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{{Infobox musical artist
]
| Name = Linkin Park
| Img = Linkini.JPG
| Img_capt = Linkin Park live in Prague, 2007.
| Background = group_or_band
| Origin = ], ], ]
| Genre = ]<ref>IGN, , Retrived on ], ].</ref><ref>MetaCritic, , , Retrived on ], ].</ref><br>]<br /> ]<br /> ]<!-- DO NOT CHANGE GENRES WITHOUT A TALK PAGE DISCUSSION -->
| Years_active = ]–]
| Label = ]<br />]
| Associated_acts = ] ]–]<br /> Hybrid Theory ]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />
| Current_members = ]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />]
| Past_members = ] (Stand-in)<br />] (Stand-in)<br />Mark Wakefield (1996-1998)
}}
'''Linkin Park''' is a ] band<!-- Do not change this without consulting talk page --> from ], ]. Since their formation in 1996, the band has sold more than fifty million albums and won two ].<ref name="mwire">Marketwire.com, , Retrieved on ] ]</ref><ref>Rock On The Net, , Retrieved on June 99, 2007</ref><ref>Rock On The Net , Retrieved on ], ]</ref> With their debut album, '']'', they achieved their initial mainstream success; the album was certified ] by the ] in 2005.<ref>Recording Industry Association of America, , Retrieved on ], ]</ref> Their following studio album, '']'', continued the band's success, topping the ]’s album charts in 2003, and was followed by extensive touring and charity work around the world.<ref>Soundspike.com,
, Retrieved on ], ]</ref>


Recognized for their adaption of the ] genre into a radio-friendly style in ''Hybrid Theory'' and ''Meteora'',<ref name=ew>{{cite news |first=Tom |last=Sinclair|work= Music Review|title=Meteora (2003) |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,435104~4~0~meteora,00.html|publisher= Entertainment Weekly|date=March 28, 2003|accessdate=2007-10-19 }}</ref><ref name="msn">MSN Music, , Retrieved on ], ]</ref> the band moved away from this and explored a variety of other genres in their latest studio album, '']''.<ref name="No new"/><ref name=lat>{{cite news |first=Ann |last=Powers|work= Pop Album Review|title=Minutes to Midnight (Warner Bros.) |url=http://www.calendarlive.com/printedition/calendar/cl-et-linkin15may15,0,2089411.story?coll=cl-calendar|publisher= Los Angeles Times|date=May 15, 2007|accessdate=2007-10-19 }}</ref> The album topped the Billboard Charts and had the third best debut week of any album that year.<ref>Billboard.com, , Retrieved on ] ]</ref><ref name ="billm">Billboard.com, , Retrieved on ] ]</ref> They are also known for their several collaborations, most notably with ] ] in their ] album '']'', and many other artists on '']''.<ref name="msn"/>
==Band history==
===Early years (1996–1999)===
Originally consisting of three ] friends, Linkin Park’s foundation was anchored by ] and ] along with ].<ref name=Ask-Bio>AskMen.com, Retrieved on ], ]</ref><ref name="Linkinbio" >{{citeweb|url=http://www.linkin-park-lyrics.com/about-linkin-park.html|title=Linkin Park Biography|accessdate=23 December|accessyear=2007}}</ref> After graduating from high school, the ] natives began to take their musical interests more seriously, recruiting ], ], and Mark Wakefield to perform in their band then titled ]. Though limited in resources, the band began recording and producing songs within Shinoda’s make-shift bedroom studio in 1996.<ref name=Ask-Bio/><ref name="Bio2">{{citeweb|url=http://www.popstarsplus.com/music_linkinpark_history.htm|title=Linkin Park - band history and biography|accessdate=23 December|accessyear=2007}}</ref> Tensions and frustration within the band grew after they failed to land a record deal.<ref name=Ask-Bio /> The lack of success and stalemate in progress prompted Wakefield, at that time the band's ], to leave the band in search for other projects.<ref name=Ask-Bio/><ref name="Bio2" /> Farrell would also leave the band to tour with ] and other bands.<ref name=RockD>Rockdetector.com, Retrieved on ], ]</ref><ref>Livedaily.com, Retrieved on ], ]</ref>


After spending a considerable time searching for Wakefield's replacement, Xero recruited ] vocalist ]. ], the vice president of Zomba Music, had referred him to the band in March 1999.<ref name=LPT>Lptimes.com, Retrieved on ], ]</ref> Formerly of ] ] band Grey Daze, Bennington was noted among the other applicants.<ref name="Linkinbio" /> The band changed their name from Xero to Hybrid Theory.<ref name=RockD/> Following the recruiting of Bennington, the band began to work on new material.<ref name=Ask-Bio/> Shortly after this, the band changed their name from Hybrid Theory to Linkin Park, a play on words and homage to ]’s Lincoln Park.<ref name="Ask-Bio">AskMen.com, Retrieved on ], ]</ref> However, the band still struggled to sign a record deal despite these changes. Having endured numerous rejections from several major ], Linkin Park turned to Jeff Blue for help. After failing to catch ] on three previous reviews, Jeff Blue, now the vice president of Warner Bros. Records, helped the band sign a deal with the company in 1999. Now aside with Warner Bros. Records, the band released their breakthrough album, '']'', the following year.<ref name=LPT/>


=== Breakthrough: ''Hybrid Theory'' (2000–2002) ===
''']''' is the codename of a covert group of advanced scientists from around the world who have been performing experiments at the Sound Institute aimed at inventing a reliable audio-weapons system since 1997. Led by Professor ], junkie Chester Bennington, awesome-o Rob Bourdon, and physicist Joseph Hahn. They first invented SuperXero in 1997, but no one respected their idea, then these academics published their newer findings and the first formulas they invented to explain them in October 2000. Their revolutionary new idea was called ''Hybrid Theory''. They are the sworn enemy of My Chemical Romance. The first war was led by Mike and Phoenix (aka Feenux aka the bastard who can't spell) and Linkin Park won at the battle of Emo-town. The second war is being fought out right now. (This war is known as ].)
Linkin Park released ''Hybrid Theory'' on ], ].<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/linkin_park/hybrid_theory/|title=Linkin Park - ''Hybrid Theory released 24 October 2000.|accessdate=23 December|accessyear=2007}}</ref><ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.linkin-park.com/?pg=albums|title=Linkin Park fansite - Album release date|accessdate=23 December|accessyear=2007}}</ref> The album, which represented half a decade’s worth of the band’s work, was edited by music producer ].<ref name=Ask-Bio/> ''Hybrid Theory'' was well received by music fans; the band sold more than 4.8 million records during its debut year, earning it the status of best-selling album of 2001, while singles such as '']'' and '']'' established themselves as staples among ] radio play lists during the year.<ref name="RockD">Rockdetector.com, Retrieved on ], ]</ref> Additionally, other singles from the album were featured in movies such as '']'', '']'', and '']''.<ref name=RockD/> ''Hybrid Theory'' was also nominated for three ]s, including best new artist, best rock album, and best hard rock performance (for ''Crawling'').<ref>United Stations Radio Network, Retrieved on ], ]</ref> ] awarded the band their Best Rock Video and Best Direction awards for '']''.<ref name=Ask-Bio/> Through the winning of the Grammy for best hard rock performance, ''Hybrid Theory’s'' overall success had catapulted the band into the ]'s attention.
The logic behind their success is simple, yet unfathomable:
<math>{(Mr HAAAAHN + Prof. Shinoda + Prof. Bourdon) + 3(weirdo)}(noise)(emolyrics) = kaching </math>
== Hybrid Theory ==
]
The premise of Hybrid Theory is very complicated, but only if you're a total retard. Basically, it first assumes that people who listen to extremely loud music are likely to have damaged hearing. It also assumes that people who listen to really stupid music are likely to become really stupid. Most of their experiments were aimed at finding the stupidest possible combination of sounds that were just barely within the parameters of what could be called music by most teenagers to become ammunition for their audio-weapons system, which was then turned backwards to check for Satanic messages and released as Warner Brothers <s>cartoons</s> records.


During this time, Linkin Park received many invitations to perform on many high-profile tours and concerts including ], ] and ].<ref name=RockD/><ref>MTV.com, Retrieved on ], ]</ref> The band also formed their own tour, ], which featured other notable artists such as, ], ], and ].<ref name=LPT/> Within a year’s stretch, Linkin Park had performed at over 320 concerts.<ref name=Ask-Bio/> The experiences and performances of the precocious band were documented in their first ], '']'', which debuted in November 2001. Now reunited with former ] Dave Farrell, the band began work on a remix album, dubbed '']'', which would include works from ''Hybrid Theory'' and '']''.<ref name="RockD">Rockdetector.com, Retrieved on ], ]</ref> The album ''Reanimation'' debuted on ], ], featuring the likes of ], ], ], and many others.<ref>United Stations Radio Network, Retrieved on ], ]</ref> ''Reanimation'' claimed the second spot on the ], and sold nearly 270,000 copies during its debut week.<ref>Yahoo! Music, Retrieved on ], ]</ref>
To create the most damaging music possible for their new audio-weapons system, they had to go outside the established parameters of the music industry and hire Mike Shinoda, who can actually read music. After observing these ghostwriters, the scientists of Linkin Park settled on a musical style that was a hybrid between the two best kinds of music known to man: ] and ]. This is why their idea was called "Hybrid Theory".
Yes, they like boys.


===Continued success: ''Meteora'' (2002–2004)===
== High Voltage ==
Following the success of ''Hybrid Theory'' and ''Reanimation'', Linkin Park spent a significant amount of time touring around the United States. The band began to work on new material amidst their saturated schedule, spending a sliver of their free time in their tour bus' studio.<ref name=dvd>Warner Bros. Records, "The Making of Meteora" (2003) , Released on ], ].</ref> The band officially announced the production of a new studio album in December 2002, revealing their new work was inspired by the rocky region of ] in ], where numerous ] have been built on top of the rocks.<ref>MTV.com, Retrieved on ], ]</ref> '']'' featured a mixture of the band's previous ] and ] styles with newer innovative effects, including the induction of a ] (a ] flute made of bamboo) and other instruments.<ref name=Ask-Bio/> Linkin Park's second album debuted on ], ] and instantly earned worldwide recognition,<ref name=Ask-Bio/> going to #1 in the US and UK, and #2 in ].<ref name="Bio2" />


''Meteora'' sold more than 800,000 copies during its first week, and it ranked as the best selling album on the ] at the time.<ref>Yahoo! Music, Retrieved on ], ]</ref>
High Voltage is the power source of the audio weapons system's core. It comes at you from every side. It was invented when Professor Shinoda was digging in the crates. This was back when he was living in space - before the rat race, and before monkeys had human traits.
Music videos for some of the album's singles, including '']'', '']'', '']'' and '']'', received significant radio attention.<ref>Yahoo! Music, Retrieved on ], ]</ref> By ], ''Meteora'' sold nearly three million copies.<ref>LAUNCH Radio Networks, Retrieved on ], ]</ref>
The album's success allowed Linkin Park to form another ], which featured other bands and artists including, ], ], and ].<ref name=Ask-Bio/> Additionally, ] invited Linkin Park to play at the ], which included well-known acts such as ], ] and ].<ref name=vh1>VH1.com, Retrieved on ], ]</ref> The band released an album and ], entitled '']'', which consisted of audio and video tracks of some of the band's performances in ] during the tour.<ref name=Ask-Bio/>
In early 2004, Linkin Park started a world tour titled the Meteora World Tour, supporting bands on the tour include ], ] and ].


''Meteora'' earned the band multiple awards and honors. The band won ]'s awards for Best Rock Video (''Somewhere I Belong'') and the Viewer's Choice Award (''Breaking the Habit'').<ref name=ring>Ringsurf.com, Retrieved on ], ]</ref> Linkin Park also received significant recognition during the 2004 ]s, winning the Artist of the Year and Song of the Year (''Numb'') awards.<ref name=ring/> Although ''Meteora'' was not nearly as successful as ''Hybrid Theory'', it was the third best selling album in America during 2003.<ref name=RockD/> The band spent the first few months of 2004 touring around the world, first with the third Projekt Revolution tour, and later several European concerts.<ref name=RockD/>
First, he mastered numerology and big-bang theology, and then he began performing lobotomies with telekinetic psychology. Being a somewhat religious and sentimental man that likes to nurture (as evidenced by his appearance in some music videos in a church), he invented the mic so he could start blessing it and began chin-checkin’ kids to make his point like an impressionist.


===Side projects and charity work (2004–2006)===
Many other men have tried to shake Linkin Park, but they twist Mike into double helixes and show them what he’s made of. This buckles his knees like leg braces and makes him say strange things like "instrumental-ness" and because of that, all of the emcees they hate him because he's not into that fake Karaoke copy bullshit, so he breaks their bones verbally with sticks-and-stones tactics.
]Following ''Meteora'''s success, the band postponed working on a new studio album for the next few years. Instead, Linkin Park continued to tour and work on many side projects. Bennington appeared on ]’s ''State of the Art'' and other work with ], while Shinoda did work with ].<ref name=RockD/> In 2004, the band began to work with ] to produce another remix album, entitled '']''. The album, which featured intermixed lyrics and background tracks from both artists' previous albums, debuted in November 2004. Shinoda also formed a new band, ], as a side project. With the aid of Jay-Z, Fort Minor released their debut album, '']'', to critical acclaim.<ref>Chartattack, Retrieved on ], ]</ref><ref>Machine Shop, Retrieved on ], ]</ref> At the same time, the band's relationship with ] was deteriorating rapidly on account of several trust and financial issues.<ref>Rolling Stone, Retrieved on ], ]</ref> After months of feuding, the band finally negotiated a deal in December 2005.<ref>Aversion, Retrieved on ], ]</ref>


Linkin Park also participated in numerous charitable events. Linkin Park helped raise money to benefit victims of ] in 2004 and later ] in 2005.<ref name=RockD/> The band donated $75,000 to the ] in March of 2004.<ref></ref> They also helped relief efforts for the ] victims by staging several charity concerts and setting up an additional fund called "Music for Relief".<ref>VoaNews, Retrieved on ], ]</ref> Most notably, however, the band participated at ], a series of charitable benefit concerts set up to raise global awareness.<ref name=liv8>The Linkin Park Times, Retrieved on ], ]</ref> Alongside Jay-Z, the band performed on Live 8's stage in ], ], to a global audience.<ref name="liv8"/> The band would later be reunited with Jay-Z at the ], during which they performed ''Numb/Encore'', en route to winning a Grammy for ].<ref>About.com, , Retrieved on ], ]</ref> They would later go on to play at the 2006 ] music festival, which was hosted by Metallica, in ].<ref>Linkinpark.com, , Retrieved on ], ]</ref>
== Biographies ==


===Resurgence: ''Minutes to Midnight'' (2006–present) ===
Professor Michael Shinoda was raised as a classical ice skater. Then he was inspired by trainspotting - not the sport, but rather the Danny Boyles film. After that, he was hooked on music. He ate music, he slept with music, and he bathed in music. After years and years training to produce the ultimate sound, he found it. With the help of Demolition Specialist, Brad Delson, he found the right amount of "epic depth". Mike took a break, and went to art school. There he met Joseph Hahn. Joseph Hahn was good at art, but then Mike made him buy a turntable. Joseph Hahn was actually once casted for the role as Vegeta in the anime "Nine Thousand", but instead the job was given to Howard Dean. Rob Bourdon, who is awesome, also founded Linkin Park. Feenux was a guy in his dorm or something.... Chester was a guy who was on drugs most of his life. Shinoda recruited him because he wanted someone to scream. Thus the band was formed. Linkin Park existed.
], 2007|left]]
Linkin Park returned to the recording studios in 2006 to work on new material. To produce the album, the band chose producer ]. Despite initially stating the album would debut sometime in 2006, the album was delayed until 2007.<ref name="No new">MTV.com, , Retrieved on ], ]</ref> The band had recorded thirty to fifty songs in August 2006, when Shinoda stated the album was halfway completed.<ref>MTV.com, , Retrieved on ], ]</ref> Bennington later added that the new album would stray away from their previous nu metal sound.<ref>MTV.com, , Retrieved on ], ]</ref> ] officially announced that the band’s third studio album, entitled '']'', would be released on ], ] in the ].<ref>Warner Bros. Records, , Retrieved on ], ]</ref> After spending fourteen months working on the album, the band opted to further refine their album by removing five of the original seventeen tracks.<ref name="No new"> The album’s title, a reference to the ], foreshadowed the band's new lyrical themes.<ref>MTV.com, , Retrieved on ], ]</ref> ''Minutes to Midnight'' sold over 600,000 copies in its first week, making it one of the most successful debut week albums in recent years. The album also took the top spot on the Billboard Charts.<ref name ="billm"/> Some songs, before its release, were mislabeled for ]'s music.


The album's first single, "]" was released on ], and premiered on MTV and ] within the same week.<ref>Videostatic, , Retrieved on ], 2007.</ref> The single was acclaimed by listeners, becoming the top-ranked song on the ]'s ] and ] charts.<ref>Billboard.com, Retrieved on ], ]</ref>
===Band Members===
"]", the second single from ''Minutes to Midnight'', was released ], ], slightly over a month before "]", the third single, was released in the UK on ], and the U.S. on ]. The album's fourth single, "]", will be released on ] ].


Linkin Park's touring and live shows have, among other things, included a performance at ] on ], ].<ref>Billboard.com, , Retrieved on ], ]</ref> The band completed touring on their fourth ] tour before taking up an Arena tour around the ], visiting ], ] and ] before finishing on a double night at the ] in ]. They are now about to embark on a 19-show tour of ].<ref>Zvents.com, , Retrieved on ], ]</ref> Bennington stated that Linkin Park plans to release a "follow up album" to ''Minutes to Midnight''.<ref name="follow">Billboard.com, , Retrieved on February 13, 2008.</ref> However he stated the band will first embark on a United States tour to gather inspiration for the album.<ref name="follow"/>
There are six members of Linkin Park:


== Style ==
* Professor "Chester" Bennington (AKA Chester "Antelope-with-its-nuts-caught-in-a-vice" Bennington) or Chestycough Benylin- Has been known for his distinguished dick that he often sucks. He likes purple pussy. An ] who has been ] ever since his childhood; he screams one time, and then becomes soft, then he starts a ] speech in his songs - it was tough to get the ] to like him. He taught ] subjects in a very ] way during his days as a Professor of Holocaust studies. He then became a Nuclear Scientist at the University of Linkin Park (before they tore it down and made it into a series of Christian Punk and emo rock bands) and began adding emo tones in Linkin Park's nerdy gangsta ] and DJ hit songs. Prior to Linkin Park, he sang songs about heroin with his previous scientific group, who had a plan to make a gas that made whomever smelt it high. It was called ]. Recently, he was claimed by a U2 cult to be the long-lost <s>brother</s> clone of ].
Both ''Hybrid Theory'' and ''Meteora'' intertwined the ] and ] sound with influences and elements from ], ], and ], utilizing ] and ]. William Ruhlmann from '']'' regarded it as "a Johnny-come-lately to an already overdone musical style,"<ref>Ruhlmann, William. Allmusic.com , Retrieved on ], ]</ref> whereas '']'' called "]" "risky, beautiful art."<ref>Rolling Stones , Retrieved on ], ]</ref>


In ''Minutes to Midnight'' the band experimented with their established sound and sees them drawing influences from a wider and more varied range of genres and styles, a process '']'' compares to a stage in ]'s work.<ref>Calendarlive.com, Retrieved on ], ]</ref> In it, only two of the songs feature rapping. It also is their first studio album to feature guitar solos and to feature Mike Shinoda's singing, rather than rapping.
* Professor "Mike" Shinoda - A ], MIMS wannabe whose dad (who was a cheap Japanese gangsta) fucked a ] ] (because he felt emo). He fucked the whore so long (long enough that the members of his family wondered if he went off to take the SAT and get into a four year study at Harvard) that he and the whore gave birth to Mike Shinoda, half Native American and half Japanese. After the Pimp managing the whore helped give birth (the pimp was the doctor), he bitchslapped her so hard that she died. Mike's father then abandoned Mike and got killed by his own family member and fellow <s>nerdy</s> gangstas. Mike grew up to be a gigolo (a male prostitute) who was managed by the same pimp. Then he escaped when he was ten to join a gangsta group. Mike preferred the black type gangstas to the <s>nerdy</s> Japanese; after he listened to some rap, he joined a black gang, and got accepted because he could talk black and tanned himself to make him a little black. How he became a professor, we don't know, he confesses he taught Afro-American Studies at Harvard and then joined the University of Linkin Park, he does <s>nerdy</s> gangsta rap, and manages his own <s>nerdy</s> gangsta rap band with Christian blues band ] in it. But still, nobody can tell shit from Shinoda.


Linkin Park's use of two separate vocalists has become a large part of their music. Chester Bennington is most known for using growling and screaming vocals common in various forms of metal, while also using more melodic singing, and has placed 46th in Hit Paraders list of "Heavy Metal's All-Time Top 100 Vocalists".<ref name="lplist">RoadRunnerRecords.com, , Retrieved on December 5, 2007.</ref>
* Dr. (or Prof.) Joseph Hahn - Proved many things wrong and right. As mentioned earlier, a renowned physicist. Once debated ] (and totally kicked his ass) using a device similar to Prof. Hawking's box thingy that talks for him. (this device can be seen in live footage of Linkin Park. at least, I saw it when I saw them live.) Also proved the anti-Asian coolness theory wrong. (this theory had been proven wrong by Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Tiger Woods, yet until Mr. Hahn contributions had been made a small scientific sect still believed in it. this sect was comprised of Vanilla Ice... and no one else.) Prof. Hahn also goes by the alias Chairman Hahn, as in his spare time he keeps an iron fist on communist China, while wearing a fluffy hat. Prof. Hahn is currently being awesome somewhere in Australia.
Mike Shinoda is the group's ], and does all of the rapping. Mike has also done all of the backing vocals live, and in their latest album, ''Minutes to Midnight'', he sings lead vocals on three songs: "In Between", "Hands Held High", and the b-side "No Roads Left". Shinoda has also been placed in Hit Parader's list of "Heavy Metal's All-Time Top 100 Vocalists" at number 72.<ref name="lplist"/>


==Band members==
* Dr. Mr. Prof. Sir Brad Delson - Not actually any of those things, he just wandered in asking for change one day. Mindlessly plays the same notes over and over again because the others force him to, and beat him if he doesn't. Will sometimes scream 'bradical!' until Prof. Mike hits him with a guitar, then Prof. Rob throws acid at him. He also wears stupid huge-ass headphones that Chester made for him, in exchange for his soul.
] interviews Mike Shinoda in 2006]]
;Current
*] - ] (1999–present)
*] - ] (1996–present)
*] - lead guitar (1996–present)
*] aka "Phoenix" - ], backing vocals (1996–1999, 2001–present)
*] - ], programming, samples, beats (1996–present)
*] - ], vocals, ], ], piano (1996–present)


;Former
* Dr. Dave Farrell - Sometimes called "Phoenix" or "Feenux" because the bastard can't spell. He plays bass or guitar, one of the two. You don't need to know beacuse he's a fucking moron who has a phoenix tattoo on his back. Oh, he left the group before Hybrid Theory because he was tired of stripping in front of ]. He later came back because he missed abusing Brad and being raped by Jay-Z. His interests include putting buckets on his head, eating egg nog with his finger, and being a general idiot.
* Mark Wakefield – ] (1996–1998, while the band was named Xero)


;Stand-in
* Professor Rob Bourdon - The coolest guy out of all these bastards, he wears an awesome hat while playing the drums. He also has an awesome goatee. He is known to be the youngest and most serious guy in the band. He totally kicks all the other members' asses with his shoes if they tell him to do something, especially Brad. He, with Shinoda and some other guy, founded Linkin Park.
* ]— ] (1998–1999) Temporarily replaced Farrell
* ]— ] (1999–2001) Stand-in bass player on ''Hybrid Theory''


==Discography==
* Sir Mark Wakefield - No one has a clue as to who the hell this guy is, but apparently he was in Linkin Park, before being kicked out in favour of Chester because of a child molestation incident involving ] and Mike.
{{main|Linkin Park discography}}
;Demos and EPs
*'']'' demo tape (1997)
*'']'' (1999)
;Albums
*'']'' (2000)
*'']'' (2002)
*'']'' (2003)
*'']'' (with ]) (2004)
*'']'' (2007)
;Live albums
*'']'' (2003)


==Videography==
== Reanimation, Meteora and Projekt Revolution ==
{{main|Linkin Park videography}}
After much initial critism, they decided to publish several more theories to explain apparent gaps in the original one. They succeeded in reanimating the project but were distracted by a bug in their new weapons system: some astronomical interferance caused by meteors. This resulted in a new formula to overcome this difficulty, called ''"Meteora"''. This ''"Meteora"'' was often also referred to as Hybrid Theory #2. They used all of the same formulae and calculations in this theory, but slightly changed the name. Then they set up a world tour, with other fellow researchers. They called it "Projekt Revolution." Since the band is like 2/3 asian, they didn't know how to spell "Project" properly. They have had 3 such tours so far, in ], ] and most recently ]. In 2007 the "project" was co-owned by another group, one which specialises in being more emo and making potions that kills the one you truly love, then makes them rise from the dead every time the House of Wolves holds a "Black Parade". This potion is called ].
;DVD/VHS
*'']'' (2001)
*''] (])'' (2002)
*'']'' (2003)
*'']'' (2004)
*''] (Limited Release)'' (2007)


Sadly, older potions discovered were lacking style and included ], ], ], ], and ].


== Collision Course == == Gallery ==
<center>
They still weren't happy with how intelligent their theory was so they decided to dumb it down so that even poorly educated ginger kids could understand it, but being so fucking ginger they couldn't. After performing some very complicated algebra that is beyond the scope of this article, and having Jay-Z stand there and say 'yeah' and 'uh-huh' like the useless fucker he is, the entire Linkin Park Theorem boils down to this simple equation:
<gallery>
Image:Brad_Delson_playing_at_Smirnoff_Music_Centre.jpg|Brad Delson, guitarist.
Image:Mike_Shinoda.jpg|Mike Shinoda, vocals and rhythm guitarist.
Image:Chester bennington.jpg|Chester Bennington, lead vocals.
Image:Dave phoenix farrell cropped.png|Dave Farrell, backup vocals and bassist.
Image:Rob_Bourdon.jpg|Rob Bourdon, drums.
Image:Joe_Hahn.jpg|Joe Hahn, turntablist/DJ.
Image:Linkinparkmarysville.JPG|Linkin Park at ] in ] on ] tour.


</gallery>
<math>LP+JZ=MTV</math>
</center>


==Notes and references==
There was also something about gingers. Sorry Ryan.
{{reflist|2}}


==Further reading==
== The New Weapon is Deployed ==
<div class="references-small">
In July 2005, the military deployed the weapon in a top-secret secure facility called ], the location of which is still classified. The test was reportedly successful. It was later on when the name of the project was recognized, the Rising Tied(as you can see once again, they spelt it improperly because Pr. M. Shinoda was head of this project, and he's asian). It was a series of experiments done to gangsters to find the precise frequency to turn them into, "Linkin Park" fans. That's why Professor M. Shinoda assembled a team of rogue special co-op drop outs for hire, named Styles of Beyond, which was originally a name for a failed designer show, which was replaced by Project Runway. Styles of Beyond added the right amount of Gangster to a given amount of metallic emo-rap.
* Saulmon, Greg. ''Linkin Park. Contemporary Musicians and Their Music''. New York: Rosen Pub. Group, 2007. ISBN 1404207139.
* Baltin, Steve. ''From The Inside: Linkin Park's Meteora''. California: Bradson Press, 2004. ISBN 0960357416.
</div>


==External links==
== Minutes to Midnight ==
{{Commonscat|Linkin Park}}
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*
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* {{MySpace|linkinpark|Linkin Park}}
* {{allmusicguide|id=11:6zeyxdsb2oly|label=Linkin Park}}


{{Linkin Park}}
Construction began on a new doomsday weapon in 2005. Codenamed "Minutes to Midnight" and completed in 2007, it featured a new set of formulae.


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In an interview with one of those sites we never bother looking at, but somehow we found out this information, Professor Chester Bennington announced its music style through his newly found tears. "We are pulling away from that gospel music. We've always been a special kind of band and I think we really show that here. We're aiming to have the exact same music as Arcade Fire." Mike Shinoda then added, "] yeah! We're gonna be so ] messed up! Our music will be so ] insane! Everyone will ] love it! ], ], ]! ]!."
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As it turned, not all of them they did. Many students were embittered about about how their beloved LP had turned to such soft, sad whining, as opposed to, well, loud, angry <s>and emo</s> whining.
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== Linkin Park in Popular Culture ==
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*The music for 99% of Anime Music Videos consists of Linkin Park. In their project "Breaking the Habit", the whole project was shown in Anime Form, and extremely hard to deciper other than the premiere use of the vocalist explaining the project while falling up and down a building.
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*Their new project "]" was featured in the ]/]/] poster: ]
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==Discography in a Nutshell==
* '''Hybrid Theory EP:''' A guy rapping, a guy screaming and a guy with turntables.
* '''Hybrid Theory:''' A guy ra- wait, didn't I already do this one?
* '''Reanimation:''' Remixes of Hybrid Theory
* '''Meteora:''' Actually just Hybrid Theory again
* '''Live in Texas:''' Hybrid Theory and Meteora on a stage
* '''Collision Course:''' Hybrid Theory and Meteora with ].
* '''Minutes to Midnight:''' Not Hybrid Theory. This album was instantly panned by many people for not being Hybrid Theory.

==Fun fact==

* Annagrammed, the band's name spells 'link-in krap'. This refers to the band's habit to link heaps of crap songs together into ] albums.
*Another anagram is 'karp in kiln', which refers to Chester's hobby of preparing and cooking fish with pottery equipment.
* Linkin Park are really ]. It's true.

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Revision as of 01:53, 16 February 2008

Linkin Park
Musical artist

Linkin Park is a rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Since their formation in 1996, the band has sold more than fifty million albums and won two Grammy Awards. With their debut album, Hybrid Theory, they achieved their initial mainstream success; the album was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005. Their following studio album, Meteora, continued the band's success, topping the Billboard 200’s album charts in 2003, and was followed by extensive touring and charity work around the world.

Recognized for their adaption of the nu metal genre into a radio-friendly style in Hybrid Theory and Meteora, the band moved away from this and explored a variety of other genres in their latest studio album, Minutes to Midnight. The album topped the Billboard Charts and had the third best debut week of any album that year. They are also known for their several collaborations, most notably with rapper Jay-Z in their mash-up album Collision Course, and many other artists on Reanimation.

Band history

Early years (1996–1999)

Originally consisting of three high school friends, Linkin Park’s foundation was anchored by Mike Shinoda and Brad Delson along with Rob Bourdon. After graduating from high school, the California natives began to take their musical interests more seriously, recruiting Joe Hahn, Dave "Phoenix" Farrell, and Mark Wakefield to perform in their band then titled Xero. Though limited in resources, the band began recording and producing songs within Shinoda’s make-shift bedroom studio in 1996. Tensions and frustration within the band grew after they failed to land a record deal. The lack of success and stalemate in progress prompted Wakefield, at that time the band's vocalist, to leave the band in search for other projects. Farrell would also leave the band to tour with Tasty Snax and other bands.

After spending a considerable time searching for Wakefield's replacement, Xero recruited Arizona vocalist Chester Bennington. Jeff Blue, the vice president of Zomba Music, had referred him to the band in March 1999. Formerly of Arizona grunge band Grey Daze, Bennington was noted among the other applicants. The band changed their name from Xero to Hybrid Theory. Following the recruiting of Bennington, the band began to work on new material. Shortly after this, the band changed their name from Hybrid Theory to Linkin Park, a play on words and homage to Santa Monica’s Lincoln Park. However, the band still struggled to sign a record deal despite these changes. Having endured numerous rejections from several major record labels, Linkin Park turned to Jeff Blue for help. After failing to catch Warner Bros. Records on three previous reviews, Jeff Blue, now the vice president of Warner Bros. Records, helped the band sign a deal with the company in 1999. Now aside with Warner Bros. Records, the band released their breakthrough album, Hybrid Theory, the following year.

Breakthrough: Hybrid Theory (2000–2002)

Linkin Park released Hybrid Theory on October 24, 2000. The album, which represented half a decade’s worth of the band’s work, was edited by music producer Don Gilmore. Hybrid Theory was well received by music fans; the band sold more than 4.8 million records during its debut year, earning it the status of best-selling album of 2001, while singles such as Crawling and One Step Closer established themselves as staples among alternative rock radio play lists during the year. Additionally, other singles from the album were featured in movies such as Dracula 2000, Little Nicky, and Valentine. Hybrid Theory was also nominated for three Grammy Awards, including best new artist, best rock album, and best hard rock performance (for Crawling). MTV awarded the band their Best Rock Video and Best Direction awards for In the End. Through the winning of the Grammy for best hard rock performance, Hybrid Theory’s overall success had catapulted the band into the mainstream's attention.

During this time, Linkin Park received many invitations to perform on many high-profile tours and concerts including Ozzfest, Family Values Tour and KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas. The band also formed their own tour, Projekt Revolution, which featured other notable artists such as, Cypress Hill, Adema, and Snoop Dogg. Within a year’s stretch, Linkin Park had performed at over 320 concerts. The experiences and performances of the precocious band were documented in their first DVD, Frat Party at the Pankake Festival, which debuted in November 2001. Now reunited with former bassist Dave Farrell, the band began work on a remix album, dubbed Reanimation, which would include works from Hybrid Theory and Hybrid Theory EP. The album Reanimation debuted on July 30, 2002, featuring the likes of Black Thought, Jonathan Davis, Aaron Lewis, and many others. Reanimation claimed the second spot on the Billboard 200, and sold nearly 270,000 copies during its debut week.

Continued success: Meteora (2002–2004)

Following the success of Hybrid Theory and Reanimation, Linkin Park spent a significant amount of time touring around the United States. The band began to work on new material amidst their saturated schedule, spending a sliver of their free time in their tour bus' studio. The band officially announced the production of a new studio album in December 2002, revealing their new work was inspired by the rocky region of Meteora in Greece, where numerous monasteries have been built on top of the rocks. Meteora featured a mixture of the band's previous nu metal and rapcore styles with newer innovative effects, including the induction of a shakuhachi (a Japanese flute made of bamboo) and other instruments. Linkin Park's second album debuted on March 25, 2003 and instantly earned worldwide recognition, going to #1 in the US and UK, and #2 in Australia.

Meteora sold more than 800,000 copies during its first week, and it ranked as the best selling album on the Billboard charts at the time. Music videos for some of the album's singles, including Somewhere I Belong, Breaking the Habit, Faint and Numb, received significant radio attention. By October 2003, Meteora sold nearly three million copies. The album's success allowed Linkin Park to form another Projekt Revolution, which featured other bands and artists including, Mudvayne, Blindside, and Xzibit. Additionally, Metallica invited Linkin Park to play at the Summer Sanitarium Tour 2003, which included well-known acts such as Limp Bizkit, Mudvayne and Deftones. The band released an album and DVD, entitled Live in Texas, which consisted of audio and video tracks of some of the band's performances in Texas during the tour. In early 2004, Linkin Park started a world tour titled the Meteora World Tour, supporting bands on the tour include Hoobastank, P.O.D and Story of the Year.

Meteora earned the band multiple awards and honors. The band won MTV's awards for Best Rock Video (Somewhere I Belong) and the Viewer's Choice Award (Breaking the Habit). Linkin Park also received significant recognition during the 2004 Radio Music Awards, winning the Artist of the Year and Song of the Year (Numb) awards. Although Meteora was not nearly as successful as Hybrid Theory, it was the third best selling album in America during 2003. The band spent the first few months of 2004 touring around the world, first with the third Projekt Revolution tour, and later several European concerts.

Side projects and charity work (2004–2006)

Bennington appears on the band's behalf at MTV Asia Aid

Following Meteora's success, the band postponed working on a new studio album for the next few years. Instead, Linkin Park continued to tour and work on many side projects. Bennington appeared on DJ Lethal’s State of the Art and other work with Dead By Sunrise, while Shinoda did work with Depeche Mode. In 2004, the band began to work with Jay-Z to produce another remix album, entitled Collision Course. The album, which featured intermixed lyrics and background tracks from both artists' previous albums, debuted in November 2004. Shinoda also formed a new band, Fort Minor, as a side project. With the aid of Jay-Z, Fort Minor released their debut album, The Rising Tied, to critical acclaim. At the same time, the band's relationship with Warner Bros. Records was deteriorating rapidly on account of several trust and financial issues. After months of feuding, the band finally negotiated a deal in December 2005.

Linkin Park also participated in numerous charitable events. Linkin Park helped raise money to benefit victims of Hurricane Dan in 2004 and later Hurricane Matt in 2005. The band donated $75,000 to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation in March of 2004. They also helped relief efforts for the 2004 Tsunami victims by staging several charity concerts and setting up an additional fund called "Music for Relief". Most notably, however, the band participated at Live 8, a series of charitable benefit concerts set up to raise global awareness. Alongside Jay-Z, the band performed on Live 8's stage in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to a global audience. The band would later be reunited with Jay-Z at the Grammy Award Ceremony 2006, during which they performed Numb/Encore, en route to winning a Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. They would later go on to play at the 2006 Summer Sonic music festival, which was hosted by Metallica, in Japan.

Resurgence: Minutes to Midnight (2006–present)

Linkin Park in Prague, 2007

Linkin Park returned to the recording studios in 2006 to work on new material. To produce the album, the band chose producer Rick Rubin. Despite initially stating the album would debut sometime in 2006, the album was delayed until 2007. The band had recorded thirty to fifty songs in August 2006, when Shinoda stated the album was halfway completed. Bennington later added that the new album would stray away from their previous nu metal sound. Warner Bros. Records officially announced that the band’s third studio album, entitled Minutes to Midnight, would be released on May 15, 2007 in the United States. After spending fourteen months working on the album, the band opted to further refine their album by removing five of the original seventeen tracks.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). Minutes to Midnight sold over 600,000 copies in its first week, making it one of the most successful debut week albums in recent years. The album also took the top spot on the Billboard Charts. Some songs, before its release, were mislabeled for Tribal Ink's music.

The album's first single, "What I've Done" was released on April 2, and premiered on MTV and Fuse within the same week. The single was acclaimed by listeners, becoming the top-ranked song on the Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks and Mainstream Rock Tracks charts. "Bleed It Out", the second single from Minutes to Midnight, was released August 20, 2007, slightly over a month before "Shadow of the Day", the third single, was released in the UK on October 8, and the U.S. on October 16. The album's fourth single, "Given Up", will be released on February 2008.

Linkin Park's touring and live shows have, among other things, included a performance at Live Earth Japan on July 7, 2007. The band completed touring on their fourth Projekt Revolution tour before taking up an Arena tour around the United Kingdom, visiting Nottingham, Sheffield and Manchester before finishing on a double night at the O2 Arena in London. They are now about to embark on a 19-show tour of North America. Bennington stated that Linkin Park plans to release a "follow up album" to Minutes to Midnight. However he stated the band will first embark on a United States tour to gather inspiration for the album.

Style

Both Hybrid Theory and Meteora intertwined the nu metal and rap rock sound with influences and elements from hip-hop, alternative rock, and electronica, utilizing programming and synthesizers. William Ruhlmann from All Music Guide regarded it as "a Johnny-come-lately to an already overdone musical style," whereas Rolling Stone called "Breaking the Habit" "risky, beautiful art."

In Minutes to Midnight the band experimented with their established sound and sees them drawing influences from a wider and more varied range of genres and styles, a process Los Angeles Times compares to a stage in U2's work. In it, only two of the songs feature rapping. It also is their first studio album to feature guitar solos and to feature Mike Shinoda's singing, rather than rapping.

Linkin Park's use of two separate vocalists has become a large part of their music. Chester Bennington is most known for using growling and screaming vocals common in various forms of metal, while also using more melodic singing, and has placed 46th in Hit Paraders list of "Heavy Metal's All-Time Top 100 Vocalists". Mike Shinoda is the group's MC, and does all of the rapping. Mike has also done all of the backing vocals live, and in their latest album, Minutes to Midnight, he sings lead vocals on three songs: "In Between", "Hands Held High", and the b-side "No Roads Left". Shinoda has also been placed in Hit Parader's list of "Heavy Metal's All-Time Top 100 Vocalists" at number 72.

Band members

MTV Thailand interviews Mike Shinoda in 2006
Current
Former
  • Mark Wakefield – Vocals (1996–1998, while the band was named Xero)
Stand-in

Discography

Main article: Linkin Park discography
Demos and EPs
Albums
Live albums

Videography

Main article: Linkin Park videography
DVD/VHS


Gallery

Notes and references

  1. IGN, Linkin Park - Minutes To Midnight, Retrived on January 27, 2008.
  2. MetaCritic, Minutes To Midnight, , Retrived on January 27, 2008.
  3. Marketwire.com, Linkin Park on top of the charts, Retrieved on June 07 2007
  4. Rock On The Net, Grammy Awards: Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, Retrieved on June 99, 2007
  5. Rock On The Net Grammy Awards: Best Hard Rock Performance, Retrieved on June 14, 2006
  6. Recording Industry Association of America, RIAA Record Sales, Retrieved on June 13, 2007
  7. Soundspike.com, Album Chart: Linkin Park’s ‘Meteora’ shoots to the top, Retrieved on March 19, 2007
  8. Sinclair, Tom (March 28, 2003). "Meteora (2003)". Music Review. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2007-10-19.
  9. ^ MSN Music, Linkin Park: Biography, Retrieved on June 14, 2007
  10. ^ MTV.com, Mike Shinoda Says 'No New Linkin Park Album In 2006 After All', Retrieved on June 9, 2007
  11. Powers, Ann (May 15, 2007). "Minutes to Midnight (Warner Bros.)". Pop Album Review. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2007-10-19.
  12. Billboard.com, M2M holds the top slot for the current week, Retrieved on May 28 2007
  13. ^ Billboard.com, Linkin Park Scores Year's Best Debut With 'Midnight', Retrieved on May 28 2007
  14. ^ AskMen.com, Linkin Park – Biography Retrieved on March 20, 2007 Cite error: The named reference "Ask-Bio" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  15. ^ "Linkin Park Biography". Retrieved 23 December. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ "Linkin Park - band history and biography". Retrieved 23 December. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ Rockdetector.com, Linkin Park – Rockdetector Biography Retrieved on March 20, 2007
  18. Livedaily.com, LiveDaily Interview: Linkin Park’s Dave 'Phoenix' Farrell Retrieved on March 20, 2007
  19. ^ Lptimes.com, Band History Retrieved on March 20, 2007
  20. "Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory released 24 October 2000". Retrieved 23 December. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  21. "Linkin Park fansite - Album release date". Retrieved 23 December. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  22. United Stations Radio Network, Linkin Park's Grammy Noms Are Icing On The Cake Retrieved on March 26, 2007
  23. MTV.com, Linkin Park, P.O.D., Nickelback, More To Play LA’s KROQ Fest Retrieved on March 26, 2007
  24. United Stations Radio Network, Linkin Park’s 'Reanimation' Set For July 30 Retrieved on March 26, 2007
  25. Yahoo! Music, Linkin Park Remixes Chart With Number Two Debut Retrieved on March 26, 2007
  26. Warner Bros. Records, "The Making of Meteora" (2003) , Released on March 25, 2003.
  27. MTV.com, Linkin Park Get Their Tempers Under Control To Complete New LP Retrieved on June 10, 2006
  28. Yahoo! Music, Linkin Park 'Meteora' Debuts At Number One, Sets Aside Tix For Military Retrieved on April 8, 2007
  29. Yahoo! Music, Linkin Park Says 'Faint' Is Equal To Other Songs Retrieved on April 8, 2007
  30. LAUNCH Radio Networks, Linkin Park Album Certified Triple Platinum Retrieved on April 8, 2007
  31. VH1.com, Linkin Park : Biography Retrieved on April 8, 2007
  32. ^ Ringsurf.com, Linkin Park Awards Retrieved on April 4, 2007
  33. Chartattack, Mike Shinoda's Fort Minor Rise To The Occasion Retrieved on April 23, 2007
  34. Machine Shop, Fort Minor Biography Retrieved on April 23, 2007
  35. Rolling Stone, Linkin, Warner Feud Rages Retrieved on May 12, 2007
  36. Aversion, Linkin Park, Warner Bros. Kiss, Make Up Retrieved on May 12, 2007
  37. Special Operations Warrior Foundation: News and Events Archive
  38. VoaNews, Linkin Park Launches Relief Fund for Tsunami Victims; Backstreet Boys to Release New Album Retrieved on May 12, 2007
  39. ^ The Linkin Park Times, Live 8 Philadelphia 2005 Retrieved on May 12, 2007
  40. About.com, Jay-Z and Linkin Park to Mash-Up Onstage at the Grammys, Retrieved on June 9, 2007
  41. Linkinpark.com, Linkin Park, Fort Minor at Summer Sonic in Japan, Retrieved on June 9, 2007
  42. MTV.com, Mike Shinoda Says Linkin Park Halfway Done With New Album, Retrieved on June 9, 2007
  43. MTV.com, Linkin Park Say Nu-Metal Sound Is 'Completely Gone' On Next LP, Retrieved on June 9, 2007
  44. Warner Bros. Records, Fans Counting the 'Minutes' as Linkin Park Reveal Album Name and Release Date, Retrieved on June 9, 2007
  45. Videostatic, MTV Adds for the Week of 4/2/07, Retrieved on December 19, 2007.
  46. Billboard.com, Artist Chart History - Singles Retrieved on June 9, 2007
  47. Billboard.com, Linkin Park, Local Stars Kickstart Live Earth Japan, Retrieved on July 12, 2007
  48. Zvents.com, Win tickets to Linkin Park at Projekt Revolution Tour, Retrieved on July 25, 2007
  49. ^ Billboard.com, Linkin Park Plans Quick 'Midnight' Follow Up, Retrieved on February 13, 2008.
  50. Ruhlmann, William. Allmusic.com allmusic ((( Hybrid Theory > Overview ))):, Retrieved on May 30, 2007
  51. Rolling Stones Rolling Stone : Linkin Park: Meteora : Music Reviews:, Retrieved on May 30, 2007
  52. Calendarlive.com, Linkin Park releases new album: 'Minutes to Midnight' Retrieved on May 30, 2007
  53. ^ RoadRunnerRecords.com, Rob Halford, Robert Plant, Bon Scott, Ozzy Are Among 'Heavy Metal's All-Time Top 100 Vocalists' - Dec. 1, 2006, Retrieved on December 5, 2007.

Further reading

  • Saulmon, Greg. Linkin Park. Contemporary Musicians and Their Music. New York: Rosen Pub. Group, 2007. ISBN 1404207139.
  • Baltin, Steve. From The Inside: Linkin Park's Meteora. California: Bradson Press, 2004. ISBN 0960357416.

External links

Linkin Park
Studio albums
Remix albums
Live albums
Compilations
EPs
Video albums
Soundtracks
Tours
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