One Step Closer (Linkin Park song)

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

"One Step Closer"
Single by Linkin Park
from the album Hybrid Theory
B-side	"My December" "High Voltage"
Released	August 25, 2000[1]
Recorded	1996 - 1999
Studio	NRG (Los Angeles)
Genre	Nu metal[2][3] rap metal[4] hard rock[5] rap rock[6]
Length	2:35
Label	Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Linkin Park
Producer(s)	Don Gilmore
Linkin Park singles chronology
"One Step Closer" (2000) "Crawling" (2000)
Music video
"One Step Closer" on YouTube

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]

Until 2007, Linkin Park closed every concert with "One Step Closer", excluding Live 8, and their live performances at Summer Sonic. In 2007, Linkin Park played "One Step Closer" toward the beginning of their live performances and sometimes at the end. The song is always played in Drop C#. In 2008, they ended some of their shows with either "One Step Closer" or "Bleed It Out". In 2009, every show they played was ended with "One Step Closer", excluding the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen premiere.

From 2003 to 2006, performances of the song include a verse originally sung by Jonathan Davis in the Reanimation remix of the song before the "Shut up when I'm talking to you!" bridge, which can be heard on LP Underground 4.0. At the end of the verse, Davis repeats the line "Blood is pouring" while the song builds up to the bridge. During the Projekt Revolution 2004 Tour, as Korn was part of the tour's line up, Davis would come out to sing his part on the song before Chester Bennington starts screaming his part.

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. The performance retained the 2017 Intro, but the extended outro was not played for the first time since 2008.

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]

Stand-in bassist Scott Koziol can be seen playing with the band. Mike Shinoda sings some of the lines, although he does not sing on the record.

Track listing

Maxi single (Europe, Australia)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"One Step Closer"	Linkin Park	2:39
2.	"My December"	Mike Shinoda	4:21
3.	"High Voltage"	Shinoda Joe Hahn Brad Delson	3:45
4.	"One Step Closer" (Video)	Linkin Park	2:55

10" vinyl (UK), cassette (UK), cardboard sleeve CD (Europe)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"One Step Closer"	Linkin Park	2:39
2.	"My December"	Shinoda	4:21

100 gecs remix

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"One Step Closer" (100 gecs Reanimation)	Linkin Park	2:21

Early promo CD

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Plaster" (David Kahne Mix 1 of 4)	Linkin Park	2:36

US promo

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"One Step Closer" (Album Version)	Linkin Park	2:36
2.	"One Step Closer" (Rock Mix)	Linkin Park	2:36

One-track promo (US, UK)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"One Step Closer"	Linkin Park	2:39

Humble Brothers Remixes promo CD

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"One Step Closer" (Humble Brothers Remix Extended)	Linkin Park	6:13
2.	"One Step Closer" (Humble Brothers Remix FM Radio)	Linkin Park	3:12
3.	"One Step Closer" (Humble Brothers Remix LP)	Linkin Park	2:35

Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic for original release only.^[12]

Linkin Park Chester Bennington – vocals Mike Shinoda – keyboards, backing vocals, programming, samples, artwork, production Brad Delson – guitars Joe Hahn – turntables, samples, synthesizers, artwork Rob Bourdon – drums Additional personnel Scott Koziol – bass Production Don Gilmore – producer, engineering Steve Sisco – engineering John Ewing Jr. – additional engineering, Pro Tools Matt Griffin – engineering assistance Andy Wallace – mixing Brian Gardner – audio mastering, digital editing Jeff Blue – executive producer Artwork Frank Maddocks – graphic design James Minchin III – photography

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2000–2001) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[13] 4 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[14] 38 Germany (GfK)[15] 32 Italy (FIMI)[16] 46 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[17] 3 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[18] 57 Scotland (OCC)[19] 23 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 46 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 42 UK Singles (OCC)[22] 24 UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[23] 3 US Billboard Hot 100[24] 75 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[25] 5 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[26] 4 Chart (2017) Peak position Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[27] 75 Portugal (AFP)[28] 77 US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[29] 14 Chart (2024) Peak position Global 200 (Billboard)[30] 184

Year-end charts Chart (2001) Position Australia (ARIA)[31] 42

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[32]	Gold	35,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[33]	Platinum	90,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[34]	Gold	35,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[35]	2× Platinum	60,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[36]	2× Platinum	20,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[37]	Gold	30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[38]	Platinum	744,000[39]
United States (RIAA)[40]	Platinum	1,000,000‡
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Ref.
United States	August 29, 2000	Rock radio active rock radio alternative radio	[1]
	September 28, 2000	CD	[41]
United Kingdom	January 13, 2001	CD 12-inch vinyl	[42]
United States	February 20, 2001	Contemporary hit radio	[43]