One of the more successful bands of the emerging Nu-Metal genre was Linkin Park. The group deftly blended alternative rock and hip-hop and experimented with various sounds during the band’s 17-year career. Linkin Park was also gifted with two magnetic frontmen, singer Chester Bennington and rapper Mike Shinoda. But it was Bennington that was the standout, who had a uniquely expressive voice that could be softly emotive then growling with rage as the pace of a song amps up. Linkin Park made their debut in 2000, but it would take nearly a year before the band achieved mainstream success with their signature tune, In The End. And the accompanying music video is a perfect snapshot of the look and sound that made them such a popular act in the Nu-Metal scene.
Linkin Park released their debut Hybrid Theory in the fall of 2000. The title of the LP was derived from the concept of fusing metal rock and hip hop, becoming a critical and commercial smash upon release. The band was the rare rock act to have a successful debut album, spawning four hit singles. The final release was the fittingly titled In The End, a song encapsulating the singular sound of Linkin Park. And the music video is an excellent showcase for both Shinoda and Bennington, with Shinoda’s sharp rap style enhancing Bennington’s haunting vocal delivery.
The music video was co-directed by Nathan Cox and the band’s DJ Joe Hahn, who would end up directing many of Linkin Park’s future videos. The clip has no real narrative but is full of weird imagery drenched in dated, late-90s CGI effects. Shinoda is rapping in what looks like a desert created with an old-school Mac, intercut with Bennington in full rock opera mode on top of an Egyptian sculpted statue. It has an apocalyptic overtone that many rock acts embraced as the frightening millennium approached. And it was released one month after the 9/11 terrorist attack, with the song’s nihilistic lyrics reflecting the dark mood across the country.
Linkin Park remained popular in the early 2000 alternative rock scene, joining other alt-rock acts like No Doubt and Green Day that would cross over to the mainstream pop charts. Sadly, singer Bennington committed suicide in the summer of 2017 after a long struggle with substance abuse and depression. It was a tragic end to one of the generation’s most gifted rock vocalists. Linkin Park never recovered from the loss and unofficially disbanded, with Shinoda stating the group had no plans to tour or record any new music.
Check out the music video below, and let me know your thoughts in the comments section.
I never saw this video before. Very cool. For me, they have a very distinct sound and you know right away when one of their tunes comes on who it is, in no small part to Chester. Sad that Bennington took his life because this band could easily have enjoyed more success.
I was a huge fan of Linkin Park, and they reignited my interest in alt-rock when their first album was released. Chester was such a talent with a singular voice; I’m not surprised that the band retired and never tried to replace him. Shinoda is a fantastic rap artist, but I don’t think he could handle the vocal pyrotechnics that Chester produced in their hit singles.