Hybrid Theory

This article is about the album. For the theory of hybridism, see Hybrid (biology).

Hybrid Theory
Studio album by Linkin Park
Released	October 24, 2000 (2000-10-24)
Recorded	March–July 2000
Studio	NRG (Los Angeles)
Genre	Nu metal rap metal rap rock alternative metal alternative rock
Length	37:45
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Don Gilmore
Linkin Park chronology
Hybrid Theory EP (1999) Hybrid Theory (2000) Reanimation (2002)
Singles from Hybrid Theory
"One Step Closer" Released: August 29, 2000 "Crawling" Released: April 2, 2001 "Papercut" Released: June 18, 2001 "In the End" Released: October 9, 2001

Hybrid Theory is the debut studio album by American rock band Linkin Park, released on October 24, 2000, by Warner Bros. Records. Recorded at NRG Recordings in North Hollywood, California, and produced by Don Gilmore, the album's lyrical themes deal with problems lead vocalist Chester Bennington experienced during his adolescence, including drug abuse and the constant fighting and eventual divorce of his parents. Hybrid Theory takes its title from the previous name of the band as well as the concepts of music theory and combining different styles. It is also the band's only album in which bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrell does not play, however, he is credited as a member of the band as well as a songwriter on some of its tracks.

Four singles were released from Hybrid Theory: "One Step Closer", "In the End", "Crawling" and "Papercut", all of them being responsible for launching Linkin Park into mainstream popularity. While "In the End" was the most successful of the four, all of the singles in the album remain some of the band's most successful songs to date. Although "Runaway", "Points of Authority", and "My December" from the special edition bonus disc album were not released as singles, they were minor hits on alternative rock radio stations thanks to the success of all of the band's singles and the album.

Generally receiving positive reviews from critics upon its release, Hybrid Theory became a strong commercial success. Peaking at number two on the US Billboard 200, it is certified 12× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It also reached the top 10 in 15 other countries and has sold 32 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling debut album since Guns N' Roses's Appetite for Destruction (1987). At the 44th Grammy Awards, it won Best Hard Rock Performance for "Crawling".

On August 13, 2020, Warner Records announced a re-release of Hybrid Theory for its 20th anniversary. A previously unreleased demo song, "She Couldn't", was released at the same time.

Background

Bennington singing live in Texas

High school friends Rob Bourdon, Brad Delson, and Mike Shinoda formed the rap rock band Xero in 1996. After their graduation, they recruited Joe Hahn, Dave "Phoenix" Farrell, and Mark Wakefield to perform in the band. Though limited in resources, the band began recording and producing songs within Shinoda's makeshift bedroom studio in 1996, resulting in a four-track demo album, entitled Xero, released in November 1997. Delson, who by that point was a student at UCLA, then introduced the band to Jeff Blue, the vice president of A&R for Zomba Music, whom he had interned for in college. Blue immediately took interest in the band, but this did not produce a record deal. After watching a Xero performance in 1998, he believed the band needed a different vocalist. Frustrated with the lack of label success, Wakefield and Farrell left the band.

Blue was recommended Arizona-based vocalist Chester Bennington, formerly of Grey Daze. Blue called Bennington on March 20, 1999, his 23rd birthday, and sent Bennington tapes of Xero's unreleased recordings the following day. One contained vocals by Wakefield, and the other consisted of only the instrumental tracks — with Blue asking for Bennington's "interpretation of the songs". Bennington wrote and recorded new vocals over the instrumentals and sent the tapes back to Blue. By March 23, Bennington was in Los Angeles auditioning for Xero. The band auditioned numerous people for the vocalist job, with Shinoda later admitting the group's impression of Bennington led to concerns about his image, though Bennington clearly was the best performer among the candidates. As Delson recalls, "[Bennington] really was kind of the final piece of the puzzle [...] We didn't see anything close to his talent in anybody else."

After Bennington officially got the job, the five members renamed the band Hybrid Theory. Bassist Kyle Christner was then recruited on a temporary basis; with these members, the group released a self-titled EP. Through a street team, the EP was mainly promoted through internet chat-rooms and forums. In October 1999, Christner left the group. The vacancy was filled by Scott Koziol and Ian Hornbeck, who alongside Delson all contributed bass tracks for the band's recordings. Still unsigned, the band once again turned to Blue, who by that point had left Zomba and had become vice president of Warner Bros. Records; by November 1999, the band had been signed to a contract. The band changed their name again, deciding on "Linkin Park".

Writing and recording

The music that would ultimately become the Hybrid Theory album was first produced by Linkin Park in 1999 as a nine-track demo tape. The band sent this tape to various recording companies and played forty-two different showcases for recording industry representatives, including performances for Los Angeles promoter and impresario, Mike Galaxy's showcase at The Gig on Melrose. However, they were initially turned down by most of the major labels and several independent record labels. The band was signed by Warner Bros. Records in 1999, due in large part to the constant recommendations of Blue, who had joined the label after resigning from Zomba.

Despite initial difficulties in finding a producer willing to take charge of the debut album of a newly signed band, Don Gilmore ultimately agreed to head up the project, with Andy Wallace hired as the mixer. Recording sessions, which mostly involved re-recording the songs off the demo tape, began at NRG Recordings in North Hollywood, California in March 2000 and lasted four months. Shinoda's rapping sections in most of the songs were significantly altered from the original, while most choruses remained largely unchanged. Due to the absence of Dave Farrell and Kyle Christner, who took part in the 1999 extended play, the band hired Scott Koziol and Ian Hornbeck as stand-in bassists; Delson also played bass throughout most of the album. The Dust Brothers provided additional beats for the track "With You".

Bennington and Shinoda wrote the lyrics of Hybrid Theory based in part on early demos with Mark Wakefield. Shinoda characterized the lyrics as interpretations of universal feelings, emotions, and experiences, and as "everyday emotions you talk about and think about." Bennington later described the songwriting experience to Rolling Stone in early 2002:

It's easy to fall into that thing — 'poor, poor me', that's where songs like 'Crawling' come from: I can't take myself. But that song is about taking responsibility for your actions. I don't say 'you' at any point. It's about how I'm the reason that I feel this way. There's something inside me that pulls me down.

Composition

The music of Hybrid Theory draws from diverse inspirations. Bennington's singing style is influenced by acts such as Depeche Mode and Stone Temple Pilots, while the riffs and playing techniques of guitarist Brad Delson are modeled after Deftones, Guns N' Roses, U2, and The Smiths. The lyrical content of the songs primarily touches upon the problems that Bennington encountered during his childhood, including constant and excessive drug and alcohol abuse, the divorce of his parents, isolation, disappointments, and the aftermath feelings of failed relationships. Stylistically, the album has been described as nu metal, rap metal, rap rock, alternative metal, alternative rock, and hard rock.

The album eventually produced four singles. "One Step Closer", the album's second track and first single, was gradually recorded in increments after Linkin Park struggled with "Runaway", and features a guitar riff and electronic percussion in the introduction transitioning into a bridge with distortion-heavy guitars and aggressive drums. It is also famous for the "Shut up when I'm talkin' to you!" refrain screamed by Bennington one minute and 48 seconds into the song. The music video for "One Step Closer" was shot in a Los Angeles subway and became an instant hit, eventually receiving heavy rotation on MTV and other music television networks. Stand-in bassist Scott Koziol is shown performing with the band in the video.

The second single was "Crawling", which Bennington described as "about feeling like I had no control over myself in terms of drugs and alcohol."

"Papercut" was the album's third single, and its lyrics describe paranoia. The music video for "Papercut" features the band performing in a hallway opposite a completely dark room on the walls of which are scribbled the song's lyrics. Various supernatural themes are present in the video, and special effects are used to create eerie renditions, such as the "stretching" of Shinoda's fingers and the "melting" of Bourdon's face.

The fourth and final single to come from Hybrid Theory was "In the End", released on October 9, 2001. The song prominently features a signature piano riff performed by Shinoda. His rapping also dominates the verses of the song and is later joined by Bennington's vocals in the chorus. The music video for "In the End" was shot at various stops along the 2001 Ozzfest tour and was directed by Nathan "Karma" Cox and the band's DJ Joe Hahn, who would go on to direct many of Linkin Park's future videos (the two also directed the music video for "Papercut"). Although the background for the "In the End" video was filmed in a California desert, the band itself performed on a studio stage in Los Angeles, with prominent CGI effects and compositing being used to create the finished version. Performing on a studio stage allowed Hahn and Cox to set off water pipes above the stage near the end and drench the band. The music video won the Best Rock Video award at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards.

"Points of Authority", the fourth track on the album, has its own music video that can be found on Frat Party at the Pankake Festival, the band's first DVD. Drummer Rob Bourdon describes the recording process of the song: "Brad wrote this riff, then went home. Mike decided to cut it up into different pieces and rearranged them on the computer [...] Brad had to learn his own part from the computer." Regarding the song, Delson praised Shinoda's skill, describing him as "a genius" and "Trent Reznor-talented".

Artwork

With Hybrid Theory being Linkin Park's first album, Mike Shinoda, who had worked as a graphic designer before becoming a professional musician, has stated that the band had looked through books for inspiration on how to present themselves for the first time. The result was a winged-soldier which Shinoda illustrated himself. According to Chester Bennington, the idea of the soldier with dragonfly wings was to describe the blending of hard and soft musical elements by the use of the jaded looks of the soldier and frail touches of the wings. The art style was largely influenced by stencil graffiti, including early works by Banksy. The cover also features scrambled lyrics of the album's songs within the background, though the lyrics of "One Step Closer" are the most prominent.

Tours

Following the success of Hybrid Theory, Linkin Park received invitations to perform at various rock concerts and tours, including Ozzfest, the Family Values Tour, KROQ-FM's Almost Acoustic Christmas, and the band's self-created tour, Projekt Revolution, which was headlined by Linkin Park and featured other bands such as Cypress Hill and Adema. During this time, Linkin Park reunited with their original bassist, Dave "Phoenix" Farrell. The band kept an online journal on their official website throughout their 2001 and 2002 touring regime, in which each band member made a respective notation. Although the notes are no longer on their website, they are available on fansites. Linkin Park played 324 shows in 2001.

Reception

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Classic Rock	6/10
Kerrang!	5/5
Melodic
Melody Maker
NME	6/10
Pitchfork	7.6/10
Q
Rolling Stone
The Rolling Stone Album Guide

Hybrid Theory received generally positive reviews from critics. Mike Ross of Jam! praised the album as an effective fusion of hip hop and heavy metal music and deemed Linkin Park "one of the finest new rap metal bands". PopMatters reviewer Stephanie Dickison wrote that they are "a far more complex and talented group than the hard rock boy bands of late" and "will continue to fascinate and challenge music's standard sounds." In Q, Dan Silver commented that the band had given "angst-ridden rock... an effective electronic spin". Johan Wippsson from Melodic complimented Don Gilmore's production and described Hybrid Theory as "destructive and angry but always with a well controlled melodic feeling all over." The Village Voice's Robert Christgau gave the album a two-star honorable mention rating and cited "Papercut" and "Points of Authority" as highlights; he quipped, "the men don't know what the angry boys understand".

In a more critical assessment, William Ruhlmann of AllMusic found that on Hybrid Theory, Linkin Park sound "like a Johnny-come-lately to an already overdone musical style." NME critic Noel Gardner said that it was a "decent" album in need of editing, writing that "otherwise damn fine soaring emo-crunchers like 'With You' and 'A Place for My Head' are pointlessly jazzed up with tokenistic scratching". Rolling Stone's Matt Diehl felt that the album "works in spots" and the band "knows its way around a hook", but panned Bennington and Shinoda's "corny, boilerplate-aggro lyrics".

Reviewing Hybrid Theory in 2006, Tyler Fisher of Sputnikmusic perceived a lack of musical variety on the record, but concluded that it "stands as a defining mainstream album at the turn of the century, and for good reason." Writing for Stylus Magazine the following year, Ian Cohen found that while the album is "almost completely forgettable" outside of its singles, it "was strangely fresh for mainstream rock radio, particularly placed in relief of its ugly post-grunge peers and the staunch revivalism of the Strokes/White Stripes front." Pitchfork's Gabriel Szatan was more enthusiastic in a 2020 review; he wrote that "all the band's sharpest tendencies meshed and their less attractive aesthetic impulses were suppressed" on Hybrid Theory, while crediting the band with helping to normalize discussion of mental health "within pop, rock, rap, and every genre along the heavy axis". Luke Morton of Kerrang! argued that it is "not hyperbolic to say that Hybrid Theory is one of the most important rock albums of all time."

Accolades

At the 44th Grammy Awards in 2002, Linkin Park won Best Hard Rock Performance for their song "Crawling". Additional nominations for Best New Artist and Best Rock Album lost out to Alicia Keys and All That You Can't Leave Behind by U2. Hybrid Theory found itself in several "must have" lists that were compiled by various music publications, networks, and other media. In 2012, Rock Sound named Hybrid Theory the best modern classic album of the last 15 years. In 2013, Loudwire ranked it at No. 10 in its Best Hard Rock Debut Albums list. Some of the more prominent of these lists to feature Hybrid Theory are shown below:

Publication	Country	Accolade	Year	Rank
The Village Voice	United States	Pazz & Jop	2001	159
The National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) / Rock and Roll Hall of Fame	United States	The Definitive 200	2007	84
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die	United States	1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die	2006	*
Record Collector	United Kingdom	Best of 2001	2001	*
Rock Sound	United States	101 Modern Classic Albums of the last 15 years	2012	1
Rock Hard	Germany	The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time	2005	421
Kerrang!	United Kingdom	50 Best Rock Albums of the 2000s	2014	8
Metal Hammer	United Kingdom	Top 20 Best Metal Albums of 2000	2020	*

* denotes an unordered list

Commercial performance

Hybrid Theory debuted at number 16 on the US Billboard 200, selling 50,000 copies in its first week. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) five weeks after its release. In 2001, the album had sold 4.8 million copies in the United States, making it the best-selling album of the year, and it was estimated that the album continued selling 100,000 copies per week in early 2002. Throughout the following years, the album continued to sell at a fast pace and was eventually certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2005 for shipment of ten million copies in the United States; in 2017, it was awarded another level of platinum status for a total of 11× Platinum. In 2001 the album was the second best-selling album globally, selling 8.5 million copies. To date, the album has sold 27 million copies worldwide, which makes it the best selling debut album of the 21st century. As of September 2020, the album has been certified 12× Platinum (Diamond) and has sold 10.5 million copies in the United States per Nielsen SoundScan. As of April 2023 the album has sold 13.58 million equivalent album units and 11 million in pure album sales in the US.

After the death of Bennington on July 20, 2017, the album reached number 1 on the iTunes and Amazon music charts. It also re-entered at #27 on the Billboard 200, along with three of their other studio albums, re-surfacing into the top 10 at #8 the following week. In the UK, it peaked at No. 4 in 2001 and re-climbed to its peak position in July 2017, the same week it re-entered the top 10 in the US. The album also charted in 11 other countries at fairly high positions and ranked among the top ten in the charts of the United Kingdom, Sweden, New Zealand, Austria, Finland, and Switzerland.

Hybrid Theory was the 11th best performing album on the Billboard 200 during the decade, the album reached the top ten in its 38th week on the chart and stayed in the top ten for 34 weeks. The album spent nearly 170 weeks on the chart as of 2017, by re-entering at No. 167 in February 2011 and for several weeks every time a new studio album was released.

Later in 2002, Linkin Park released the remix album Reanimation. It included the songs of Hybrid Theory remixed and reinterpreted by nu metal and underground hip hop artists. Contributors to the album included Black Thought, Pharoahe Monch, Jonathan Davis, Stephen Carpenter, and Aaron Lewis. The sound of later Linkin Park albums would involve experimentation with classical instruments such as strings and piano, both of which, along with the same elements of electronica from Hybrid Theory, are prominently included in the band's second studio album Meteora. As Shinoda explains the difference in the sound between Hybrid Theory and Meteora: "That electronic element has always been there in the band – it's just that sometimes we bring it closer to the front."

Singles

According to Billboard, as of 2022, Hybrid Theory is one of the 15 best-performing 21st-century albums without any of its singles being number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Hybrid Theory was released in the United States on October 24, 2000, following radio airplay of "One Step Closer". Four singles from the album were released throughout 2001 (though "Points of Authority" was released as a promotional single), three of which were chart successes on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks charts. The single "In the End" was the highest-charting single from the album, which peaked at No. 1 on the Modern Rock Tracks charts and appearing on charts worldwide. The success of "In the End" was partly responsible for Hybrid Theory's chart success; it reached No. 2 in the Billboard 200 in 2002.

20th anniversary edition

Hybrid Theory 20th Anniversary Edition
Compilation album by Linkin Park
Released	October 9, 2020 (2020-10-09)
Recorded	1997–2002
Studio	NRG Recording Studios (North Hollywood, California)
Genre	Nu metal rap metal alternative metal rap rock alternative rock hard rock
Label	Warner Bros. Machine Shop
Producer	Don Gilmore Mike Shinoda
Linkin Park chronology
One More Light Live (2017) Hybrid Theory 20th Anniversary Edition (2020) Meteora 20th Anniversary Edition (2023)
Singles from Hybrid Theory 20th Anniversary Edition
"She Couldn't" Released: August 13, 2020 (2020-08-13) "In The End (Demo)" Released: October 1, 2020 (2020-10-01)

In preparation of the 20th anniversary of the release of the album, the band asked their fans to submit pictures and videos in relation to Hybrid Theory in celebration of the 20th anniversary. On August 7, the band's official website went under a temporary redesign resembling an early 2000s computer theme, leaving behind clues and puzzles hidden within the website hinting at a re-release of the album, including old emails, pictures, and codes. The website was updated frequently leading up to the announcement of the 20th anniversary re-release on August 13; a previously unreleased song, "She Couldn't" was released on the same day.

Pre-orders for the album went live with announcement of the contents of its release. It contains various content from the Hybrid Theory era, including the original album, the band's remix album Reanimation, Hybrid Theory EP, and various B-sides, demos, live tracks, and remixes. Most of the tracks have been previously released on singles, extended plays, and via the Linkin Park Underground fan club, while other tracks were released for the first time on this compilation. Various editions of the release were offered, including on CDs and vinyl. It was released on October 9, 2020.

In addition to the music, the super deluxe edition of the release includes additional bonus content including three DVDs, art prints, and an 80-page book which includes never before seen pictures. One of the three DVDs was previously released on November 20, 2001, during the promotion of Hybrid Theory, documenting the band's time on the road, titled Frat Party at the Pankake Festival. The other two DVDs were exclusively released for the first time on the super deluxe edition.

A digital counterpart of the compilation was also released, including the music only, containing a total of 80 tracks.

In November 2023, Kyle Christner, who played bass guitar on the Hybrid Theory EP, filed a lawsuit against Linkin Park, seeking compensation for songs that appeared on the 20th anniversary release of the album. The two parties reached an undisclosed settlement in March 2024.

Track listing

Original release

All tracks are written by Linkin Park (Chester Bennington, Rob Bourdon, Brad Delson, Joe Hahn, Mike Shinoda), except where noted

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Papercut"		3:04
2.	"One Step Closer"		2:35
3.	"With You"	Linkin Park Dust Brothers (Michael Simpson & John King)	3:23
4.	"Points of Authority"		3:20
5.	"Crawling"		3:29
6.	"Runaway"	Linkin Park Mark Wakefield	3:03
7.	"By Myself"		3:09
8.	"In the End"		3:36
9.	"A Place for My Head"	Linkin Park Wakefield Dave Farrell	3:04
10.	"Forgotten"	Linkin Park Wakefield Farrell	3:14
11.	"Cure for the Itch"		2:37
12.	"Pushing Me Away"		3:11
Total length:			37:45

Japanese edition

Bonus tracks

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
13.	"My December"	Shinoda	4:20
14.	"High Voltage"		3:45
15.	"One Step Closer" (video)		2:55

iTunes deluxe edition (2013)

Bonus tracks

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
13.	"High Voltage" (live)		3:38
14.	"My December"	Shinoda	4:19
15.	"Points of Authority" (Crystal Method remix)		4:56
16.	"Papercut" (live at Milton Keynes)		3:50

Special edition

Bonus tracks

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
13.	"My December"	Shinoda	4:22
14.	"High Voltage"		3:47
15.	"Papercut" (recorded live at BBC1)		3:09

Bonus disc

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Papercut" (live at Docklands Arena, London)		3:13
2.	"Points of Authority" (live at Docklands Arena, London)		3:30
3.	"A Place for My Head" (live at Docklands Arena, London)	Linkin Park Wakefield Farrell	3:11
4.	"My December"	Shinoda	4:20
5.	"High Voltage"		3:45

Vinyl reissue (2013)

Bonus 10"

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"One Step Closer"		2:39
2.	"My December"	Shinoda	4:21

20th Anniversary Edition

The 20th Anniversary Edition includes the original album (in CD, vinyl and digital) on disc one.

All tracks are written by Linkin Park, except where noted

Disc 2 – Reanimation (CD, vinyl and digital; double album vinyl, CD exclusive to super deluxe edition)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Hybrid Theory original track	Length
1.	"Opening"	Shinoda		1:07
2.	"Pts.OF.Athrty" (featuring Jay Gordon)		"Points of Authority"	3:45
3.	"Enth E Nd" (featuring KutMasta Kurt and Motion Man)		"In the End"	4:00
4.	"[Chali]"			0:23
5.	"Frgt/10" (featuring Alchemist and Chali 2na)	Linkin Park Wakefield Farrell	"Forgotten"	3:32
6.	"P5hng Me A*wy" (featuring Stephen Richards)		"Pushing Me Away"	4:38
7.	"Plc.4 Mie Hæd" (featuring Amp Live and Zion)	Linkin Park Wakefield Farrell	"A Place for My Head"	4:20
8.	"X-Ecutioner Style" (featuring Sean C, Roc Raida and Black Thought)			1:49
9.	"H! Vltg3" (featuring Evidence, Pharoahe Monch and DJ Babu)	Linkin Park Derek Murphy Lorenzo Dechalus Maxwell Dixon	"High Voltage"	3:30
10.	"[Riff Raff]"			0:21
11.	"Wth>You" (featuring Aceyalone)	Linkin Park Dust Brothers (Simpson & King)	"With You"	4:12
12.	"Ntr\Mssion"	Shinoda		0:29
13.	"Ppr:Kut" (featuring Cheapshot, Jubacca, Rasco and Planet Asia)		"Papercut"	3:26
14.	"Rnw@y" (featuring Backyard Bangers and Phoenix Orion)	Linkin Park Wakefield	"Runaway"	3:13
15.	"My<Dsmbr" (featuring Mickey P. and Kelli Ali)		"My December"	4:17
16.	"[Stef]"			0:10
17.	"By_Myslf" (featuring Josh Abraham and Stephen Carpenter)		"By Myself"	3:42
18.	"Kyur4 th Ich"		"Cure for the Itch"	2:32
19.	"1Stp Klosr" (featuring The Humble Brothers and Jonathan Davis)		"One Step Closer"	5:46
20.	"Krwlng" (featuring Aaron Lewis)		"Crawling"	5:40
Total length:				60:52

Disc 3 – Hybrid Theory EP (vinyl and digital only; vinyl exclusive to super deluxe edition)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Carousel"		3:00
2.	"Technique" (short)	Hahn Shinoda	0:40
3.	"Step Up"	Delson Hahn Shinoda	4:00
4.	"And One"		4:35
5.	"High Voltage"	Delson Hahn Shinoda	3:30
6.	"Part of Me" (includes statics and hidden track, tentatively titled "Ambient")		12:45
Total length:			27:50

Disc 4 – B-Side Rarities (CD, vinyl and digital; vinyl exclusive to vinyl set)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original release	Length
1.	"One Step Closer" (rock mix)		"One Step Closer" US single (2000)	2:37
2.	"It's Goin' Down" (performed by the X-Ecutioners; featuring Mike Shinoda and Joe Hahn)	Shinoda Hahn Rob Aguilar Anthony Williams Keith Bailey Alvin Joiner Melvin Jones Melvin Charles Bradford	Built from Scratch (2002)	4:09
3.	"Papercut" (recorded live at BBC1)		"Crawling" single (2001)	3:07
4.	"In the End" (recorded live at BBC1)		"In the End" single (2001)	3:25
5.	"Point of Authority" (recorded live at BBC1)		"Papercut" single (2001)	3:24
6.	"High Voltage"		"One Step Closer" UK single (2001)	3:44
7.	"Step Up" (1999 demo)		Hybrid Theory (EP) (1999) / "In the End" single (2001)	3:54
8.	"My December"	Shinoda	Kevin and Bean: The Real Slim Santa (2000) / "One Step Closer" UK single (2001)	4:21
9.	"A Place for My Head" (live at Docklands Arena, London)	Linkin Park Wakefield Farrell	"In the End" single (2001)	3:10
10.	"Points of Authority" (live at Docklands Arena, London)		"In the End" single (2001)	3:29
11.	"Papercut" (live at Docklands Arena, London)		"Papercut" single (2001)	3:12
12.	"Buy Myself" (Marilyn Manson remix)		"Pts.OF.Athrty" single (2002)	4:26
Total length:				41:38

Disc 5 – LPU Rarities (CD and digital only; CD exclusive to super deluxe edition)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original release	Length
1.	"In the End" (demo)		LP Underground Eleven	3:48
2.	"Dedicated" (1999 demo)		LP Underground 2.0	3:11
3.	"With You" (live at Docklands Arena, London)	Linkin Park Dust Brothers (Simpson & King)	LP Underground 2.0	3:22
4.	"High Voltage" (live at Docklands Arena, London)		LP Underground 2.0	4:02
5.	"Points of Authority" (demo)		LP Underground 12	3:00
6.	"Stick and Move" ("Runaway" demo 1999)	Linkin Park Wakefield	LP Underground 9: Demos	0:55
7.	"Esaul" ("A Place for My Head" demo)	Linkin Park Wakefield Farrell	LP Underground Eleven	3:06
8.	"Oh No" ("Points of Authority" demo)		LP Underground X: Demos	2:04
9.	"Slip" (unreleased demo 1998)	Linkin Park Wakefield Farrell	LP Underground Eleven	3:28
10.	"Grr" (1999 demo)		LP Underground 15	0:26
11.	"So Far Away" (unreleased 1998)	Linkin Park Farrell	LP Underground 12	2:50
12.	"Coal" (unreleased demo 1997)		LP Underground X: Demos	3:37
13.	"Forgotten" (demo)	Linkin Park Wakefield Farrell	LP Underground 12	3:44
14.	"Sad" ("By Myself" demo 1999)		LP Underground 9: Demos	1:08
15.	"Hurry" (1999 demo)		LP Underground 15	2:34
16.	"Blue" (unreleased demo 1998)	Linkin Park Farrell	LP Underground Eleven	3:27
17.	"Chair" (1999 "Part of Me" demo)		LP Underground 15	1:56
18.	"Pts.OF.Athrty" (Crystal Method remix)		LP Underground 2.0	4:58
Total length:				51:45

Disc 6 – Forgotten Demos (CD and digital only; CD exclusive to super deluxe edition)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Dialate" (Xero demo)	Shinoda Wakefield Clifford Smith Robert Fitzgerald Diggs Corey Woods	3:24
2.	"Pictureboard"	Delson Hahn Shinoda Wakefield Barry Eugene White	4:01
3.	"She Couldn't"	Bennington Delson Shinoda Milo Berger Erik Meltzer Joe Thomas Lance Quinn Brad Baker Donnie Lewis Yasiin Bey	5:05
4.	"Could Have Been"	Bennington Delson Shinoda	4:37
5.	"Reading My Eyes" (Xero demo)	Shinoda Wakefield	2:59
6.	"Rhinestone" (Xero demo)	Delson Hahn Shinoda Wakefield	3:40
7.	"Esaul" (Xero demo)	Delson Hahn Shinoda Wakefield	3:07
8.	"Stick N' Move" ("Runaway" demo)	Shinoda Wakefield	3:17
9.	"Carousel" (demo)		2:58
10.	"Point of Authority" (demo)		3:20
11.	"Crawling" (demo)		3:49
12.	"SuperXero" ("By Myself" demo)	Bennington Delson Shinoda	3:18
Total length:			43:35

Sampler (cassette; exclusive to super deluxe edition)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"One Step Closer"		2:36
2.	"With You"	Linkin Park Dust Brothers (Simpson & King)	3:23
Total length:			5:59

DVD 1 – Frat Party at the Pankake Festival (exclusive to super deluxe edition)

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Intro"	1:51
2.	"Papercut"	3:12
3.	"Beginnings"	5:24
4.	"Points of Authority"	3:30
5.	"The Live Show"	3:17
6.	""Crawling" Video Shoot"	1:21
7.	"Crawling"	3:35
8.	"Touring"	9:28
9.	"Cure for the Itch"	0:54
10.	"The Band"	7:56
11.	"One Step Closer"	2:55
12.	"The Future"	2:43
13.	"In the End"	3:36
14.	"End"	0:16
15.	"Making of In the End Video" (as part of special features)	12:42
16.	"Crawling Live Music Video with Multiangles" (as part of special features)	4:07
17.	"Mike and Joe's Art Piece" (as part of special features)	1:35
18.	"Chester's Tattoos" (as part of special features)	1:23
19.	"Crawling Bryson Bluegrass version" (audio only) (as part of special features)	4:06
20.	"High Voltage" (audio only) (as part of special features)	3:45
21.	"My December" (audio only) (as part of special features)	4:23
22.	"LPTV" (as part of special features)	12:22
23.	"Weblink" (as part of special features)
24.	"Esaul" (studio footage) (as part of Easter egg)
25.	"Points of Authority" (live at the Dragon Festival) (as part of Easter egg)
26.	"One Step Father" (as part of Easter egg)
27.	"Broken Table in London" (as part of Easter egg)
28.	"One Step Closer" (The Humble Brothers remix) (audio only) (as part of Easter egg)

DVD 2 – Projekt Revolution 2002 / The Sequel to the DVD with the Worst Name We've Ever Come Up With (exclusive to super deluxe edition)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"With You" (live at Projekt Revolution 2002)	Linkin Park Dust Brothers (Simpson & King)	3:27
2.	"Runaway" (live at Projekt Revolution 2002)	Linkin Park Wakefield	3:20
3.	"Papercut" (live at Projekt Revolution 2002)		3:05
4.	"Points of Authority" (live at Projekt Revolution 2002)		3:26
5.	"Step Up" (live at Projekt Revolution 2002)	Delson Hahn Shinoda	3:53
6.	"Pushing Me Away" (live at Projekt Revolution 2002)		3:19
7.	"In the End" (live at Projekt Revolution 2002)		3:26
8.	"A Place for My Head" (live at Projekt Revolution 2002)	Linkin Park Wakefield Farrell	3:35
9.	"Forgotten" (live at Projekt Revolution 2002)	Linkin Park Wakefield Farrell	4:16
10.	"It's Goin' Down" (featuring DJ Z-Trip and Riff Raff) (live at Projekt Revolution 2002)	Shinoda Hahn Aguilar Williams Bailey Joiner Jones M. Bradford	5:06
11.	"Crawling" (live at Projekt Revolution 2002)		3:31
12.	"My December" (live at Projekt Revolution 2002)	Shinoda	4:26
13.	"Mr. Hahn Solo" (live at Projekt Revolution 2002)		1:02
14.	"By Myself" (live at Projekt Revolution 2002)		3:27
15.	"My Own Summer (Shove It)" (Deftones cover) (live at Projekt Revolution 2002)	Chino Moreno Stephen Carpenter Chi Cheng Abe Cunningham	3:47
16.	"One Step Closer" (live at Projekt Revolution 2002)		4:28
17.	"The Sequel to the DVD with the Worst Name We've Ever Come Up With"		42:29
Total length:			1:40:09

DVD 3 – The Fillmore 2001 / Rock am Ring 2001 (exclusive to super deluxe edition)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"With You" (live at the Fillmore 2001)	Linkin Park Dust Brothers (Simpson & King)
2.	"Runaway" (live at the Fillmore 2001)	Linkin Park Wakefield
3.	"Papercut" (live at the Fillmore 2001)
4.	"By Myself" (live at the Fillmore 2001)
5.	"Points of Authority" (live at the Fillmore 2001)
6.	"High Voltage" (live at the Fillmore 2001)
7.	"Crawling" (live at the Fillmore 2001)
8.	"Pushing Me Away" (live at the Fillmore 2001)
9.	"And One" (live at the Fillmore 2001)
10.	"In the End" (live at the Fillmore 2001)
11.	"A Place for My Head" (live at the Fillmore 2001)	Linkin Park Wakefield Farrell
12.	"Forgotten" (live at the Fillmore 2001)	Linkin Park Wakefield Farrell
13.	"One Step Closer" (live at the Fillmore 2001)
14.	"With You" (live at Rock am Ring 2001)	Linkin Park Dust Brothers (Simpson & King)
15.	"Runaway" (live at Rock am Ring 2001)	Linkin Park Wakefield
16.	"Papercut" (live at Rock am Ring 2001)
17.	"By Myself" (live at Rock am Ring 2001)
18.	"Points of Authority" (live at Rock am Ring 2001)
19.	"High Voltage" (live at Rock am Ring 2001)
20.	"Crawling" (live at Rock am Ring 2001)
21.	"Pushing Me Away" (live at Rock am Ring 2001)
22.	"And One" (live at Rock am Ring 2001)
23.	"In the End" (live at Rock am Ring 2001)
24.	"A Place for My Head" (live at Rock am Ring 2001)	Linkin Park Wakefield Farrell
25.	"Forgotten" (live at Rock am Ring 2001)	Linkin Park Wakefield Farrell
26.	"One Step Closer" (live at Rock am Ring 2001)

Hybrid Theory – Live Around the World

Hybrid Theory – Live Around the World
Live album by Linkin Park
Released	May 31, 2012 (2012-05-31)
Recorded	2007–2010
Genre	Nu metal rap metal rap rock alternative metal alternative rock
Length	29:03
Label	Warner Bros. Machine Shop
Producer	Mike Shinoda
Linkin Park chronology
A Thousand Suns (2010) Hybrid Theory – Live Around the World (2012) Meteora – Live Around the World (2012)

Hybrid Theory – Live Around the World is a live album which features live versions of eight songs from the first studio album, Hybrid Theory. They were recorded in various cities around the world from 2007 to 2010. The album was released exclusively on iTunes.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Linkin Park

Hybrid Theory – Live Around the World

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Papercut" (live from Paris, 2010)	3:08
2.	"One Step Closer" (live from Frankfurt, 2008)	4:13
3.	"Points of Authority" (live from Sydney, 2007)	4:07
4.	"Crawling" (live from Athens, 2009)	4:41
5.	"In the End" (live from Melbourne, 2010)	3:33
6.	"A Place for My Head" (live from Köln, 2008)	3:57
7.	"Cure for the Itch" (live from Perth, 2007)	1:43
8.	"Pushing Me Away" (live from Dallas, 2007)	3:41

Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic for original release only.

Linkin Park

• Chester Bennington – lead vocals
• Rob Bourdon – drums
• Brad Delson – guitars, bass (3–8, 12)
• Joe Hahn – turntables, samples, synthesizer, artwork
• Mike Shinoda – co-lead and rap vocals, keyboards, programming, samples, rhythm guitar (5, 12), piano on "My December", artwork
• Dave "Phoenix" Farrell – bass (credited but does not perform)

Additional musicians

• Ian Hornbeck – bass (1, 9, 10)
• Scott Koziol – bass (2)
• The Dust Brothers – sequencing, and sampling (3)

Production

• Don Gilmore – producer, engineering
• Steve Sisco – engineering
• John Ewing Jr. – additional engineering, Pro Tools
• Matt Griffin – engineering assistance
• Andy Wallace – mixing
• Brian Gardner – audio mastering, digital editing
• Jeff Blue – executive producer

Artwork

• Frank Maddocks – graphic design
• James Minchin III – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2001–2002)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)	2
Australian Alternative Albums (ARIA)	1
Australian Heavy Rock & Metal Albums (ARIA)	5
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)	2
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)	3
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)	13
Canadian Albums (Billboard)	5
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)	4
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)	13
European Albums (Music & Media)	4
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)	4
French Albums (SNEP)	17
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)	2
Greek Albums (IFPI)	8
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)	4
Irish Albums (IRMA)	6
Italian Albums (FIMI)	2
Japanese Albums (Oricon)	19
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)	1
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)	5
Polish Albums (ZPAV)	10
Portuguese Albums (AFP)	5
Scottish Albums (OCC)	4
Spanish Albums (AFYVE)	15
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)	4
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)	5
UK Albums (OCC)	4
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)	1
US Billboard 200	2

2017 weekly chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2017)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)	2
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)	6
Canadian Albums (Billboard)	10
Croatian International Albums (HDU)	39
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)	11
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)	8
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)	8
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)	11
Irish Albums (IRMA)	4
Italian Albums (FIMI)	9
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)	5
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)	17
Polish Albums (ZPAV)	24
Scottish Albums (OCC)	5
Swiss Albums (Romandie)	9
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)	8
UK Albums (OCC)	4
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)	1
US Billboard 200	8
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)	3
US Top Catalog Albums (Billboard)	1
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)	1
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)	2
US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)	6

Hybrid Theory (20th anniversary edition)

Weekly chart performance for Hybrid Theory (20th anniversary edition)

Chart (2020)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)	1
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)	8
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)	3
Portuguese Albums (AFP)	2
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)	10

2021 weekly chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2021)	Peak position
Croatian International Albums (HDU)	22

Year-end charts

2001 year-end chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2001)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)	15
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)	6
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)	8
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)	92
Belgian Alternative Albums (Ultratop Flanders)	3
Canadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)	11
Canadian Metal Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)	4
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)	68
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)	47
European Albums (Music & Media)	4
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)	1
French Albums (SNEP)	111
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)	4
Irish Albums (IRMA)	12
Italian Albums (FIMI)	33
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)	1
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)	3
Swedish Albums & Compilations (Sverigetopplistan)	4
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)	29
UK Albums (OCC)	13
US Billboard 200	6
Worldwide Albums (IFPI)	1

2002 year-end chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2002)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)	19
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)	23
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)	39
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)	52
Belgian Alternative Albums (Ultratop Flanders)	20
Canadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)	27
Canadian Alternative Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)	6
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)	43
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)	53
European Albums (Music & Media)	20
French Albums (SNEP)	68
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)	45
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)	11
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)	58
Swedish Albums & Compilations (Sverigetopplistan)	80
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)	30
UK Albums (OCC)	85
US Billboard 200	5
Worldwide Albums (IFPI)	28

2003 year-end chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2003)	Position
Australian Heavy Rock & Metal Albums (ARIA)	16
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)	89
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)	100
US Catalog Albums (Billboard)	5

2004 year-end chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2004)	Position
Belgian Midprice Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)	37
US Catalog Albums (Billboard)	6

2007 year-end chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2007)	Position
Belgian Midprice Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)	50
UK Albums (OCC)	228
US Catalog Albums (Billboard)	32

2008 year-end chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2008)	Position
US Catalog Albums (Billboard)	40

2014 year-end chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2014)	Position
US Billboard 200	158
US Catalog Albums (Billboard)	12

2017 year-end chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2017)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)	78
Italian Albums (FIMI)	87
UK Albums (OCC)	87
US Alternative Albums (Billboard)	16
US Billboard 200	178
US Catalog Albums (Billboard)	37
US Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)	3
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)	20

2018 year-end chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2018)	Position
US Alternative Albums (Billboard)	10
US Billboard 200	171
US Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)	7
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)	21

2019 year-end chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2019)	Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)	87
US Alternative Albums (Billboard)	14
US Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)	10
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)	41

2020 year-end chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2020)	Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)	100
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)	145
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)	100
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)	68
US Alternative Albums (Billboard)	13
US Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)	5
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)	31

2021 year-end chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2021)	Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)	125
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)	182
Portuguese Albums (AFP)	44
US Billboard 200	196
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)	25

2022 year-end chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2022)	Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)	102
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)	156
Portuguese Albums (AFP)	16

2023 year-end chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2023)	Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)	70
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)	133
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)	95
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)	94
US Billboard 200	183

2024 year-end chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2024)	Position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)	29
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)	44
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)	85
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)	62
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)	23

Decade-end charts

2000s decade-end chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2000–2009)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)	95
UK Albums (OCC)	78
US Billboard 200	11

2010s decade-end chart performance for Hybrid Theory

Chart (2010–2019)	Position
UK Vinyl Albums (OCC)	100

Certifications and sales

Certifications for Hybrid Theory

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF)	Platinum	60,000^
Australia (ARIA)	5× Platinum	350,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)	Platinum	50,000*
Belgium (BEA)	2× Platinum	100,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)	Platinum	250,000*
Canada (Music Canada)	5× Platinum	500,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)	5× Platinum	100,000‡
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)	Platinum	62,629
France (SNEP)	Platinum	200,000*
Germany (BVMI)	3× Platinum	900,000‡
Hungary (MAHASZ)	Platinum
Italy (FIMI) sales since 2009	2× Platinum	100,000‡
Japan (RIAJ)	Platinum	200,000^
Malaysia	—	300,000
Mexico (AMPROFON)	Platinum	150,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)	Platinum	80,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)	7× Platinum	105,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)	Platinum	70,000*
Portugal	—	70,000
Portugal (AFP) sales since 2024	Gold	3,500‡
Singapore (RIAS)	Platinum	10,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)	Platinum	100,000^
Sweden (GLF)	Platinum	80,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)	Platinum	50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)	6× Platinum	1,800,000‡
United States (RIAA)	12× Platinum	12,000,000‡
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)	4× Platinum	4,000,000*
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

External links

• Hybrid Theory at MusicBrainz (list of releases)