Meteora: Year In Review

On this date last year in 2003, Linkin Park's 'Meteora' was released to Canadian and American markets. The highly-anticipated sophmore album quickly became a success, as it debuted at #1 in fourteen countries across the world. The album sold an incredible 830,000 copies in it's first week, catapulting them into the top spot on the Billboard Top 200 Album charts. That was followed by a very strong second week of 264,000 units sold, which helped them maintain their number one position on the charts for a second consecutive week. This was Linkin Park's first number one album. Their debut 'Hybrid Theory', although selling eight million copies in the US, peaked at the number two spot on the Top 200 Albums charts during it's two-year tenure on the charts. The success of the album was no surprise, the fanbase 'Hybrid Theory' created was gigantic, the album had sold fifteen million copies worldwide. 'Meteora's lead single "Somewhere I Belong" was rapidly becoming one of the hugest singles of the year since its release a month earlier. It was already occupying the top spot on many rock radio charts across the world by the time of 'Meteora's release. "Somewhere I Belong" would go on to top both the national Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock charts by April 3rd, and the single maintained that position for five weeks on the Modern Rock charts. 'Meteora' was designated double-platinum by late-May, as "Faint" was released to radios as a second single. "Faint" was incredibly successful, as it hit number one on the Modern Rock charts for six straight weeks. With the help of it's second single, 'Meteora' was given triple-platinum status in October. With this ceritification came a third single release, for their track "Numb". "Numb" was by far their most successful single release, as it topped the Modern Rock charts for an amazing thirteen weeks, and the Mainstream Rock charts for three consecutive seven-day cycles. Linkin Park set a record with three number one singles in one year on the Modern Rock charts. This was the first time any band had accomplished the feat in the charts fifteen year history. When "Numb" died down, Linkin Park released "From The Inside" as an international single (everywhere but the US/Canada), and "Lying From You" as a US-radio-only song. "From The Inside" enjoyed average airplay, while "Lying From You" has become a surprise-hit on US-radios. In mid-March of 2004, "Meteora" was certified four-times platinum by the RIAA. Linkin Park plan to release "Breaking The Habit" in April, and the single is bound to be huge. So far, 'Meteora' has sold four million copies in the US and over eight million units worldwide. Congrats on a very successful album, Linkin Park!