10 Best Debut Rock Albums

As the 90's ended, nu metal seemed to be burning out. Bands like Limp Bizkit were having literal riots at their shows and the angry machismo of these acts were getting more stale with every week. Then along came Linkin Park...and the nu metal train began rolling again.

Hybrid Theory is Linkin Park's mission statement to the misunderstood youth of America. With Chester Bennington's voice, the door was open for new nu-metal fans who couldn't necessarily connect with screaming vocals. Singles like "In the End" and "Crawling" still hold up today regardless of their meme status.

The band also knew how to tastefully incorporate electronics into their sound, with turntablist Joe Hahn providing incredible atmospherics to each headbanging cut. From start to finish, this record is a thrill ride as it goes from hip-hop leaning tracks to metal stompers without ever feeling schizophrenic. The quality of these tracks helped this record climb to Diamond status, which may never be seen in the record industry again. Simply put, this is a record that is centered around pain and sadness but makes you feel so damn good every time you hear it.