It’s been 15 years since Linkin Park released their debut album, Hybrid Theory. It surely has been a long time. Hybrid Theory was a massive success for them and it’s also the highest selling debut record of the 2000s.
But what about this album that makes it so important and unforgettable until now? We gathered 5 reasons to explain why we think Hybrid Theory was a turning point record, and of course, to celebrate its 15th anniversary.
1- Blend of Genres
Their influences were diverse, with Mike Shinoda being a fan of hip-hop and Brad Delson being a huge fan of heavier acts like Deftones and Guns N’ Roses. Somewhere in between they found a refreshing and new blend, that-so-called Nu-Metal.
2- Two Different Vocalists
The singing dynamic between Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington was just impressive. While Shinoda raps, Chester shouts. Their lyrics are also one of the main reasons that made Hybrid Theory so damn good.
3- Artwork
With Hybrid Theory being Linkin Park’s first album, Mike Shinoda was the one who illustrated by himself the awesome winged-soldier.
4- Music Videos
Joe Hahn was the mastermind behind their music videos, and “In The End” was his debut on directing videos for the band. All those videos – “One Step Closer”, “Crawling”, “Papercut” – just blew our minds.
5- An Influence For Other Bands
They are clearly an influence on today’s new generation of bands. Bands like Bring Me The Horizon, Crossfaith, Northlane, and many more, have shared how impactful this album was (and the band itself) and how much it has influenced them.