Linkin Park

Founded in Agoura Hills, California, in the latter half of the 1990s, Linkin Park coalesced around Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, and Rob Bourdon, soon joined by Joe Hahn, Dave “Phoenix” Farrell, and vocalist Chester Bennington. Initially rooted in nu metal and rap rock, the band developed a blend of heavy, distorted guitars, rapped and sung vocals, hip‑hop‑leaning rhythms, and electronic textures. Their debut studio album, Hybrid Theory (2000), established this aesthetic framework, which was extended and refined with Meteora (2003). Beginning with Minutes to Midnight (2007), the group gradually steered its writing toward a leaner alternative rock, then toward more electronic and conceptual forms on A Thousand Suns (2010). The subsequent records—Living Things (2012) and The Hunting Party (2014)—alternated between a return to a more aggressive sound and the incorporation of pop and electronic elements, a trajectory continued on One More Light (2017). In parallel, Linkin Park pursued numerous collaborations, notably with Jay‑Z on the 2004 project Collision Course, and performed on major international stages. Following Chester Bennington’s death in 2017, the band’s live activity went on hold, while Linkin Park continued to engage with its legacy through reissues, archival releases, and projects overseen by the remaining members.