10 2000s Rock Albums You Constantly Have To Defend Loving

After causing both the peak and the farewell of nu-metal with their first two LPs, the beloved Californian rock group decided to change course with their long-awaited third album.

Hints of a slower-paced, gentler side of Linkin Park had already been revealed in 'My December', an acclaimed track the group recorded whilst touring for 'Hybrid Theory' in 2000. However, 'Minutes to Midnight's full-on foray into power ballad fare with 'Shadow of the Day' left listeners gobsmacked.

Worse still, cracks at tackling harder-hitting, real world topics like terrorism were met with scorn and derision from critics. 'Hands Held High', a challenging track about war and destruction, was even mocked in some circles, calling into question the band's potential in expanding their lyrical range.

It's not all doom and gloom, however, as 'What I've Done' quickly became one of the group's signature tracks and high-energy evidence that Linkin Park were more than cut out for stadium rock. 'Leave Out All The Rest', meanwhile, proved their more sensitive beats could fit in neatly with the alternative riffs and stylings fans had come to expect from them. Despite the polarized reception, 'Minutes to Midnight' remains an intriguing piece of work that plenty of fans will gladly defend thanks to its hit singles and gutsy experimentation.