Band Members

Chester Bennington - lead vocals, occasional guitar (1999-present)
Mike Shinoda - emcee, vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboard/piano (1996-present)
Rob Bourdon - drums, keyboard/piano (1996-present)
Brad Delson - lead guitar, bass guitar, strings (1996-present)
Dave "Phoenix" Farrell - bass guitar, cello, backing vocals (1996-1999, 2001-present)
Joe Hahn - turntables, programming, samples, beats (1996-present)

Band History

Originally consisting of three close high school friends from Agoura High School, Linkin Park’s foundation was anchored by Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, and Rob Bourdon. After graduating from high school, the California natives later began to take their musical interests more seriously, recruiting Joe Hahn, Dave "Phoenix" Farrell, and Mark Wakefield to perform in their band then titled Xero. Though limited in resources, the band began recording and producing songs within Shinoda’s make-shift bedroom studio in 1996. Tensions and frustration within the band began to increase after they failed to land a record deal. The lack of success and stalemate in progress prompted Wakefield, at that time the band’s vocalist, to leave the band in search for other projects. Later, Farrell would also leave the band in order to tour with Tasty Snax ,as well as other bands. After spending a considerable time searching for Wakefield’s replacement, Xero recruited Arizona vocalist Chester Bennington. Jeff Blue, the vice president of Zomba Music, referred Bennington to the band in March of 1999. Bennington, formerly of a band named Grey Daze, became a standout among applicants for his unique and vivid singing style. The newborn vocal chemistry between Shinoda and Bennington helped revive the band, inciting them to work on new material. The band’s renaissance culminated with a change in name; from Hybrid Theory, the band changed their name to Linkin Park, a play on and homage to Santa Monica’s Lincoln Park. However, despite these changes, the band still struggled to sign a record deal. After facing numerous rejections from several major record labels, Linkin Park turned to Jeff Blue for additional help. After failing to catch Warner Bros. Records on three previous reviews, Jeff Blue, now the vice president of Warner Bros. Records, helped the band sign a deal with the company in 1999. Now aside with Warner Bros. Records, the band released their breakthrough album, Hybrid Theory, the following year.

Intro & Info

Linkin Park is a rock band from Agoura Hills, California. They formed in 1996, and have since sold more than forty million albums and won two Grammys. They first achieved mainstream success in 2000 with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which has since been certified Diamond by RIAA. Their following studio album, Meteora, continued the band's success, topping the Billboard 200’s album charts in 2003, and was followed by extensive touring and charity work around the world. Linkin Park is recognized for adapting the nu metal genre into a radio-friendly style and creating many successful singles, such as In The End, Numb, and What I've Done. They are also known for their several collaborations, most notably with rapper Jay-Z in their mash-up album Collision Course, and a plethora of other artists on Reanimation. The band’s latest studio album, Minutes to Midnight, which was released in May 2007, has stemmed away from their previous nu metal sound venturing into various other genres. The album topped the Billboard Charts by selling nearly 625,000 copies in its debut week, making it the best debut week of any album for the year.