Linkin Park's explosive debut album is what propelled them to instant superstardom upon its release in October 2000. The album made a left-field appearance at #16 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums charts in its first week and shocked everyone when it went Gold in just five weeks. The record went on to become 2001's top-selling album, beating out releases from the likes of has-been pop-stars like Nsync and Britney Spears. To this date, 'Hybrid Theory' has sold nineteen million copies worldwide, with ten million alone being purchased in the United States, garnering the band a rare and highly-coveted Diamond certification from the RIAA in 2004.

The album features the twenty-first century's official teen anthem, 'One Step Closer'