My ranking of Meteora
For starters, I'm not the biggest linkin park fan and I don't claim to be, but I have listened to a lot of their stuff before and I've been listening to them for years now.
Also, I am not ranking these songs based on the lyrics or meaning of the songs. I ranked these based on the sound of the songs and my personal preferences. With that being said, I really love linkin parks message and respect them a lot. And of course, RIP Chester Bennington.
- Foreword
I don't think this is really surprising anyone. It's the start of the album and is 13 seconds long. It's just water in the background with random miscellaneous noises.
- Session
Cool break before Numb but can't compare with any of the other songs above it, as it is just an instrumental track. Still sounds cool though.
- From the Inside
I know this is an unpopular opinion. The message of the song is really powerful and great, but I'm ranking off of the song itself. I'm not the biggest fan of this song. I don't hate it but I don't like it. Chester's singing is really good on this song though.
- Hit the Floor
I actually like this song but I just think the songs above it are better. The weird talk box effect thing (I don't know what it's called) is really cool and makes the song unique for me. With that being said, this song is still really forgettable for me. Chester's screaming is the highlight of this song for me, along with the instrumentals. Mike Shinoda's rapping is just ok on this song, which is actually better than some other songs on this album. (You'll find that I like songs with mainly Chester more most of the time)
- Easier to Run
Not a bad song, it's just extremely forgettable for me. I don't really have much to say about it. It's kinda just there and sounds cool I guess.
- Figure.09
Really good song, it just gets overshadowed by the other, better songs in this album. I don't hate Mike Shinoda's verses in this song, but Chester in the chorus is the highlight of the song.
Side note: whenever I play this song I forget what it is and when I get to the chorus I just think "oh, it's this song". Every. Single. Time
- Nobody's Listening
Really cool and probably the most unique song on the album. The flute thing is really cool and adds a great layer to the song. The first verse is sick, and I love Mike's rapping in this part, but in the second verse, it goes back to the usual Mike Shinoda weird rapping that I dislike. Overall, this song is carried by the DJ and effects.
- Don't Stay
One of my favorites that isn't a single. I love the grungy guitars and the tone of the song. It's also towards the top because it's the first, and one of the only songs on this album that is just Chester. (Not counting background vocals, because i know Mike does some in this song.) I absolutely love Chester's vocals on this song. Overall, I love the heavier tone of this song.
- Lying from You
This song kicks ass. Plain and simple. Mike Shinoda's parts are really good in this song, including his parts in the chorus, which complement Chester really well. Speaking of that, Chester carries this song heavily. The chorus is a top ten LP chorus of all time. Chester's singing is also really good. Overall, great song and fits perfectly either the rest of the album.
- Numb
It's not number one!? But it's their second most popular song! Don't get me wrong this song is amazing. AMAZING. But the songs above it just hit me harder and carry more of an impact on me. This song was one of the first songs I heard from them and is still one of my favorites, but I just personally like some others better. Chester's singing is beautiful and the instrumentals hit hard.
- Breaking the Habit
Another Chester only song that hits hard. Obviously, Chester is a key component in what makes this song so great for me, but the instrumentals make this song what it is. With that being said, Chester makes this song f***ing amazing. I know I said I wouldn't be ranking anything off of the meaning of the song, and I'm still not, but this songs message is really powerful. Just had to say that. This is also one of the first songs I really listened to by them. This song makes me feel some sort of way that just elevates it so much higher for me.
Side note: The music video for this song is awesome.
- Somewhere I Belong
I can't properly explain why I love this song so much. I'm sure it's lower on other people's rankings. This song used to be my favorite song from them. Chester and Mike's vocals fit together so perfectly on this track. This is what I think of when I think of Meteora. Also, Rob Bourdon's drumming, while nothing special, stands out to me on this song. I don't know what it is about this song that I love so much. The vibe is immaculate.
- Faint
This seems like an obvious choice for me. Can you even say anything bad about this masterpiece? It's easily my favorite song from them. The sample sounds dope as hell. The guitar is fire. The dumming is simple but effective (This is one of the first songs I learned on drums by myself :D). Mike's rapping sounds like actual rapping and hits so hard in some lines. And of course, Chester smashes it out of the park. The chorus is amazing, but the screaming breakdown is f***ing perfect. The final chorus closes the song perfectly and the "I won't be ignored" scream starts it in the best way possible. This is the first Linkin Park song I really listened to fully. This song is the best Linkin Park song imo and the main reason I wish I could still see them live (Emily is not the same).
Overall, this song has a lot of forgettable filler songs, but the bangers hit hard. This is also one of the only albums I own physically so I can't speak too bad on it.