Shinoda: (Laughs.) With every album we’ve put out since our first record, there were expectations. There are no expectations on the first record, and the second record on, there are always expectations, and we’ve always been realistic about those. We know that there will always be a wide variety of opinions and reactions, but when we release something, it’s because it’s ready to be released, we’re proud of it, we’re happy with where we’re at, and we feel like it’s the best snapshot of the band in the current moment. And as the reactions come in, our door just stays open, because as a music listener, sometimes I hear things and go, “That’s terrible,” and the next thing I know, I keep coming back to it and I love it.














