I remember listening to "Numb" and "Faint" a few times on the radio and tv, but I was never that into music in my younger years. It wasn't until 2005-2006 that I stumbled upon an AMV on youtube that was synched perfectly to "Papercut". I was addicted to the song but had no idea who the band was behind it for the longest time. Then it sunk in one day that Numb, Faint, and Papercut were all by the same band. Ironically enough, when I finally decided to venture out and see what other songs they had to offer, Minutes to Midnight was just about to be released, and I played What I've Done almost ritually everyday until the album release. I've been a hardcore fan ever since.
One Step Closer made me think "these guys are kinda cool..", with Crawling I was already "OMG I LOVE EM"
I knew about One Step Closer but didn't know it was Linkin Park. When In the End hit pop radio in 2001 I was all over it like ants on the pizza that just got delivered, and so I passed through the gateway into being interested in music in general. I'm pretty sure I was sold on that song 8 notes in.
Loved "In The End" when I was hearing it all the time on the radio, someone got me "Hybrid Theory" towards the end of 2001 and that's it; I became a lifelong fan! ;D
Somewhere I Belong. My brother had bought Meteora back in 03 and I remember calling it the best album ever. And to this day, I still think so... except maybe for Nevermind by Nirvana
When I was 7 or 8, I heard Bleed It Out on the radio a few days after it was released as a single. At first i wanted to look up 2 or 3 other Linkin Park songs. An hour later I was doing a run of the whole Minutes To Midnight album. I didn't think it was a good album then, and I still don't now. Although I absolutely loved Bleed It Out and Leave Out All The Rest. It was actually not until I heard Hybrid Theory that I became an actual fan.
Lies Greed Misery got me into Linkin Park. I heard it on this British radio station one day and I could tell right then and there this was a talented group.