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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I don’t argue that a lot of Linkin Parks songs have the same arrangement but the melodies, harmonies, riff etc. vary from song to song, and this style of arrangement i usually only hear consistently from Lincoln. I by no means have heard everything band that has music to offer but i genuinely enjoy LP’s music. Thats the style they chosen to distinguish themselves and it has worked for them. I listened to the NPR cast about nickelback and yes the sounds were almost identical. However they didn’t remind me of linkin park or weezer or any other band, and thats the thing as long each individual bands is only imitating itself (thats not so much an imitation but a unique style that makes them, them) it shouldn’t really bother anyone. When bands start impersonating each other thats when you shouldn’t have a gripe.
If you want to argue that there is no originality to band that always sounds the same be my guest, but thats purely an opinion standpoint. I think one can sound the same but still be innovative.
you know, i think i know what this is called, lets see, what was it…?\
oh yeah, its called NU-METAL MORONS! the same shit happens in every single pop-song. intro-stanza-stanza-chorus-stanza-chorus-end.
The vast majority of pop rock bands use a similar formula and only slightly stray from it per album.
I think the problem with LP (as with many bands in their genre) is that the formula is noticed at all. The reason this happens is because the guitars, the drums, the singing guys vox and the rapping guys overly white faux rap do in fact sound almost identical, regardless of key or lyrics changes. That’s what first causes listeners to say “boy every song sounds the same, not the formula†for as someone mentioned the majority of casual listeners don’t know an intro from an outro or a bridge from an interlude, but they know when simpler components of a song (instruments, vox, etc) sound the same.
its the rock formula. most songs are like this. try to analyze more appriciated artists – u’ll discover the same
That’s nonsense, arnon.
I agree with Your Reaper……it’s not much of a big deal. It’s JUST music. Not gonna affect our lives in anyway…only the music makers. It’s their choice, & they have fans. Let it be.
Many bands are like this. If your looking for something more abstract & no cookie cutter songs, check out Tool, & to a slightly lesser degree APC. Oh & Sherr, if the music isn’t affecting your life maybe your not a true music lover. I’m not saying your a jackass or anything, just that it matters less to you.
jesus ppl dissing Linkin Park there fucking brilliant like and so what if they have the same pattern it basically means if one of there songs is good then all of them are.
LP rock!!!!
We’ve all been running around the same fucking bush since Johannes Kepler figured out what a major cord was. Turns out he figured out the frequencies from calculating the speeds of the planets in orbit around the sun.
I’m not making this shit up.
Bach and Beethoven did it all. Period. Everyone else is playing in the puddles of their foot prints. So yeah, intro, kicker, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, break, verse, chorus, outro. Feel free to throw in an “extended jam” if it makes you feel better.
It’s better than those god damned hippy jam bands that play songs 25 minutes to long. Like I have the attention span for that anyway.
I hate hippies.
I am a hippie jam band dude who likes to play songs for at least 25-30 minutes, each.
They usually go something like this: intro, kicker, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, break, verse, chorus, outro. Feel free to throw in an “extended jamâ€.
The “extended jam†usually comes before the outro or before the final chorus and outro.
I think it can be summed up by Alan, with these words: “so what if they have the same pattern it basically means if one of there songs is good then all of them are.”
That really says it all. snort.
http://boycottthemusic.blogspot.com
if you dont mind, i’d like to use this for my blog. Boycott The Music Industry.
let me know.
People seem to be getting awfully offended by this. The author was quite unbiased and fair. You can’t deny it, it’s true that the songs are structured the same, and it’s also true that pretty much all pop musicians’ songs are structured the same or very similarly, and whether you think that’s a good or a bad thing is your own opinion; he’s giving you the option to choose for yourself.
It’s also true that unless you have a hit formula like this, it’s incredibly difficult nowadays to get REALLY famous. If you look a little deeper you can find hundreds of undiscovered bands that don’t follow a formula, that have a wide range of chord progressions, great instrumental and vocal talent, and frankly sound wicked awesome, but they hardly get played on the radio, and that’s why.
Formula is universally appealing; even music school geeks can’t help but find it catchy and fun to listen to. But it takes a more dedicated person to appreciate stuff that strays from the pop music path.
For curiosity’s sake, check out any of a variety of Rob Crow bands: Pinback, Optiganally Yours, Heavy Vegetable, or Goblin Cock; or try Dalek or M.I.A. if you’re into rap and hip hop; Dr. Dog, Humanwine, Mindless Self Indulgence, Scout Niblett, The Instruments, The Music Tapes–some manage to develop avid cult-like followings but none could be called universally appealing. If you’re into pop music you probably won’t like any of them. But it gives you a perspective on what else is out there, and what other kinds of things you can do with a band.
http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1765596
fuck linkin park
I agree with your article. A good strategy to consider for songwriters aiming at mainstream success. I love bands like this because they can write a number one hit with little to no skill. Throw in a few catchy hooks, kick it up, tame it down. It’s very effective today with majority of the population suffering from bi-polar disorder. I’m not much of a linkin park fan but can tolerate their mundane music. Kurt Cobain will alway remain my hero because of the abstractions he would utilize in his expression. It doesn’t always have to be an allegro composition to be good. But ofcourse my all time favorite is Pink Floyd which had a hand in my love for the seattle movement.
wow, alot of stupid people here.
it’s not only insulting to musicians who love rock music , it’s insulting to the fans.
It’s obviously an exec room gimmick .
linkin park are a joke.
Loved the article. Yes, it doesn’t surprise me that the waveform for their songs are pretty much the same. I bet if you checked out Nirvana songs they’d look similar also.
-William
http://www.sugarattack.com
Finally someone took one step closer to the edge and played Linkin Park out.
I have been wanting to start a group called “RRALP” which stands for Real Rockers against Linkin Park”
It is a true fact that all of us have bands that we listen to that are not the social norm or can be considered embarassing, such as Scorpions or 311, but Linkin Park, c’mon.
The only people that really listen to them and buy their so-call albums are young kids that don’t have much a sense of good music and are just young and other people that have bad taste in music.
If you or anyone you know, listens to Linkin park, go home or to their home, get their CDs and burn ’em, you will be doing alot of people a favor.
Wait. . . on second thought, don’t do that, we need a band to help measure the severity of bad music, so lets leave them around and laugh at them. Haha Hahaha
Yup… Linkin Park has joined the group of so many bands featuring songs that sound the same, just because the first one was good. “Helmet”, anyone? They must be in the lead for reciprocating music.
If you think Linkin Park songs look the same… go take a look at Beatles’ songs. It’s no surprise.
There’s a formula for writing hit singles. And all bands use it.
Hah, good observation, sadly I say such things, yet don’t have the drive to actually seek out something like this.
Good article.
I guess you’ll enjoy this related picture.
http://s50.photobucket.com/albums/f340/ZeCanadian/?action=view¤t=LinkinOrange.gif
Gypsie Poo. I mean like whatever like dude. You are so rad like whatever! The quiet loud quiet theory like has been around since the begining of time, Sibil Sheperd, and you are my friend a complete box of unmagical tricks, ya like whatever!
OH MY FUCKING GOD. POP MUSIC SOUNDS THE SAME? EH?
Yeah no shit. And it will never end.
I agree with the fact that most Linkin Park songs have striking similarities with their other tracks. I don’t think that graphically illustrating this was necessary, because it simply takes the music out of it.
Sadly this is a very used scheme in the commercial music industry. If they strike gold, they keep the same tunes, themes and sound. Too bad there’s no evolution. They all work by “If it works, don’t fix it”.
Wow, there really are a lot of uneducated people commenting on this. Anyone who responds “Why use the illustration?” comment is absolutely ridiculous. THAT IS THE POINT. Music changes keys, and riffs and has many other variables that will slightly change the composition, but anyone who knows anything about recording knows that it is also tracked visibly. And the illustration clearly demonstrates the most fundamentally unifying aspect of music: Its structure.
lp clearly use the same formula over and over again and frankly it is not at all interesting to listen to. If you can listen to one of their songs and have them figured out, to me what more is there to listen to? Furthermore, I have never met a person with good taste in music that is a fan of them.
I love that peopel are forgetting that lyrics also play a big role in why people like songs, I kinda figured out the formula by myself but to me the lyrics strike a chord with me and when I was a bigger fan they struck a chord just when I needed to here it.
Interesting article though.
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