In my heart I truly feel they will never make another heavy track or heavy album. Maybe im still hurt by OML but thats how i feel right now. But at this point no matter the band does, it feels like this band is just getting more and more irrelevant and they are just are shell of what they used to be, because when the band calls it quits one day they will always be remembered for Hybrid Theory.
Linkin Park just released their heaviest album of their careers three years ago after progressively moving towards a softer sound. To think that they'll never make another heavy song (especially when it's obvious that Chester loves to scream) because of One More Light is a little reactionary.
Chester just made a song with Mark Morton of Lamb Of God earlier this year and he said something along the lines of ''Who wants to hear my scream?!?!?'' on his Twitter when talking about the track. He can scream outside of Linkin Park, he has done so in Dead By Sunrise's music as well. I think Linkin Park as a whole is pretty much done with screaming. They'll probably make rock music again, but it won't be metal, and most likely won't feature screaming from Chester. I don't think they want fans to remember that part of the band. They even got rid of Given Up and shit from the set on this tour. Chester has said as recently as a few months ago that he still can scream and it isn't difficult for him, so it's not because of his age or his vocal chords going or anything, like some fans seem to think. I just don't think the new ''image'' of Linkin Park wants screaming to be involved, and it doesn't really fit with their new pop sound, either. I think to the Linkin Park of 2017, a rock song is something like Talking To Myself. A rock song to me from Linkin Park is something like Given Up, No More Sorrow, Don't Stay, Qwerty, etc. This is 110% true, despite what anyone on this site thinks. Hybrid Theory made such a huge impact in 2001 that everything the band did after it is somewhat eclipsed by it. And when the band is finished, Hybrid Theory will be remembered. That's their image in the scheme of history, whether the band likes it or not, or even if the fans like it or not. And what many people don't realize is that the TIME that it came out has a lot to do with it. 2001 was a much different time than 2017, or any other year. The Linkin Park of 2001 can never be changed, it has it's place in history. The band could literally make an album similar to Hybrid Theory again and it still wouldn't defeat the image of Hybrid Theory, even if it became their highest selling album next to it. Hell, they could re-record Hybrid Theory and dress the same way that they did in 2001 and it still wouldn't matter, because it's not 2001 anymore. They made a huge impact in the world in 2001.
For the fans that like the heavy side to LP with the heavy guitars and screaming and so on, I tell them to appreciate and Cherish THP, because like you said i think LP is done with screaming and really heavy guitars. Ppl moaning and groaning about wanting them to go back to the old style well THP is the closest thing they will ever get to the old style, so ppl should just stop complaining and cherish THP and hold it dear to their heart along with HT and M. Because after OML i think its all downhill from here for this band, i hate to say that but thats how i feel, each year the band becomes more and more irrelevant, and i think after OML this is the beginning of the end of LP, unless they make one more EPIC album and ride off into the sunset but i dont see that happening.
I mean the band has become less and less relevant (roughly) every year since Hybrid Theory (and this happens to literally every band), so I'm not sure why it's suddenly "the beginning of the end" in 2017 when you could have said that at any point since ~2001. In fact I'd argue that Linkin Park is far more relevant now than it has been since 2012, but that's neither here nor there. Relevancy is completely meaningless. ATS was far less "relevant" than either of the albums that bookended it, and yet many people would consider it the band's best work. Also I still can't believe people genuinely think LP will never make heavy music again. I'm... seriously stumped as to why anyone would ever think that.
That is true. Although, I'd say they became more relevant in 2001, and the album came out in 2000, but that's it. But of course, it's natural for any band. However, after Minutes To Midnight is really when you see a big drop in sales for each album after it. At this point, they've basically become a laughing stock to a lot of people, like a meme. They're being featured on a lot of cringe worthy YouTube channels and now everyone will just think about how Heavy was a pop song and how the band went pop. The core fans will still support them, yes, but they're going to fade into pure obscurity within the next few years, I think. Minutes To Midnight was their last big album and their last big tour, I mean that tour has 3 U.S. tours in it alone.
Album sales are dropping, and their concerts arent being sold out like they used to be, which is alarming. I know alot of people through out the U.S and in other countries they are die hard LP fans, and they dont wanna go see them because of OML and the ppl that are just going to hear the old songs. I was gonna see them in NY this year but i changed my mind cause i dont wanna be disappointed by the setlist, and its amazing how there so many tickets still left with 2 weeks left, the last time i went to see them tickets were sold out within a few weeks.