WHY DOES EVERYBODY HATE NICKELBACK?

Canadian corporate-rockers Nickelback have experienced a couple of very tough months in the music media.

Firstly, Nickelback were voted the band with a musical soundtrack least likely to arouse “romantic feelings” between a man and a woman.

Secondly, the good folk of Detroit, Michigan have commenced a petition [some 40,000 + people!!] to remove Nickelback as the half-time entertainment during the upcoming NFL playoff between the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions.

Nickelback appear to have become the music media’s favourite whipping boys over the past 5 years; where does all of the “anti-Nickelback” sentiment emanate from?

Is it their music? In all fairness to Nickelback, their style of music is “rock by numbers”, full of power chords, big choruses and clichéd lyrics. Then again, the same can be said about Bon Jovi, however New Jersey’s finest [sorry, Bruce] don’t get anywhere near as much bad publicity as Nickelback.

Is it their band name? According to an urban myth, bass player Mike Kroeger coined the phrase “and here is your nickel back” when working for Starbucks as a teenager…

Is it their commercial success? 2005’s “All The Right Reasons” CD sold in excess of 6 million copies in the United States of America alone, which spells big numbers in an era of regressing recorded music sales. Let’s face it, the music of Nickelback appeals to many, many people.

Is it their nationality? It’s a North American thing; USA vs. Canada. Are the people of the 50 States jealous of their Northern neighbour’s huge success?

Is it Chad Kroeger’s hairstyle? The brown goatee beard and dyed-blonde front mullet is certainly unique, and in many cases represents one’s initial visual thought of Nickelback.

It doesn’t matter which way that you analyse the situation; someone started the “anti-Nickelback” phenomena and I’m keen to identify the individual! Whilst I doubt that the boys from Nickelback are unduly perturbed by all of this “talk” [any type of publicity is good publicity], it does seem strange that the ill feeling has grown to its present state.

I’m keen to read your comments about Nickelback, and whether anyone can source the original “anti-Nickelback” instigator!!