Remembering Chester Bennington: Linkin Park’s 14 Biggest Songs (Videos)

Lead singer died of apparent suicide on Thursday

Linkin Park Chester Bennington
Rich Fury/Getty Images

“One Step Closer” (2000)

The first single off the band’s debut album “Hybrid Theory,” “One Step Closer” still stands as one of Linkin Park’s most recognizable songs nearly two decades later.

“Crawling” (2001)

In 2002, Linkin Park won their first Grammy Award for “Crawling,” one of the first singles to establish the band as an alternative radio mainstay.

“In the End” (2001)

An emotionally wrought “Hybrid Theory” standout, “In the End” is frequently hailed as the band’s best song. It’s also their most successful, peaking at No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100.

“Somewhere I Belong” (2003)

After earning critical acclaim and commercial success with “Hybrid Theory,” the band returned with “Somewhere I Belong” off follow-up “Meteora” to prove it was no fluke.

“Faint” (2003)

With its driving drum beat and heavy guitars, “Faint” is one of the most rousing singles in the band’s catalogue, going on to top the rock charts and become a live show mainstay.

“Numb” (2003) / “Numb/Encore” (2004)

The third single off “Meteora,” “Numb” was a hit in its own right. But when it was mashed up with Jay-Z’s “Encore” for a collaborative EP its success was only prolonged.

“Breaking the Habit” (2004)

With its ominous electronica-tinged instrumentation, “Breaking the Habit” puts Bennington’s vocals to the forefront, proving the band’s willingness to experiment with their sound.

“What I’ve Done” (2007)

Certified three-times platinum, “What I’ve Done” is Linkin Park’s most commercially successful single thanks to its use in Michael Bay’s 2007 film “Transformers.”

“Bleed It Out” (2007)

The second single off “Minutes to Midnight” marked a return to form, bringing back the vocal interplay between Bennington and rapper Mike Shinoda that was a hallmark of the band’s earlier work.

“Shadow of the Day” (2007)

Linkin Park took a sonic left turn on “Shadow of the Day,” with Bennington giving a Bono-esque vocal performance for the band’s take on an arena rock single.

“New Divide” (2009)

Thanks to another successful collaboration with the “Transformers” movie franchise, “New Divide,” a standout from the band’s post-“Meteora” discography, went to No. 6 on the Hot 100.

“Waiting for the End” (2010)

Though Linkin Park never matched the chart success of the early 2000s, the band continued steadily releasing music and experimenting with their sound into the new decade.

“Heavy (Feat. Kiiara)” (2017)

In May 2017, just months before Bennington’s death, the band’s final album “One More Light” was released, featuring a new pop-oriented sound and a guest turn from Kiiara.

Comments