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]
Recorded2000
Studio NRG (Los Angeles)
Genre
Length2:35
Label Warner Bros.
Songwriters
Producer 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 .

Background

"One Step Closer" was inspired by the band members', particularly the lead singer Chester Bennington's, frustration with their producer Don Gilmore during the recording sessions for their debut album, Hybrid Theory . Gilmore consistently demanded lyric revisions for the song (which had a working title of "Plaster") and other tracks, pushing the band to perfect the sound and structure for a radio release. This creative tension led to intense frustration, which Bennington channeled directly into the lyrics and vocal performance. [9]

Live performances

In 2001, Linkin Park performed "One Step Closer" on Late Night with Conan O'Brien . [10]

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 [11] 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. [12]

In 2018, the staff of Metal Hammer included the video in the site's list of "the 13 best nu metal videos". [13]

Critical reception

Billboard and Kerrang both named "One Step Closer" as the fourth-greatest Linkin Park song. [14] [15]

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. [16]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "One Step Closer"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [36] Gold35,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [37] Platinum90,000‡
Italy (FIMI) [38] Gold35,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ) [39] 2× Platinum60,000‡
Portugal (AFP) [40] 2× Platinum20,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [41] Gold30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [42] Platinum744,000 [43]
United States (RIAA) [44] 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. ↑ "Linkin Park: 12 Essential Songs". Rolling Stone . July 20, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  6. ↑ 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
  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. ↑ Lipshutz, Jason (2020-10-05). "The Story Behind Every Song on Linkin Park's 'Hybrid Theory': 20th Anniversary Track-By-Track". Billboard. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  10. ↑ Chapstick, Kelsey (October 24, 2019). "SEE LINKIN PARK PLAY EXPLOSIVE "ONE STEP CLOSER" ON 'CONAN' IN 2001". Revolver . Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  11. ↑ "One Step Closer - Linkin Park | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic .
  12. ↑ "One Step Closer (Official Video) on YouTube". YouTube . from the Warner Bros. Records YouTube Channel
  13. ↑ Hammerpublished, Metal (2018-02-20). "The 13 best nu metal videos". Louder. Retrieved 2025-12-20.
  14. ↑ Unterberger, Andrew (July 20, 2017). "The 15 Greatest Linkin Park Songs". Billboard . Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  15. ↑ Law, Sam (April 17, 2021). "The 20 greatest Linkin Park songs – ranked". Kerrang . Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Hybrid Theory - Linkin Park - Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Linkin Park – One Step Closer". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  18. ↑ "Linkin Park – One Step Closer" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  19. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name.
  20. ↑ "Linkin Park – One Step Closer". Top Digital Download.
  21. ↑ "Tipparade-lijst van week 15, 2001" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 . Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Linkin Park – One Step Closer" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  23. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart on 21/1/2001 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Linkin Park – One Step Closer". Singles Top 100.
  25. ↑ "Linkin Park – One Step Closer". Swiss Singles Chart.
  26. ↑ "Official Singles Chart on 21/1/2001 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  27. ↑ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart on 21/1/2001 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  28. ↑ "Linkin Park Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard . Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  29. ↑ "Linkin Park Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard . Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  30. ↑ "Linkin Park Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard . Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  31. ↑ "ČNS IFPI – CZ Singles Digital – Top 100 – 30. týden 2017" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  32. ↑ "Linkin Park – One Step Closer". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  33. ↑ "Linkin Park Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  34. ↑ "Linkin Park Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard . Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  35. ↑ "ARIA Top 100 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  36. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  37. ↑ "Danish single certifications – Linkin Park – One Step Closer". IFPI Danmark . Retrieved April 30, 2025.
  38. ↑ "Italian single certifications – Linkin Park – One Step Closer" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  39. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Linkin Park – One Step Closer". Radioscope. Retrieved December 28, 2024.Type One Step Closer in the "Search:" fieldand press Enter.
  40. ↑ "Portuguese single certifications – Linkin Park – One Step Closer" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa . Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  41. ↑ "Spanish single certifications – Linkin Park – One Step Closer". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España . Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  42. ↑ "British single certifications – Linkin Park – One Step Closer". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  43. ↑ 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.
  44. ↑ "American single certifications – Linkin Park – One Step Closer". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  45. ↑ "Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America .
  46. ↑ "New Releases - For Week Starting January 15, 2001" (PDF). Music Week . January 13, 2001. p. 22. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  47. ↑ "CHR/Pop:Going For Adds". Radio & Records . February 16, 2001. p. 43.
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