Nickelback is the most polarizing entity in the rock industry. The band has had really bad luck in terms of the criticism that they have received.
There are people and fans who love their songs and at the same time they have drawn immense hate from hardcore rock fans who were disappointed with the band.
Commercially, the band was a huge success. The numbers don’t lie; they have sold more than 50 million albums worldwide. So, in terms of getting rich the band executed the job to perfection.
However, what they had trouble earning was respect for the work they did. Somewhere I believe it wasn’t their fault entirely.
They signed with Road Runner Records in 1999 from where the problem started. This label was one that was known for signing heavy metal bands like Megadeth, Lamb of God etc.
Nickelback’s style of music was very different from these bands and fans of the bands who signed with this label just didn’t like Nickelback’s music.
Roadrunner Records knew about the public’s reaction to their newest rock band so they did pool in their resources to ensure the band’s commercial success.
Because of the financial investment, Nickelback achieved a great level of success with their albums. However instead of silencing the haters it just led to fans calling them a success because of the financial aid that they recieved.
Nickelback was a band that didn’t have a solidified style of rock music and lacked a core identity.
They just produced songs in a way that would be commercially profitable. Their songs would be on social causes and anything that would catch attention from the larger public.
Some of their songs would be played repeatedly on radio which apparently people got tired of listening to. Their music started to seem like it was mundane and boring.
The band received criticism and hate from not only the general public listening to rock music but also notable celebrities like Dave Grohl from Foo Fighters who remarked that Nickelback’s music when played backwards had messages from the devil but sounded even worse when played the normal way.
The hate for the band has been on since a very long time and is active even today. There are countless forums on social media platforms like Reddit, Quora and many more where people talk about why they despise their music and how the band lacks talent.
However, there are a few songs by the band that I liked listening to which I have mentioned below.
1. Lullaby
2. How You Remind Me
3. Savin Me
Whatever said and done, Nickelback was a success. They made their mark in the music world. Chad Kroegar’s influence and identity is solidified. He helped one of my favorite bands ‘My Darkest Days’ to break into the mainstream and has contributed a lot for the music world.
Anyway, so that was the story of Nickelback. Let me know your opinions in the comments below.
