One Step Closer (Linkin Park song)

Last updated
"One Step Closer"
Linkin Park - One Step Closer CD cover.jpg
Single by Linkin Park
from the album Hybrid Theory
B-side
  • "My December"
  • "High Voltage"
ReleasedAugust 29, 2000 [1]
Studio NRG (Los Angeles)
Genre
Length2:35
Label Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s) Linkin Park
Producer(s) Don Gilmore
Linkin Park singles chronology
"One Step Closer"
(2000)		"Crawling"
(2001)
Music video
"One Step Closer" on YouTube

"One Step Closer" is a song by American rock band Linkin Park, released as the debut single from their debut album, Hybrid Theory. [7]

Contents

A remixed version of the song entitled "1Stp Klosr", featuring Korn frontman Jonathan Davis, was featured on Linkin Park's remix album, Reanimation . In 2021, Linkin Park released a new remix of the song by electronic duo 100 gecs. [8]

The song was mashed up with another song by the band from Hybrid Theory, "Points of Authority", and a collaboration of the song "99 Problems" from The Black Album by Jay-Z on the EP Collision Course .

Live performances

In 2001, Linkin Park performed "One Step Closer" on Late Night with Conan O'Brien . [9]

On October 27, 2017, during the Linkin Park and Friends: Celebrate Life in Honor of Chester Bennington, Jonathan Davis performed the song again with the remaining Linkin Park members alongside Ryan Shuck and Amir Derakh of Julien-K and Dead by Sunrise.

Music video

Joe Hahn of Linkin Park and director Gregory Dark came up with the concept for the video.

Directed by Dark [10] and shot in Los Angeles, sixty-three feet underground in the abandoned Hollywood Subway underneath Bunker Hill, the video begins with a group of teenage friends hanging out around a dark alley. Two of them follow a strange man wearing a black hooded robe into a door which leads them to a dark, misty room where the band is playing. Monk-like men are performing martial arts moves throughout the video. Midway through the song, they knock over a crate, startling the monk-like men, and then flee the tunnel. Eventually, the strange man appears at the end of the video. While Bennington screams the song's bridge, he is also upside-down. [11]

Critical reception

Billboard and Kerrang both named "One Step Closer" as the fourth-greatest Linkin Park song. [12] [13]

Track listing

Maxi single (Europe, Australia)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."One Step Closer"Linkin Park2:39
2."My December" Mike Shinoda 4:21
3."High Voltage"
3:45
4."One Step Closer" (Video)Linkin Park2:55
10" vinyl (UK), cassette (UK), cardboard sleeve CD (Europe)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."One Step Closer"Linkin Park2:39
2."My December"Shinoda4:21
100 gecs remix
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."One Step Closer" (100 gecs Reanimation)Linkin Park2:21
Early promo CD
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Plaster" (David Kahne Mix 1 of 4)Linkin Park2:36
US promo
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."One Step Closer" (Album Version)Linkin Park2:36
2."One Step Closer" (Rock Mix)Linkin Park2:36
One-track promo (US, UK)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."One Step Closer"Linkin Park2:39
Humble Brothers Remixes promo CD
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."One Step Closer" (Humble Brothers Remix Extended)Linkin Park6:13
2."One Step Closer" (Humble Brothers Remix FM Radio)Linkin Park3:12
3."One Step Closer" (Humble Brothers Remix LP)Linkin Park2:35

Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic for original release only. [14]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "One Step Closer"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [34] Gold35,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [35] Platinum90,000‡
Italy (FIMI) [36] Gold35,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ) [37] 2× Platinum60,000‡
Portugal (AFP) [38] 2× Platinum20,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [39] Gold30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [40] Platinum744,000 [41]
United States (RIAA) [42] Platinum1,000,000‡

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

Release history

Release dates and formats for "One Step Closer"
RegionDateFormatRef.
United StatesAugust 29, 2000
[1]
September 28, 2000 CD
United KingdomJanuary 13, 2001
United StatesFebruary 20, 2001 Contemporary hit radio

References

  1. 1 2 "Going For Adds". Radio & Records . August 25, 2001. p. 104, 108, 116.
  2. ↑ Green, Chris (25 June 2015). "Linkin Park have launched a venture capital brand, but can such a company ever be rock n' roll?" . The Independent . Archived from the original on 2022-05-24. (June 25, 2015). Retrieved on October 11, 2015
  3. ↑ Diver, Mike (September 6, 2009). "Top Ten - Nu-Metal Anthems". Clash . Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  4. ↑ Rolli, Bryan (July 23, 2021). "20 Teen Angst Anthems to Melt Your Icy, Black Heart". Loudwire . Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  5. ↑ Lipshutz, Jason (September 17, 2024). "The 10 Best Moments of Linkin Park's Triumphant NYC Performance". Billboard . Retrieved February 10, 2025. Linkin Park unwittingly created one of the most thrilling runs of hard-rock songs of the evening, with "Given Up" and "One Step Closer" immediately following
  6. ↑ "Linkin Park: 12 Essential Songs". Rolling Stone . July 20, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  7. ↑ Allmusic.com
  8. ↑ Blisten, Jon (January 8, 2021). "100 Gecs Turn Linkin Park's 'One Step Closer' Into Wild Genre Collage". Rolling Stone . Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  9. ↑ Chapstick, Kelsey (October 24, 2019). "SEE LINKIN PARK PLAY EXPLOSIVE "ONE STEP CLOSER" ON 'CONAN' IN 2001". Revolver . Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  10. ↑ "One Step Closer - Linkin Park | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic .
  11. ↑ "One Step Closer (Official Video) on YouTube". YouTube . from the Warner Bros. Records YouTube Channel
  12. ↑ Unterberger, Andrew (July 20, 2017). "The 15 Greatest Linkin Park Songs". Billboard . Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  13. ↑ Law, Sam (April 17, 2021). "The 20 greatest Linkin Park songs – ranked". Kerrang . Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Hybrid Theory - Linkin Park - Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Linkin Park – One Step Closer". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  16. ↑ "Linkin Park – One Step Closer" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  17. ↑ "Linkin Park – One Step Closer" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  18. ↑ "Linkin Park – One Step Closer". Top Digital Download.
  19. ↑ "Tipparade-lijst van week 15, 2001" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 . Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Linkin Park – One Step Closer" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  21. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Linkin Park – One Step Closer". Singles Top 100.
  23. ↑ "Linkin Park – One Step Closer". Swiss Singles Chart.
  24. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Linkin Park Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  27. ↑ "Linkin Park Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  28. ↑ "Linkin Park Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  29. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 30. týden 2017 in the date selector. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  30. ↑ "Linkin Park – One Step Closer". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  31. ↑ "Linkin Park Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  32. ↑ "Linkin Park Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  33. ↑ "ARIA Top 100 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  34. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  35. ↑ "Danish single certifications – Linkin Park – One Step Closer". IFPI Danmark . Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  36. ↑ "Italian single certifications – Linkin Park – One Step Closer" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  37. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Linkin Park – One Step Closer". Radioscope. Retrieved December 28, 2024.Type One Step Closer in the "Search:" field.
  38. ↑ "Portuguese single certifications – Linkin Park – One Step Closer" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa . Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  39. ↑ "Spanish single certifications – Linkin Park – One Step Closer". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España . Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  40. ↑ "British single certifications – Linkin Park – One Step Closer". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  41. ↑ Official Charts Company (September 15, 2024). "They just scored their highest Singles Chart peak EVER with #TheEmptinessMachine, but what are @linkinpark's all-time biggest songs in the UK?". Instagram . Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  42. ↑ "American single certifications – Linkin Park – One Step Closer". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  43. ↑ "Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America .
  44. ↑ "New Releases - For Week Starting January 15, 2001" (PDF). Music Week . January 13, 2001. p. 22. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  45. ↑ "CHR/Pop:Going For Adds". Radio & Records . February 16, 2001. p. 43.
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