Linkin Park (also known as LP) is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band achieved mainstream success in 2000 with its debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005.[2]Its following studio album, Meteora, continued the band's success, topping the Billboard 200’s album charts in 2003, and was followed by extensive touring and charity work around the world.[3] In 2003, MTV2 named Linkin Park the sixth greatest band of the music video era and the third best of the new millennium behind Oasis and Coldplay.[4]
Having adapted the nu metal and rap rock genres to a radio-friendly yet densely-layered style in Hybrid Theory and Meteora,[5][6][7] the band explored other genres in their next studio album, Minutes to Midnight, which was released in 2007.[8][9]The album topped the Billboard charts and had the third best debut week of any album that year.[10][11] They have also collaborated with several other artists, most notably with rapper Jay-Z in their mashup album Collision Course, and many others on Reanimation.[6] Linkin Park has sold over 50 million albums worldwide[12] and won two Grammy Awards.[13][14]