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One More Light
Studio album by
Linkin Park
ReleasedMay 19, 2017 (2017-05-19)
RecordedSeptember 2015 – February 2017
Studio
Genre
Length35:19
Label
Producer
Linkin Park chronology
The Hunting Party
(2014) 		One More Light
(2017) 		One More Light Live
(2017)
Singles from One More Light
  1. "Heavy"
    Released: February 16, 2017
  2. "Talking to Myself"
    Released: July 25, 2017
  3. "One More Light"
    Released: October 3, 2017

One More Light is the seventh studio album by American rock band Linkin Park. It was released on May 19, 2017, through Warner Bros. Records and Machine Shop. It is the band's first album to have a title track, as they felt that the song "One More Light" was the heart of the album. It is also the band's final album to feature two of their longtime members: co-lead vocalist Chester Bennington, who died of suicide two months after the album's release, and drummer and band co-founder Rob Bourdon, who opted to not return for the band's reformation in 2024.[1]

The band recorded the album between September 2015 and February 2017 in multiple studios. Band members Brad Delson and Mike Shinoda served as the album's primary producers. The sound of One More Light has been described as being more pop-focused, departing from the alternative rock and alternative metal sounds of their previous albums. The album features guest vocal appearances from Pusha T, Stormzy, and Kiiara, and production and songwriting collaborations with J. R. Rotem, Julia Michaels, Justin Tranter, Ross Golan, Andrew Goldstein, Blackbear, and Eg White.[2]

The album's lead single, "Heavy", featuring Kiiara, was released on February 16, 2017. "Battle Symphony", "Good Goodbye", and "Invisible" were released as promotional singles prior to the album's release. "Talking to Myself" and "One More Light" were released as radio singles later on. The album received mixed reviews from music critics; this, along with accusations of selling out, prompted an angry response from Bennington. One More Light performed well commercially, debuting at number one in several countries. It also became the band's fifth number-one album on the Billboard 200[3] and was certified Gold in five countries.

Background

[edit]

In 2014, Linkin Park released their sixth studio album The Hunting Party. The album, produced by Mike Shinoda and Brad Delson, marked a shift from the overall rock sound in their previous albums produced with help of Rick Rubin. Shinoda began the pre-production of One More Light on his smartphone in mid-2015 during The Hunting Party Tour.[citation needed] The main production began as soon as the tour ended. In the process, the band decided to write songs with some external help. They worked with Zayed Hassan, which resulted in his song "Sailing Through the Clouds",[4] Martin Garrix,[5] Hot Karl,[6] Mike Baczor of the band Her0,[7] The Lonely Island, which resulted in "Things in My Jeep",[8] and One Ok Rock.[9] None of these collaborations, however, made the final version of the album. The album marks the second to be self-produced following The Hunting Party.

Composition

[edit]

As a new concept to the band, all the songs featured on the album began with vocals being recorded first.[10] They worked on the story first, then the hook, and finally the music. In an interview with Zane Lowe, Shinoda explained the composition as, "In terms of the style of the record, it's one of the most diverse stylistically, there's more genres mashed into this album than anything we've ever put out. You don't hear a lot of super heavy guitars. There isn't any screaming on the record." He adds, "To some extent it is a very polished record. Stylistically we wanted to blend all of the sound and genres together in a way you can’t tell them apart".[11] As to why they chose "Heavy" to present the album to the world, he told Billboard, "One of the reasons why we chose 'Heavy' as the first single is because it is really the core sound of the album. This wasn't a scenario where the whole album sounds one way and the single sounds different. This is how the album sounds. So we wanted to go out with a song like that, where everybody can get a sense of the direction of this body of work." According to him, a lot of songs on the album can make the listener think of old songs by The Cure or Tears for Fears.[12]

In an interview with MusicRadar, Brad Delson explained,

I wound up putting a lot of guitar on this album. There’s a lot of layers and a lot of different guitars. The guitar work is nuanced and complementary to all of the other elements that we have put in there. I find guitar to be a dominant ingredient in any soup. The minute I put loud heavy guitars into an arrangement, I feel like it is a heavy colour. One of the goals of the production of this album was to do away with any notion of genre. We were looking at ways to juxtapose influences that we have in ways that you haven’t heard before. Building the guitar work into that was a fun challenge. I love the guitar work and tones that our engineer Ethan helped create with me and Mike [Shinoda] throughout this album. Even though you don’t hear guitar in the foreground in a heavy-handed way, there really is a ton of guitar on this album, and I’m really proud of it.

— Brad Delson[13]

Further elaborating on his guitar work, Delson said, "I love the acoustic work on 'Sharp Edges'. I really like all of the layering of guitars on 'Invisible' as well. There's also a really unique presentation of the guitar in a way that I don’t think we’ve ever done on a song called 'Sorry For Now'. That was one of the things that we were really excited about – it is wildly different to anything else that we have been doing."[13]

The album features collaborations with songwriters and other artists. "Heavy" features vocals by pop singer Kiiara, and "Good Goodbye" features verses by rappers Pusha T and Stormzy.[14] Genre-wise, the album has been described as pop,[15][16][17] pop rock,[18][19] electropop,[20] and electronic rock.[21]

Recording

[edit]
One of Bennington's final performances with Linkin Park on July 4, 2017, at the O2 Brixton Academy in London.

The band had been writing and recording mostly in Los Angeles but also had a few sessions in London and Canada where they worked with a few songwriters.[22] In Los Angeles, the band started working at the Larrabee Studios where they had worked for their previous album. After noticing the band needed a bit more space they shifted to Sphere Studios.[23] Starting in early 2016 the band decided to open up their process to fans through social media by doing live streams, posting pictures and videos of their day by day in the studio, and sending studio updates to their mailing list.

In an interview with Billboard, Shinoda said "We've focused almost exclusively on songwriting, not on sound, not on genre, not on arrangement, on words and melodies. And that is something Rick [Rubin] has always told us to do years past and we never listened because we started always track first. Now we're writing songs and now we're just starting to get into the style of that."[24] While working with Justin Parker in London, Mike also learned a different approach to songwriting: to write without any sound in mind and, instead, write with meaning in mind. Instead of writing tracks piece by piece, the band wouldn't leave a session without having a song. It would all start as a conversation, and out of those the songs would build progressively from a chord progression to lyrics.

Among the collaborators are Justin Parker,[25] Conner Youngblood, Jon Green,[26] blackbear,[27] Andrew Goldstein,[28] Eg White,[25] Emily Wright,[29] Andrew Bolooki, Andrew Dawson, RAC, Corrin Roddick,[22] and Ross Golan.[30] American singer Kiiara also had a seven-hour session with Linkin Park to record her vocals for "Heavy", and rappers Stormzy and Pusha T contributed to the album with original verses. In the past, the band had a different approach to collaborations, as explained by Mike: "Usually it means we’ve finished the song but we'll ask somebody to add something to the top of it." He added: "Generally, here's how it would work: we'd get in the room with someone, and start on something from scratch with them. We worked mostly in the same way we always write songs, but with extra firepower in the room."[31]

Bennington had also reached out to Billy Howerdel of A Perfect Circle to collaborate on a song for the album. The two collaborated on a track titled "Eat the Elephant", but it was ultimately left off the album, due to it not matching the direction of One More Light's sound. Howerdel completely reworked the song musically and lyrically, and recorded it with Maynard James Keenan on vocals for their April 2018 album Eat the Elephant.[32][33]

Artwork and packaging

[edit]

In an interview with Kerrang! magazine, Shinoda explained that the children seen on the album cover are those of a friend of the band and represent what the band members feel when their respective families get together. The photo was shot at Venice Beach by Frank Maddocks, who has previously contributed to artworks for Deftones and Green Day's Revolution Radio. The album cover also somewhat resembles the logo of the film company Lakeshore Entertainment.[34]

The album was made available on Linkin Park's official website in five different packages: CD + LPU membership, vinyl + LPU Membership, CD bundle, vinyl bundle, and the "Just Give Me Everything" box set. All offers were accompanied by an LPU digital membership. Both the CD bundle and vinyl bundle include a One More Light T-shirt and a silver Linkin Park logo enamel pin. The box set was bound inside a special One More Light super deluxe box with a 48-page hardcover book featuring all the best photos from the album package and all the lyrics, a unique 2.4" × 1.8" instant photo of the band, and a gold enamel pin set featuring a Linkin Park pin, an LP Hex logo pin, and a "OML" logo pin. It also included both the CD and vinyl versions of the album as well as the One More Light T-shirt.[35][36]

Promotion

[edit]
Main article: One More Light World Tour
Chester Bennington (left) and Mike Shinoda (right) performed fourteen press promo shows for the promotion of the album.

The first single, "Heavy", was released via Los Angeles radio station KROQ on February 16, 2017. The track is a duet[37] with American singer and songwriter Kiiara, marking the first time a Linkin Park song from a studio album has featured a female vocalist. The song was written by Linkin Park with Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter, while Emily Wright and Andrew Bolooki handled vocal production. The band released a second track from the album, "Battle Symphony", on March 16, 2017, with an accompanying lyric video.[38] A third track from the album, "Good Goodbye", was released for download on April 13, 2017, along with an accompanying lyric video followed by a music video. The song features American rapper Pusha T and English hip hop artist Stormzy. On May 10, 2017, the band put out one final pre-release track, "Invisible", with an accompanying lyric video. "Talking to Myself" was sent to alternative radio July 25, 2017, as the album's second official single.[39] The music video for "Talking to Myself" was released on July 20, 2017, the same day of Bennington's death.[40]

In early 2017, the band introduced Linkin Park Global Ambassadors, which were selected each for a country.[41] The ambassadors would promote the Linkin Park updates in their respective countries. The Ambassadors were also given various tasks respective to the updates. For promotional purposes, a picture of TV color bars was uploaded to the Instagram by the Linkin Park Global Ambassadors and many other people related to the band such as Joe Hahn, Mike Shinoda, Chester Bennington, Phoenix, Lorenzo Errico, Adam Ruehmer, Jim Digby, Christian Tachiera, Tobias Fance, Frank Maddocks, Tal Cooperman, and Warner Bros. Records' official account. The band also released a series of 8 videos on their official website showing fans their process of creating songs for the album. On February 13, Linkin Park tweeted a blank grid, and each of the Linkin Park Global Ambassadors tweeted a numbered image. When put together, the images formed the album cover. The lyrics of "Heavy" were unveiled on Genius on the same day.[42]

Linkin Park did a stripped-down performance with Kiiara at NRG Studios, which was broadcast live on Facebook the same day "Heavy" was released along with its lyric video and the album pre-order. The stripped-down version of the song was performed on various occasions. Shinoda and Bennington played the song fourteen times at different venues for the promotion. The band played the song on The Late Late Show with James Corden and at the ECHO Awards 2017 with Kiiara.[43]

Acoustic performances of the lead single by Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda helped promote One More Light. A few of them included performances with Kiiara, Waxx,[44] and Sofia Karlberg.[45]

The band embarked on a world tour in the promotion of the album, which began in South America in May 2017. The tour included stops at various festivals, including the Download Festival Paris, Aerodrome Festival, NovaRock, Impact Festival, I-Days Milano, Hellfest, Download Festival Madrid, Hurricane Festival, Southside Festival, Telekom VOLT Fesztivál, Bråvalla Festival, Rock Werchter, and many others.[46][47] The tour visited 20 cities in South America and Europe. The North American and Japan legs of the tour were cancelled following Chester Bennington's death on July 20, 2017.

Reception

[edit]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?4.0/10[48]
Metacritic46/100[49]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar[50]
The Arts DeskStar[51]
Classic Rock MagazineStar[52]
Consequence of SoundD+[53]
Evening StandardStarStar[54]
The Irish TimesStarStar[55]
NewsdayB+[56]
NMEStar[57]
Rock Sound6/10[58]
Sputnikmusic3.7/5[59]

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 46 out of 100 based on 7 reviews, which indicates "mixed or average" reviews.[49] NME criticized the album's quality, giving it a 2/10 score and concluding that "It’s harsh to criticise a great band for trying something different, and it’s not an issue that this is a pop album. The issue is that it’s a weak and contrived commercial move (perhaps to compete with the likes of Twenty One Pilots)."[57] Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic agreed, stating that "The issue isn't that it's a pop effort; indeed, they get points for a brave attempt so outside of their wheelhouse. The problem is that much of One More Light is devoid of that visceral charge that previously defined much of their catalog... there's no feral screaming from Chester Bennington, there are barely any riffs, and DJ Hahn has disappeared beneath the textured studio sheen."[50] Team Rock criticized the move away from rock music, stating that the album "makes Ed Sheeran sound like Extreme Noise Terror...With One More Light, Linkin Park have waved goodbye to rock."[52] Troy L. Smith at The Plain Dealer described "Invisible" and "Nobody Can Save Me" as "well-rounded pop songs," but also noting, "That won't stop Linkin Park diehards from getting a sweet tooth from the whiny 'Halfway Right' or the boring title track. Heck, even Skrillex-like EDM can't save 'Sorry for Now' from corny territory."[60] Consequence of Sound criticized the album for sounding like it was trying to "chase the trend of pop-EDM in an attempt to capitalize on its ubiquity" and sound "as if they were selected by committee", leading the album to sound like "a muddled mess of a record from a band that completely abandoned any sense of identity".[53]

Newsday gave the album a B+ and praised the band's new direction, comparing it to the works of Coldplay and Owl City and concluding "One More Light shows how well Linkin Park has absorbed the current pop scene and applied it to their own music to genuinely reflect who they are today, not who some fans want them to be."[56]

Band response

[edit]

The band, specifically frontman Chester Bennington, lashed out in response to the negative reception of One More Light's material. As documented through Spin magazine, in an interview with Music Week, Bennington, at the accusations that the band had "sold out", suggested that those people should "stab [themselves] in the face" and "move the fuck on" from the band's past sound.[61][53][62] Similarly, in a separate interview with Kerrang, Bennington, in response to claims of selling out with the album, said "If you're gonna be the person who says like 'they made a marketing decision to make this kind of record to make money' you can fucking meet me outside and I will punch you in your fucking mouth."[63][62] In the same interview, Mike Shinoda also rejected the claims that they had made the album "for monetary reasons", responding, "that's not how I operate."[64] Bennington explained that the accusation of "selling out" angered him because he saw it as a personal attack, concluding that "when you make it personal, like a personal attack against who we are as people, like, dude, shut up. That means that I can actually have feelings about it and most of the time my feelings are 'I want to kill you'."[64][65]

In response to the comments, Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor stated that he understood Bennington's frustrations, but advised him to "be fortunate for what you have, be fortunate for the fact that people are still coming to see you to hear the music. Give it a little time, you have to give it a little time."[66] Bennington later responded that he agreed with Taylor's statements, saying:

"...I agree with him. I do appreciate our fans... I'm human and sometimes take things too personally. Most of our fans have been very positive lately. Some... not so much. Either way... there is a lot of passion on both sides and I am grateful to all of our fans. Corey is a good dude and I appreciate him too... Time to recalibrate my perspective. So I say to all of our fans... Thank you and I love you all. Peace, love and happiness."[67]

Commercial performance

[edit]

The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, beating out Kendrick Lamar's Damn to the top spot by selling 111,000 copies in its first week with 100,000 of which coming from pure sales.[68][69] This would gift the band its sixth number one album on the Billboard 200 and the first since 2012's Living Things. The band is one of only a few bands to ever score six or more albums to peak at the top spot of the US Billboard charts.[70] In its second week on the Billboard 200, One More Light fell from numbers one to thirty respectively, after being ousted from the top spot by R&B singer Bryson Tiller's album, True to Self.[71]

One More Light debuted at number 4 in the United Kingdom, selling 16,100 copies in its first week.[72][73] This would be the lowest charting album by the band in the country since their debut Hybrid Theory which also peaked at number 4.[74]

Elsewhere, it debuted and peaked in Japan at number six (19,300 copies), number one in Canada (12,000 copies) and number two in Germany (20,000 copies). It was the world's best selling album of the week ending on June 3, 2017.[72]

Track listing

[edit]
One More Light track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Nobody Can Save Me"
3:45
2."Good Goodbye" (featuring Pusha T and Stormzy)
3:31
3."Talking to Myself"
3:51
4."Battle Symphony"
  • Delson
  • Green
  • Shinoda[77]
  • Shinoda
  • Delson
  • Bolooki[c]
3:36
5."Invisible"
3:34
6."Heavy" (featuring Kiiara)
  • Shinoda
  • Delson
  • Bolooki[c]
  • Wright[c]
2:49
7."Sorry for Now"Shinoda
  • Shinoda
  • Delson
  • Musto[a]
  • Goldstein[a]
  • Michael Keenan[b]
  • Bolooki[c]
3:23
8."Halfway Right"
3:37
9."One More Light"
  • Shinoda
  • Delson
  • Wright[c]
4:15
10."Sharp Edges"
  • Shinoda
  • Delson
  • Juber
  • Shinoda
  • Delson
  • RAC[b]
  • Wright[c]
2:58
Total length:35:19

Notes

  • ^a signifies a co-producer
  • ^b signifies an additional producer
  • ^c signifies a vocal producer

Personnel

[edit]

Technical

  • Alejandro Baima – assistant engineering
  • Blackbear – co-production (track 7)
  • Andrew Bolooki – vocal production (tracks 1–4, 6–8)
  • Andrew Dawson – additional production (track 5)
  • Brad Delson – production
  • Ryan DeMarti – A&R coordination
  • Lorenzo Errico – photography
  • Robin Florent – assistant mixing engineering (tracks 2–4, 8–10)
  • Chris Galland – mixing engineering (tracks 2–4, 8–10)
  • Chris Gehringer – mastering [79]
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing (tracks 1, 5–7)
  • Andrew Goldstein – co-producer (track 7)
  • Jon Green – additional production (track 1)
  • Joe Hahn – creative direction
  • John Hanes – mixing engineering (tracks 1, 5–7)
  • Andrew Jackson – additional production (track 3)
  • Jeff Jackson – assistant mixing engineering (tracks 2–4, 8–10)
  • Jerry Johnson – studio drum technician
  • Tom Kahre – vocal engineering for Pusha T (track 2)
  • Michael Keenan – additional production (tracks 7, 8)
  • Peter J. Lee – art direction, creative direction, design, photography
  • Frank Maddocks – art direction, creative direction, design, photography
  • Manny Marroquin – mixing (tracks 2–4, 8–10)
  • Ethan Mates – engineering
  • Josh Newell – engineering
  • RAC – additional production (tracks 5, 10)
  • JR Rotem – co-production (track 3)
  • Jesse Shatkin – additional production (track 2), co-production (track 5)
  • Mike Shinoda – creative direction, engineering, photography, production
  • Fraser T Smith – vocal engineering for Stormzy (track 2)
  • Alexander Spit – additional production (track 8)
  • Peter Standish – marketing
  • Christian Tachiera – photography
  • Warren Willis – studio assistant engineering
  • Emily Wright – vocal production (tracks 5, 6, 9, 10)

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for One More Light
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[137] Gold 7,500‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[138] Gold 10,000‡
France (SNEP)[139] Gold 50,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[140] Gold 100,000‡
Hungary (MAHASZ)[141] Gold 1,000^
Italy (FIMI)[142] Platinum 50,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[143] Gold 7,500‡
Poland (ZPAV)[144] Gold 10,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[145] Gold 100,000‡
United States (RIAA)[146] Gold 500,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

One More Light

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
One More Light is the seventh studio album by the American rock band , released on May 19, 2017, through Warner Bros. Records and the band's own imprint . Produced primarily by band members and , the album marks a significant stylistic shift toward pop, electronic, and alternative influences, departing from the nu-metal and rap-rock elements of the band's earlier work. It consists of ten tracks, including collaborations with artists such as and on "" and on "Heavy," and runs for a total of 35 minutes and 19 seconds. The album's creation spanned from 2015 to early 2017, with recording sessions emphasizing personal storytelling and emotional vulnerability among the six band members. Key singles included "Heavy," released in February 2017, which peaked at number 45 on the , and the title track "One More Light," issued posthumously in October 2017. Upon release, One More Light debuted at number one on the chart, earning 111,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, securing Linkin Park's sixth number-one album. Critically, the album received mixed reviews, with praise for its melodic accessibility and production but criticism for its perceived dilution of the band's aggressive rock identity. described it as Linkin Park's "most pop-oriented" effort, highlighting its "mellow" tone and focus on introspection. The record's reception was further complicated by of lead vocalist on July 20, 2017, two months after its release, which cast the themes of loss and resilience—particularly in the title track—in a tragically prescient light. In response, released a for "One More Light" in September 2017, featuring fan-submitted footage and messages of support, and later issued the live album in December 2017 to honor Bennington's final tour performances.

Background and development

Background

Following the release of their sixth studio album The Hunting Party in 2014, announced their intention to pursue a stylistic , shifting from the aggressive nu-metal and that defined much of their early career toward a more pop and electronic-influenced direction. In interviews during 2014 and 2015, and emphasized this deliberate change, noting that the band wanted to explore contemporary production styles and melody-focused songwriting to reflect their artistic growth. This departure was inspired by the band's desire to avoid repetition and engage with evolving music trends, marking a significant pivot from the heavy, guitar-driven intensity of The Hunting Party. The conceptual origins of One More Light were also shaped by personal events in the band's lives, particularly Bennington's ongoing struggles with and , which infused the album with themes of and emotional . Bennington later described the project as a space for honest self-expression, subtly incorporating his experiences into the without overt narration, as a way to process and connect with listeners facing similar challenges. This personal dimension influenced the band's approach, prioritizing emotional authenticity over technical complexity in the early creative stages. To facilitate this evolution, opted to collaborate with external pop producers and artists, a conscious break from the self-contained production of previous records like The Hunting Party. Shinoda highlighted this decision as essential for injecting fresh perspectives and modern sonic elements, working with figures such as songwriter Mike Green, as well as , Blackbear, and Andrew Goldstein, to blend electronic textures with vocal-driven arrangements. Initial songwriting sessions commenced in mid-2015 during the tail end of , where the band focused on experimenting with melody-driven structures and collaborative brainstorming to build the album's foundation. These sessions laid the groundwork for a more accessible, radio-friendly aesthetic while retaining the band's core emotional intensity.

Composition

One More Light represents a stylistic for , blending pop, , (EDM), and elements while toning down the aggressive intensity of earlier albums like The Hunting Party. This approach emphasizes melodic hooks and atmospheric production over heavy riffs and , creating a more accessible, radio-friendly aesthetic. The band's songwriting process for the album prioritized vocals and melodies as the starting point, diverging from their traditional riff-driven method, which contributed to the creation of concise tracks averaging approximately 3.5 minutes in duration. Lyrically, the album delves into themes of mental health struggles, personal loss, interpersonal relationships, and introspection, reflecting a vulnerable and empathetic perspective. For instance, "Heavy," featuring and co-written with singer Kiiara, examines the overwhelming emotional burdens within relationships and the need for external support to alleviate them. The title track, "One More Light," draws inspiration from the death of Amy Zaret, a longtime Warner Bros. Records employee and close associate of the band who passed away from cancer, capturing the pain of grief and the value of cherishing fleeting connections. Notable collaborations enhance the album's eclectic sound, including Pusha T's rap verse and Stormzy's grime-infused feature on "Good Goodbye," which inject hip-hop dynamics into the track's pop-rock framework and underscore themes of finality and release.

Recording

The recording sessions for One More Light primarily took place at Sphere Studios in Los Angeles, Larrabee Studios in Van Nuys, California, and other locations including The Pool in London from late 2015 through early 2017, spanning roughly 18 months, with supplementary work conducted at the band's own Machine Shop studio in Burbank, California. During this period, the band developed over 100 song ideas and demos, refining them extensively before selecting the final 10 tracks for the album. Production was spearheaded by Linkin Park members Mike Shinoda and Brad Delson, who oversaw the creative direction and hands-on assembly of the material. Recording engineers Ethan Mates and Josh Newell handled much of the technical capture, with Shinoda also contributing to engineering duties across sessions. Josh Newell assisted with engineering and session management, while mixing was primarily handled by Manny Marroquin and Serban Ghenea to ensure cohesion amid the project's iterative nature. The sessions blended live instrumentation—such as electric guitars and drums—with electronic components, including synthesizers and programmed beats, to achieve the album's pop-leaning sound. Guitars were often layered deeply in the mix for a pad-like texture, complementing the electronic foundation while preserving organic elements from the band's performances. Challenges arose from the prolonged timeline, including the risk of creative fatigue in a confined studio environment and the task of finalizing tracks as the band's vision evolved through repeated revisions. The integration of guest artists like , , and added layers of coordination, with contributions shaped to fit the emerging stylistic goals of vulnerability and accessibility. Weekly band meetings, supported by tools like for and detailed note-taking, helped sustain focus amid these demands.

Release

Artwork and packaging

The cover art for One More Light was created by Frank Maddocks, who served as , , and for the project. The imagery consists of a minimalist, blue-tinted of children wading in shallow surf at Venice Beach during sunset, evoking a sense of amid piercing the darkening horizon. This visual choice symbolizes the album's exploration of emerging from emotional darkness, aligning with lyrical themes of vulnerability, loss, and fleeting hope, while the children's presence underscores motifs of and shared human experiences. Additional photography for the artwork was contributed by Peter J. Lee, , Christian Tachiera, and Lorenzo Errico. The album was released in multiple physical and digital formats, including a standard jewel case with a multi-page lyric booklet, a 180-gram black vinyl LP in a sleeve, and high-resolution digital downloads. The lyric booklet in the standard editions features intimate band photographs and transparent that highlight the collaborative process and personal dedications, reinforcing the record's emphasis on emotional openness. A limited-edition deluxe , available through the band's official store, bundled the , vinyl, digital code, and a 48-page expanding on the artwork with high-resolution images from the sessions, full , and credits to collaborators. bundles also offered exclusive posters and additional behind-the-scenes photos to complement the core packaging. An Urban Outfitters-exclusive vinyl variant included alternative artwork limited to 2,500 copies.

Promotion and singles

The lead single from One More Light, "Heavy" featuring , was released digitally on February 16, 2017, alongside the album's announcement and pre-order availability. The accompanying , directed by Tim Mattia and released on March 9, 2017, portrays lead vocalist grappling with inner turmoil and emotional conflict through a desaturated, introspective narrative. Prior to the album's release on May 19, 2017, promoted it through live performances, including an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on May 18, where they debuted the title track "One More Light" as a dedication to the late . The band also shared snippets and updates via to build anticipation, such as audio previews of tracks during the recording process. "Good Goodbye", featuring Pusha T and Stormzy, served as an early promotional single, released on April 13, 2017, to highlight the album's collaborative elements and appeal to international audiences, particularly in the UK through Stormzy's involvement. Following the album's launch, "Talking to Myself" was issued as the second single on July 25, 2017, with its music video—comprising live footage and behind-the-scenes clips—premiering on July 20. The title track "One More Light" followed as the third single, sent to radio on October 3, 2017, accompanied by a fan-submitted video directed by Joe Hahn and Mark Fiore, released on September 18.

Reception and legacy

Critical reception

Upon its release in May 2017, One More Light received mixed reviews from music critics, who were divided over the album's pivot toward and its departure from the band's nu-metal and rap-rock roots. The album holds a Metascore of 46 out of 100 on , based on seven critic reviews, indicating generally unfavorable reception with one positive, three mixed, and three negative assessments. Critics frequently praised the album's emotional depth and vulnerability, particularly in tracks that showcased Chester Bennington's vocal delivery amid themes of mental health and personal struggle. For instance, Sputnikmusic awarded it 74 out of 100, lauding how the record "embraces [the band's] melodic core, and offer no apologies as they expound upon it," highlighting the sincerity in songs like "One More Light" and "Sharp Edges." Similarly, AllMusic gave it 3 out of 5 stars, commending the "raw vulnerability" and Bennington's "poignant" performances that brought "a sense of finality" to the band's evolution. However, much of the criticism centered on the album's perceived lack of edge and authenticity, as leaned heavily into polished pop production and collaborations with artists like and . described the record as "unrecognisable," criticizing Bennington's "cloying vocals" and the "unsophisticated hooks and forgettable melodies" that made it feel like a "weak and contrived commercial move" to chase trends akin to . Louder Sound (published under the banner, a sister outlet to Kerrang) rated it 1 out of 5, arguing that the band had "waved goodbye to rock" in favor of "gleaming, featherweight 21st-century pop," stripping away guitars and intensity for something "featherweight" and uninspired. did not publish a full review, but aggregate sites like Album of the Year compiled a critic score of 45 out of 100 from 12 sources, reflecting similar sentiments. Review themes often revolved around debates over accessibility versus authenticity, with detractors viewing the pop shift as a dilution of Linkin Park's hybrid rock identity, while a minority appreciated the bold experimentation as a mature progression. This critical divide echoed some initial fan backlash, though professional opinions focused primarily on the music's artistic merits.

Initial band and fan response

Upon the release of One More Light on May 19, 2017, the album encountered immediate and vocal backlash from a portion of Linkin Park's fanbase, who lambasted its pronounced pop influences as a stark departure from the band's nu-metal and rock roots, particularly the aggressive sound of (2003). platforms and online forums buzzed with criticism, including calls for boycotts and accusations that the band had "sold out" by prioritizing radio-friendly production over their established style. The band firmly defended the album's direction as an organic artistic evolution. addressed the detractors via , stressing the group's commitment to growth and imploring fans to experience the record in full before dismissing it, noting that the collaborative process with artists like and represented a deliberate expansion of their sound. echoed this in interviews, underscoring the album's intimate exploration of personal struggles and asserting that song quality should transcend genre expectations, as the band had been incorporating pop elements since before The Hunting Party (2014). Bennington particularly highlighted the album's relevance to mental health advocacy, drawing from his own experiences with depression to infuse tracks with raw emotional honesty. In a 2017 discussion, he described One More Light as "stripped down and raw, and it’s about real emotions," adding that confronting his inner turmoil felt like navigating "a bad neighborhood" he preferred not to enter alone. While the predominant initial fan sentiment leaned negative, a of supporters praised the album's maturity, lauding its vulnerable lyrics and melodic introspection on songs like "Heavy" and the title track as a bold, heartfelt progression that resonated with listeners seeking deeper emotional connection amid the band's experimentation. This appreciation stood in sharp contrast to the demands, highlighting a divide between longtime fans attached to Linkin Park's early aggression and those open to the group's maturing artistry.

Posthumous impact

The death of Linkin Park's lead vocalist by on July 20, 2017, profoundly affected the band's ongoing promotion of One More Light, resulting in the immediate cancellation of the remaining dates on their North American tour, which had already completed its European leg. The album, released just two months prior, was subsequently dedicated to Bennington's memory, transforming it into a poignant symbol of loss and resilience for fans and the band alike. In response, released the tribute live album on December 15, 2017, featuring recordings from Bennington's final tour performances earlier that year, with all proceeds benefiting the band's 320 Changes Direction initiative for awareness. The band also organized the "Linkin Park and Friends: Celebrate Life in Honor of " concert at the on October 27, 2017, where surviving members performed alongside artists like and Blink-182, emphasizing themes of healing and community support. Bennington's passing triggered a massive surge in streams and sales for Linkin Park's catalog, including One More Light, with on-demand audio streams increasing by 730% in the days following his death, reaching 12.6 million plays on July 20 alone compared to 1.5 million the previous day. This renewed attention highlighted the album's exploration of and emotional struggle, themes that resonated deeply in the aftermath. In the years since, One More Light has undergone significant reappraisal, with critics and outlets praising its prophetic focus on amid broader cultural shifts toward destigmatizing emotional openness, including movements like #MeToo that amplified discussions of personal trauma. Publications such as described it in 2018 as a "fine enough record" and a bold pop evolution, while a 2023 retrospective in AltWire hailed it as a "" and fitting for Bennington's era, underscoring its bravery in confronting depression and loss. The album's legacy influenced Linkin Park's indefinite hiatus after 2017 and their 2024 reunion, which introduced new vocalist Emily Armstrong and culminated in the release of From Zero on November 15, 2024. In interviews surrounding the reunion, reflected on One More Light's vulnerability, noting in a 2025 Guardian discussion that tracks like the title song feel "weird" to perform live due to their deep ties to Bennington's struggles, yet they informed the band's renewed emphasis on authentic emotional expression. Throughout the , One More Light has been frequently examined in s exploring rock's toward and genre-blending, such as episodes on platforms like and that analyze its role in shifting nu-metal toward pop-infused vulnerability and advocacy. In Chinese social media, the phrase "一个普通的午后 为多年后的恍惚埋下伏笔" (translated as "An ordinary afternoon lays the groundwork for daze years later") has become a popular nostalgic caption on platforms like Douyin and Bilibili, frequently paired with the original, piano, or instrumental versions of the song "One More Light" as background music. This association stems from the song's melancholic yet gentle melody complementing sentiments of cherishing fleeting ordinary moments amid reflection and loss, forming a classic template in online culture for expressing wistful reminiscence.

Commercial performance

Chart performance

One More Light debuted at number one on the , selling 111,000 album-equivalent units in its first full week of release, marking Linkin Park's sixth chart-topping album in the United States. The album also reached the top spot in several other countries, including , , and (Flanders), while peaking at number two in and number three in . In the United Kingdom, it entered at number four on the . Following its strong opening, the album experienced a sharp drop on the , falling to number 30 in its second week and continuing to decline thereafter. By early 2017, prior to the death of vocalist on July 20, the album had slipped outside the top 50. However, in the aftermath of Bennington's passing, One More Light saw a significant resurgence driven by increased streams and sales as a , re-entering the at number 17 the following week with 23,000 equivalent units (a 461 percent increase). It climbed further to number four in early August 2017, with 55,000 units consumed amid widespread fan tributes.
Chart (2017)Peak Position
Australian Albums ()3
Austrian Albums ()1
Belgian Albums ( )1
Canadian Albums ()1
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)2
UK Albums (OCC)4
US 1

Certifications and sales

One More Light debuted with 111,000 album-equivalent units in the United States during its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan data. Globally, the album surpassed 500,000 copies sold by 2018, reflecting steady physical and digital amid shifting industry trends toward streaming. As of 2025, it has generated over 1 million equivalent units worldwide. The album received several certifications reflecting its commercial reach. In the United States, it was certified Gold by the (RIAA) on March 4, 2019, denoting 500,000 units, including sales and streaming equivalents. The (BPI) awarded Gold certification in the on December 21, 2018, for 100,000 units. Regionally, the album was certified Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association () for over 35,000 shipments. Post-2017, streaming played a key role in these certifications, with the title track "One More Light" surpassing 500 million streams on by 2020, contributing to equivalent album units under updated RIAA and international criteria. The album's overall streaming activity has generated over 435,000 equivalent album sales globally as of recent analyses.

Credits

Track listing

The standard edition of One More Light features 10 tracks with a total runtime of 35:19. All songs were written by members , , , Dave "Phoenix" Farrell, , and , with additional co-writers credited on select tracks; production was handled primarily by and , with co-producers and additional producers noted where applicable.
No.TitleFeatured artist(s)LengthAdditional writersCo-producer(s)/Additional producers
1"Nobody Can Save Me"None3:45Jon GreenJon Green (additional)
2"Good Goodbye", 3:31Jesse Shatkin, , (additional)
3"Talking to Myself"None3:51, JR RotemJR Rotem (co-), (additional)
4"Battle Symphony"None3:36Jon GreenNone
5"Invisible"None3:34 (co-), Andrew Dawson, RAC (additional); Emily Wright (vocal)
6"Heavy"2:49, None
7"Sorry for Now"None3:23Blackbear, Andrew GoldsteinBlackbear, Andrew Goldstein (co-)
8"Halfway Right"None3:37, (as C. Leary?)Michael Keenan, Alexander Spit (additional)
9"One More Light"None4:15None
10"Sharp Edges"None2:58RAC (additional)
The album contains no bonus tracks on its standard release across physical, digital, or international editions.

Personnel

Linkin Park's seventh studio album One More Light was primarily produced by band members and . Linkin Park Additional musicians Production team
  • Bolooki – vocal production (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8)
  • – mixing (tracks 2–4, 8–10)
  • – mixing (tracks 1, 5–7)
  • Jerry Johnson – studio drum technician
Art and design
  • Frank Maddocks – creative direction, photography, design

References

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