The Meteora-ic Rise of Linkin Park's 'Numb'

Formed back in 1996 in California as rap-rock band
XERO, Linkin Park went through massive changes
to become the band we know today.


Original singer Mark Wakefield left the band in 1999 when record
labels began noticing the group - but felt he wasn’t a strong
enough vocalist to truly push the band forward. 


Mark was soon replaced with Chester Bennington, a singer from
Arizona who had just left his band Grey Daze.The Chemistry
between Xero and Chester was much better; the Hybrid of sounds
between rapper and vocalist Mike Shinoda’s Rap influences and
Chester’s hard rock background inspired the band to change their
name to Hybrid Theory.


Hybrid Theory *the band* self-released Hybrid Theory *the EP*
 in 1999, and although initially still struggling to court a
major label to sign with- they were signed to Warner Brothers
records on the third time of trying.


Warner Brothers was still quite skeptical of Hybrid Theory - they
asked the band to change their name so that people wouldn’t
confuse them with a Welsh band called ‘Hybrid’ and even suggested
they demote or fire Mike Shinoda and refocus their efforts to
creating a more traditional rock record with Chester as the sole
frontman.


The band took the label’s first piece of advice - They officially
re-christened themselves as Linkin Park, but
they refused the second directive - the ‘Hybrid’ in Hybrid theory
was important to Bennington and Shinoda and they carried on with
both vocalists playing a crucial part in the band.


Not only was the album a success, it was the MOST successful
album of 2001, and included hit after hit after hit, with singles
Crawling, One Step Closer, and
In the End topping charts worldwide. 


Pressure was now incredibly high for Linkin Park - they went from
being a band that very few people believed into the biggest band
in the world. They knew that in order to avoid the 'second album
slump', they'd need to make a really great record.


Recorded all throughout 2002, and released in March 2003, Linkin
Park’s second effort entitled Meteora gave
Linkin Park fans what they wanted and then some.


This is the story of the third and most recognizable single, with
words from MIke Shinoda and Joseph Hahn from the time.