike Shinoda on the Inarguable Legacy of Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory 20 Years Later
The real story behind Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory
How Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory Design Helped Define The Band
Essential video:
Listen to the album: