If you didn’t know, now you know – Linkin Park’s debut album, Hybrid Theory, is now 15 years old. We’re celebrating it all weekend by remembering the influence it wields on modern rock, and the obvious impact it had in encouraging kids to form their own bands. Rather than me tell a story that 4 people care about how it influenced me, I figured I’d bring in a bunch of great musicians to reflect on 15 years of the celebrated album. Many of us were babies, or around 10-14 years old when the album was released – it’s essentially a time capsule in which we relive our youth, much the same as albums like Third Eye Blind or Nevermind.
Check out some reflections from diverse bands below, and if you enjoy what they have to say, be sure to check them all out as well. If you’d like to add your thoughts to the list, be sure to email as at newfurymedia2014@gmail.com, and we’ll hook you up.
Hybrid Theory is one of a handful of albums that I can listen to straight through. Not realizing just how old the record is, I believe, is a testament to the staying power of the songs. This record changed the way the rock world viewed previously foreign concepts like incorporating synthesized sounds seamlessly with organic rock sounds. It also paved the way for more aggressive bands to achieve mainstream exposure. Hybrid Theory made Linkin Park the perfect metal gateway band. – Jerod McBrayer, Worth Taking
On October 24th, 2000 Linkin Park released an album that revolutionized the Nu-Metal scene. With bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit already doing so well, nobody expected a band that had only released an EP to explode out of the gate like Linkin Park did with Hybrid Theory. This album was something I grew up with and I still listen to easily once a week. Their sound inspires me today to write things that are unique and break down barriers in today’s music. Even now Linkin Park sticks true to themselves and tries to create something that is cutting edge. Hybrid theory had some of the best drops and rhythms and it is still very relevant today. – Garrett Weakley, Discrepancies
Hybrid Theory contains some of my favorite songs to date. Can’t believe it’s 15… What a fantastic album, and what a huge inspiration to modern rock. Hats off to Linkin Park for being rad. – Joey Rushfield, Heart Vs. Mind
Believe it or not, Hybrid Theory was the first album I ever bought in a store. It didn’t have a parental advisory sticker on it so my mom gave me the green light, which was a big deal back then. 15 years later, I still know every lyric front to back. This record and Meteora played a big part in me becoming interested in pursuing music in the first place. I credit Linkin Park, Korn, System of a Down, and Slipknot with shaping my youth and introducing me to aggressive music. – Johnny Crowder, Dark Sermon
“This record came out when I was at the “musical-taste-crafting” stage of my youth. I was listening to Green Day, Nirvana, and Limp Bizkit mostly, along with general popular music of that time. Hybrid Theory was similar to Limp Bizkit for me because it incorporated both rap and sing-style vocals which I loved. Chester was a much better singer than Fred however so this album quickly became one of my new favorites during my Game Boy Color gaming binges.” – JT Cavey, vocalist of Texas In July
