Why does Nickelback suck so bad?

[carlfense]

"Nickleback" is actually Algonquin for "the band who sucks so bad."

[ZRod]

The king of simplicity is Three Days Grace. If that's the sole benchmark, they're worse than Nickelback.

 

Nickelback's lyrics are also lame/boring/overdone, etc. Most of their songs are about sex, drugs or some other pop-culture topic.

 

They're good at making money, just not good at making music.

Maybe of modern rock, but the real kings of simplicity are AC/DC three chord riffs, guitar solos, and lyrics laced with sexual overtones sums up almost every song. Yet just about everyone loves them and they have a lot of classic hits. Now that I think about it you could argue that Nickelback is the modern AC/DC without the staying power or classic sound. Honestly AC/DC is the only band that is allowed to sound the same on every single album and get away with it, yet Nickelback does the same thing and people hate them. It's just music I guess it's finicky stuff.

 

And I won't lie I do like a lot of Nickelback songs and I did go to their concert in Omaha a few years back, and they are actually pretty good live, but I'm really not a fan of most of their newer stuff. Like everybody has said they seem to just be treading over the same old ground every album now.

[ShawnWatson]

People can't handle their heavy metal style and face melting guitar solos.

[Ratt Mhule]

I have seen them three times in concert and possibly a fourth time when they come to Omaha in June. I like their concerts and its funny because so many people claim they hate them, yet they sell out Quest/CenturyLink everytime they come to Omaha. Two of my favorite songs ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6jzC04zFjE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEMiLu72LJg

[Enhance]

I was going to go to their concert last year, but only because I really wanted to see the opening bands. I then saw the ticket price, sequentially shat myself, and didn't go.

[PaulCrewe]

Canadians

DAMMIT!!!! That was what I was going to go with.

 

OK, Nickleback sucks because.........they're Canadians.......oops wait......they suck because.......Po likes them. Yeah there it is.

[JJ Husker]

Personally I think it is more a case of it being considered acceptable to say you hate Nickleback rather them necessarily sucking that bad. Why them? I don't know. I think a lot of people who have specific or more nuanced tastes like to bag on bands like Nickleback even though they don't like any similar music. Kind of an anti-establishment, anti-popular sentiment. Musically speaking they aren't breaking any new ground and a lot of their stuff does sound similar. I like them ok, have about 8-10 of their songs, from 4 different albums, on my iPod. But I don't like them enough to have whole albums or all of their songs. I think my favorite, at least lately, is Burn it to the Ground. But, I also really like AC/DC and most of their stuff sounds the same too.

[Apathy]

I have seen them three times in concert and possibly a fourth time when they come to Omaha in June. I like their concerts and its funny because so many people claim they hate them, yet they sell out Quest/CenturyLink everytime they come to Omaha. Two of my favorite songs ever.

Those two are some of my favorite Nickleback songs. I don't hate Nickelback and I actually like a lot of their music, not all of them, but a lot. I've really never understood this too and actually had a conversation about this with my brother-in-law (who listens to rap most of the time) on our way to the UFC fights in Omaha and he never understood it too because he enjoys their music and their concerts.

 

I've been to two Nickelback concerts and enjoyed both of them. I saw Thornley, Puddle of Mudd, Nickelback, and 3 Doors Down (performing in that order) and I thought Nickelback was the best one out of all four bands. Nickelback puts a lot of extra accessories into their concerts like pyro and fireworks that most well known rock bands don't do and/or hardly ever done. I love going to rock concerts when they have fireworks and pyro its an added plus and Nickelback did this everytime.

 

I used this song for the slide show of my wife and I throughout the years at my wedding and its one of my favorite Nickelback songs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGZfJYOQ8O8

[knapplc]

I just realized I still have two Nickelback songs on my player here. "This is How You Remind Me" and "Too Bad."

So I guess I'm still a fan.

[Apathy]

This used to be my wifes ringtone whenever she called me........she didn't think it was too funny

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-TvAqv43p4

[Ratt Mhule]

I have seen them three times in concert and possibly a fourth time when they come to Omaha in June. I like their concerts and its funny because so many people claim they hate them, yet they sell out Quest/CenturyLink everytime they come to Omaha. Two of my favorite songs ever.

Those two are some of my favorite Nickleback songs. I don't hate Nickelback and I actually like a lot of their music, not all of them, but a lot. I've really never understood this too and actually had a conversation about this with my brother-in-law (who listens to rap most of the time) on our way to the UFC fights in Omaha and he never understood it too because he enjoys their music and their concerts.

 

I've been to two Nickelback concerts and enjoyed both of them. I saw Thornley, Puddle of Mudd, Nickelback, and 3 Doors Down (performing in that order) and I thought Nickelback was the best one out of all four bands. Nickelback puts a lot of extra accessories into their concerts like pyro and fireworks that most well known rock bands don't do and/or hardly ever done. I love going to rock concerts when they have fireworks and pyro its an added plus and Nickelback did this everytime.

 

I used this song for the slide show of my wife and I throughout the years at my wedding and its one of my favorite Nickelback songs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGZfJYOQ8O8

 

Forgot about this song from Dark Horse. Also one of my favorites.

 

Also a great song from Dark Horse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeNTNlOIz_0

[PaulCrewe]

Best Nickleback song EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u2oCrA38h4

[AR Husker Fan]

Nickelback is representative of a phenomenon that's existed since rock/pop began - the more successful the band, the more backlash (that's not a universal constant, but the trend certainly is there). The Beatles, at one time, had that kind of backlash, particularly as they evolved their sound. So did Led Zep, or any other band that gets tons of airplay (if you weren't around when "Stairway to Heaven" was being played every 15 minutes on every radio station in America, you may not believe it, but it was true). And I think that's the real "cause" - overexposure. When someone or some band dominates the airwaves, people naturally get tired of the sound and want change. The popularity makes them an easy target.

 

Nickelback has developed a niche, and hasn't varied from it. Given how popular they were - meaning, how much airplay they got - their music probably does seem repetitive. But in reality, how many bands evolve their sounds much? With one notable exception (The Beatles), any band that is successful and tries to change their "formula" fails. If you like a band, it's for their signature sound, and you want them to continue in that vein. If they change, you don't like it.

 

Nickelback isn't really any worse than most bands - they were overexposed because they do produce radio-friendly songs. And their album sales demonstrate that their sound still resonates with a LOT of listeners.

[PaulCrewe]

Nickelback is representative of a phenomenon that's existed since rock/pop began - the more successful the band, the more backlash (that's not a universal constant, but the trend certainly is there). The Beatles, at one time, had that kind of backlash, particularly as they evolved their sound. So did Led Zep, or any other band that gets tons of airplay (if you weren't around when "Stairway to Heaven" was being played every 15 minutes on every radio station in America, you may not believe it, but it was true). And I think that's the real "cause" - overexposure. When someone or some band dominates the airwaves, people naturally get tired of the sound and want change. The popularity makes them an easy target.

 

Nickelback has developed a niche, and hasn't varied from it. Given how popular they were - meaning, how much airplay they got - their music probably does seem repetitive. But in reality, how many bands evolve their sounds much? With one notable exception (The Beatles), any band that is successful and tries to change their "formula" fails. If you like a band, it's for their signature sound, and you want them to continue in that vein. If they change, you don't like it.

 

Nickelback isn't really any worse than most bands - they were overexposed because they do produce radio-friendly songs. And their album sales demonstrate that their sound still resonates with a LOT of listeners.

Damn you AR and your sense of rationalism and reality......damn you to hell

[strigori]

Nickelback is representative of a phenomenon that's existed since rock/pop began - the more successful the band, the more backlash (that's not a universal constant, but the trend certainly is there). The Beatles, at one time, had that kind of backlash, particularly as they evolved their sound. So did Led Zep, or any other band that gets tons of airplay (if you weren't around when "Stairway to Heaven" was being played every 15 minutes on every radio station in America, you may not believe it, but it was true). And I think that's the real "cause" - overexposure. When someone or some band dominates the airwaves, people naturally get tired of the sound and want change. The popularity makes them an easy target.

 

Nickelback has developed a niche, and hasn't varied from it. Given how popular they were - meaning, how much airplay they got - their music probably does seem repetitive. But in reality, how many bands evolve their sounds much? With one notable exception (The Beatles), any band that is successful and tries to change their "formula" fails. If you like a band, it's for their signature sound, and you want them to continue in that vein. If they change, you don't like it.

 

Nickelback isn't really any worse than most bands - they were overexposed because they do produce radio-friendly songs. And their album sales demonstrate that their sound still resonates with a LOT of listeners.

Sums up a lot of my opinion of them. I'm a bit of a music nut, 8k or so tracks (something like 500-600 CDs, I do get the hard copy 99% of the time) and I do have a few of thier CDs. Stuff of thiers I tend to listen to is often not the radio singles, in large part to the over exposure. Though rationally I don't understand the hate.

 

They do have a talent for writing a good 'hook' and that has made them a mountain of money. Song structure wise they are pretty simple. pop music really. Simple note/chord/power chord set up with alternating verse and chorus. No real solos to speak of on any instrument (this part is why some hate them) I would note however that within the pro music scene (bands who tour and record for a living) they are not hated and actually have quite a bit of respect. They (or sometimes just the singer Chad Kroger) show up in a lot of bands' thank yous in the album jacket. And do give credit that they write all of thier own songs unlike the vast majority of pop or country 'musicians'