Linkin Park are one of the most iconic rock bands of all time. From their Minutes to Midnight album up to Hunting Party, they have created some of the best songs that have gone down in rock history. With these easy rock songs from Linkin Park, you can learn some of their most popular tunes on easy guitar. Each track includes a video tutorial so it’s easier for you to learn the tabs and chord structures. Read on to find out the top easy Linkin Park songs on guitar now.
1. The Catalyst
Released on the band’s fourth album titled A Thousand Suns which was released in 2010, this was the second to last track featured and the first single to be released from it. The Catalyst was a great song to launch the A Thousand Suns album as it delved into the issue of humans’ war-like nature and how this has an effect on innocent lives. The main campaign of the album was the possibility of nuclear war breaking out.
Given the serious subject matter of the album, it comes as no surprise that this song is dramatic. You hear an ominous organ to start out the track which are then combined with scratch effects from Hanh – one of his trademark sounds. The blend of a more traditional instrument with the modern effects thrown in creates a foreboding atmosphere that befits this soundtrack of the apocalypse. This is then further enhanced by the guitar’s anthem and the captivating vocals sung by Bennington.
2. Breaking the Habit
This is an interesting guitar song that was featured on the Meteora album which was released in 2002. It saw Linkin Park move away from the nu-metal sound everyone was used to in Hybrid Theory. It features no rapping or distorted guitar chords.
Many people think this song revolved around Chester Bennington and his battles with addiction but it was actually written by Mike Shinoda before they knew each other. It was reported that Chester had trouble singing this song live for years because of the lyrics.
Although you may think that many of Linkin Park’s songs are downbeat, the main protagonist and message in this sound give you some hope. The person has identified the problems and is striving to overcome them. You can hear this echoed in the instrumental which has a lot of string instruments.
3. Papercut
The guitar riff in Papercut sings out like a siren and it matches the dark feeling of the song perfectly. Papercut was a song that wasn’t originally released in the US and was only put out there to maximize on the success of the In the End album. The song tends to be more popular with the UK fan base where it was released properly and hit number 14 in their charts.
The theme of the song captures anxiety and paranoia that can lurk within our minds. There are some great rap sections and guitar riffs for you to sink your teeth into. Watch out for the key change in the bridge which gives you some new chords on the tab to work with. If you wan to play guitar and sing at the same time, you’ll have to nail that scream note sung by Bennington at the end.
4. What I’ve Done
The first single to be released from the Minutes to Midnight album was What I’ve Done and it also appeared on the soundtrack to the first Transformers movie. The song was written as a representation of how the band had gone through a musical evolution before their third album release.
You’ll hear a lot about regrets and rebirths in the lyrics and there are some musical elements that the band hadn’t showcased before. One of these is the un-edited vocals from Bennington which really allowed his talents to take center stage. The guitar and the drums are both also very raw without the sound effects the band had previously used on their first two albums.
5. Numb
Numb was a song released on the Meteora album and many people will know the mashup version which feature Jay Z’s song Encore. This takes away the guitar elements and puts in hip hop sounds instead. Anyway, we’re here to talk about the original and how you can learn the chord progression and tabs on easy guitar.
The track has a distinctive synth hook that was a staple of the music released on the Meteora album. Shinoda took a back seat in this one and let Bennington belt this one out and his unique voice is really a pleasure to listen to on this one.
6. One Step Closer
Many of Linkin Park’s tracks are about the bigger issues currently happening for making. One Step Closer is not one of these songs and it makes a refreshing change for the band.
One Step Closer is a song all about being right on the edge of your breaking point which is an incredibly relatable feeling for many of us. We can only be pushed so far before you eventually want to snap and this track captures that maddening and crushing frustration of that situation perfectly.
Even though the lyrics don’t match how Bennington sings the bridge, it certainly is a compelling song. He is frenzied and enraged in this part of the song, clearly evoking his own breaking point.
It’s more along the lines of nu-metal and perfectly demonstrates what this genre is all about. The heavy guitar part mixed with the scratch effects and screaming vocals all makes for a solid song.
Conclusion
This has only been a small snippet of the songs that Linkin Park have to offer guitar players. While many of their tracks are for more advanced guitarists, we have listed the easier ones here that a novice player should be able to pick up.
FAQs
How do you play guitar like Linkin Park?
You can play guitar just like Linkin Park by using our easy songs list above. We have used YouTube tutorials to help you play some of the most well-known songs from the band which makes learning them so much easier.
What is the easiest rock song to play on acoustic guitar?
Remember to never play the forbidden riff in a guitar store if you’re looking at buying a new acoustic guitar. This never goes down well!