Linkin Park hails from Los Angeles is and considered to be somewhat of a nu metal band. Often considered the most successful of the nu metal genre because the Linkin Park debut Hybrid Theory has sold 19 million copies. Linkin Park began in 1994. Singer Chester Bennington joined Grey Daze upon his gradation from Washington High School. After Grey Daze released two albums, Chester Bennington decided to leave the band. Two years later, guitarist Brad Delson and emcee Mike Shinoda were recent graduates of Agoura High School. They met with drummer Rob Bourdon and began playing together while the three were in college. Then the three of them joined forces with bassist Dave Farrell. A few years later, Brad Delson began in internship with Warner Brothers Records A&R representative Jeff Blue. It was Jeff Blue who brought in Chester Bennington. With the addition of Chester Bennington and bassist Kyle Christener, the band released their first self-titled EP as the band Hybrid Theory in mid-1999. Later that year, the band was forced to change its name, and Chester Bennington suggested Lincoln Park thanks to the park he drove by on his way to the recording studio. He felt as though it would be a good name for a band thanks to the fact there were Lincoln Parks all over the United States and therefore the band might be recognized as a local band no matter where they played. The spelling was changed to Linkin so the band could purchase the domain name Linkinpark.com.
