Why does Nickelback warrant such hate?

[TheBigJadowski]

It's a matter of two things really. Historically you look at the Rock bands that became popular, like the Beatles, Zeppelin, The Who, Elvis Presley, ZZ Top, Pink Floyd, Van Halen, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Journey, Judas Priest, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Grateful Dead, Black Sabbath, Scorpions and hell since they're from the same country -- Rush. You listen to the aforementioned, and you know their influences when listening to them, but yet at the same time they were very revolutionary and fresh in their time. They may have had some simple or basic songs on the radio, but they weren't afraid to go all out and take chances, like The Who's Quadrophenia or Iron Maiden's Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. Especially Rush.

However you look at Nickelback and see they're our generation's definitive Rock band so to speak, and their songs are so terribly generic. I very much doubt there will be a "Quadrophenia" or "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" for them.

And the second reason is, since they are so bland and vanilla, you have many music aficionados that would rather listen to something fresh and unique. There are much more better contemporary bands out there, sadly most of them aren't on the radio and are usually from Europe. Let alone the fact you may never see them in the top 40 for more than a week. That's the problem with Nickelback, it's a band that I don't think will inspire this generation or future generations to really take anything from their musicianship.

And that is why they are disliked, they're just a successful band that is much more mediocre and plain than it's predecessors.

 

[KarumaK]

They're a good example of sell-outs.

Their first two albums weren't that bad. Nothing special, but good for the pseudo-post-grunge it tried to be. After their third album was a smash hit, they just decided to go for radio friendly unit shifters.

Were they trying to be artists? If not I don't believe they would be sell-outs, they'd be people who did what they were trying to do.

 

[Skops]

Their music can be summed up into this: Hard-Rock square dancing.

 

[Raziel_Likes_Souls]

Maybe it's only me, but I only hate Chad Kroger. He is a douche of a vocalist. And they sound same-y. So there's that. But I don't mind an instrumental Burn It To The Ground.

 

[Spinozaad]

Were they trying to be artists? If not I don't believe they would be sell-outs, they'd be people who did what they were trying to do.

I personally reject the term 'artist', because I feel it's a load of bollocks. Adapting your music to fit contemporary taste, ensuring you to make lots of money is, in my eyes, a good definition of 'selling out' as any other.

 

[goldenjester]

I think that like everyone else said; their music is rather samey, and quite average. Therein lies the problem; many people on The Escapist seem to enjoy unique/lesser-known/alternative bands, across a wide spectrum of genres. Personally, I hate Nickelback because they represent everything that's wrong with the music industry; genuinely good bands with unique sounds spend years in obscurity, never achieving real success. However, due to the mainstream, label-based music industry practically in the pocket of Clear Channel Communications, mediocre "safe-bet" bands gain all the fame. As a result, since Nickelback represents the music industry to me, I lash out against them. In all honesty, I love their drummer, and I wish he'd be a bit more live Travis Barker; working with other bands/projects just because he can.

 

[Manhattan2112]

Don't quote me on this (No, actually feel free to quote me on this, haha) but I believe they don't even write their own music. Their own samey music. That's why they draw so much hate. They're average, and they still can't pull that off without help.

 

[Nazulu]

It's just one of those average things being praised as the best thing ever, well it was at some point. Whenever something gets rubbed in everyone's face as truly great then it's also going to disappoint a lot and it will receive as much criticism as it does praise.

Frankly they're nothing special to me, I like some of their songs but I just reckon there is so much better out there.

 

[GammaZord]

Their lyrics are beyond terrible. If they're not incredibly cheesy ("If nobody lied then that would be the day that nobody died" or some shit) then they're incredibly forced ("you look so much cuter with something in ur mouth" wtf).

Also Chad's voice sounds like he's doing a parody on himself.

 

[Disaster Button]

To me they sound untalented. Their songs have no lyrical jazz to it and their music is completely uninspired, everything sounds the same. That and the lead singers vocals sound as though someone is doing a parody of the most cliche'd awful voice to have in a rock band.

 

[Wardnath]

I think that like everyone else said; their music is rather samey, and quite average. Therein lies the problem; many people on The Internet seem to enjoy unique/lesser-known/alternative bands, across a wide spectrum of genres. Personally, I hate Nickelback because they represent everything that's wrong with the music industry; genuinely good bands with unique sounds spend years in obscurity, never achieving real success. However, due to the mainstream, label-based music industry practically in the pocket of Clear Channel Communications, mediocre "safe-bet" bands gain all the fame. As a result, since Nickelback represents the music industry to me, I lash out against them. In all honesty, I love their drummer, and I wish he'd be a bit more live Travis Barker; working with other bands/projects just because he can.

Fixed that for ya.

 

[Nihilism_Is_Bliss]

Hinder sounds like Nickelback.
I hate hinder.
I hate hinder because they sound like Nickelback.

 

[snow]

I hate them for a different reason than everyone else here, so cookies for me I guess...

I didn't mind them (Didn't listen to them either) until I started going out with my girlfriend, seems like just about every last person in this huge family of hers blasts this bands "music" wherever they go, and after that, I now curse their very name forever...

 

[sivlin]

Personally, I always know if a song on the Radio is them. That's how samey all their songs sound to me.

See, I can do that with just about any band that I know so that argument doesn't really sit too well with me. All the time I hear songs I've never heard before but am able to figure out who sings it based upon the sound of the band. I'd say the large majority of artists develop a sound and stick to it. Sure, there can be some variation but if they just radically change their musical style then they almost aren't even the same band anymore.

 

[Booze Zombie]

Nickleback (apparently) have become standard, from what little I have heard of them.

They seem to pop up whenever a movie needs some "awesome" (awesome like it's trying to be awesome) music, too, which probably doesn't help raise opinion of them much.

All in all though, they're a non-issue to me, they pop up every now and then, I don't really listen and they've obviously made money, no one's really complaining.
That said, I've never noted their music in an exceptional film, just thought I would note that.

 

[Explosm]

I quote somebody half mindedly here.

"Because they are bland as mr blandy bland blanderson?"

I cant remember how that went but i lol'd

 

[AbsoluteVirtue18]

I like them, but that's me.

Also Rhapsody of Fire are awesome!

 

[Bat Vader]

In my opinion I think Nickelback is a good band and I like a lot of their songs. Why do a lot of people hate them? Mainly because some people have the opinion that Nickelback is bad and it is a valid opinion.

Some people like Nickelback and some people don't.

 

[Revolutionary]

nothin particuarlly abot them. Just something that got recycled.

 

[wkrepelin]

I can't be certain but I think it's because a lot of people dislike their music and, hence, think that they suck. xD