 time when they first appeared. Nu-metal, an aberration of popular culture, was having its moment and they created its most accessible work.

m_shinoda / Instagram

Melodic without being too poppy, angsty without being too abrasive (like, say, Korn), Hybrid Theory was a collection of one-hit wonders. It was instinctively synchronised with the popular tastes of the moment, but in hindsight that appears to be more of a product of luck than design. By the time Meteora came out, the zeitgeist had moved on and a consensus had been reached that nu-metal was nothing more than a really terrible joke that a lot of people had mistakenly laughed along with rather than at. It was also the dying breath of a popular culture that had been defined by guitar bands since the arrival of The Beatles. Rock was in decline and hip-hop was in the ascendency, ready to impose its very own hegemony onto the pop charts.

What followed for Linkin Park was a period of musical vagrancy as they reshaped their sound according to whatever was popular at the time. The most explicit examples of this are that bizarre collaboration with JAY-Z and their fourth album, A Thousand Suns, where they strayed into electronica just as America was discovering dance music in the form of EDM. It all felt forced and overwrought and indicative of a band bereft of a clear creative vision. It would seem that Hybrid Theory was a serendipitous accident rather than a stroke of coordinated brilliance.

linkinpark / Instagram

Deep down I think that the band are aware of this: each following album gives the impression that they were overthinking things. You can almost hear them frantically trying to crack their own secret formula that unexpectedly brought them such success. It’s difficult to shake the feeling that they were far more concerned with stardom and adoration than their craft, like an ideologically devoid politician who will say and do anything to get themselves reelected.

It’s quite telling that, years later, once nu metal had become a complete laughing stock, Shinoda tried to shake off the label by claiming that the band had never really identified with it. Cynics will probably dismiss this as a dishonest rebranding exercise, but I’m sure there’s a degree of truth to it: Linkin Park don’t seem like a band that truly identifies
time when they first appeared. Nu - metal, an aberration of democratic acculturation, was having its moment and they create its about accessible work. 

 m_shinoda / Instagram 

 Melodic without being too poppy, angsty without being too harsh (like, say, Korn), Hybrid Theory was a solicitation of one - hit wonders. It was instinctively synchronised with the popular tastes of the consequence, but in hindsight that appears to be more of a product of fortune than design. By the time Meteora came out, the zeitgeist had moved on and a consensus had been reached that nu - metal was nothing more than a truly terrible joke that a lot of multitude had mistakenly laughed along with rather than at. It was also the dying hint of a popular polish that had been defined by guitar bands since the arrival of The Beatles. Rock was in decline and pelvis - hop was in the ascendency, ready to impose its very own hegemony onto the pop charts. 

 What followed for Linkin Park was a time period of musical vagrancy as they reshaped their sound according to whatever was popular at the time. The most explicit examples of this are that bizarre collaboration with JAY - Z and their fourth album, A Thousand Suns, where they strayed into electronica merely as America was discovering dance music in the mannequin of EDM. It all felt forced and overwrought and indicative of a band bereaved of a clear creative sight. It would seem that Hybrid Theory was a serendipitous accident rather than a solidus of coordinated brilliance. 

 linkinpark / Instagram 

 Deep down I think that the band are aware of this: each following album gives the depression that they were overthinking things. You can almost hear them frantically judge to snap their own secret formula that unexpectedly institute them such success. It ’s difficult to shake the touch that they were far more concerned with stardom and adoration than their craft, like an ideologically devoid politician who will read and do anything to make themselves reelected. 

 It ’s quite state that, years subsequently, once nu metal had become a accomplished laughing livestock, Shinoda tried to shake off the label by claiming that the band had never really identify with it. Cynics will credibly dismiss this as a dishonest rebranding exercise, but I ’m sure there ’s a academic degree of truth to it: Linkin Park do n’t seem like a band that truly identify
 tile when they first appeaved. Nu-metal, an aywrratimn of lopular zulture, was having its momenv ane thet created its most accdssible wlrk.

m_shinida / Unstagram

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livkinpark / Pnstagram

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time when they first appeared. Nu-metal, an popular was having moment and they m_shinoda Instagram Melodic without too poppy, angsty being too abrasive (like, say, Korn), Theory was a collection of one-hit wonders. It was instinctively synchronised with the tastes of the moment, but in hindsight that appears to be more of product luck design. the time Meteora came out, the zeitgeist had moved on and a consensus had been reached nu-metal was nothing more than a really terrible that a lot of had mistakenly laughed along with than It was the breath a popular culture had been defined by guitar bands since the arrival of The Beatles. Rock was in decline and was in ready to its own onto the pop followed for Linkin Park was a vagrancy as they reshaped their sound according to was popular the time. The most explicit examples this are that bizarre collaboration with JAY-Z and fourth album, A Thousand Suns, where they strayed into electronica just as America was discovering in the form of It all felt and and of band bereft a clear creative vision. It would seem that Hybrid Theory was serendipitous accident rather than a stroke of coordinated brilliance. linkinpark Deep I think that band are aware of each album gives the impression were things. hear frantically to crack their own formula that unexpectedly brought them success. It’s difficult to were far more concerned with stardom and adoration their craft, like an ideologically devoid politician will say and do anything to get themselves reelected. It’s quite telling years later, metal had become a complete laughing stock, Shinoda to shake off the by claiming that the band had never really identified it. will probably this as a rebranding exercise, but sure there’s a truth to Linkin don’t band that truly identifies
 time when they first appeared. nu-metal, an aBerraTioN of PoPulaR culTure, was having iTS momEnt and they created its moSt accEsSIble WOrK.

m_shiNoda / InsTAgRAM

MeLoDiC wiThOUt Being Too Poppy, anGsty withouT beInG too abrasive (LIkE, say, Korn), HyBriD Theory was a cOllEction Of One-HIt wonDerS. It waS instiNCtivelY synchronIsED with tHE populaR TAsTes oF the moment, but in hiNDsIGht that appears To be moRe OF a PROduCt oF luck than dEsIgn. By THe time METeORA CamE Out, the zeitgeiSt had moved oN And A conseNsUs hAD been rEacheD tHAt nU-metal was noThinG more than A reallY TerriblE Joke thaT a lot oF peOplE had MIsTaKenLy LAugHEd AloNG wiTh rather ThAn At. It wAs alSO THE dyiNg bReatH of a pOpular culture ThaT had BEen DefinEd by gUitaR bAnds sInce thE arriVaL of The Beatles. RoCk waS in declinE anD hIp-hOp Was in THe asceNdeNcy, Ready to Impose iTS veRy OWN HeGemony onto the pop chArTS.

whAt followEd for LINkIn pArk was a pErIod Of muSICal vaGranCY aS they resHaped tHEiR sOund accOrDing to WhAteVer Was poPUlar At the tIme. The moSt expLIcit examples of THis are that bizARrE COlLAborAtiOn with JAY-Z aNd thEIr foUrth ALbUm, A tHousaNd SunS, wHErE They strayed into elecTrOnica jUst as america was disCovering daNCE Music in tHe foRM oF eDM. It all felt foRced aNd overwrouGHt and indIcatiVe of a banD bereft of A CLear creaTivE viSioN. It WOUlD seem that HybrID theoRy Was a serEndIpitous AccIdeNt rAthEr Than a stroKe of coorDiNaTeD bRilLiancE.

LinkinpaRk / insTaGraM

Deep DOwn I thInk thAt thE bAnD Are Aware of THiS: EAch fOlLoWing AlbUm Gives The iMPreSsion thAt they werE ovERthiNkInG things. you can almost hEaR them frantIcAllY tryinG TO crack thEir own secret formula that UNexpectEdlY brouGht tHem such suCceSs. It’s dIffICult to Shake tHe feeLiNg tHAT they WERe Far MoRe concerneD WIth StardOm And aDoratioN than their craft, likE An iDeologically dEvoId poLITiCiaN WhO WilL sAY anD DO anything to get tHemselves rEeLEcTed.

It’s quitE TelLiNg that, yEars latEr, oncE Nu metal Had become A complete LaUghiNG StoCk, Shinoda tRied to shAke off the LAbel bY ClAiminG thAt the bAnD haD neveR reallY IdeNtifiEd with It. cynics Will pRoBably disMiss this as a dishonest rebRandinG exerCisE, but I’m surE thERe’s A degree of TrutH to it: LinkiN PaRk dOn’t seEm lIKe a baNd thAT tRulY IdentIfieS
 time when they first appe ared. Nu-m etal,  an  ab er rati on o f popular cult u re,was having its momentand t he y  cre a te d its  most a c ce s s ibl ewo rk. 
m _s hinod a /  Instag ram

Melod icwi thout beingt oo  poppy, an gst y without be ing  too a br asi v e (li ke,  say,  Korn) ,  Hybri d Theorywa s  a col l ectiono f  o ne-h it wonders. It wa s  i n stinctively sy nchron is e dw i ththe  popular t as tes o f  the mo m en t , but in hindsightthat appear s  to  be mo re  of a prod uct o fl uck  than desig n. B y the tim e Mete o ra came out, th e zeit gei sthadm ov ed  on  a n d a co nse n sus  had bee nre ached  tha t n u -met alwasnothi ng more thana r eall y  te rribl e jok e th at  a lo t of p eople  h ad mistakenly l augh ed alongwit hrat he r tha n  at. I t w asalso th e dying bre at h o fa popular cultureth a t  h ad beendefine d  b yg uitar ba nd s s ince t he ar riva l  o f The Be atles. Ro ck  was in  d ecline  a ndhip -hopw as i n theascenden cy, r e ady to imposei ts very own h e ge m o ny onto  th e pop chart s.
W hatfoll o we d f o r Lin kin P ar k  w a s a period of music al  vagra ncy a s they reshap ed their s o u n d accord ingt ow hatever was po pular  at the ti m e. The m ost e xplicitexampleso f  this ar e t hat  bi zar r e  c ollaborationw i th J AY -Z andthe ir four thalb um,  ATh ousand Su ns, wher eth ey  s tra yed i n to elect ro nic ajus t asA merica  wasdisc ov er i ngdance m u si c in t he  f ormofED M. It  all fel t force d and ove rwr o ught  a nd  indica tive of a ban dbereft ofacle ar cre a t ive visi on. It would seem thatH ybrid T heo ry wa s aserendipi tou s acci den t  rathe r than  a st ro keo f  coor d i na ted  b rilliance. lin kinpa rk  / I nstagra m

Deep down I thi n k t hat the bandare  awa r e  o f t h is :  ea ch fol l o wing album give s the impr es s io n that the y  we re  overth inkingthing s . You c an almost  hear the mfran t i cal ly tryingto crack  their ow n  secr e tformu lathat u ne xpe ctedl y brou g htthemsuch s uc cess.It’sdi fficultto shake the feeling th at the y wer e f ar more c onc e rne d with st ardo m and ador ati onthanthe i r cra ft,l ik e a n  ideo logi c ally devo i dpol i t ic ian who wil l s ayand d o a n ything  toget themselves re e lected.

It’squit e tel lin g  tha t,  years later,onc en u  metal h ad  become a c ompletela u ghing  stock , Shin oda tri e d  t o  shake  off  th e label b y c la i ming th at  t h e band  had  n ever r eallyi dent i f ied with it. Cyn ics w i l l pro b abl y dis mi ss this as a  dishonest  rebranding  exerc ise,  butI’m sur ethere’ s a  d egree of t r uth to it : Lin kin Par kdon’ t s eem li ke a b and t hattr uly  identifi e s 
 time_when they_first appeared. Nu-metal, an_aberration of_popular_culture, was_having_its moment and_they created its_most accessible work.

m_shinoda /_Instagram

Melodic without being_too_poppy, angsty without being too abrasive (like, say, Korn), Hybrid Theory was a collection_of_one-hit wonders._It_was_instinctively synchronised with the popular_tastes of the moment, but_in hindsight_that appears to be more of a product_of_luck than design._By the time Meteora came out, the zeitgeist had_moved on and a consensus had_been reached that_nu-metal_was_nothing more than a_really terrible joke that a lot_of people had mistakenly laughed along_with rather than at. It was also_the dying breath of a popular_culture that had been defined_by guitar_bands since the arrival of_The Beatles. Rock_was in_decline and hip-hop_was in the ascendency, ready to_impose its very_own hegemony onto the pop charts.

What_followed_for Linkin Park_was_a_period of_musical vagrancy as_they_reshaped their_sound_according to whatever was popular at_the_time. The most explicit examples of this_are that bizarre collaboration_with_JAY-Z and their fourth_album, A Thousand Suns, where_they strayed into electronica just as_America was_discovering dance_music in the form of EDM. It all felt forced and_overwrought and indicative of a band_bereft of a clear_creative vision._It_would seem that_Hybrid_Theory was_a serendipitous accident rather than a stroke_of coordinated_brilliance.

linkinpark / Instagram

Deep down I think_that the band are_aware_of this: each following album gives_the impression that they were overthinking_things. You can almost hear_them_frantically_trying to crack their own_secret formula that unexpectedly brought them_such success. It’s_difficult to shake the feeling that they_were_far more concerned with stardom and_adoration_than their craft, like an ideologically_devoid_politician_who will say and do_anything to get themselves reelected.

It’s quite_telling that, years later, once nu metal had become_a complete laughing_stock, Shinoda tried to shake_off_the_label by claiming that the band had never really identified_with it._Cynics will probably_dismiss this as a dishonest rebranding exercise, but I’m sure_there’s a degree of truth to it:_Linkin Park don’t seem like a band that truly identifies