Linkin Park

Linkin Park’s catalog moves from the tightly wound rap-rock of Hybrid Theory and Meteora toward a broader set of electronic, pop and hard-rock approaches. Mike Shinoda’s rap vocals and Chester Bennington’s melodic and shouted singing created a clear contrast at the center of the early records, while sampling and keyboards added texture to the heavy guitars. Minutes to Midnight began a deliberate expansion; A Thousand Suns pushed furthest into electronics and conceptual sequencing, and later albums moved between that atmosphere and a return to heavier riffs. From Zero introduces a new vocal lineup while drawing on earlier sounds. Ranking the albums means weighing the appeal of a signature formula against the band’s repeated attempts to alter it.