Linkin Park: The greatest band of all time or the worst? Why?

[esb9588]

This is going to sound like a stupid question, but ever since I started listening to Linkin Park, I've always been surprised by the love-or-hate feelings that most people have with this band. If you look at the customer reviews for their latest album, Meteora, at Amazon.com, you will see fans talk about them as though they are the most brilliant, most tallented musicians ever to walk the earth, while haters dismiss them as "Just an angry version of NSync." Both of these viewpoints are equally ridiculous and - try as I might - I am unable to comprehend this thinking.

Personally, I think they are a good rap/rock band. While their sound really isn't anything new, their songs are energetic and great to listen to while working out, and their lyrics usually seem well written and can be related to.

While I enjoy listening to their music, I would hate to be associated with the people who sell their souls to the band. Does anyone know why people seem to either love them or hate them? Thanks in advance.

[zerock]

i like them. and they are not the greatest band to walk the earth.

[destined_wind]

Linkin Park is a good band, yes, but after a while, their songs (mostly about depression, sadness, being outcasted, and anger) gets old after a while...

[esb9588]

I think that can be said about any song by any band. I don't think it's specific to LP.

[couchpotato]

Not too good. Not too bad. One chinese lik me. I chines.e.. Podi.

[vkeks05]

Neither.

OT: couchpotato: where do you live? :p

[ZoidbergD]

Linkin Park is neither bad nor good. All of their songs sound like part of the same cut.

[esb9588]

I have to disagree. While all of their songs (not counting the instramentals and reanimation) have the same style, I wouldn't say they sound like the same cut. "Crawling" sounds nothing like "One Step Closer," for example.

[Henrik]

I've only heard the songs of theirs played on the radio, but they make me feel angry in an embarassed-to-belong-to-the-same-species sort of way. It's something in the lyrics. Rhyming "feel", "heal" and "real" makes my skin crawl in a bad way.

Limp Bizkit has the same effect on me. ;)

Not trolling, just stating my humble opinion.

[~tl]

hmm ... they are definately not the worst ... but also certainly not the best ever

TOM

[Timmy Yak]

Originally posted by tomlevens
hmm ... they are definately not the worst ... but also certainly not the best ever

TOM

I agree.

[innervision]

neither. while i despise 'corporate rock', LP does have a catchy recurring sound to their songs. let's just say they're a part time guilty pleasure of mine.

[ToddW]

Granted Hybrid Theory is a great album. Meteora on the other hand I thought was lacking. A good band they are, yes. A great band for all time, No!

[esb9588]

To me, the albums seem fairly similar. Meteora was slightly more experimental with "Breaking the Habit" and "Nobody's listening," but other than that the albums are nearly identical. Both have twelve songs (I'm not counting intros), and end with a slow song after an instramental. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, it's just a fact.

[reorx24]

They are pretty much hated hated coz they are now the poster boys of "nu-metal" (wresting it from another much maligned group, Limp Bizkit), which pretty much get flak from all "old skool" rockers and metalheads.

I myself have been listening to rock eversince i could discern music from noise, and have gone through all the phases, 60's psychedelia, 70's "classic" rock, 80's hair metal and new wave, 90's grunge, and now, this so called nu-metal. Not that im that old, mind you, Im just into all sorts of rock (and music, for that matter), and I dont understand why "nu-metal" is always bashed by so-called rock purists.

Honestly, these lads have talent. They expertly weave catchy hooks and hopelessly singable songs. Geez, I was able to memorze "In the End" by heart just from radioplay, and i dont even have it on my pod. And i still singalong everytime I hear it.

To today's kids who grew up listening to nu-metal, they are gods. To close-minded older rock fans, they are a scourge, killing rock as they know it. To open-minded music lovers, as id like to think all of us in the lounge are, they are neither the greatest nor the worst, just a young rap-rock band, who write catchy songs and sell millions of records.

[Manifesto]

The reanimation of "In The End" is a great song, IMO better than the first version.

[scabmettler]

I don't know much about them, but I know they were one of the bands to spurn iTunes' music store because they refuse to sell single songs. Granted this is a recent development, but maybe it ####es some people off? It might irritate me if I were into them, but as it stands, I just think it's a poor business decision on their part. Then again, it doesn't always have to be about the money.

[sofiztikated]

I think they are great but not the best.

[SunByrne]

In general, I find Linkin Park and their ilk to be boring CorpoRock. As a general guideline, if they get a lot of play on a ClearChannel "alternative" station, they probably suck. (Note that I don't think it's quite at the level of "scourge, killing rock as I know it" as reorx24 suggests. I just find this kind of stuff... musically uninteresting.) Linkin Park is nothing special within that group, neither the best nor the the worst of the breed. IMHO.

[esb9588]

Most of you guys contradicted my original post, so I guess I was just looking at the wrong sights. It makes sense that most of the people who write the reviews at Amazon are either their biggest fans or are people who hate nu-medal and have nothing better to do than sit and complain.

Originally posted by Manifesto
The reanimation of "In The End" is a great song, IMO better than the first version.

I have to disagree. While I like hip-hop, I thought the remix of "In the End" took away the energy of the original by taking out the rock influence. I didn't care for most of the stuff on Reanimation for that reason. It was fun to listen to, but every time I try to listen to the album I end up going back to Hybrid Theory.

Originally posted by Scabmettler
I don't know much about them, but I know they were one of the bands to spurn iTunes' music store because they refuse to sell single songs. Granted this
is a recent development, but maybe it ####es some people off? It might irritate me if I were into them, but as it stands, I just think it's a poor business
decision on their part. Then again, it doesn't always have to be about the money.

Thanks for that info. I wasn't aware of that. After thinking about it, I can see why a band might do this since anybody who buys a single song probably wouldn't buy the album. I don't understand why it would #### people off if they were big fans, since they'd probably buy the albums on CD anyway.

[blah]

its because people who take the time to review, usually have something extremely positive or extremely negative viewpoint on the subject since theyre not asked to or anything....

[M@rK]

Reanimation.. WTF was all that about, remixes. lame. sell outs or what. but faint off the new alb does rock.

[esb9588]

I don't think they are sell outs just because they decided to make a remix album.

[gooer]

I really liked their first cd even if most of the songs were very similar. I like Somewhere I Belong from the new cd, but that's it. The new single just gives me a headache (I can't ever remember the name).

[Pickledhales]

Linkin Park are giving a bad name to rock, they're just a boy-band gone wrong, trying to blend rap and rock just doesn't work for me. Meteora is just bland and repetitive, with Numb being it's only redeeming track, otherwise it's just a waste of time, give me Foo Fighters or SOAD any day.

[esb9588]

Linkin Park are not a boy band. A boy band's members are handpicked by record companies and they do not write or play any instraments.

Linkin Park formed completely on their own and both write and play their own instraments. If you want proof of this go to allmusic.com and read the info about the band. You can find info about just about any artist their.

[MadDog5145]

Its all relative. When compared to all the mainstream music today they are decent. But compared to music of all time, they are FAR closer to the worst of all time than best of all time.

[R32_Nakazato]

Nicely said reorx. I get tired of people bashing linkin park and good charlotte. They clearly dont suck if they are able to be as popular as they are. It seems stupid to me that people can say a band sucks because their music is played on the radio a few times.

[iPod Master]

please dont bash me for my opinion but here goes. i hate them. not only them, but all nu and rap metal. i prefer melodic death, prog, and thrash metal. notice i didnt call them real metal. linkin park is also real metal, but just a different type.

[Adam]

I haven't read the rest of this thread, but here goes:

If you belive Linkin park is good, then you truly need to listen to other music. Good music. If you do listen to better music and don't appreciate it, then you can't be saved, go on and scream out the rubbish lyrics of 'numb' instead.

[enjoilax]

Originally posted by reorx24
they are neither the greatest nor the worst, just a young rap-rock band, who write catchy songs and sell millions of records.

Smart.

Thats exactly what i was going to say.
Oh and they are good muscians.

[iPod Master]

yeah, they are pretty good at down tuning their 7strings and loading a whole lot of effects on their voice and instruments.


sorry, just had to say that

[yeti3dgfx]

Linkin Park is ok, but I think that most of their songs sounds the same.
My personal point of is that more people should look beyond MTV and the usual radio programs. Look deeper into what MUSIC has to offer.
Most of todays music from MTV and the Clubs/disko's has so low a production behind them, and the only purpose is to earn more and more money...... they have lost the passion to the music.

now.... lets get shpongled !

[EvilDude]

Well, I think that Linkin Park are a lot better than people think. Personally, they are my favourite band. It's not just the stuff they release either. I love listening to their old songs, and in fact, most of them are much better than the new stuff that actually release. Try to get a copy of Hybrid Theory EP on the net, it really is an awesome album.......

[AndrewHarrison]

i only know them off their radio hits and the occasional random non-hit that is played on rage in the wee hours of sunday morning.
I don't like them at all.
Having said that, they are not the WORST band in the world. They are just not very good.

[NMMI89]

Love the band...however, would I consider them the BEST band?....no. I leave that to Queen and Rush.

[canadian_420]

They are better then the rest of the crap MTV shows

[W9FIF]

I agree with Adam, go listen to some really good music and then review your ariginal post.

As usual, my 2 cents worth! ;-)

[Pistol_Pete]

My December (Reanimation Remix) is a dope-### track!

IMO..they're a decent band. I've seen them live 3 times. The band can jam, but Chester on vocals is hit or miss. Majority of the songs he sing live are out of tune...he's always flat.

[dragonman586]

i like them and they are the greatest band to walk the earth i have every cd and unreleased song on mah ipod whooooo

[methodman]

i saw then live here in the UK last year they were great, and i havent taken the cd outta the car yet,


make me hungry for some good live music again!

Mr meth.

[PodRock]

I'm a huge LP fan, and while they're not the greatest musicians ever, the energy and time they put into their songs is really cool.

[iPotm]

I think they're awful, they get too much appreciation than is good for them. There are so many talentwise better artists out there, but then again I reckon it's better for them to remain recognized just to those who wish to know them.

Also in reply to one of the earliest replies on this thread: there are literally thousands of songs that are worth playing dozens and dozens of times without them ever getting tired.. so yes, it is in fact a characteristic of a typical radio-played song or band usually, or in short 'a very accessible song'. Accessible songs tend to get really old really fast.

[rmoody]

Neither. I like them a lot, but the are not the best, nor are they the worst by any stretch. I like that they are engergetic, but I like a lot of other bands that have more tallent also. I listen to them a great deal though.

[Raindog]

LINKIN PARK

they provide energy in simple and clear way. easy verse, with explosive chorus. And sometimes....this is EXACTLY what you are looking for. So as such i do not rule them out because they are 'simple' or not 'technical' enough.

their music has its time and place. The same as all music. and i will not rule them out because 'they sold out' or because 'i liked them before they got big' or 'they are mainstream' or any other silly catch cries.

[Presto]

I can't stand em