I ask because I've never really paid them any attention other than making fun of them for angstiness back in high school (though I thought Breaking the Habit was cool I think? I have not heard it in years either, it may have just been the music video I liked), but I just heard that new (old? recent? I don't really pay attention to music!) Burn it Down song and it's pretty great. Are they still considered pretty terrible by most people?
I don't hate them but I wouldn't willingly listen to them. Most of the hate they get is due to popularity or their neckbeard fanbase, or the angst. They're good at what they do, or at least they were in their early days. At least they don't sound like the dozens of butt rock bands that get played on the radio.
They were my favourite band back in 2001-2002ish. I've since outgrown them but I still find their old songs catchy to listen to. I don't really care that much for most songs on Minutes to Midnight and A Thousand Suns, but Living Things is their best album in my opinion. It combined the maturity of their recent work with the catchiness of their older work.
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http://www.last.fm/user/VinnyMendoza "This is all we have... when we die.."