Undeniably catchy
So nearly eight years after its release, Hybrid Theory is still going strong. It is true that some of the lyrics may seem immature or generic, a good example being 'One Step Closer.' This album was directed towards teenagers so we'll ignore that flaw. But, the really special thing about this album is that you can listen to the whole thing without having to skip any song. Each song is catchy and listenable and this is one of the only albums I know that I don't have to skip any songs. Now I am a big LP fan. A breakdown of all the songs:

Papercut: 10/10. Love the rhythm of this song. It talks about someone who is paranoid. Excellent start for the album.

One Step Closer: 7/10. Bad choice for the second song. It's listenable, but definitely not a highlight of the album. Don't know why they made it a single.

With You: 10/10. Mr. Hahn's talent shines on this. Chester's vocals are amazing here. This should have been a single rather than 'One Step Closer.'

Points of Authority: 10/10. One of my favorites when I heard the album. I love the part at the end when Mr. Hahn the DJ mixes up the beat.

Crawling: 8/10. Chester's vocals might seem gravelly and annoying after a couple of listens. Not the best, but still good.

Runaway: 10/10. Another one of my favorites. I don't know why everyone hates this song! This could even be considered inspirational. This song can easily get you pumped up, especially towards the end.

By Myself: 9/10. Has a beat that sounds a bit like 'With You' but still a good song. Mike's and Chester's vocals go together with such harmony in this song, it's very cool.

In The End: 10/10. The one and only. With a haunting piano piece and Mike's raps on top this song was sure to be a radio favorite.

Place For My Head: 8/10. Just like in 'Crawling', this song might get tiring after a couple of listens. I love the intro of this song. But, Chester's amazing vocal range is clearly displayed in this song.

Forgotten: 10/10. Just like in 'By Myself', Chester's and Mike's vocals go together amazingly. My third favorite song off the album. I love the part at 2 minutes when Mr. Hahn changes up the beat.

Cure for the Itch: 10/10. It might get boring for some people, but this song shows how talented Mr. Hahn really is. LP would literally be nothing without him.

Pushing Me Away: 7/10. Good, but it leaves you itching for more Linkin Park. This album is too short in my opinion. I wish they had added more songs. But anyways, if you like rap at some limits you will love this album. Hence the title, it is a mix of rap and rock and the product is great. Whenever you're feeling down, this album will definitely help you out. Worth the money. Buy this album!

a great CD with the dumbest first single!
"One Step Closer" was a bad choice for a 1st single, artistically speaking; it sounded (and still sounds, IMO) generic as heck, to put it simply. I didn't feel a great desire to own this CD until I heard "Crawling" for the first time on the radio. After school I went to my local CD store and got it. Just about every song on this CD is great except for the one song. The CD opens with a harrowing melody and blasts off from there (then takes a very short break...). Very dramatic and melodic stuff, with interesting sonic touches.

Good album
Papercut : A+
One Step Closer : B+
With You : B
Points of Authority : B-
Crawling : A+
Runaway : C
By Myself : B
In the End : A
A Place for My Head : C+
Forgotten : C-
Cure for the Itch : F+
Pushing Me Away : A+

--Bonus Version--

My December : A+
High Voltage : B+

The Codification of the Rap-Rock Genre
While the debut from Linkin Park did not offer anything significantly new, what it did provide was some brilliant, incendiary singles. From the lineage that came from Run-DMC and Aerosmith to Agit-rockers Rage Against The Machine, it was merely a matter of time before it was simplified down to angry teens venting. "One Step Closer" and "In The End" are perfect examples of this, with both Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda laying it thick ("And I'm about to BREAK!"). They also pulled in the de reguir earmarks of the time, including the obligatory DJ and hardcore sampling, but did it with a heaviness that recalled metal bands.

What is great about Linkin Park is that the adolescent fury never devolved to juvenile whining or poo-poo/pee-pee jokes (ala Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water). There's even a curious instrumental ("Cure For The Itch") that hinted at the growth that eventually led to the terrific Minutes to Midnight. There are plenty of loud power chords to satisfy the Tool crowd, but if you're looking for RAtM politics, that wouldn't come till later in the LP discography.

"Hybrid Theory" was, in 2000, the ultimate peak of the whole Rap-Rock genre. Big, loud teenaged bluster, posturing for days, and still catchy as all get-out. It also signaled the beginning of the end, as Korn, Fred Durst and so many others ultimately learned through diminishing returns. In an industry where only the strong survive, Linkin Park and their debut still sound good.

The start of something big...
Who ever thought that when Linkin Park pounced onto the scene they would become the huge success they are today? I surely never imagined they would become a household name. I remember when I first heard of them. A friend and I were at a local venue that housed small bands trying to make a name for themselves and Linkin Park just happened to be there. I thought they were great. They had amazing energy on stage and their music was right up my ally. A few months later I got my hands on a sampler CD sporting their first single `One Step Closer' as well as `With You'. The studio was kind to them. They sounded great cleaned up. Then their debut album `Hybrid Theory' (which ironically was the original name of the band) dropped and suddenly the world belonged to Linkin Park. Like Limp Bizkit before them, Linkin Park took the teen scene by storm and became the band everyone who was `cool' had to be listening to. Unlike Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park's frontmen are not as insanely annoying as Fred Durst and thus their success has yet to fade.

That said; this is the start of it all. `Hybrid Theory' is the album that marked the beginning of something really big, and while it's not their finest album it serves as a great introduction to what these guys are capable of doing.

`One Step Closer' was a great choice for a single. The chords are simple yet exciting and the lyrics are angry and aggressive. Chester and Mike feed off one another very well, but what you'd never guess from this single is the fact that Mike Shinoda is actually an extremely good lyricist. Just listen to the opening track `Papercut'. Shinoda spits fire over a hip-hop influenced rock beat while Chester bellows out the chorus lines. Another great example of this duo working well together is `A Place for My Head', which is quite possibly the best song this band has ever done. The beat is sic and the song just feels complete. The `reanimated' version is even better. Their most famous single is probably `In the End', a subdued rap track where Mike lets his rhymes slowly drip from his lips over pounding bass line. `With You', `By Myself' and `Forgotten' follow more of a rock structure musically but continue to feature Mike's rapping as the dominating vocals. They don't work as well as the others and somewhat seem to mesh together.

Then Linkin Park decides to let Chester have some spotlight recognition. Like on `One Step Closer', Chester takes the reigns on songs like `Points of Authority' and `Runaway'. `Points of Authority' was never a real standout for me. Chester sounds great, but the song as a whole is not that impressive. The `reanimated' version is far superior. `Runaway' is a decent track, nothing phenomenal, but well constructed. Then we have `Crawling', one of the tracks that made Linkin Park as widely acclaimed as they've become. The song is utter perfection. It's delicate in parts, distressed in others, yet it all comes together beautifully. The last track on the album, `Pushing Me Away', also serves as a highlight of the album for me. It's the softest track here but it works extremely well for the band.

Then you have `Cure for the Itch', which serves as a decent yet unimpressive intermission.

The album is far from brilliant, but it is entertaining and it marks the start of a band that continues to grow. I don't know what possessed them to release the mess that was `Minutes to Midnight' but I have faith that they will redeem themselves. `Reanimation' and `Meteora' are both fantastic albums that show the growth this band has undergone since releasing this debut album. `Minutes to Midnight' is truly a bump in the road for them, but hopefully their next studio album will bring forth redemption.