Okay, so I've had this in my mind for about 5 years now and well, I finally have the guts to say this: In a quote by Pheonix he mentions that, "Mike always says, Ohh we will never want to listen to a song and have it be like okay, here's your hip-hop verse, here's your hard-rock chorus, and here's like the bridge that has an electronic feel to it, but instead having to just listen to it it and say, I know that sound, that's Linkin Park." Well, this philosophy is obviously no more. I noticed this idea changed when Qwerty first came out, the B-Side of Minutes to Midnight. It was something brand new, that I never thought LP would explore. No I am not a troll, this is how I truely feel. I can name a few songs that broke Mike's rule just to open everyone's eyes and show you that Linkin Park will never go back to their roots, that any new releases that they give us will not sound like the "Old" Linkin Park unless it sounds like Points Of Authority, With You, A Place for My Head, Lying From You and etc. I love the current sound, but these sounds are not the "Old LP": (This list not consisting of demos) 1: Qwerty 2: Bleed It Out 3: When They Come For Me 4: Wretches and Kings 5: LIES GREED MISERY 6: Victimized There is always an exception. -Until it Breaks (Nice vocals by Pheonix too) Obviously these lists can be bigger, but these songs stick out to me. This is not a complaint, it is simply showing everyone what the "Old" LP once sounded like, and just wanted to give everyone a foundation to look out for (and even LP if they somehow manage to read this) when they are creating a song going back to their roots and not just something to throw into every album, since Minutes to Midnight, to make their veteran fan base happy. What does everyone think? Is this a band selling out, or a maturing one? My opinion is strongly towards maturing, as I enjoy the current sound. Just please, don't let your answers be biased towards loving Linkin Park. Sources: Linkin Park: Frat Party at the Pankake Festival (7:03-7:16) Linkin Park Underground 6.0 Minutes to Midnight A Thousand Suns Living Things
Okay, fair enough. I'm keeping this thread as friendly as possible, so this is the reason for the source listing.
I think you're reading way too deep into random quotes from band members. Also, you say that a certain batch of songs "clearly broke Mike's rule," and yet you don't even bother explaining HOW they did. You can't just give a list of songs, explain yourself. Also, yes, Brad did the vocals on UIB.
Over the years they've only expanded upon what defines them. The essence of what makes the band 'Linkin Park' has remained prevalent among every release thus far and I do not see how they no longer sound like 'Linkin Park'. The group tampered with an existing formula that worked in their favor at the height of their careers that alienated the larger part of their fanbase. So yes, they are maturing their sound, and not 'selling out'.
This thread should be closed. Linkin Park already kind of went back to their Roots with Victimized and Lost in the Echo. From an artist's point of view (I'm a musician myself), you must understand that musicians don't want to make the same songs over and over again; painters don't want to draw the same songs over and over again. Linkin Park is not going to make an exact Hybrid Theory record again because their mind is not like that anymore. They are older, more mature, and have different circumstances in their lives.
Listen to Brad when he talks, then listen to the end of Until It Breaks. It's definitely Brad singing. As far as selling out, Linkin Park sold out the minute they signed their contract with Warner Bros. In fact, anyone who has sold their music to make money has sold out as well. But here is the beauty of it, you can still mature on your sound while still being sold out. And that's where LIVING THINGS comes in.
Pop artistsalwayse make the same boring music over and over again. Justin Bieber: I'm not sure but like every song of him is about love. Skrillex alwayse makes the same dubstep music. ETC. I wouldn't care if LP would make every album like HT, or MTM etc. Everyone does. But it's one of the many reasons why LP is so awesome. They make diffirent music. Discover diffirent genres.
I found your argument fell flat the moment you mentioned QWERTY as something "brand new" and something you thought "LP would never explore". QWERTY is a complete by the books nu-metal song. Although I feel it's the most complex song they had made at the time, it certainly wasn't new. And it wasn't a B-side for Minutes to Midnight either, just something band whipped up on the way to Japan in 2006. Also I found your list quite biased: 1: Qwerty - already mentioned, nothing new, nothing bold. 2: Bleed It Out - completely old Linkin Park not featuring heavy crushing guitars 3: When They Come For Me - I honestly have no idea how you could possibly classify this song as "old Linkin Park". Even Mike's rap involves taunts to the old music. 4: Wretches and Kings - Other than the speeches, and a severely distorted guitar, it's old Linkin Park. 5: LIES GREED MISERY - this may be an exception I'd agree with. Although the uplifting style of the song is completely different. 6: Victimized - Other than Chester screaming and Mike rapping, there's nothing familiar of the nu-metal/hard-rock style they've had.
Not necessarly, If you look down into the proceeding quote, here is a quote that Brad mentions as well. If you look into my sources, I was referring to Pheonix quoting Mike, at 7:03 of Frat Party at the Pankake Festival. Okay your arguments are valid. I'll respond by saying that these songs are categorized by if there are any rapping verses mixed with a chorus. For example, as good as Victimized and LIES GREED MISERY are, by the time the second verses of Mikes rapping came along, I'm pretty sure I'm not alone when I say, that it made me cringe. Sure, I'm not going to say that Mike should stop rapping. No, I love his writing and if you have a gift of being able to rap, you should express it, just, no need to try so hard. To me, it sounds like today's modern Nu-Metal bands. They try adding Pop Rock with West Coast Rap, the "tough guy" style overwhelms the Pop Rock and just sounds awkward. Great songs and music never the less, but please, to all reviewers and music critics out there, think twice when you are referring to any current and future albums as "familiar grounds" or Linkin Park writing in a "comfort level that will appeal to older fans". It's non-sense.
You mentioned Linkin Park going back to their roots,right? Who said going back to Rap/Rock aka Hybrid Theory is going back to their roots. Going back to their roots means making music without thinking about the past,going back to when the band started not when a genre was created. Back to the real Hybrid Theory.