Formed in 1996, Linkin Park rose to international fame with their debut studio album, Hybrid Theory (2000), which became certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Released during the peak of the nu metal scene, the album's singles' heavy airplay on MTV led the singles "One Step Closer", "Crawling" and "In the End" all to chart highly on the US Mainstream Rock chart. The lattermost also crossed over to the nation's Billboard Hot 100. Their second album, Meteora (2003), continued the band's success. The band explored experimental sounds on their third album, Minutes to Midnight (2007). By the end of the decade, Linkin Park was among the most successful and popular rock acts.
The band continued to explore a wider variation of musical types on their fourth album, A Thousand Suns (2010), layering their music with more electronic sounds. The band's fifth album, Living Things (2012), combined musical elements from all of their previous records. Their sixth album, The Hunting Party (2014), returned to a heavier rock sound, and their seventh album, One More Light (2017), was a substantially more pop-oriented record. Linkin Park went on a hiatus when longtime lead vocalist Bennington died in July 2017. In April 2022, Shinoda revealed the band was neither working on new music nor planning on touring for the foreseeable future.
Linkin Park is among the best-selling bands of the 21st century and the world's best-selling music artists, having sold over 100 million records worldwide. They have won two Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, 10 MTV Europe Music Awards and three World Music Awards. In 2003, MTV2 named Linkin Park the sixth-greatest band of the music video era and the third-best of the new millennium. Billboard ranked Linkin Park No. 19 on the Best Artists of the Decade list. In 2012, the band was voted as the greatest artist of the 2000s in a Bracket Madness poll on VH1. In 2014, the band was declared as "The Biggest Rock Band in the World Right Now" by Kerrang!.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linkin_Park
Studio albums
Hybrid Theory (2000)
Meteora (2003)
Minutes to Midnight (2007)
A Thousand Suns (2010)
Living Things (2012)
The Hunting Party (2014)
One More Light (2017)
The Radiance
Linkin Park Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent
I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita
Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty
And to impress him, takes on his multi-armed form and says
Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds
I suppose we all thought that, one way or another
The lyrics of Linkin Park's song "The Radiance" seem to be inspired by the events of World War II, particularly the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The first line, "We knew the world would not be the same," suggests that the introduction of atomic weaponry forever changed the course of human history. The next few lines describe the different reactions to this momentous event, with some people laughing, some crying, and most remaining silent, perhaps stunned by the enormity of what had just occurred.
The third and fourth lines quote from the Bhagavad-Gita, a Hindu scripture that features a dialogue between the warrior Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna. In this excerpt, the god Vishnu (disguised as Krishna) is trying to persuade Arjuna to fulfill his duty as a warrior, even if it means going to war against his own relatives. Vishnu takes on his multi-armed form (known as the Vishvarupa) to impress Arjuna and drive home the point that he is a divine being. The final lines of the song echo Vishnu's statement about "becoming Death," expressing the idea that the atomic bomb created a new, terrifying force that unleashed destruction on an unprecedented scale.
Overall, "The Radiance" is a haunting and thought-provoking song that raises questions about the nature of power, duty, and humanity's capacity for violence. By drawing on ancient scripture and modern history, Linkin Park creates a complex meditation on one of the most pivotal moments of the 20th century.
Line by Line Meaning
We knew the world would not be the same
We were aware of the seismic impact of the event that just happened.
Few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent
The reactions of the people around us were varied, but most were speechless.
I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita
In the moment, my mind recalled a verse from Hindu scripture that seemed relevant.
Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty
The scripture I recalled is about Vishnu urging a leader to fulfill his responsibility.
And to impress him, takes on his multi-armed form and says
In the story, Vishnu reveals himself in an awe-inspiring form to convince the leader.
Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds
Vishnu declares that he has become Death, symbolic of the magnitude of his power.
I suppose we all thought that, one way or another
Everyone present had their own thoughts and feelings about the event, but we were all affected.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Brad Delson, Chester Charles Bennington, Dave Farrell, Joseph Hahn, Mike Shinoda, Robert G. Bourdon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tresnonugroho6397
My thoughts on Oppenheimer's thoughts about the scriptures:
● Vishnu -> the US
● the Prince -> the UK (and the Allied Forces)
● do his duty -> support/obey the US
● multi-armed form -> the atomic bomb
Or it could be...
● Vishnu -> the US
● persuade -> threaten
● the Prince -> Japan
● do his duty -> surrender
● multi-armed form -> the atomic bomb
I could be wrong, though.
@pedroa.2242
After 7 years i can finally understand the real mean of "Thousands Suns"
@TeddyMcrunner
You are not alone.
@Sara_sweet-hi9ct
Same
@nigzmakanoche
Same though
@xristosmakris4477
❤ιηηηηη
@iron7952
After watching Oppenheimer, I felt a need to listen to this album again. hits hard as ever. One of LP’s best works.
@darthmoomoo
I hope Nolan includes this album somewhere in the upcoming film
@mrputraa_
Ikr. Not only Radiance, but also The Requiem as beginning, then Radiance, and Burning in The Skies as ending. Because they couldn't be separated. Especially how Burning in The Skies described very well how horrible the Little Guy after was dropped by Enola Gay on Hiroshima
@praetorian1877
Haha I went here after watching the movie trailer!
@Orashidimaru
That would be terrific 💯 👏👏