So what is behind hating Nickelback, anyway?

[xiphias]

Of course I know that Nickelback is a punchline. But I wasn't really sure why. So I decided to listen to some of their music and see if it was really that bad.

The first one I found is a song that I already like and didn't know what theirs, "How You Remind Me". So, what's behind the hate? Is it just a bandwagon thing?

Comments

[sarianna.livejournal.com]

http://accordingtomyblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/10-reasons-why-nickelback-is-worst-band.html

[ron_newman]

I have no answer, but the reaction to Nickelback reminds me of earlier musical generations' hate objects such as Journey and the final version of Starship (no longer 'Jefferson').

[tylik.livejournal.com]

You should do a search on and download

Nickleback - How You Remind Me Of Someday

...you're welcome. (Or not, depending. I'll enjoy it in either case.)

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

Ages ago, I came to the conclusion that hating bands for anything but subjective reasons was bollocks and decided that there were two, maybe 3 genres of music. There's Stuff I Like and Stuff I Don't Like (with the 3rd possible genre being Stuff I Haven't Heard Yet So I Don't Know).

If you like it, listen to it and enjoy it.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

None of those answer the question, though. They say that Nickelback is bad because lots of people say they are bad, which I already knew. But it doesn't say WHY lots of people say they are bad. It seems like hating Nickelback is a cultural identifier rather than a thing which has anything to do with Nickelback.

[absurdhero.livejournal.com]

In my youth I liked them and actually purchased and listened to their first big album The State. After that, eh... Silver Side Up (where "How You Remind Me" came from) was mainstream but overall tolerable, and then they devolved into a derivative echo chamber rehashing their old stuff.

Ultimately I think the main reason people don't like them isn't the music, it's the image of the quintessential greasy douchebag that Chad Kroeger represents.

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

All their music sounds the same. They have made a lot of money playing the same song over and over and over again. (There is a youtube video somewhere of "how to write a Nickleback song" that is pretty spot on.)

They are ubiquitous on Canadian radio so if you don't like them they are hard to get away from. (Also true of Bryan Adams who I also hate.)

Honestly my biggest objection to bands like Nickleback is that they are resoundingly mediocre and there are some amazingly talented and hard-working Canadian musicians who get no exposure or airplay.

[kdsorceress.livejournal.com]

I really quite like your icon.

[absurdhero.livejournal.com]

Thanks, seemed appropriate for the subject. :)

[kdsorceress.livejournal.com]

My best guess is it's a mainstream thing. They are popular and played a lot so it is fun to hate them because they have "more exposure than talent" or whatever.

(I have gotten out of the music-hating game ever since I realized I quite liked ke$ha. Which does not mean I don't wince when my students ask me to put on Justin Beiber, but a lot of that is just because I find him largely reprehensible as a *person*, his music's not all that awful really. I like highly packaged pop!)

[ellettra.livejournal.com]

I always wondered this too. Aside from being nothing especially special, I don't get the hate. Also, I refuse to judge people on their musical tastes.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

The best exercise music I have is Britney Spears and Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga's music is usually more complex and lyrically inventive, but they are both a lot of fun, and make cardio possible.

[embryomystic.livejournal.com]

I really don't like the one song that they keep writing new lyrics to, but I guess the main thing is that Chad Kroeger is an abhorrent human being.