Linkin Park’s singles often inspire the question “haven’t they already written this song?” An mp3 that does the rounds from time to time mixes Numb (on the left) and Pushing Me Away (on the right) to illustrate this with almost comical effect: All Linken Park Songs Sound Exactly The Same.
As shown below, and forgive the hyperbole, much more than they sound the same all Linkin Park songs look the same. And while it’s easy to criticize the band for their overuse of a formula that’s by now cliche, the similarity between their tracks at least holds a lesson on the importance of song arrangement in pop music production.
The Linkin Park Formula
The standard Linkin Park structure looks like this:
- Quiet intro: Each song has a relatively quiet two-measure intro.
- The instrumental kicker: The full band come in together on the down-beat, and play two or four high energy measures, usually instrumental.
- Quiet verse: The song eases off for a verse or two, heightening the dynamic contrast between the song’s sections.
- Heavy chorus: Usually the same chords established in the kicker, with Chester screaming over top for added emotion.
Here’s how it “looks” in practice. Each image below shows the audio level in (roughly) the first 90 seconds of a Linkin Park song. Note that I adjusted the tempo of a few tracks for better visual alignment:
If the pattern isn’t clear to you, mouse-over each image to highlight the 4 sections: Intro, kicker, verse, chorus. And click the title to hear the song on Youtube.
There’s nothing particularly surprising or innovative about the structure. But its repeated use by Linkin Park is clearly successful: They’re one of a few acts still selling lots of CDs.
Why It Works
There are several reasons why this song formula works, and whether or not you record pop music, understanding the reasons will make you a better producer:
Dynamic contrast: Our senses are drawn to change (remember why we listen to reference tracks while mixing?) so we find dynamic, evolving sounds more interesting. The up-and-down of a typical Linkin Park song grabs listeners’ attention on an instinctive level.
Memorable hooks: Because it’s often jarring, the kicker at the start of Linkin Park’s songs is memorable, and makes for a great hook. Pop songs hit or miss mainly on the effectiveness of their hooks.
Familiarity: For lovers, it breeds contempt. For pop music artists, familiarity breeds fans. It’s a truism in the traditional music industry that to succeed, a band needs a “sound.” Linkin Park’s re-use of the same basic song structure makes their music instantly recognizable, and lets their listeners feel immediately comfortable with new material.
Again, you may not write or record pop music. You may even despise the stuff. But knowing why a band would choose to re-use a formula like this will help you make better decisions about your own song arrangements (even if only to avoid having your music compared to Linkin Park.)
Cheap Gimmick?
What does this say about Linkin Park’s music?
On one hand, the band and their producers deserve kudos for finding and exploiting a successful formula. They’re in the entertainment business, after all, and appealing to fans is any entertainer’s number one job.
On the other hand, it’s hard not to view the six images above as a statement on the music industry. The major labels decry the actions of listeners who download music from free sources. But this is the alternative they offer: The same song, repackaged six different ways. The vast majority of music listeners who aren’t Linkin Park fans ask the same question I did in the first sentence, “Haven’t they already written this song?” And the obvious follow-up question, “Why would I pay for it more than once?”
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Hmmm… Never really noticed it before. I listen to them all the time and never noticed they were near to the same. Well I still like them. Good work work on the report though. Kept me reading.
Yes, they seem to have a pattern. The fact is that this is not necessarily to blame. Myself I found about my band that after a while, we found a pattern for putting songs together (OK, without sounding the same :-) ) but we had something like a football (soccer) formula ;-) we had something like intro, 1xverse, 1xchorus, 1xverse, 1xchorus, 1xguitar solo, 2xchorus,1xoutro
Pretty classic in my opinion, just that it established like this over time. Of course, not every song, but many times we found ourselves doing this. Also it was easy on communication and remembering, we all knew we are :-)
First of all, I want to apologize on behalf of all the LP fans who respond with unintelligent-sounding posts, because they make it seem like EVERYONE who likes LP is an idiot.
I’m apologizing instead of criticizing them because I know a lot of LP’s fans are teenagers, who, let’s face it, are going through emotional hell and suffering, as seen from a teen’s perspective (which is just as valid of emotional hell as anyone else’s emotional hell). These kids look to LP’s music because it is cathartic to them. Their lyrics are vague for this purpose: to apply to many people’s own situations. And that is why many adults like them too. Because they see themselves in the story of the song. The adults just happen to not respond to haters that much because they’re older and wiser.
Second, it’s pretty unfair to make vast generalizations about ANYTHING. That means you: people who diss ALL LP fans, people who diss ALL LP haters, people who think that if you like Band X you have no taste in music, people who think that if you like Band Y you don’t know music theory or music history, people who diss ALL mainstream music, people who diss ALL hippies… i think you get my point. I think it’s silly to basically throw a bunch of hate back and forth at each other, instead of discussing the topic seriously. But, then again, we don’t live in a perfect world… and most people are hypocrites, myself included.
Yes, LP have overused a very specific pattern in their music. What’s worse is that WB Records picked out all the extremely catchy songs to be radio singles. Thus leading to the “they all sound the same,” “they’re a pop band,” “they only know three chords” points about them. I’m not even going to bother touching on the purist vs. genre fusion topic, that is PURELY musical preference. Anyways, LP recognized this pattern and that’s why they went in a very different direction on their latest album. There is no repetition of pattern in the new songs, except for Bleed It Out (which has the same song structure but from a very different approach) and What I’ve Done (which was written as a sort-of bridge between their old sound and their new sound.)
So, just like there will always be people who like reality tv, there will always be people who like Linkin Park. You can trash-talk or you can try to convince them that it’s “wrong” but if they REALLY like it, they will defend it and themselves, making your effort a waste of time and energy. Do something constructive. You know, we’re trying to have a civilization here.
This article is weak without even MENTIONING other songs they’ve done. It doesn’t even cover all their big hits (In The End?).
Furthermore, there are countless songs that follow this same “look.” By itself, this pattern says nothing about a song’s quality.
The mp3 is interesting, but the songs are edited a bit. Nickelback’s mp3 was a lot more incriminating.
The only valid conclusion I think this article makes is “Linkin Park is commercialized pop music.” Boiled down, it’s nothing that the average radio listener couldn’t tell you.
Fuck, i don’t want to read this full of shit comments( respect to those who stayed for the LP ) . Guys from LP wasn’t thoughting about the results of tracks alignements and this happened randomly. Fuck are you listening those alignements?! Don’t know what a kind people you are.. but I’m listening music. And the second. Their new album (2007) , overbounded my awaitings, this album was better than i thought. And if they wrote new album in “quite” style , that doesn’t mean that this album is shit. I explain you guys. First – Chester almost lost his voice chords , Second – In past albums, they was telling about the general problems of growing generation, but here they talking about the general problems of whole world (Take the What I’ve Done). Guys many years passed. People change , Mind change , Music change finaly!
It’s Bull shit al that was said.I disagree!It is not the worst group,but they made their name by working.It is important.I am not Lp fan,but nevertheless I like them.
Ever since i’ve heard “numb” and “in the end” i’ve been addicted to Linkin Park. Hybrid Theory and Metemora are the best. And i am sad to say their new album sucks for a Linkin Park album bot in general an ok album. I know a lot of people agree and those who have never liked LP probably are thinking or saying aloud “this proves they’ve sucked since the beginning”.
I know a lot of people who love LP and are addicts like me to their music. Then there are some who think their are way better bands out their.
But in my perception yes some of their songs may seem unpoetics and easy to write/record.But the way it connects to many fans is deeper than it may seem to other people. LP’s music reaches to me by pulling and tugging on my hopes,memories, and relality of life and my perception of it. So you may not think LP is any where near great as some people claim, but all I can say besides that they are one of the best to me and “at least they don’t create utter garbage and pointless songs and are not one hit wonders or just in it for the money.”
Also I would like to point out that yes their songs may be similar sound similar but even they its not a diffrent aproach that you like; each song has a different message. Linkin Park actually talks about real life matters and issues some not all people don’t care too see or reason with. Too me Linkin Park is simliar to Nickelback because they tell a story even though Nickelback is far, far different from LP.
Another thing is, if your going to say LP sucks and isn’t a great band. Than at least compare and bring up bands, you think is actual music. Don’t just curse LP and their fans. Because that makes you like retarded and like a little child who can’t even hold up a good defense.
well another band like AC/DC has been doing the same thing..and of course IRON MAIDEN…if you listen to maiden, the songs all revovle around the E/C/D chord structure….whats funny is they have 10+ albums doing the same thing 100 different times, and it still sounds good…lol
If you Mock Lp U obviously don’t good music.. i like all genres of music i mean all if its good its good and Lp Are the Best out there m8 !!!! even if they do the same thing thats cos what they do is good and makes good songs.. honeslty i dunt know… maybe u have nout better to do than try and make Linkin Park Look Bad :O!
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Are any of the posters aware of the what this site is and the service Hometracked provides – at no fee – to amateur music producers? Amateur producers need this kind of valuable insight, which should be appreciated, regardless of whether or not the reader agrees with the author.
Unfortunately, the point of the article has been largely missed by readers who apparently think the article is a criticism of one band, rather than a useful analysis for producers and songwriters to incorporate into their own works which are created outside of the big-budget studio system.
Sad that intelligent critical thought cannot be freely shared without fans of one band feeling “dissed”.
how many good songs have you written? who are you anyways? theres a reason they became famous. theyre good!!! btw if u judge rap, country, r&b, or artists u’ll find the same results they start the same end the same and everything else u said. judge ppl who really deserve bad judgement, like miley cyrus who doesnt write her onw music, doesnt sing her own music, doesnt play her own music, and doesnt even perform her own music!!! linkin park does everything and they rock!!! u suck.
All Linkin Park songs look the same….its bcoz, they have only one genre…thier muzic describe the nature of what they are…
Someone explain how when I listen to Numb and Pushing me away I hear numb in my left ear, and pushing me away in my left. I have headphones. Lol, Still love numb and in the end :P
“It is also the sound of most big arena bands of the 70s, as I recall.”
This statement could not be more untrue. The “big arena” bands of the 70s were not pop-culture garbage.
Oh jeez, you’re right, Linkin Park always sound the same! That’s garbage! I’ll stop listening to Linkin Park now!
Do you expect people will write something like this? What’s your purpose of writing this? Do you really think people will stop listening to Linkin Park now?
I think you’re just jealous of Linkin Park, I can’t expect something else from a hater.
Ummm… Ok people. I shall point out one thing. It is an article about some one’s opinion on a band. If you don’t like they’re opinion, or you have one that states a better arguement, then post it. Don’t come on here just to yell at the writer because he/she wanted to write what they were thinking. Clearly this person took some time in researching this kind of thing. Don’t just shove their words back down their throats just because you are a Linkin Park fan. That sounds like something my eight year old sister would do.
If you have an intelligent arguement to combat this, go ahead and post it. But posting all of this trash about how the writer sucks and how “jealous” they are only proves one thing: how absolutely illiterate the responder is. Give it up fans. I like Linkin Park just as much as the next fan, but if this is how their fans act, I must wonder what they really are putting in those songs.
Oh and here we are for the final point of my post. I wish for all of you people who keep posting that the author stated that the band “sucks” to reread the article and then realize that no where in that article does it say anything like that. In fact, it even notes that Linkin Park found a good thing for themselves, a way to get fans. Did you see that? Or did you just skip all that because you are a big fan and wont stand up for such an injustice against your band.
Life moves on. There will always be people who don’t like the bands that you like. For instance, I HATE country music. But when my family plays it in the car, I either tolerate it or pull out a cd player. I can openly say my opinions about country music and how bad I think it is, and you can hate me for that all you want. But telling me about it isn’t going to make me hate it less. So, telling the writer how much of a retard he or she is, isn’t going to change his/her veiws on the subject.
Save the time you spended writing rude unneeded posts, and go learn how to conversate about differences in an intelligent manner
you cant pinpoint LP alone like that .
Many groups follows a
flow in their songs which becomes their identity .
Take any group you can see that.
Linkin Park, Britney Spears, et al. …most music is prefabricated drivel for the masses (especially pop-country). The sad fact is most bands and artists know their product / art is just that, but play for the money (i.e. Rob Zombie…he’d rather play classical then metal).
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