Nickelback + 3 Words = Success.

Ah, the Nickelback Attack.  One of the most widely used three-word phrases next to "I love you". 

"I hate Nickelback".

But it's alright; we'll let you carelessly toss around those three words.  Only because we know you are confused.  Deep down we all know what you really mean.

It's okay, really!

It's a fad.  Something all them cool kids do.  What?? You hate Nickelback??  OMG, Me too!! 

What's equally entertaining is that those those statements of Anti-Nickelbackism are usually followed up with no reasoning and zero validity.  Except for perhaps one of the following:

"All their songs sound the same."
"I dunno...just because, they suck."
"Chad Kroeger is a douchebag."

First of all, it's called mainstream rock.  Mainstream - equaling what is unthreatening and familiar to the masses.  Commercial.   And if that's not true, and the music doesn't actually appeal to anyone, then Nickelback would not continually play to sold out stadiums.  Of course the songs are similar in fashion.  That's their writing style.  It's too simple?  You don't need a Zakk Wylde guitar solo to make a hit song.  Any musician will tell you that you can write a hit song with 3 chords or less.  The Beatles did it.  The White Stripes did it in less than 3 chords.  And what's more, is that most common folk prefer music that's simple and makes sense.  The average music consumer has an attention span of practically nil.  Too much, and the A.D.D. kicks in.  Nickelback is a master of the hook.

There is always the argument that they take the same riff, same structure, and mix it up.  A) If you actually listen, it's not true, and B) they can do it - because you keep buying it.

Do you hear that indie scarf rock band or southern metal band playing on commercial radio day in and day out?  Nope. But if the whole world decided that they started liking it, you probably would.

As of right now, Nickelback appeals to the masses.  And that's just the way it is.

Secondly, they don't suck.  Have you been to a live show?  You can feel the pyro melt your face from five miles away.  Not only that, but they play their own instruments (I know, get outta town, right!?).  Easy enough, but they do it while dodging dynamite.  Perhaps they don't have the most complicated of songs.  Nonetheless, playing to tens of thousands of people night after night, no matter how simple the song, is not an easy feat.  The last Nickelback concert I attended, I sat in the sound booth - and let me tell you, there's a lot going on.  Nickelback's FOH Engineer, Orris Henry, is a master of the board...and does a mighty fine job at it too.

I would love to see a Nickelback hater get up on stage and do what they do.  Be careful not to melt your face off!

Lastly...Chad Kroeger is a d-bag.  Really?! And why shouldn't he be?  He's got thousands of people that hate him for no real reason.  And even if he is...who cares.  The guy is swimming in cash partly thanks to all the free marketing Nickelback haters provide.  Ingenious - in my opinion.

And very lastly, if everyone that claimed to hate Nickelback really did - they wouldn't be Billboard's Top Band of the Decade.  They wouldn't sell millions of albums.  They wouldn't sell out stadiums in less than five minutes.  And they wouldn't do it over, and over again. 

Someone is secretly liking Nickelback, methinks.  You can come out of the closet already.

By the way, 'haters', see you at the concert :)

TM