I was reading somewhere about other bands that changed their sound and image in the recent years, and i notice that every time a band makes such a drastic change thier fan base just splits and its very hard to the band to recover the old fans back... an example is Metallica thier St. Anger album split their fan base into the people who still liked it and the people that hated it, leading to really low dissapointing sales... i doubt that happens with LP because theres people that buys their stuff just because its LP, and their even more mainstream aporach to their music certainly will gain new fans... in my humble personal opinion i think that they shouldn't have changed so drassticlly, instead they should´ve mantain certain aspects of their music that maked them diferent, while at the same time include new features to the new album... like for example add brads solos, change the verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus that they didnt like anymore and take their poppier aproach on the music like they want to do but i think that there were stuff that i would've liked them to keep: -DJ Joe Han -A 50/50 or even a 40/60 on their heavy and pop songs proportion -A little less political and more introsprective without falling into teen angst -A little more production, i know that they were goign for "raw" sound but some of the songs sound like Xero demos, and everything without over do it like Meteora -Their abstract grafitti-like art work Thank you for your time and post if do you agree or NOT...
I agree with you, but you also have to realize and Chester mentioned this the other day at the NY press conference that almost every project they do in some way divides the fan base dating back as far as reanimation. I remember personally, one of my friends back when I was in high school who is a huge fan of Hybrid theory and saw the band live twice came up to me and said, hey man Reanimation, thats just not Linkin Park. But you'll also notice that half of the fans that are around now, didn't get into them before the reanimation era. That in itself is an indication that every project will in itself will both gain a lot and loose a lot of Lp's fans. I mean they got the division for Reanimation certainly, they kind of got it when Meteora came out, and I think they defenetly got divided when Collision Course came out too... I think Minutes to Midnight, while not the very best record is still good music. And I do agree with you, because I think they will get a lot criticism for turning away from what they've been known for, but frankly who really cares? Lp has reached the highest of the high and they have already out succeeded 90 percent of the bands out there, so if this album does poorly or never even takes off it won't change the sounds of the album or how I like the music. It also won't take away from the whole of all of Lp's projects put together. I do think though that if there was never a Fort Minor that the new direction thing never would have happened. Ultimately Linkin Park is Mike Shinoda's band and he now has his own Fort Minor band too, so he has a ton of power and artistic freedom in deciding the direction of both of his bands. Now that Fort Minor achieved kind of a sucess maybe Mike dosen't feel like rapping in Linkin Park is as necessary? And about there being no Mr. Hahn in M2M, I think that's just fucked up. I mean this is by far the most electronic piece of work Lp has ever done, besides Reanimation, but where is all the scratching? I was worried about this last year and remembering back to the studio session photos there was like a period of 2 or 3 months were Joe wasnt in there at all and I was like did Mr. Hahn quit linkin park? lol I think he'd rather be directing movies because he dosent seem very enthused in the new interviews.
The thing is, Lp fans generally have a more diverse musical taste than other fans, simply because LP incorporate so many different genres into their songs. So, LP shouldn't have as big a problem with splitting their fanbase as other bands would. Of course, it will happen, but it won't be too much of a proble, I don't think.
I totally agree with you. MORE MR HAHN. Even though i never really noticed his work, i still appreciate him as a member of the band.
I think this is true, this album is definitely gonna split the fanbase. A drastic change in sound has to, because people adhere to certain styles they favor, and to me, this new album lost everything that used to make them 'LP' to me in the past. I'm not saying I'll definitely split away from the band, I've been a die-hard fan for WAY too long to give up on 'em now, but I must admit truthfully that I am disappointed, and so are a lot of people I know. I myself am more of a hard-rock/metal kinda guy (who just happens to appreciate a bit of hip-hop as well), so I used to like their old, hard style. This 'new sound' in MtM might appeal more to the people who loved their mellow songs in the past, but there's just too much of it right now. I mean, Mike is actually SINGING (okay, it's not THAT bad, but Mike, dude, just stick to rapping, seriously), Mr. Han seems to have completely disappeared (save for one or two scratches in some of the songs, which truly sucks, I liked his solo tracks and influence on the previous albums), chester's gone completely emo, and overall the new sound is just too punky-poppy for me. I do doubt if this is gonna be a bad release for them, seeing as they might attract an entirely new fanbase in the process. They might lose some of the older fans, but gain a new crowd currently hooked on other emo/punk-rock bands. So fans might be replaced, but not necessarily reduced all that much. Although, when thinking about it, low sales might make 'em realize that they've abandoned a big part of their old fan-base, which might make 'em return to their 'old' sound in the future...something I can only dream of right now.
No matter how poor or great this ablum goes in fan base or sales it can't take away from what they have achieved... It can only make it more gratifying. (Right now listening to 'The Little Things Give You Away')
Isn't that what every band does? Return to their old sound? They all go, hey I'm not 23 anymore I grew up, because I'm 31 now, so they make a few albums that are totally different, but still sound good, their usually kind of poppy. Then later after a few albums they say their returning to their roots or something like that?
I am so sad now. For me the new album is EXTREMELY disappointing. I liked LP for their heavy, nu metal, modest rapping and subtle keyboarding effects. I've been a fan since Hybrid Theory, and, even though I knew the band was changing, I wasn't expecting this. In my opinion this album is way too middle of the road/average/pop. I think they've really lost it with this album, I mean, WTF is up with 'Wake'? You call that a 'track'? That is the kind of thing I expect from Reanimation (which, in agreement with whoever the guy wrote about above, is NOT LP...same thing goes for Collision Course). I really cannot listen to some of the tracks on this album... Valentines Day???? It's the Little Things That Give You Away???? Sounds like a Nickleback song minus the good part. It reminds me of constipation (V.V)...for the first 1:44 minutes of the song the atmosphere is building, then for the next 5:15 or so it declines. And, as above, where is Hahn??? I guess they might as well kick him out of the band, as scratching, keyboarding etc. isn't Linkin Park any more . Oh well, at least Given Up and No More Sorrow are alright...
I remember in the old days (Hybrid Theory, Reanimation) that Linkin Park were asked about how they defined their music, and they answered "Linkin Park", because they didn't want to trap themselves into a genre. With this new album you kind of feel that it isn't "Linkin Park", but lots of other genres that Linkin Park are tackling. 'Somewhere I Belong' Is a Linkin Park song, it was very unique to them, then when you describe the new tracks as "a little emo with a punk sound", or "pop-rock". Seemingly by trying to be different and ambiguous they have become samey and definable. And once you can say that something is punk, or emo, or rock, then you have devisions between those with preferences. Personally I like Linkin Park, there is no band in the world like them, proved by the fact that bands of their time are virtually non-existant now. In Step Up on the Hybrid Theory EP Mike asks "Who can rock a rhyme like this?" Only Linkin Park could but now they don't seem to want to, and while many of us may like different parts of the album and be excited about our own things I think we all feel some sense of loss for the Linkin Park (Ie, the graffiti art work, the humble anonimity of the band and songs, and poor DJ Hahn) that we have lost. Who Can Rock a Rhyme Like this? Step up.
i happen to like Valentines Day alot and as do i The little things, but as for kicking Mr.Hahn out listen to What Ive Done Without his beats added into it, listen to about every one of their songs without the beat added into it and you'll notice the difference and most likely be like...needs a few beats because when you listen to the songs on the album sometimes you don't realize the beats you hear between parts and that WID intro IS Keyboard they just don't have Mike playing it at every performance, but then theirs Hahn to play it for us also i think Hahn gives the finishing touch to most songs with how his DJ'ing puts it all together
someone or the band should make a list of how Mr. Hahn contributed himself musically. I'm shore he would have done alot on leave out all the rest.
"Always as an artist your judged by the body of work you put out ultimately, but what people tend to focus on is whatever you've done most recently."-- BBB I think that should be taken in consideration too. I mean Minutes to Midnight is basically a totally different and new Linkin Park, but it's just one album that the band has put out and it can only add more diversity to their ultimate body of work and live show. Linkin Park is still rocking and they can still kick major ass live judging by that NYC show from last nigt... MTM is still a pretty good album anyway.
u just have to make sure you make ur music for yourself beore anyone else.and make it quality everytime you do release it. that keeps everyone happy except those who cant handle change
I agree with that last post. Unfortunately every other post was made before the album dropped, and as it turns out... LP is still doing extremely well. I really think the most of you are deluding yourselves. "oh no'z, LP is likezorz changing, what are we ever gonna do'z?" I'll tell you what, you're gonna accept it, cuz you're not LP. Yes, the new album is disappointing, is it bad? Not really. But I agree the genre of "Linkin Park" is non-exsistant. But really, stop whining people, you look like fanboy's that are gonna go on a rampage just because some band changed their style drastically.
Best post in this entire thread. Hahn is definately there, just 'cos they aren't Faint or Lying From You style samples, which were really the centerpiece of those songs, doesn't mean he's gone. Meteora was sample based. Minutes To Midnight is... band based?
IMO Minutes to Midnight is a terrific album, it may not be a masterpiece, but theres no doubt about it that its 'different'. And thats one of the things all LP albums have in comon. Course I miss a couple more heavy tracks, aswell as more trademark scratching from Joe, But LP had to change to survive. Whats funny is, is that this has happend before with Meteora, and it will bound to happen with their 4th album too. No artist is perfect, but at least LP try to be different.
It's just less Mike and more of the band together. A lot of the things that you miss will probably come back in Fort Minor/Mike's projects only bad thing is that you won't have Mr. Hahn in them. That's really the only problem I think they should have avoided is that Mr. Hahn does had a unique style that is almost completely gone. To me, Fort Minor was pointless until now as Mike's raps wasn't much different than in Linkin Park. I do miss watching the old Linkin Park in the sense that they seemed much more real to me but that is a different story.