What Are You Worth

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"What Are You Worth"
Song by Linkin Park
Recorded:2016
Format:CD
Length:03:04
Writer:Linkin Park, Brian Howes
Producer:Linkin Park
Label:Warner Bros., Machine Shop

"What Are You Worth" is an outtake from the One More Light sessions.

Background

Two titles were added in March 2016 to Linkin Park's song catalog at BMI: "Ricochet"[1] and "What Are You Worth".[2] Both credit the Californian producer Brian Howes as their sole composer and songwriter. The latter started circulating among fans in early 2019 and was leaked online on May 5, 2019[3] after it was sold as part of a leaked internal Atlas Music Publishing CD that contained both "What Are You Worth" and a song produced by Howes for Amanda Sadler.[4]

Fans have speculated that the song is likely a Mike Shinoda demo without the rest of the band. Community member Astat said, "At least some of the guitar on this song is in drop C tuning, which is completely out of character for anything Mike and/or Brad would have been doing in 2016. Chester's definitely not on the song, but a lot of the higher background vocals don't really sound like Mike."[5] Brian Howes has confirmed that the only ones to work on the song were him, Brad and Mike. According to him, the song was originally meant to be a single and there were plans for Chester to add vocals, which never materialized because the singer passed away.

In June 2020 on Twitch, Mike was asked about the song and a chance of reworking it to play live. He said, "What Are You Worth was a song that we worked on for One More Light and I wasn't... I only get bummed out when people leak songs because when it's an unfinished and it's like somebody else just doing it for, I don't know. I feel like if I make a song with somebody and it doesn't work out, like they're welcome to do what they want with their part of it but don't do what you want with my part of it. I think that's rude, I think that's really not awesome. That part of it sucks. If you're a music maker and that situation goes on where you make a song with somebody and they don't want to put it out, I'd say be respectful of their contribution on the song. Otherwise, you shut the door on working with them again. Right? But I guess that makes sense, it's not a big deal... it's a small deal. No, I didn't really love the song personally, I thought it was ok so I wouldn't really want to rework it or anything."[6]

Tracklist

Brian Howes - A&R Demo

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1 What Are You Worth Linkin Park 3:08
2 Don't Not Love You Amanda Sadler 3:33

Versions

Note: Only the date of the very first release of each version is listed.

Title Album Length Recorded Released Notes
What Are You Worth 3:04 2016
  • Leaked on r/LinkinPark on May 5, 2019.

Personnel

  • Mike Shinoda - Programming, Vocals, Guitar
  • Brad Delson - Guitar
  • Brian Howes - Producer, Vocals, Guitar

Lyrics

Album Version

Daylight / Knowing I'm all alone
White lies / Adding up on their own
You said / You would stand on my side
Regret / It's too late to deny

All the back and forth and yes and no
All the right and wrong and high and low
And you set me up to let me down
But it all comes back around

What are you worth now?
What are you waiting for?
When every battlefield you run from generates a war
What are you chasing?
What do you think you deserve?
Cause you will never have a thing unless you've got your worth
What are you worth?

Last straw / As the sky turns to red
Free fall / While I fight to forget

All the back and forth and yes and no
All the right and wrong and high and low
And you set me up to let me down
But it all comes back around

What are you worth now?
What are you waiting for?
When every battlefield you run from generates a war
What are you chasing?
What do you think you deserve?
Cause you will never have a thing unless you've got your worth
What are you worth?

What are you worth?

All the back and forth and yes and no
All the right and wrong and high and low
And you set me up to let me down
But it all comes back around

What are you worth now?
What are you waiting for?
When every battlefield you run from generates a war
What are you chasing?
What do you think you deserve?
Cause you will never have a thing unless you've got your worth
What are you worth?

What are you worth?
What are you worth?
What are you worth?
What are you worth?

References