10 Best Hard Rock Songs Of The 2000's

10. One Step Closer - Linkin Park

At the turn of the millennium, nu metal was in somewhat of a creative tailspin. After bands like Korn had broken down the door for heavier music in the mainstream, bands like Limp Bizkit were coming out of the woodwork showcasing the more cartoonish side of the genre. With the disparate aesthetics clashing, this California ensemble burst onto the scene with the best of both worlds.

Linkin Park's debut with Hybrid Theory set the music world on fire with its mix of raw aggression and pop hooks, which work to glorious effect on "One Step Closer." While the song is dominated by Chester Bennington's softer vocals, his shout in the chorus is undercut by the hip hop flows of Mike Shinoda. Now that there were two vocalists, you didn't need to sacrifice singing ability for more meandering hip hop tendencies. The real force of the song comes from the breakdown, where the angst is brought to full capacity as Bennington screams "SHUT UP WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!"

It may seem a bit tame nowadays, but "One Step Closer" was the breath of fresh air needed to bring nu metal back from the mainstream edge. Sure, it might sacrifice some heaviness at times, but these songs are the kind of metal that would get other people interested in the genre.