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"One Step Closer" is the debut single by the nu metal band Linkin Park released in 2001 and the second track of their debut album, Hybrid Theory.

The original title for the song was "Plaster". The band say they created "One Step Closer" while struggling on "Runaway", the sixth track from Hybrid Theory. The single was released in 2001, achieving notable success in Australia, but moderate success in the UK and U.S.

There is a remix of "One Step Closer" on LP's remix album Reanimation (2002), titled "1Stp Klosr", done by The Humble Brothers and Korn's lead singer, Jonathan Davis. This remix was preceded by its "demo version" of the remix (included as an easter egg on Linkin Park's DVD, Frat Party at the Pankake Festival) and a radio edit version of that demo. Furthermore, Collision Course (2004) features a mash-up of the original song with "Points of Authority" and Jay-Z's "99 Problems".

"One Step Closer" features Mike Shinoda rapping a few lines during the chorus, under Bennington saying "Everything you say to me" and "I need a little room to breathe".

Until 2007, Linkin Park has closed every concert to date with it, excluding Live 8 and their live performance at Summer Sonic. From 2003 onwards, when "One Step Closer" is played live, it is extended. Like "With You", this song is always played live with parts from the version on "Reanimation"; after the second chorus, before the bridge, the band builds up hype for Bennington's "Shut up!" refrain by playing Jonathan Davis' verse on the "reanimated" version, where Bennington does the singing; he then says "Blood is pouring" four times and then does the "Shut up!" part. On occasion, Shinoda sings "Blood is pouring" under Bennington's screaming during this part, as is done by Jonathan Davis on the remix. This is half-done on the performance at 2004's Rock AM Ring (in that Shinoda only sings the part during the second half of the bridge) and fully done during a performance during 2003's Projekt Revolution tour, which was recorded and included on the "Faint" 2 single and is available as a bonus track for Reanimation when purchased on iTunes. On the single cover, it is called '"One Step Closer" (Reanimated Live)'. During the 2005 lives in Japan, the Reanimation bridge was played with the main riff of the song. In the first shows of 2007 onwards, One Step Closer is played as the opening song.

Prior to "Reanimation", during the 2001 MTV VMA's, when Linkin Park performed "One Step Closer", they had The X-Ecutioners do an extended break before the bridge. This part was somewhat similar to the atmosphere on the remix, with synth parts and faint vocal parts being scratched.

Der Arbeitstitel war "Plaster". Die Band selber sagt aus, "One Step Closer" wäre, während sie sich mit "Runaway" abmühten, dem 6. Song von Hybrid Theory, entstanden. Die Single wurde 2001 veröffentlicht, in Australien gab es bemerkenswerten Erfolg, aber nur dürftigen Erfolg in den USA und Großbritannien. Interessanter Fakt wird wohl sein und auch bleiben, dass einer der Freunde des Schulamokläufers Charles Andrew Williams (15 Jahre alt) (hat auf seiner Schule in Santee, Kalifornien, 2 Menschen getötet und 13 verletzt) der NBC Show 'Dateline' ausgesagt hat, dass Linkin Parks "One Step Closer" ihn zu dieser Schreckenstat geführt hat ("Everything you say takes me one step closer to the edge and I'm about to break" wären die angeblich auslösenden Zeilen gewesen). Die Aufnahmen zu dem Song wurden zunächst in Mike Shinodas Wohnung in der East Stocker Street 549 in Glendale, Kalifornien, gemacht. Dort waren allerdings wohl die Wände so dünn, dass sich die Nachbarn ab 22h regelmäßig mit den Worten "Shut up! I'm trying to sleep" beschwert haben sollen. Mike nahm diese Beschwerde jedoch positiv auf und formte daraus die legendäre "Shut up, when I'm talking to you"-Bridge. Außerdem haben sie sich seitdem 'The 10pm-stocker' genannt. Chester selber sagt aus, dass er in dem Song die Wut, die er während seiner Jugend hatte, wiedergibt bzw. ausdrückt.