Linkin Park is back, proving once again why they’re one of music's most enduring and influential forces. Vocalist Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain have stepped into the roles once held by Chester Bennington and Rob Bourdon, joining forces with returning members Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Mr. Hahn, and Phoenix. With the release of their upcoming record From Zero this week, the band is entering a bold new era.
From Zero marks Linkin Park’s first studio album in seven years, and it’s a masterclass in their signature yet undefinable sound. From soaring pop vocals to hard-hitting metal riffs, to vicious rap verses and emotional screams, the album delivers everything fans have been waiting for and more. With a massive world tour set to continue into next year in support of the new music, it's clear the band is both happy with and confident in this new chapter.
Linkin Park has always pushed the boundaries of music, blending genres in ways few bands have dared, let alone succeeded at; certainly not on the level the Los Angeles rockers have. Their groundbreaking 2000 debut Hybrid Theory and its 2003 follow-up Meteora merged rock, hip-hop, and electronic elements into a sound that defined a generation. Over the years, they’ve continued to evolve, from the raw, stripped-back feel of Minutes to Midnight and The Hunting Party to the alt-pop influences of One More Light. This willingness to experiment and adapt, even when it wasn’t always what fans expected, has kept them relevant, influential, and inspiring.
Now, as they surge back into the spotlight, it’s clear that their influence on modern music and artists is undeniable. New generations of fans and musicians are discovering Linkin Park’s catalog, while longtime listeners are revisiting their music with fresh appreciation for the legacy they've created.
As From Zero approaches and fresh tracks like "The Emptiness Machine" and "Heavy Is the Crown" continue to gain serious traction, it’s a perfect time to revisit Linkin Park’s deeper cuts. Everyone knows the big hits (and there are many), but like any band worth their salt, Linkin Park is about far more than just their singles. Here are ten underrated but essential tracks you should rediscover before catching them live next year.
(Note: This list excludes songs from the upcoming album and any B-sides or non-album tracks. While songs like "My December" and "QWERTY" are certainly legendary fan favorites, we're focusing on major album tracks that deserve more love.)
"Pushing Me Away" (Hybrid Theory)
It might sound ridiculous to call any of the 12 songs from one of the most successful albums of all time "underrated", but the closing track of Hybrid Theory is a strong contender for the most overlooked on the Diamond-certified record. The band's immediate gift for contrasting the softer and more aggressive sides of their sound shine through in full on "Pushing Me Away", as do the respective talents of the six-piece group. The song has lived on in a multitude of iterations, from an outstanding remix off Reanimation to a piano version that was performed across several tours - proof that its foundation is one of their debut's best.
"In Pieces" (Minutes to Midnight)
2007's Minutes to Midnight was Linkin Park's first dive into the deep end - a bold effort to prove to themselves and to the world that their music couldn't be categorized and held endless potential. The album, which marked the band's first collaboration with producer Rick Rubin, saw the band strip back many of their prominent electronic elements in favor of a more straightforward rock sound, creating modern classics like "What I've Done" and "Given Up" and silencing the doubters. But it's the hidden gem "In Pieces" that really proves how the new approach could really showcase the band's talent for songwriting and delivery. Bennington gives one of his best vocal performances ever caught in the studio (no doubt bolstered by the song's outstanding lyrics), Phoenix's accelerating bassline cuts through loud and clear, and Bourdon sneaks in some real chops in the drum fill that leads into a rare and energetic guitar solo from Delson. The song balances heartbreak with a sense of urgency, adding depth and providing a cathartic, explosive release near its conclusion.
"Blackout" (A Thousand Suns)
If Minutes to Midnight was a risk, then A Thousand Suns was a full leap into the unknown. The band reinvented themselves once again with their 2010 effort, veering hard in the opposite direction of their previous album and putting a cacophony of strange samples and electronics at the forefront of their music. It's Linkin Park's secret masterpiece, a truly innovative audio experience that has continued to prove to be ahead of its time. While tracks like "The Catalyst" and "When They Come For Me" have gained their own cult followings in the years since, it's "Blackout" that really deserves a reappraisal. Bennington screams out fast-paced vocals over juxtaposing piano notes and harsh distortion that explode into a wild electronic breakdown courtesy of Mr. Hahn, before Shinoda manages to refocus the chaos into a surprisingly beautiful ending that unites the rest of the band. It’s an extraordinary marriage of intensity and artistry, with an explosive energy that still feels timeless. The track epitomizes A Thousand Suns’ bold experimentalism and existential themes with extreme poise.
"Sharp Edges" (One More Light)
The final Linkin Park album recorded and released before the tragic passing of Chester Bennington features a stunning example of the band pulling things back almost entirely. After seventeen years, seven albums and thousands of shows, the final track of Bennington's swan song One More Light comes down to him and an acoustic guitar. "Sharp Edges" is an upbeat, folk-inspired track with catchy guitar riffs and a carefree energy, but its deeper theme - a message of learning and carrying on from the pain and mistakes of life - hits especially hard today. It’s often written off as one of the lighter tracks on the album, but Sharp Edges is a testament to the band’s versatility and ability to adapt while still maintaining their emotional core. Bennington’s voice, as always, carries the weight of the message with authenticity, even as the track’s upbeat rhythm and singalong chorus mask the bittersweet undertones.
"Guilty All the Same" (The Hunting Party)
2014's The Hunting Party marked a point where the band was eager for a more aggressive, guitar-driven sound to return to the rock and metal scene that had been somewhat abandoned in previous years. "Guilty All the Same" is a prime example of the kind of heavy, headbanging ideas the group had in mind, blending intricate riffs and thundering, militaristic drums with a fiery lead guitar and Bennington’s raw, searing vocals. The track delivers an angry, uncompromising look at blame and guilt (or lack thereof) with a pace and energy that recalls the band's earlier work, but imbued with over a decade of newfound experience and technique. Featuring an awesome guest verse from legendary New York rapper Rakim, it’s a collision of old-school hip-hop and shredding rock n' roll - a synthesis that underscores Linkin Park's unique ability to seamlessly blend genres. While it didn’t receive the same mainstream attention as some of their other singles, "Guilty All the Same" is a hard-hitting anthem that deserves to be revisited for its intensity and fearless attitude.
"From the Inside" (Meteora)
"From the Inside" is a perfect example of the band’s signature style: a tight balance between crushing aggression and genuine, tender emotion. The song feels like a cathartic release in various ways - the pounding drums and sharp guitar riffs serve as an outward reflection of the angst within the tempestuous vocals. Lyrically, it’s one of the album’s most visceral tracks, capturing a moment of internal conflict, self-doubt, and finally, resolve. Though overshadowed by hits like "Numb", "Somewhere I Belong," and "Faint", "From the Inside" remains a fan favorite for its tremendous energy and emotional depth. The song feels enormous in any setting, with a true wall of sound that pierces through any and all speakers.
"Tinfoil / Powerless" (Living Things)
The final song on Living Things, "Powerless" is an introspective moment of quiet and eventually cathartic reflection - and you'd be sorely missing out if you didn't treat yourself to its intro track "Tinfoil" to help set the mood. Though 2012's back-to-basics album Living Things mostly keeps the energy high, "Powerless" stands as one of Linkin Park’s most poignant closers, with a minimalist electronic backdrop that builds into a soaring, emotional climax. The song’s lyrics confront a sense of helplessness and the futility of control, making it an apt conclusion to the album’s themes of self-reflection and struggle. Bennington’s voice, at its most fragile and haunting in this song, resonates deeply, amplifying the song’s message of vulnerability and sorrowful words of "Ten thousand promises, ten thousand ways to lose".
"The Little Things Give You Away" (Minutes to Midnight)
In a similar vein to "Powerless," "The Little Things Give You Away" serves as a somber and reflective close to Minutes to Midnight. Inspired by the events of Hurricane Katrina and similar disasters, the track stands as one of the band's longest alongside The Hunting Party's "A Line in the Sand", allowing for an pensive exploration of the feelings associated with such catastrophes. Bennington’s delivery is earnest and transcendent, while the band’s instrumental backdrop gradually builds to a powerful crescendo. The song’s layered textures and atmospheric production make it one of the more intricate and beautiful tracks in their entire catalog, and despite not being a single, it stands out as one of Linkin Park's most emotionally impactful songs. The ending section, featuring a remarkable array of vocal harmonies from various members of the band, is one of their best moments.
"Nobody Can Save Me" (One More Light)
With its electronic beats, airy production, and deceptively bright vocals, "Nobody Can Save Me" was a fittingly gutsy way to open Linkin Park's most polarizing album to date. But the result is one of the more honest songs in Linkin Park’s entire catalog - not simply a bold embrace of the dark, alt-pop direction they were interested in with One More Light, but a showcase of the passion behind the group's melodies and lyrics. "Nobody Can Save Me" contains some of the very best Linkin Park lyrics ever written, the kind that feel genuinely profound and cathartic for both its author and the millions of listeners destined to connect with them. "Been searching somewhere out there for what's been missing right here" is a powerful embodiment of what Linkin Park is all about, and the exact feelings that their music has conveyed so beautifully for so long.
"Burning in the Skies" (A Thousand Suns)
"Burning in the Skies" is a prime example of Linkin Park's skill at marrying the personal with the universal. Like the rest of A Thousand Suns and much of the band's body of work, it’s a song that feels both expansive and intimate, with an almost cinematic quality to its massive production. The track weaves a vast blanket of sound and instrumentation with wonderfully complimenting vocals between Shinoda and Bennington. The song’s slow build to a moving guitar section and soaring final chorus create an overwhelming sense of yearning, and despite its heavier thematic content, it manages to be oddly uplifting. Existential anxiety over apocalypse and ruin bleed together with fears over loss and destruction in the aftermath of much smaller, individual conflicts - A Thousand Suns was the band's biggest swing yet at creating that kind of unique connection, and this album opener pays off in spades.
