Polished electropop and intimate ballads replace aggressive riffs. A vulnerable, vocal-forward departure centered on internal struggles and quiet resilience.
It's Linkin Park if they traded the distortion pedals for synthesizers and a broken heart.
A polished, radio-ready exterior masking a core of profound, weary vulnerability.
Released in May 2017, One More Light represents Linkin Park's most significant stylistic departure, fully embracing a pop-centric sound. Produced primarily by Mike Shinoda and Brad Delson, the album was written 'vocal-first,' focusing on lyrics and melodies before instrumentation, a reversal of their traditional process. It features a diverse range of collaborators including Julia Michaels and Stormzy, reflecting a desire to engage with contemporary pop and hip-hop trends. The album was heavily criticized upon release for its perceived 'sell-out' move toward mainstream pop, though the band defended the shift as a natural evolution of their creative interests. Following the tragic passing of Chester Bennington just two months after its release, the title track became a global anthem for grief and mental health awareness, fundamentally altering the public's perception of the album from a pop experiment to a poignant, final emotional statement. It remains a unique, polarizing artifact in their discography that prioritizes lyrical transparency over sonic intensity.
Put this on for
Headlights cutting through the fog on a drive to nowhereThat heavy silence after a hard conversation endsSunlight hitting the floorboards while you're still in bedKitchen floor sitting when the house is finally quietWalking toward the city lights as the sky turns purpleWatching the rain blur the window during a long commuteStaring at old photos and realizing how much changed
Moments worth waiting for
The fragile, unsupported high note Chester hits during the bridge of the title track
The unexpected drop into a bright, tropical-influenced synth lead on Sorry for Now
The way the heavy electronic percussion suddenly vanishes to leave a bare acoustic guitar on Sharp Edges
Sounds like
2017s production with a 2010s soul
Sits beside
Native - OneRepublic, Evolve - Imagine Dragons, 21 Pilots - Blurryface, A Head Full of Dreams - Coldplay
Lyrical territory
self_examination, mental_health, grief
03Deviation
One More Light · vs · Linkin Park
Artist
This Album
Low Energy
Energy · ↓ −51% less than usual
On this album, low energy sits about 51% less prominent than across the rest of the artist's catalogue.
