Hybrid Theory

Hybrid Theory is the first studio album and third overall album by Linkin Park. It was released on October 24, 2000.

Hybrid Theory
Studio album by Linkin Park
Released	October 24, 2000
Recorded	1998-1999 at NRG Recordings in North Hollywood, California
Genre	Nu metal, rap metal, alternative metal
Length	37:45
Language	English
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Don Gilmore, Jeff Blue (exec.)
Linkin Park chronology
Hybrid Theory (2000) Meteora (2003)

Before release

Before Linkin Park was known as "Linkin Park," they were known as Xero. After Mark Wakefield left Xero, Chester Bennington joined, and their name was changed to "Hybrid Theory." They produced a demo tape with nine songs and sent it to several record companies, but they all refused to sponsor Linkin Park. Eventually, they were signed by Warner Bros. Records in 2000.

About the songs

Most of the songs on Hybrid Theory came from early versions of them that Xero recorded with Mark Wakefield.

The songs were mostly about Chester Bennington's problems as a child, such as child abuse, social isolation, the divorce of his parents, and drug abuse. Bennington and Mike Shinoda have said that the songs turned into songs about "everyday emotions that you talk about and think about."

In 2002, all of the songs were remixed for Linkin Park's fourth album, Reanimation.

List of songs

1. "Papercut" (June 18, 2001)
2. "One Step Closer" (August 25, 2000)
3. "With You"
4. "Points of Authority"
5. "Crawling" (October 17, 2000)
6. "Runaway"
7. "By Myself"
8. "In the End" (November 16, 2001)
9. "A Place for My Head
10. "Forgotten"
11. "Cure for the Itch"
12. "Pushing me Away"

Four of the songs from Hybrid Theory were released as singles: "One Step Closer," Crawling, "Papercut," and "In the End." They were all very popular and appeared on charts. "Runaway" was not a single, but it also appeared on charts.

Critics' opinions of Hybrid Theory

Critics had mixed opinions of Hybrid Theory. The magazines Rolling Stone, PopMatters, The Village Voice and Sputnikmusic liked the album. Robert Christgau from The Village Voice enjoyed listening to "Papercut" and "Points of Authority."

However, Allmusic and NME did not like the album. They thought it was a generic rock and heavy metal album, and not very creative.