Preorder your copy of Linkin Park’s FROM ZERO deluxe edition in the AP Shop.
Throughout their many studio albums, Linkin Park have never shied away from the darkness. Their songs captured loneliness, depression, rage, and beyond — delivered in an aggressively cathartic rap-metal fusion that’s inspired dozens of bands. 2000’s Hybrid Theory shot them into the stratosphere, but they’ve gone on to reinvent themselves in the decade-and-a-half since its release — including bringing new members into the fold after their lengthy hiatus. With the deluxe edition of FROM ZERO arriving last week, we asked our readers to tell us the most underrated Linkin Park songs. Find the top fan picks ranked below.
Read more: How Linkin Park’s “In The End” became a worldwide smash hit
5. “In Pieces”
Linkin Park were in a transitory period while making their third album, 2007’s Minutes To Midnight. Under the instruction of Rick Rubin, they turned away from the scorching rap-metal that shaped their early days. In the case of “In Pieces,” Mike Shinoda doesn’t rap at all, leaving the vocal duties to Chester Bennington. Throughout the song, he vulnerably depicts the struggle of letting go, drawing from his divorce and remarriage. “For a while, I couldn’t be completely happy with the new life I was starting, and I couldn’t end the last one,” he said of its meaning. The guitar solo from Brad Delson is just the cherry on top.
4. “My December”
Linkin Park are so versatile that they can make a Christmas song sound good in May. “My December” was made in October of 2000 — around the same time Hybrid Theory hit shelves — for KROQ’s holiday comp The Real Slim Santa. In fact, Shinoda composed most of the track on their tour bus, evoking the isolation and yearning that bubble up inside when away from loved ones during the holidays. It was recorded in two days, with Shinoda saying: “We figured why not just write a new song, put it on that CD, and give it away for the holidays?”
3. “A Place for My Head”
Compared to the rest of their catalog, it’s hard to think of songs from Hybrid Theory as underrated. However, hits like “Crawling” and “In The End” overshadowed many of its other tracks, including “A Place For My Head.” The track took deep inspiration from Deftones, particularly White Pony. “We wouldn’t have written a song like ‘A Place for My Head’ if not for them,” Shinoda told SPIN in 2020. “There was a bounce to their music that reminded me of my favorite hip-hop songs. And even though the guitars were super heavy, oftentimes they felt smooth like a keyboard, as if the distortion had flattened it so much it was just a wash of chords.” When you listen back to the song, it makes total sense.
2. “Nobody’s Listening”
Following up Hybrid Theory wasn’t easy, but Linkin Park knocked it out of the park with 2003’s Meteora. That album contained hit after hit, but “Nobody’s Listening” definitely deserves more recognition. The track takes greater influence from their hip-hop side, grounded in beats and samples (which the band strived to take to the next level while creating the record). The Japanese flute loop is distinct, adding a flavor and foundation that’s unlike any of their other songs. All the while, the lyrics wrap around frustration, anger, and communication problems that come to a head in its anthemic chorus, making this song deeply underrated.
1. “Figure.09”
The votes were close, but ultimately this fiery song from Meteora came out on top. “Figure.09” has an unabashed metalcore influence, but the razor-edged dynamic between Shinoda’s rapping and Bennington’s screams just shines. The controlled, rhythmic verses contrasted with the explosive chorus make for an unforgettable song, balancing melody and aggression brilliantly. It’s no surprise that readers named it Linkin Park’s most underrated song.