The turn of the millennium was a time of baggy jeans, questionable haircuts, and the rise of some of the most iconic rock anthems.
Enter Linkin Park: a band that didn't just dominate our old-school MP3 players, but carved out a space in the hearts of every young rock lover, including Rock 2000 listeners.
The group of six blokes from California, originally known as ‘Xero’ was made up of Chester Bennington on lead vocals, with rhythm guitarist/ pianist Mike Shinoda occasionally sharing vocals, Brad Delson on lead guitar, Rob Bourdon on drums, Joe Hahn on the turntable, and Dave Farrell on bass. By 2000, the band was known as Linkin Park.
The following list delves into data from across every single Rock 2000 countdown (including Rock 500, Rock 1000, and Rock 1500 countdowns), to explore Linkin Park’s 15 most successful songs, as voted by Rock listeners.
It’s important to note that tragically, Bennington lost his life in 2017. You’ll notice that a bunch of the band’s songs spiked in 2017 - likely because a lot of Rock listeners wanted to pay tribute to the legend that Bennington was.
The 20 best-performing Linkin Park songs across all Rock 2000 Countdowns:
15. Lying From You (2003)
Released as part of the 2003 album "Meteora," "Lying From You" encapsulates the themes of self-betrayal and disillusionment. Mike Shinoda once mentioned in an interview that the track’s about pushing someone away.
The track has made 10 Rock 2000 appearances, with a notable peak in 2017 at #526.
14. Given Up (2007)
From "Minutes to Midnight,” “Given Up” is emblematic of pure, raw energy. The late, great Chester Bennington has once said this song is about feeling frustrated and hopeless. The tune is also noted for his 17-second scream, displaying his insane vocal prowess.
‘Given Up’ has only made 4 countdowns, which is why it’s sitting lower on the list, but achieved a peak of #268 a couple years ago in 2021. Its median ranking is #336.
13. From The Inside (2003)
Also off "Meteora," "From The Inside" deals with feelings of helplessness, and was inspired by personal experiences and events the band witnessed in their youth, like watching friends go down wrong paths.
The song has found its place in 14 Rock 2000 countdowns, averaging around the #650 mark. It peaked at a solid #350 in 2009.
12. Shadow Of The Day (2007)
From the "Minutes to Midnight" album, "Shadow Of The Day" marked a departure from the band’s signature sound, where they experimented musically and showcased a more mellow side of them. The song hints at global unrest and personal strife.
‘Shadow of the Day’ has graced The Rock 2000 14 times, usually sitting towards the low #600s. Its peak was in 2017 at #220, and it’s never slipped out of the top 1000.
11. Faint (2003)
A representation of urgency and passion, "Faint" from "Meteora" is a testament to the band's unique sound, and Bennington once mentioned how the song emphasises the importance of being heard.
It’s graced the countdowns 8 times, reaching a peak of #137 in 2017, and on average sitting around the #400 mark.
10. Papercut (2000)
As one of the opening tracks of their 2000 debut "Hybrid Theory," "Papercut" addresses inner turmoil and paranoia, with the song vividly capturing the anxieties of inner conflict.
Appearing 11 times in The Rock 2000 countdowns, ‘Papercut’ can usually be found sitting generally around the #550 mark. Its peak was in 2017 at #102.
9. Somewhere I Belong (2003)
An anthem of longing from "Meteora", "Somewhere I Belong" embodies the universal quest for a place in the world. Shinoda revealed that this song was a challenging one for the band to write, taking months to complete.
The tune has marked its place in the countdown, appearing 19 times, with a peak of #153, also in 2017. While the song has dropped to #840 at its lowest, it’s got a sweet average ranking of #492.
8. Bleed It Out (2007)
From “Minutes to Midnight,” “Bleed It Out” was rewritten over 50 times before the band was satisfied. Shinoda has described it as a fun song to perform due to its energetic nature, even though the lyrics discuss personal frustrations.
With 14 Rock 2000 appearances, ‘Bleed it Out’ has never exited the top 1000 songs, and averages at a placement of #482. It reached a solid peak of #54, also in 2017.
7. Breaking The Habit (2003)
This track is from the “Meteora” album, and Shinoda has said it was written about someone else's experience with addiction. Bennington, who had his own battles with addiction, felt personally connected to the song, making it a deeply emotional experience for the band.
This track’s appeared in 18 Rock 2000 countdowns, never slipping lower than #653, and averaging at #418. Unsurprisingly, it also peaked in 2017, at #146.
6. New Divide (2009)
Created for the movie "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" in 2009, "New Divide" was a bit of an experiment, blending their classic sound with more electronic elements.
With 13 Rock 2000 appearances, ‘New Divide’ has never slipped out of the top 1000, and has an average rank of #495. Its peak was in 2009 at a high #89.
5. What I’ve Done (2007)
An apologetic ode from "Minutes to Midnight", "What I've Done" speaks of redemption and self-realisation. The band often described this song as an apology for all the wrongs someone might have done.
Making 15 appearances in The Rock 2000, ‘What I’ve Done’ debuted the year of its release (2007) at a high of #48, and has never dropped out of the top 1000, averaging around the #370 mark.
4. Crawling (2000)
From "Hybrid Theory", "Crawling" was Bennington's reflection on his battles with addiction, with lyrics describing the lack of self-worth and emotional pain. He often mentioned how this song was a cathartic release for him.
The track has consistently appeared across 21 Rock 2000 countdowns, with a peak of #31 in 2017. ‘Crawling’ is usually placed around the #300 mark - a solid average place for a song that appears so regularly.
3. One Step Closer (2000)
Another gem from "Hybrid Theory", "One Step Closer" has been described by Bennington as an outlet for his frustrations, especially during the time when the band was trying to find its footing in the industry. The iconic "Shut up" scream was a testament to those sentiments.
‘One Step Closer’ has also appeared in 21 countdowns, and has earned itself a notable average ranking of #272. The highest it climbed was in 2017, reaching #47, and it’s never slipped out of the top 600 songs.
2. In The End (2000)
“In the End” is one of the standout tracks from the band’s debut album “Hybrid Theory,” and like many others from the album, has a blend of rock, rap, and electronic elements, which became a signature sound for the band and played a key role in their rise to global stardom.
"There’s a weird battle with hopelessness and the ephemeral nature of time and our lives that the song is really about,” Shinoda told Rock Sound in 2020.
The timeless anthem has never slipped lower than #460 throughout its 20 countdown appearances, averaging at the impressive ranking of #159, and peaking in 2017 at #15.
For the last four years, ‘In The End’ has made it into the top 80, and has reached the top 100 8 times (2004, 2005, 2007, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022).
1. Numb (2003)
Another iconic song from "Meteora", "Numb" was inspired by Bennington's troubled relationship with his own parents, especially with the lyrics addressing the weight of expectations.
“That song is about feeling like I’m alone in a room full of people and feeling like nobody really knows me,” Bennington once told MTV.
‘Numb’ has appeared 19 times in The Rock 2000, and is the only Linkin park song to ever reach the top 10. It impressively peaked at #4 in 2017, and has garnered an average rank of #362.
We’ll be honest - either ‘Numb’ or ‘In The End’ could arguably be Linkin Park’s most successful Rock 2000 song. ‘In The End’ has a lower average ranking and has appeared in one more countdown than ‘Numb’, however the latter has reached #4, which no other Linkin Park song has.
We’ll leave you to decide which one is more successful, but in the end, it doesn’t even matter.
