About Nickelback...

Exploring why this band is hated so much.

Alright, so this will probably ruffle some feathers or peak some interests. I’ve pondered this question for awhile. Why does EVERYONE HATE Nickelback? I’ve never really got a satisfactory answer. Some people explained it was a South Park meme, but I’m not entirely convinced of that. I can’t say I’ve seen it or really know what that’s referring to.

So today, we’re going to explore the most hated band, just for a few moments. They’ve had some cringe hits, surely. “Photograph” and some of the other big hits are way overplayed. I’ll grant anyone that. But what about some of their discography that’s not quite as explored? In my humble opinion…

It’s totally worth checking out.

But if you don’t believe me, check out their cover of "Sad But True". You can’t say they didn’t do a good job. Chad’s voice actually does that style of Metallica pretty well. Okay, so now what about original Nickelback?

Try their heavier single, "San Quentin". I know I saw a metal channel react to this song pretty favorably, and I definitely did when the intro kicked in. It’s heavy. It almost makes me think of a modern day metal Sammy Hagar. It’s a fun tune too.

So we can go back an album. "Feed The Machine" the title track off of their 20117 album. The main riff is super groovy and catchy. The whole song reminds me of a Bad Wolves song. You can call it a knock on Bad Wolves, but I think it’s a compliment. The solo in the song rips. Some tremolo picking and wah-accented bends. After the solo, there’s one of those clap-along and sing along parts. I dig it, a lot.

Okay, so if you’re still not sold… At least let me tell you who these guys undoubtedly received some influence from…

That’s right. The greatest effin’ metal band ever.

On what grounds do I say that Nickelback was undoubtedly influenced by Pantera? There was a track off of their 2005 album “All The Right Reasons”, called “Side of a Bullet”. Dime’s brother, the great Vinnie Paul had given the band permission to use unused solos that Dime had recorded on THAT song! Which was really cool.

As of the time I’m writing this too, a little Google search with some AI assistance had pulled up Nickelback’s cover of “Saturday’s Alright for Fighting”. Who did this song feature? None other than Dimebag himself. That’s why the solo in that cover just RIPS.

So now what?

Like I said earlier in the article, maybe all the Nickelback hate is a meme. My singer despises them, but my drummer and I love them. Am I telling you to go out and buy a Nickelback shirt to wear everywhere you go? Nah, I’m just saying it’s worth checking them out because they have some seriously good tunes. I never harbored hatred towards them, but after giving some of their lesser known tracks some good spin time, I couldn’t understand how people could hate them as much as they do.

So, in conclusion, it’s worth listening to a few of their tunes and truly deciding for you.

Thanks for reading, hopefully it was at least entertaining.

As always,
Kyle, with “The Great Megalodon”.