10 Songs Inspired By Real Events

Nu metal has always been known as a bit of an introspective genre. From the more off-putting lyrics to every single musician having a bit of a chip on their shoulder, every song coming out of this genre was focusing on all the negative energy of adolescents and lashing it back out at authority. Though Linkin Park fit pretty snuggly in that category in the beginning, their ability to call out issues in America was definitely a change of pace.

With Minutes to Midnight, the band had already successfully transitioned from the metallic aggression of their early days into the vein of alternative rock. While songs like "Bleed it Out" and "What I've Done" were perfectly fine singles, the final track on the record has a bit more on its mind. Written shortly after the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, "The Little Things Give You Away" is a rally against the unjust practices in helping the victims in the South.

Fellow musician Kanye West may have made his thoughts abundantly clear on air, but this entire track is a far more nuanced indictment of the practices, with the band taking on the mantel of those whose lives have been lost in the tragedy. Many bands were firing shots at the American government at the time, but for a band of Linkin Park's stature to put their opinions out bare on a record was one of the bolder moves they have ever taken.