10 Bands That Changed Rock And Roll
6. Linkin Park
Not many self respecting metal fans tend to have too many fond memories from the early '00s. As much as newer acts like System of a Down and even seasoned veterans like Tool were putting out quality material, Metallica were in the midst of a career spiral and the nu metal boom was about to reach its height of stupidity. Just when you thought that it couldn't get any dumber, a little band from California went on a run for the ages.
From starting out as a young band playing the Roxy, Linkin Park was one of the few nu metal bands that seemed to have some substance behind their chugging riffs. Whereas most people were gravitating towards people like Fred Durst and Aaron Lewis whining about their childhoods, there seemed to be some conviction behind songs like Papercut and Points of Authority.
Like it or not, these guys were not looking to just talk about their high school issues. This was something far more introspective that almost anyone could relate to, from the determination of Faint to the seething anger coming through on One Step Closer. Also, to have a Diamond certified album from a rock band post 1999 was no small feat. Even though rock seemed to be fading from public view, Linkin Park is the reason why the genre was able to evolve with the times.