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It Starts with One: The Legend and Legacy of Linkin Park
From the executive director of music at Billboard, an extensive look inside the 20+ year career of mega-selling rock band Linkin Park, featuring new interviews, exclusive quotes, and insights from the band’s associates and collaborators
Linkin Park is one of the 21st Century’s biggest, and most important, rock bands. All it takes is one quick glance at the numbers— 11 Top 40 hits on the Hot 100 and six No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, over a dozen massive tours, 27 major award wins, 100+ million records sold worldwide, over 30 million monthly Spotify listeners —to realize that when it comes to the metrics of music consumption and fandom, there’s no bigger group in recent memory. And yet, despite their enduring legacy within rock, there’s never been a full, comprehensive biography of Linkin Park—until now.
In IT STARTS WITH The Legend and Legacy of Linkin Park, Billboard's executive director of music, Jason Lipshutz, chronicles the innovation and influence of this legendary band, from their early childhoods to the moment their paths crossed to the genesis of their iconic first album, Hybrid Theory, and all that followed. Not only were they able to synthesize trends in pop and hip-hop amidst the post-grunge era and nu metal boom, then constantly reinvent their sound over multiple albums, Linkin Park’s radically vulnerable lyrics also helped usher in a new era of artists (and fans) more open to discussing mental health and prioritizing inclusivity. Led by their front men, Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda, who balanced each other out artistically, Linkin Park never shied away from songs that put their issues front and center, for the world to see and feel. Tragically, Chester succumbed to his demons and passed away in 2017, but the music endures—and in order to truly appreciate the band’s singular power to bring people together, we need to take a closer look at how exactly Linkin Park changed popular music.
Through in-depth reporting and interviews, as well as new reflections from their collaborators and contemporaries, IT STARTS WITH ONE explores how one band made such a big impact on modern music, effectively cementing Linkin Park’s long overdue place in music history.
Linkin Park is one of the 21st Century’s biggest, and most important, rock bands. All it takes is one quick glance at the numbers— 11 Top 40 hits on the Hot 100 and six No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, over a dozen massive tours, 27 major award wins, 100+ million records sold worldwide, over 30 million monthly Spotify listeners —to realize that when it comes to the metrics of music consumption and fandom, there’s no bigger group in recent memory. And yet, despite their enduring legacy within rock, there’s never been a full, comprehensive biography of Linkin Park—until now.
In IT STARTS WITH The Legend and Legacy of Linkin Park, Billboard's executive director of music, Jason Lipshutz, chronicles the innovation and influence of this legendary band, from their early childhoods to the moment their paths crossed to the genesis of their iconic first album, Hybrid Theory, and all that followed. Not only were they able to synthesize trends in pop and hip-hop amidst the post-grunge era and nu metal boom, then constantly reinvent their sound over multiple albums, Linkin Park’s radically vulnerable lyrics also helped usher in a new era of artists (and fans) more open to discussing mental health and prioritizing inclusivity. Led by their front men, Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda, who balanced each other out artistically, Linkin Park never shied away from songs that put their issues front and center, for the world to see and feel. Tragically, Chester succumbed to his demons and passed away in 2017, but the music endures—and in order to truly appreciate the band’s singular power to bring people together, we need to take a closer look at how exactly Linkin Park changed popular music.
Through in-depth reporting and interviews, as well as new reflections from their collaborators and contemporaries, IT STARTS WITH ONE explores how one band made such a big impact on modern music, effectively cementing Linkin Park’s long overdue place in music history.
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Published October 1, 2024
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Want to read
April 1, 2025LINKIN PARK ON THE TEXAS TOPAZ LIST ! (i am currently in texas)
•••
not me finding out this exists while listening to linkin park and wearing a linkin park hoodie (from emily’s first brooklyn show hehe)
update: my parents mailed this to me for my bday :’)
•••
not me finding out this exists while listening to linkin park and wearing a linkin park hoodie (from emily’s first brooklyn show hehe)
update: my parents mailed this to me for my bday :’)
July 6, 2024
A huge thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Books and author Jason Lipshutz for the advanced review copy.
Growing up, Linkin Park was that first band that truly ever spoke to me and I became a huge fan of. I was obsessed and a huge part of the community from the first time I heard them. I was a longtime member of LPUnderground (the band's official fan club) and also a member of the (at the time) 4000 person worldwide Official Linkin Park Street Team (before it opened up and anyone could join). To say I was a fan of LP was an understatement.
This book chronicles the beginnings of the band, but truthfully is an ode to the impact that their music had on not only their fans, but the music world as a whole. While the recording of Hybrid Theory, and to a lesser degree, Meteora, are covered in depth, the rest of the book does read like a quick glance over the remaining parts of their career, leading to Chester's untimely death in 2017. In many ways, this book is more about Chester and Mike and the legacy they led with the band. That's not to discount the efforts and work of Joe, Phoenix, Rob and Brad. But to truly tell the story, it needed to be focused on the frontmen.
For much of the book, I felt a wave of nostalgia as I revisited old friends and memories through the band's early years, and honestly, by the time it got to Chester's death, there were tears rolling down my face. When Chester died, I immediately went out and got the LP logo (circa 2000) tattooed on my leg in honor of everything that Chester and the rest of the band had done for me.
For hardcore fans, there's very little new covered in the book, but it still feels good, as I mentioned before, like revisiting old friends. But for those unfamiliar this book will be a trove of new knowledge and respect for all of the band members.
Thank You Chester.
Thank you Linkin Park.
Growing up, Linkin Park was that first band that truly ever spoke to me and I became a huge fan of. I was obsessed and a huge part of the community from the first time I heard them. I was a longtime member of LPUnderground (the band's official fan club) and also a member of the (at the time) 4000 person worldwide Official Linkin Park Street Team (before it opened up and anyone could join). To say I was a fan of LP was an understatement.
This book chronicles the beginnings of the band, but truthfully is an ode to the impact that their music had on not only their fans, but the music world as a whole. While the recording of Hybrid Theory, and to a lesser degree, Meteora, are covered in depth, the rest of the book does read like a quick glance over the remaining parts of their career, leading to Chester's untimely death in 2017. In many ways, this book is more about Chester and Mike and the legacy they led with the band. That's not to discount the efforts and work of Joe, Phoenix, Rob and Brad. But to truly tell the story, it needed to be focused on the frontmen.
For much of the book, I felt a wave of nostalgia as I revisited old friends and memories through the band's early years, and honestly, by the time it got to Chester's death, there were tears rolling down my face. When Chester died, I immediately went out and got the LP logo (circa 2000) tattooed on my leg in honor of everything that Chester and the rest of the band had done for me.
For hardcore fans, there's very little new covered in the book, but it still feels good, as I mentioned before, like revisiting old friends. But for those unfamiliar this book will be a trove of new knowledge and respect for all of the band members.
Thank You Chester.
Thank you Linkin Park.
October 15, 2024
Part way through I was wondering if the one mentioned in the title meant Mike and should actually be It Starts With Mike. It seemed that the majority of the focus was on him and not much on the other members. This goes along with the drama of involving the new Linkin Park where we are constantly reminded that it's Mike's band with rumors of Mike possibly bullying Chester by threatening to replace him which is now believable. It's not just Chester but the other members who doesn't seem to be given the same amount of coverage as Mike.
I did find it difficult to get into the book and kept putting it down because I got bored with it pretty fast. This was mainly in the first part when the author decided to cram in, an encyclopedia on music history. I do think it's important to include that but I don't think the author needed to go into every detail. I spent more time reading about Korn and Limp Bizkit and other bands especially in the first half then I did about Linkin Park. I like those bands I just didn't expect to read about their whole history in this book. Remove all that padding and we would have a smaller more focused book on the actual topic.
If you're a Linkin Park fan then you'll already know most of this with a few new things but you will learn more about music and other bands. There is another book called One Step Closer which I would recommend before recommending this book though. It's not the greatest either but it's focus is actually on the band and focuses on all members. (t)
I did find it difficult to get into the book and kept putting it down because I got bored with it pretty fast. This was mainly in the first part when the author decided to cram in, an encyclopedia on music history. I do think it's important to include that but I don't think the author needed to go into every detail. I spent more time reading about Korn and Limp Bizkit and other bands especially in the first half then I did about Linkin Park. I like those bands I just didn't expect to read about their whole history in this book. Remove all that padding and we would have a smaller more focused book on the actual topic.
If you're a Linkin Park fan then you'll already know most of this with a few new things but you will learn more about music and other bands. There is another book called One Step Closer which I would recommend before recommending this book though. It's not the greatest either but it's focus is actually on the band and focuses on all members. (t)
June 27, 2024
It Start with One: The Legend and Legacy of Linkin Park by Jason Lipshutz
Story and Content: B+
Writing: B
Details: B+
Best Aspect: So much good information about eh band before they were together.
Worst Aspect: Very long.
Recommend: Yes.
Story and Content: B+
Writing: B
Details: B+
Best Aspect: So much good information about eh band before they were together.
Worst Aspect: Very long.
Recommend: Yes.
Want to read
March 28, 2024I can't wait to read this!!!
July 21, 2024
I'll come up with the words as soon as I stop crying.
Want to read
April 22, 2024I cannot wait to read this book! This group influenced me so much through all of their music. The lyrics are so deep and so relatable to me and many others that you can’t stop listening. I fell in love with this band from the first 5 seconds of the first song I heard when they first came out. Not many celebrity deaths really affect me even though it’s sad of course, because I don’t know them, but Chester’s death was different and devastating to so many people. Linkin Park isn’t Linkin Park without him. I’m so excited for this book!!
October 5, 2024
Honestly any shortcomings of this book don’t matter to me at all. I learned a ton, listened to so much music while I was reading, and felt the whole time like this story was in the hands of somebody who really f*cking gets it. Loved this book.
January 7, 2025
I want to give it five stars because I love Linkin Park with all my heart and it was a really fun read. BUT sometimes it became a little too historical technical and I was a little lost on why it had anything to do with Linkin Park.
September 30, 2024
Through in-depth reporting and interviews, as well as new reflections from their collaborators and contemporaries, IT STARTS WITH ONE explores how one band made such a big impact on modern music, effectively cementing Linkin Park’s long overdue place in music history.
Thank you Hachette Books for sending me a digital ARC of this book! I enjoyed this book. I never met the band or saw them in concert. I’ve only watched their Live In Texas DVD or watched them perform on a livestream online but I feel like I got to know them really well after I read this book. My older brother and I grew up listening to Linkin Park. When he was a teenager and I was a little girl, I used to hear him listening to Linkin Park and then I started listening to Linkin Park and then we started listening to Linkin Park together so when Chester died, we both took it really hard and I still haven’t accepted that he’s gone even though it’s been 7 years since his death. How do you get over your favorite musician dying especially when you grew up listening to their music your whole life? I don’t know. I’m still trying to figure that out.
Thank you Hachette Books for sending me a digital ARC of this book! I enjoyed this book. I never met the band or saw them in concert. I’ve only watched their Live In Texas DVD or watched them perform on a livestream online but I feel like I got to know them really well after I read this book. My older brother and I grew up listening to Linkin Park. When he was a teenager and I was a little girl, I used to hear him listening to Linkin Park and then I started listening to Linkin Park and then we started listening to Linkin Park together so when Chester died, we both took it really hard and I still haven’t accepted that he’s gone even though it’s been 7 years since his death. How do you get over your favorite musician dying especially when you grew up listening to their music your whole life? I don’t know. I’m still trying to figure that out.
October 16, 2024
Linkin Park is my all time favorite band, I've been obsessed with them for over 15 years. Having the executive director of music at Billboard write a career spanning, first of its kind book chronicling LP's journey was everything I could have asked for. Jason Lipshutz isn't just an LP fan, but an expert on the industry which is what makes his writing and perspective so valuable. It isn't somebody merely tracking the bands' progress over time, but rather constantly filtering it through the lens of the ever evolving music landscape and their place in it, in an informed way. I couldn't put this book down. If anything, I just wanted more. More interviews. More in depth sections on how certain songs came to be. More behind the scenes material. But that's just me being greedy. Jason's writing was consistently engaging throughout and the book was well paced and balanced. On so many instances, it made me re-listen to a song with fresh context, or rewatch a certain music video or performance (I've seen the one of Chester, Jay-Z, and Sir Paul together so many times before, but this time it hit even harder). Overall, the book made me appreciate the band I grew up loving in a new way, better understanding their impact and influence. There were moments that made me laugh, moments that made me feel elated, moments of grief, and in the latter stages, moments that broke my heart and almost moved me to tears as if it was 2017 all over again. Losing Chester was a tragedy that felt personal, and is tackled delicately and with grace here. I am so grateful to Jason for taking the initiative to write this book, and honoring Linkin Park's legacy with the respect they deserve!
June 23, 2024
Very well written. It provides facts and stories that I had not heard before. Now, if you will excuse me, I'm going to spend the rest of today listening to all of Linkin Park's albums.
July 14, 2025
Even though I was familiar with Linkin Park growing up, they weren’t a band that I thought a lot about or even listened to on repeat. However, I am always fascinated by musical biographies and memoirs.
Linkin Park’s story is told here by the author along with archival interviews with the band, and he does a good job for the most part. It’s clear the band means a lot to him, and he’s passionate about the band and this project.
This is a moving and powerful book, especially when the book talks about the band’s reach when it comes to mental health. The chapter on Chester’s passing moved me to tears and was very well-written. The author is a tremendous writer, and it allows for each chapter to flow effortlessly.
He’s a writer for Billboard, and he paints a vivid picture of the musical landscape before Linkin Park appeared on the scene. I love my music history, and I appreciated the context.
I have two complaints about the book. The first one is a big one: the author is hesitant to write even a bad word about the band, their music, or anything relating to them. For a band with almost two decades of music, there has to be something that is open to constructive criticism or deconstruction. Every band has a bad album or a rough stretch creatively in their career, but he sees everything as good or positive with the band. It made it difficult for the book to be fair and balanced.
Secondly, at times, the author seeks to be hammering home two points over and over again: Woodstock ‘99 was terrible, and Limp Bizkit was awful. While both these things are true, it doesn’t need to be repeated early and often.
Overall, this is a good book, but I would’ve liked more unique and distinctive voices that broke down the band and their influence, along with their positive and negative traits.
The author is a HUGE fan, which is a good thing, as he’s able to tell the story in a personal and energetic way that pops off the pages. It’s also a bad thing as he seems allergic to criticizing them. The book ends in 2023, so the book doesn’t get into Emily Armstrong or their new album.
Linkin Park’s story is told here by the author along with archival interviews with the band, and he does a good job for the most part. It’s clear the band means a lot to him, and he’s passionate about the band and this project.
This is a moving and powerful book, especially when the book talks about the band’s reach when it comes to mental health. The chapter on Chester’s passing moved me to tears and was very well-written. The author is a tremendous writer, and it allows for each chapter to flow effortlessly.
He’s a writer for Billboard, and he paints a vivid picture of the musical landscape before Linkin Park appeared on the scene. I love my music history, and I appreciated the context.
I have two complaints about the book. The first one is a big one: the author is hesitant to write even a bad word about the band, their music, or anything relating to them. For a band with almost two decades of music, there has to be something that is open to constructive criticism or deconstruction. Every band has a bad album or a rough stretch creatively in their career, but he sees everything as good or positive with the band. It made it difficult for the book to be fair and balanced.
Secondly, at times, the author seeks to be hammering home two points over and over again: Woodstock ‘99 was terrible, and Limp Bizkit was awful. While both these things are true, it doesn’t need to be repeated early and often.
Overall, this is a good book, but I would’ve liked more unique and distinctive voices that broke down the band and their influence, along with their positive and negative traits.
The author is a HUGE fan, which is a good thing, as he’s able to tell the story in a personal and energetic way that pops off the pages. It’s also a bad thing as he seems allergic to criticizing them. The book ends in 2023, so the book doesn’t get into Emily Armstrong or their new album.
October 9, 2024
I don't review many books, but the subject matter of this one is so dear to my heart. It Starts with One is a fantastic retelling of 20+ years of Linkin Park history. I learned so much about one of my all-time favorite bands. The band encountered so many obstacles leading up to the release of their first album, Hybrid Theory, that it's a wonder in and of itself that they ever got off the ground, let alone became a decorated mainstay in Rock and Roll history. It reframed my perspective on their discography, especially Chester's final album, One More Light. It delves deep into the early days of the band member's lives, the formation of the band, and the creation and impact of their first two albums. It does this for all the albums, but the first two are the most detailed. It talks about their influences, creative process, side projects, charity work, and fan outreach. The book also chronicles the journey and battles with mental illness of their co-frontman Chester Bennington's life. Tears streamed down my face upon reading the chapter about Chester's death. A must-read for all Linkin Park fans. It reads a bit like a music magazine article without a character limit. I don't think that's a bad thing, just something I noticed. The release of this book comes with impeccable timing as the band recently and suddenly launched their revival. With this revival will surely come new fans, and to those fans, I suggest giving this a read so they learn just how important this revival is to longtime fans.
October 16, 2024
This is a must read for any fan of Linkin Park. It’s a beautifully written in depth look into the band, how they got together, how they wrote their songs, what the meaning and motivation behind the lyrics were. This book is a journey and an emotional rollercoaster. I found myself stopping the book, going back and listening to many of the songs, researching video’s and documentaries. I learned so many things about them, both as a group and individually. Their music has the power to heal and inspire. I found myself walking through memories, things I was struggling through, which songs applied and healed me at that time. I was heartbroken revisiting Chester’s struggles throughout his life ending with his suicide. I cried listening to Mike’s journey through his grief at the loss of his friend, brother and band mate. 10 stars for this book.
February 19, 2025
Listened on audio over a couple US road trips with the family. Overall, it was a little cheesy at times but there was lots of in depth insights into the band and their music and paid respect to Chester throughout. We really loved the use of interview interludes to hear straight from a source or from someone close to the band during one era or another. Recommended for lifelong fans of Linkin Park.
September 28, 2025
4.5 stars - Nothing too surprising in terms of background information on the bandmates or any events. Good narration and inclusion of input from other artists.
October 12, 2024
I’ve never been more than a casual listener of LP; my familiarity with the band limited to the radio hits. As a result, I was not really sure what to sure what to expect, other than it would be well-written (disclaimer: the author is a close personal friend). What I found was an engrossing recollection of LP’s journey up to just prior to their recent return that I found hard to put down. It has inspired me to go back and start exploring the deeper cuts of their catalogue.
I would recommend this book to any LP fan obviously, but also anyone to interested in music in general.
I would recommend this book to any LP fan obviously, but also anyone to interested in music in general.
October 4, 2024
This book means the world to me. Linkin Park was and is still my favorite band. When Chester passed I cried a lot. I still tear up listening to certain songs & I’m happy the band is back even though it is bittersweet. So when I saw an arc review of this book I jumped on NetGalley as fast as I could to see if it was still available. It was. I went on a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the journey this book takes you on. First it was happiness & excitement of seeing how the band formed. There was frustration & anger when reading about how the label wanted them to change their sound & especially when they proposed getting rid of Mike. I laughed out loud reading about how One Step Closer came to be. Naturally I cried & even had to pause reading to collect myself when we reach July 20, 2017. I have nothing but love for this book. I bought the audio & physical copy as well. This is a must read for any fan of Linkin Park. It’s just a beautiful thing.
Thank you NetGalley & Hachette for the advance copy.
Thank you NetGalley & Hachette for the advance copy.
October 1, 2024
HAPPY PUB DAY @jasonlipshutz!! Thank you, @hachetteus
for an advance copy.
"It started with one show, one song, one album, one light. And now, it's become bigger than anyone could have ever imagined."
I read this book months ago and was so overwhelmed with it and my tears as I read the process and legacy of one of my favorite bands, a band that helped me get through my worst days, my days that mirrored Chester's, and I forgot to review it.
Linkin Park gave words to the thoughts in my head and gave me an outlet to scream to as I was hurting. Chester, someone I looked up to and hurt with, ended his life in 2017 and I cried for days. My mental health representative in the spotlight had done what I struggled with every day.
"This skull right here, between my ears? That is a bad neighborhood, and I should not be in there alone!" - Chester on the KIIS-FM Radio Interview, 2017.
Thank you, Jason, for taking me on the journey from the beginning, to the future of @linkinpark . And where I still struggle with the change, I know one day I'll be back with them one day, screaming along. Staying alive another day.
for an advance copy.
"It started with one show, one song, one album, one light. And now, it's become bigger than anyone could have ever imagined."
I read this book months ago and was so overwhelmed with it and my tears as I read the process and legacy of one of my favorite bands, a band that helped me get through my worst days, my days that mirrored Chester's, and I forgot to review it.
Linkin Park gave words to the thoughts in my head and gave me an outlet to scream to as I was hurting. Chester, someone I looked up to and hurt with, ended his life in 2017 and I cried for days. My mental health representative in the spotlight had done what I struggled with every day.
"This skull right here, between my ears? That is a bad neighborhood, and I should not be in there alone!" - Chester on the KIIS-FM Radio Interview, 2017.
Thank you, Jason, for taking me on the journey from the beginning, to the future of @linkinpark . And where I still struggle with the change, I know one day I'll be back with them one day, screaming along. Staying alive another day.
December 19, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️ * I grew up listening to Linkin Park so this was a really interesting read.
* I loved hearing the history of how all the different band members came to be. What their backgrounds were. The different members that came in &out. It did seem like there was a lot more info on Mike Shinoda than the rest though. A lot of mental health representation was brought up due to Chester Bennington &his passing 😢.
* I didn’t realize they were originally named Hybrid Theory before they landed on Linkin Park. If you don’t know Hybrid Theory was also the name of their first album.
* The book went through the background of how certain songs were written. Songs like One Step Closer, By Myself, In The End, Somewhere I Belong, &many others. A lot of the songs were based on being pissed at their producer for continuously rejecting their songs lol.
* Linkin Park is very fan based. They had an online fan page/group back when the internet was just coming around. They released CD demos as gifts to the fans in the group. They played concerts where the fan group got offered tickets first.
* It also sounds like they were extremely good to work with. They were always welcoming to smaller bands &always looking for ways to improve their sound by collaborating with others. I personally LOVED their collab with Jay-Z!
* The book ends in 2023 so they don’t go into any detail about the new lead singer Emily Armstrong or how they came to releasing another album which I was very curious about. If you were a huge Linkin Park fan I think you would enjoy this very much!
I’d like to thank Grand Central Publishing for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Themes:
* Linkin Park
* Music industry
* Recording process
* I loved hearing the history of how all the different band members came to be. What their backgrounds were. The different members that came in &out. It did seem like there was a lot more info on Mike Shinoda than the rest though. A lot of mental health representation was brought up due to Chester Bennington &his passing 😢.
* I didn’t realize they were originally named Hybrid Theory before they landed on Linkin Park. If you don’t know Hybrid Theory was also the name of their first album.
* The book went through the background of how certain songs were written. Songs like One Step Closer, By Myself, In The End, Somewhere I Belong, &many others. A lot of the songs were based on being pissed at their producer for continuously rejecting their songs lol.
* Linkin Park is very fan based. They had an online fan page/group back when the internet was just coming around. They released CD demos as gifts to the fans in the group. They played concerts where the fan group got offered tickets first.
* It also sounds like they were extremely good to work with. They were always welcoming to smaller bands &always looking for ways to improve their sound by collaborating with others. I personally LOVED their collab with Jay-Z!
* The book ends in 2023 so they don’t go into any detail about the new lead singer Emily Armstrong or how they came to releasing another album which I was very curious about. If you were a huge Linkin Park fan I think you would enjoy this very much!
I’d like to thank Grand Central Publishing for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Themes:
* Linkin Park
* Music industry
* Recording process
October 2, 2024
I’ve been a huge Linkin Park fan for a very long time, and was really excited to read an early copy of this book! There is a lot of behind the scenes info, some I was familiar with but some new to me info too. I loved seeing everything from how they formed the band, to their creative process for each album, especially one of my favs - the Collision Course collab with JAY-Z!
This was info pulled from the authors previous articles interspersed with some additional details, and at times it did feel more like a collection of articles instead of a cohesive book. There was a repetitive aspect to it with the same information brought up chapter to chapter as though it hasn’t been mentioned, leading to a lot of over explaining. I read a very early copy, so hopefully this is edited more before publication. It was also a little metaphor heavy for a nonfiction book, but that’s just a personal preference. To me things like: “This was a season of release for Linkin Park: following years of behind-the-scenes preparation, they were finally let loose in the real world, like a wind-up toy streaking forward after countless turns of the spring.” feel unnecessarily wordy and don’t add to the narrative. There are some random details included about unrelated things that felt unnecessary - did we really need to know that the One Step Closer director was a former soft core porn director with a film titled Sins of the Night? I personally did not need that info.
While the writing style wasn’t always the best fit for me, I did really enjoy reading about the band. And it’s great timing with the recently announced reunion of LP with a new singer. It’s definitely worth a read, while super fans may not learn a ton of new info, there is enough there to hold your attention and interest.
This was info pulled from the authors previous articles interspersed with some additional details, and at times it did feel more like a collection of articles instead of a cohesive book. There was a repetitive aspect to it with the same information brought up chapter to chapter as though it hasn’t been mentioned, leading to a lot of over explaining. I read a very early copy, so hopefully this is edited more before publication. It was also a little metaphor heavy for a nonfiction book, but that’s just a personal preference. To me things like: “This was a season of release for Linkin Park: following years of behind-the-scenes preparation, they were finally let loose in the real world, like a wind-up toy streaking forward after countless turns of the spring.” feel unnecessarily wordy and don’t add to the narrative. There are some random details included about unrelated things that felt unnecessary - did we really need to know that the One Step Closer director was a former soft core porn director with a film titled Sins of the Night? I personally did not need that info.
While the writing style wasn’t always the best fit for me, I did really enjoy reading about the band. And it’s great timing with the recently announced reunion of LP with a new singer. It’s definitely worth a read, while super fans may not learn a ton of new info, there is enough there to hold your attention and interest.
August 30, 2024
It Starts With One: The Legend and Legacy of Linkin Park is essentially the history of the band and the impact their music has had over the past two decades.
As a fan of Linkin Park since they released their first single, I was super excited to read this book. From learning about how the group got together and became Linkin Park to how they wrote their songs and what the meanings were, the reader is taken on a journey that inevitably leaves you in the present wondering what could be next. The author explored how each band member fit into their roles and what they brought with them. The hardest part was reading about Chester and how he struggled but then ending on the band’s tribute to him. Although I felt like the book was maybe a little too long, it was still well written and paid homage to, in my opinion, one of the greatest bands.
Thank you #Netgalley and Hatchette Books for providing me with an ARC for my honest feedback.
As a fan of Linkin Park since they released their first single, I was super excited to read this book. From learning about how the group got together and became Linkin Park to how they wrote their songs and what the meanings were, the reader is taken on a journey that inevitably leaves you in the present wondering what could be next. The author explored how each band member fit into their roles and what they brought with them. The hardest part was reading about Chester and how he struggled but then ending on the band’s tribute to him. Although I felt like the book was maybe a little too long, it was still well written and paid homage to, in my opinion, one of the greatest bands.
Thank you #Netgalley and Hatchette Books for providing me with an ARC for my honest feedback.
May 30, 2024
A great look into the history and backstory of Linkin Park plus their wider influence on the music industry. Includes backstories on Linkin Park's members, including how they got into music and LP's rise to fame. Explores other areas of music at the time and other artists and where LP fit into that as their music changed over time. An interesting look at musical history and one of the bands that truly helped shape the modern rock world.
(Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to share my thoughts on this ARC.)
(Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to share my thoughts on this ARC.)
June 5, 2024
I love Linkin Park and really enjoyed reading more about them. I would recommend this to any Linkin Park fan.
December 28, 2024
It’s December 27th 2024. Linkin Park’s "The Emptiness Machine" has just spent the last 15 weeks at the top of Billboard’s Hot Hard Rock Songs chart. The song in second place? Linkin Park’s "Heavy is the Crown". These songs are the first two singles from Linkin Park’s 8th studio album, From Zero (released November 15, 2024), the band’s first album without singer Chester Bennington. The singer that Linkin Park hired to fill Bennington’s shoes, Emily Armstrong, has a voice that has done the impossible. I never would have imagined that a Chester-less Linkin Park would sound so damn good. Linkin Park’s improbable return to the top of the rock world is the story of 2024, and with a huge tour and a probable Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction on the horizon in 2025, the story is just beginning.
Which is a double-edged sword for Jason Lipshutz, the author of It Starts with One: The Legend and Legacy of Linkin Park. Lipshutz’s chronicle of the band’s history was released October 1st 2024, perhaps perfectly timed to maximize sales considering the band’s recent resurgence. However, you won’t find a single word about Emily Armstrong or From Zero in It Starts with One; the book was already written and it was (presumably) too late to add this latest chapter. And so, It Starts with One ends awkwardly for the reader in-the-know. Lipshutz’s last few chapters detail what the remaining five band members have been up to and the book leaves the reader with the sense that Linkin Park is finished. Mike Shinoda will continue a solo career and will probably spend a lot of time collaborating with other artists. After all, according to Lipshutz, the Chester Tribute show made it clear that Chester couldn’t be replaced:
“the confirmation that, unequivocally, there would be no replacing Chester’s voice. Part of it was personality, and part of it was technical skill. The week after the tribute show, when Mike listened to the performances, he heard a lot of great singers, and even so, none of them came close to capturing Chester’s range. Someone like Julia Michaels could tackle one song, and Jonathan Davis could take another—but one voice that could span the difference between those two artists was no longer findable.”
Well, it took Mike Shinoda a long seven years, but in Emily Armstrong he has certainly found the voice. Of course, the timing of this isn’t Lipshutz’s fault. However, I can’t help but wonder how much this book would be improved if it came out in late 2025. I would have loved a chapter covering the Emily Armstrong audition process. After all, according to Lipshutz, the band waited a full month to decide that Chester was the guy to replace original vocalist Mark Wakefield. I want to know when Shinoda knew Armstrong was the one. I want an in-depth analysis of "The Emptiness Machine" as the lead single, and how that 16 second scream announcing that Chester’s replacement had arrived (THIS IS WHAT YOU ASKED FOR) in "Heavy is the Crown" came to be.
Despite this unfortunate timing, It Starts with One: The Legend and Legacy of Linkin Park is a serviceable account of Linkin Park’s formation and catalog. Lipshutz doesn’t leave any song untouched, and he makes sure to touch on all the various side projects and collaborations the band members have created over the years. He also does a great job covering the rock scene through Linkin Park’s career, from grunge killing hair metal through post grunge, nu metal, emo, etc., putting the band’s choices in the appropriate context.
Unfortunately, the book lacked what I most wanted—an in-depth examination of the band members relationships with each other. One of the greatest things about Steven Hyden’s (who Lipshutz thanked in his acknowledgements) Long Road: Pearl Jam and the Soundtrack of a Generation was his portrayal of how Pearl Jam’s dynamics changed over time as Eddie Vedder gradually replaced Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament as the driving force behind Pearl Jam’s music. I had imagined that the relationship between Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington must be fascinating. And how did the other four members of Linkin Park impact the dynamic between these two, the genius song composer and the otherworldly talented vocalist? There wasn’t much here beyond, “well the original five guys were all buddies, and Chester didn’t have an ego so everything was pretty chill the entire time.” I just would have liked more information on the relationships between the band members, especially Mike and Chester.
Which is a double-edged sword for Jason Lipshutz, the author of It Starts with One: The Legend and Legacy of Linkin Park. Lipshutz’s chronicle of the band’s history was released October 1st 2024, perhaps perfectly timed to maximize sales considering the band’s recent resurgence. However, you won’t find a single word about Emily Armstrong or From Zero in It Starts with One; the book was already written and it was (presumably) too late to add this latest chapter. And so, It Starts with One ends awkwardly for the reader in-the-know. Lipshutz’s last few chapters detail what the remaining five band members have been up to and the book leaves the reader with the sense that Linkin Park is finished. Mike Shinoda will continue a solo career and will probably spend a lot of time collaborating with other artists. After all, according to Lipshutz, the Chester Tribute show made it clear that Chester couldn’t be replaced:
“the confirmation that, unequivocally, there would be no replacing Chester’s voice. Part of it was personality, and part of it was technical skill. The week after the tribute show, when Mike listened to the performances, he heard a lot of great singers, and even so, none of them came close to capturing Chester’s range. Someone like Julia Michaels could tackle one song, and Jonathan Davis could take another—but one voice that could span the difference between those two artists was no longer findable.”
Well, it took Mike Shinoda a long seven years, but in Emily Armstrong he has certainly found the voice. Of course, the timing of this isn’t Lipshutz’s fault. However, I can’t help but wonder how much this book would be improved if it came out in late 2025. I would have loved a chapter covering the Emily Armstrong audition process. After all, according to Lipshutz, the band waited a full month to decide that Chester was the guy to replace original vocalist Mark Wakefield. I want to know when Shinoda knew Armstrong was the one. I want an in-depth analysis of "The Emptiness Machine" as the lead single, and how that 16 second scream announcing that Chester’s replacement had arrived (THIS IS WHAT YOU ASKED FOR) in "Heavy is the Crown" came to be.
Despite this unfortunate timing, It Starts with One: The Legend and Legacy of Linkin Park is a serviceable account of Linkin Park’s formation and catalog. Lipshutz doesn’t leave any song untouched, and he makes sure to touch on all the various side projects and collaborations the band members have created over the years. He also does a great job covering the rock scene through Linkin Park’s career, from grunge killing hair metal through post grunge, nu metal, emo, etc., putting the band’s choices in the appropriate context.
Unfortunately, the book lacked what I most wanted—an in-depth examination of the band members relationships with each other. One of the greatest things about Steven Hyden’s (who Lipshutz thanked in his acknowledgements) Long Road: Pearl Jam and the Soundtrack of a Generation was his portrayal of how Pearl Jam’s dynamics changed over time as Eddie Vedder gradually replaced Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament as the driving force behind Pearl Jam’s music. I had imagined that the relationship between Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington must be fascinating. And how did the other four members of Linkin Park impact the dynamic between these two, the genius song composer and the otherworldly talented vocalist? There wasn’t much here beyond, “well the original five guys were all buddies, and Chester didn’t have an ego so everything was pretty chill the entire time.” I just would have liked more information on the relationships between the band members, especially Mike and Chester.
Read
November 7, 2024My first favorite band and gateway to aggressive guitar music. Tore through this in two days. Wasn't sure what to expect, but I'm leaving this book disappointed. Lipshutz delivers a compendium of reporting from the press and fan outlets (shout out LPAssociation, LPTimes, LPLive.net) with contextual digressions about things like the existence of MySpace, filesharing, and "Shining A Light On Mental Health" - bordering on disrespectful to the audience who assuredly have some sort of reference point for these types of things. It's comprehensive no doubt, but isn't clear on who its audience is (will be?). And then of course it suffers from analyzing the group as "what they were", getting published a month after the band reunites with a new vocalist -- a story that begs far more than an inevitable extra chapter in the expanded paperback version.
There's one problem, though, that Lipshutz can't really get around -- Linkin Park was/is a band of generally boring and uninteresting people (beyond Chester), with nothing to give to the public beyond professionalism and a devotion to exploring new sonic terrain - skillfully, yet two steps behind the real pioneers/their admitted idols, while also being very corny. Their lore extends to little in-jokes among their die-hard fanbase, like how Dave Farrell confused "Carousel" and "And One" on a Twitch stream. The more compelling story is similar to Carl Wilson's 33 1/3 on Celine Dion's "Let's Talk About Love" -- what really drove the chart success and passionate fanbase while evading "serious" critical approval? -- and it goes untold.
Interview interludes are mostly depressingly vapid, adding very little to the book beyond "they were good guys" - basically unnecessary.
There's one problem, though, that Lipshutz can't really get around -- Linkin Park was/is a band of generally boring and uninteresting people (beyond Chester), with nothing to give to the public beyond professionalism and a devotion to exploring new sonic terrain - skillfully, yet two steps behind the real pioneers/their admitted idols, while also being very corny. Their lore extends to little in-jokes among their die-hard fanbase, like how Dave Farrell confused "Carousel" and "And One" on a Twitch stream. The more compelling story is similar to Carl Wilson's 33 1/3 on Celine Dion's "Let's Talk About Love" -- what really drove the chart success and passionate fanbase while evading "serious" critical approval? -- and it goes untold.
Interview interludes are mostly depressingly vapid, adding very little to the book beyond "they were good guys" - basically unnecessary.
November 2, 2024
Solid Look At Linkin Park Pre 2024. Lipshutz does a truly excellent job of detailing the life and times of Linkin Park as a band, from most of their days in California toiling as Zero (giving rise to the 2024 effort "From Zero"... ;) ) and Chester's days in Phoenix pre-LP signing in various bands to their formation as one group to their initial success and detailing every record they ever made, before yes, coming to Chester's suicide and its aftermath. This particular section is handled with the care it deserves, yet is also easily the dustiest rooms you'll experience reading this book. Ending with discussions as recently as 2023 noting that the band didn't know what the future held and releasing just weeks after the announcement of Emily Armstrong as the new lead singer of the band, this book truly does encompass pretty much every aspect of the "Chester Bennington" era of the band.
Long time fans are going to find a lot to enjoy here. Those who simply enjoy biographies of musicians are going to find a lot to enjoy here. Those of us who have been listening to Linkin Park's music since they first hit radio are going to find a LOT to enjoy here, particularly if you weren't one of the truly fanatical that may have already known much of this and even possibly been there for some of it.
Ultimately, this is going to make you want to go in and listen to Linkin Park all over again and appreciate ever more just how great this band is. The one star deduction was simply because the bibliography came in particularly short, at just 12% or so.
Very much recommended.
Long time fans are going to find a lot to enjoy here. Those who simply enjoy biographies of musicians are going to find a lot to enjoy here. Those of us who have been listening to Linkin Park's music since they first hit radio are going to find a LOT to enjoy here, particularly if you weren't one of the truly fanatical that may have already known much of this and even possibly been there for some of it.
Ultimately, this is going to make you want to go in and listen to Linkin Park all over again and appreciate ever more just how great this band is. The one star deduction was simply because the bibliography came in particularly short, at just 12% or so.
Very much recommended.
February 21, 2025
🎧It Starts With One🎧
By: Jason Lipshutz
Narrated By: Jason Lipshutz, James Foully, Helen Laser
Review Score: 5 Stars
Boogie’s Bulletpoints
•Nonfiction
•New stories
•Chester’s Legacy
•Emotional
———
🎧 Audiobook Review! 🎧
It Starts With One was kindly provided as an ARC by NetGalley and Hatchette Books. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy this wonderful book!
Y’all, I wasn’t sure what I would feel when I got this book. As a diehard Linkin Park fan, I had no idea what to expect in this book. I didn’t know if I would love the portrayal of the band, and all of the things that would be shared, or if I would hate the portrayal, vehemently disagreeing with what was written.
I can honestly say that I loved this book. I loved all of the little pieces of Linkin Park’s history. There was a lot I already knew (again, super fan), but so much I didn’t.
I straight up cried when Lipshutz talked about Chester’s death, and the Celebration of Life show that the band held after he passed (I went to that show, and am front and center in so much of the footage, which is still on Youtube).
The band has since reformed, and has a new lead singer, and obviously, they are happy to be making music again. I am so excited to see their growth, and that doesn’t take away from the pain of missing Chester and all he brought to the band.
Obviously, this book was very personal to me. I loved it. I’ve read books about bands that I like, and I have enjoyed those too. But man, this one really dug deep for me.
By: Jason Lipshutz
Narrated By: Jason Lipshutz, James Foully, Helen Laser
Review Score: 5 Stars
Boogie’s Bulletpoints
•Nonfiction
•New stories
•Chester’s Legacy
•Emotional
———
🎧 Audiobook Review! 🎧
It Starts With One was kindly provided as an ARC by NetGalley and Hatchette Books. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy this wonderful book!
Y’all, I wasn’t sure what I would feel when I got this book. As a diehard Linkin Park fan, I had no idea what to expect in this book. I didn’t know if I would love the portrayal of the band, and all of the things that would be shared, or if I would hate the portrayal, vehemently disagreeing with what was written.
I can honestly say that I loved this book. I loved all of the little pieces of Linkin Park’s history. There was a lot I already knew (again, super fan), but so much I didn’t.
I straight up cried when Lipshutz talked about Chester’s death, and the Celebration of Life show that the band held after he passed (I went to that show, and am front and center in so much of the footage, which is still on Youtube).
The band has since reformed, and has a new lead singer, and obviously, they are happy to be making music again. I am so excited to see their growth, and that doesn’t take away from the pain of missing Chester and all he brought to the band.
Obviously, this book was very personal to me. I loved it. I’ve read books about bands that I like, and I have enjoyed those too. But man, this one really dug deep for me.
November 7, 2024
"It starts with one, one thing I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try”
One of the most important formative periods of teenage years, were marked by music. My musical tastes and influences changed a lot in a period of 2-3 years, and one of the bands that I started to listen to at the time when they came out and continue to love today was Linkin Park.
The moment I saw this book I knew I wanted to read it, despite it being a book genre I don’t usually lean to.
I enjoyed revisiting all their music that I loved and getting exposed to their final albums I wasn’t too familiar with. Learning of all the details from their formation, their process of composing music, their performances gave me so mich nostalgia that I needed to listen to the music. The audiobook would have been enhanced with having the music included but this was likely impossible due to label contracts, royalties and other complications, but if you ever decide to read or listen to this book, do yourself a favor, and open Spotify or whatever music streaming app you own, and listen to their records in tandem with the chapters.
I listened to all their major albums and some of their extra work, as I heard each chapter and it made the experience so much fuller.
I think the author spent a lot of time in their initial years (Hybrid theory and Meteora) and less on the later work, but this could have been due to the information available.
The hardest parts to listen to where the ones that discussed Chester’s death. It was harder than I expected and I honestly felt so saddened again and heartbroken.
Lastly, I was hoping to hear something about their most recent comeback with a new lead singer and album, but it appears when the book was written, everything was still hush-hush.
I have listened to the available songs so far and loved them. No one will even sound like Chester, but I think that’s ok.
“I tried so hard and got so far
But in the end, it doesn't even matter
I had to fall to lose it all
But in the end, it doesn't even matter”
It doesn't even matter how hard you try”
One of the most important formative periods of teenage years, were marked by music. My musical tastes and influences changed a lot in a period of 2-3 years, and one of the bands that I started to listen to at the time when they came out and continue to love today was Linkin Park.
The moment I saw this book I knew I wanted to read it, despite it being a book genre I don’t usually lean to.
I enjoyed revisiting all their music that I loved and getting exposed to their final albums I wasn’t too familiar with. Learning of all the details from their formation, their process of composing music, their performances gave me so mich nostalgia that I needed to listen to the music. The audiobook would have been enhanced with having the music included but this was likely impossible due to label contracts, royalties and other complications, but if you ever decide to read or listen to this book, do yourself a favor, and open Spotify or whatever music streaming app you own, and listen to their records in tandem with the chapters.
I listened to all their major albums and some of their extra work, as I heard each chapter and it made the experience so much fuller.
I think the author spent a lot of time in their initial years (Hybrid theory and Meteora) and less on the later work, but this could have been due to the information available.
The hardest parts to listen to where the ones that discussed Chester’s death. It was harder than I expected and I honestly felt so saddened again and heartbroken.
Lastly, I was hoping to hear something about their most recent comeback with a new lead singer and album, but it appears when the book was written, everything was still hush-hush.
I have listened to the available songs so far and loved them. No one will even sound like Chester, but I think that’s ok.
“I tried so hard and got so far
But in the end, it doesn't even matter
I had to fall to lose it all
But in the end, it doesn't even matter”
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews