Linkin Park was formed in 1996 in Agoura Hills, California. They rose to international game after releasing their debut album in 2000, titled Hybrid Theory, which became certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America. Their second album, titled Meteora and released in 2003, continued the bands success, topping the Billboard 200. The album was followed by extensive touring and charity work. Meteora and Hybrid Theory shared a nu metal and rap metal sound, and that is the sound that Linkin Park became known for. However, when 2007 rolled around, the band released Minutes to Midnight, which also topped the Billboard 200. Minutes to Midnight explored new sounds for the band, from the swearing metal sound of Given Up, to the calmness of Leave Out All The Rest.

Linkin Park is one of the best selling bands of the 21st century and the world's best selling music artists, having sold over 70 million albums worldwide. They have won two Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards and three World Music Awards. In 2003, MTV2 names Linkin Park the sixth greatest band of the music video era and the third best of the new millennium. Billboard ranked Linkin Park No. 19 on the Best Artists of the Decade list. In 2012, Linkin Park was voted as the greatest artist of the 2000s on a Bracket Madness poll on VH1. In 2014 the band was declared as "The Biggest Rock Band in the World Right Now" by Kerrang!.

Ok since everyone is just posting OPINIONS. Let’s actually get a real definition...free from most OPINIONS

Linkin Park is a Sol-Cal band that is often thought of as nu-metal, alt. rock, or something else where-as the band themselves thinks to have their own style of music and has two successful albums, "Hybrid Theory" and Meteora, and two remix albums that not only went high in the charts when they were released(believe it or not), most people seem not to like "Reanimation" nor "Jay-Z Linkin Park: Collision Course" except people who enjoy hip hop more(they seem to like them a little more than Linkin Park's albums).

The band consists of six members:
Chester Bennington (vocals)
Rob Bourdon (drums)
Brad Delson (guitar)
Dave "Phoenix" Farrell (bass guitar)
Joseph Hahn "Mr. Hahn" (turntablist, samples)
Mike Shinoda (backing vocals, sampling, rap emcee, keyboardist, occasional rhythm guitarist)

Before there was Linkin Park there was the band called Hybrid Theory. This was Linkin Park before they were signed onto Warner Bros.
And Before Hybrid Theory there was Xero which was more focused on hip-hop music.

Most people look to their lyrics as "shitty" and "have no thought in them at all, only made to get emo teens to listen to them" When this is not true at all.
Their lyrics are taken from 'sappy therapy time' as Mike says, and broken down until they reach a happy medium. On average their lyrics are rewritten at least twice for every song.
Where the Lyrics branch from is stuff they have gone through (not from relationship problems most of the time) and as Mike once said "You don't want to know where the lyrics come from...You wouldn’t know how the hell we got it to become that song."

This band has become loved by many and hated by many as well. They are seen as 'untalented' when this is truly wrong. Linkin Park has a sound that, as of now, has not been duplicated (and many have tried). This band is greatly respected in the music business and seems to be one of the most successful bands to mix hip hop and rock.

A band who everyone seems to have forgotten that they have made more than 2 albums. People tend to complain about how they scream to much, when if you actually bothered to listen to the 3rd and 4th studio albums you would realize they don't actually scream that much anymore.

The only band to SUCCESSFULLY combine rock, rap and electronica. They have their own sound, and they're deep lyrics and catchy hooks have helped them become the great artists they are today.

One of the Best Bands of the last years , 2000-present

Their music works good for people who has been rejected or who feels bad , their songs help people to get through hard moments , and they are just Awesome.
If you think they're bad , then you don't know how it feels to be mistreated , or you're just part of the problem

A city in Michigan that is sweet and has amazing people. Also good weed. Called LP for short.

Linkin Park is a band that developed a huge fan base around 2000 with the hit single "One Step Closer". Many dismissed the band at first, but the few that did listen, pushed it on their friends, and those that listened to the whole CD, were awe struck with the different emotions the band could bring out.

From the "raps" Mike Shinoda threw down in "Place for My Head" to the wave of fans that were drawn by the voice of Chester Bennington in "Crawling", Linkin Park could appeal to every fan in the world. They became a music phenomenon, that quickly became amazing. Hybrid Theory, their first album, contained 12 tracks.

Re-Animation, their next album, remixed all 12 songs, and was released the next year. Many other artists appeared on the CD, working with the band to make the songs the fans loved, that much better. Some fans didn't agree with the decision, simply hoping for a new album, and disregarded it immediately.

Meteora was released the following year in 2003, and the fan base just grew more and more. The song "Somewhere I Belong" grabbed most fans, but some again disregarded them as an "emo" band.

{"Emo" had become a popular and stupid term around the time, as every single "new" band seemed to come out with the same tired LP wanna-be songs, that screamed and yelled the WHOLE song, and had nothing to offer.}

Regardless, the fans stuck to the band they loved. The song they released next was called "Faint". This song was nowhere near 'emo' and was not even close to be considered a failure. The band literally took off even more with this intense, fast paced song. Many people were drawn in because of this song.

The next song that came out nearly killed the band: "Breaking the Habit". What should have been an incredible song, was immediately turned into an out-cry of LP-Haters calling the song and the band 'emo'. As depressing as it sounds, and as petty as it is, the fan base started to slip. Meteora was and IS one of the most incredible CD's released in the world, and listening to it, will never fail to impress you. The final song they released to date is "Numb" bringing their song releases on one CD to 4! Numb, too, was another outcry of 'emo', but fans saw by that, listening to the lyrics, and not the people who hated them.

You will literally find yourself listening to each album so many times you'll learn the lyrics without ever looking them up.

The "unfortunate" next CD to be released was a collaboration with Jay-Z. Because many fans of LP didn't like rap/hip-hop, the collaboration seemed horrific and stupid on the part of the band. Some believed it was a desperation move to regain fans or get money.

The CD (Which remixed the songs: Lying From You/Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Papercut/Big Pimpin', Faint/Jigga What, Numb/Encore, In The End/Izzo, and Points of Authority/99 Problems) was decent to many fans. Some believed it was amazing, others believed it was an utter disaster.

Today, the band is on a bit of a "vacation". Chester is currently working on a side project, but rumor is he is going to hold off on that until the next LP CD is done. Mike Shinoda started the band Fort Minor as a side project, and the CD "The Rising Tied" is yet another amazing job well done, which gained not only much of the LP fan base, but a whole new base of rap/hip-hop supporters!

Their next CD is due...and news on websites is that they're working hard, coming up with bits and pieces for songs and putting them together to come up with a CD that is Linkin Park, and something entirely new. It should be amazing after 3 years of wait. It took two for Meteora, and that was considered very much emo, so LP fans are hoping for a CD that turns EVERYONE'S heads, not just their own.

--(As of July 2006)

A nu-metal band who combine the following attributes to appeal to the mainstream:
- Vocals ranging from whimpering-to-screaming
- Rapping
- Computer generated music (particularly for song intros)
- Repetitive and extremely simplistic guitar playing
- Contrived dj scratching
- Lyrics stressing "pain, wounds (unhealing wounds in some cases), - memories and running away" without justification so as to appeal to the majority of teenagers or anybody who has ever felt a bit sad in their life.
- Songs strictly 2:30 to 3:30 minutes in length to fit radioplay standards rather than show musical expression.
- Gimmicky albums where songs are re-arranged and re-performed are put out more than their actual studio albums with original music (of which they have two, 'Hybrid Theory' and 'Meteroa')

1. Rap/metal/rock band with an intriguing beat and dark lyrics.

2. A group known only for the lead singer, Chester Bennington, who pretty much makes Linkin Park what it is.

3. Regarding quality of music: To all their own. Yet the blatant messages of teenage angst don't always apply...even though most of their fanbase is stuck on the literal.

4. Albums include: Meteora, Hybrid Theory, Reanimation, Collision Course (collaboration w/JayZ)