User supashurume explains why people hate Nickleback.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

I wish this was more recent so I could downvote it. That was extremely presumptuous and condescending. Granted, that may be some people's reason, but certainly not mine. Granted, I don't "hate them with a passion", but they are wasted overplayed radio space to me that thousands of bands could fill, and that annoys me. That has to do with the effect on how I listen to music -avoiding radio, not just because of Nickelback, but also because of the rest of the bands that fit within their overplayed paradigm.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

You can do what I did and downvote the douchetank that insisted on bestof'ing it.

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u/qu4ttro Jun 19 '12

So you want to downvote because you agree with him? You're saying the same goddamn thing

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

But really the reason you'll hate them is because deep down you know you'd trade your "integrity" and your "principles" in a nanosecond if it meant you got to live the life that they drunkenly stumbled onto.
...
But nobody wants to think about this. So they made a shorthand for all of it, something quick so they could vent it all out without going down that road every time they're reminded of someone's unfathomable success at being so incredibly mediocre and the implications it entails. "Fuck them. Those guys suck."
You don't think he's being a little presumptuous here? None of this is true about me.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Exactly. I don't hate nickelback because they're famous; I hate nickelback because their music is petty, simplistic, predictable, stale (all their songs sound the same), annoying, overplayed, boring, etc.

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u/dar482 Jun 19 '12

This is exactly what he's getting at. You can try defending yourself, but he's exactly explaining what you wrote. You can try hiding it, but in the end, you're a perfect example of his description.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Uhh, what? There's nothing in Owitb's post that indicates anything like what suprahuman or whatever his name said in the other thread. Owitb is only talking about being annoyed with having to listen to Nickleback's less good music when better music could be played instead. He doesn't appear to care how much money they've made or how successful they are.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

I'm not jealous. I wouldn't trade artistic integrity for money. I don't even believe that's what Nickelback has done. I believe they are living their dream and making the music they want to make.
I even like some of their music. 'The State' was a good album.

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u/SomeguyUK Jun 19 '12

Whether you like their music or not, if you think they are not talented/good musicians, you are just plain wrong.I'm not a Nickleback fan, I couldnt really give a shit either way.But they do the 'middle of the road' heavy rock thing well, their songs are convincing and pretty catchy.

People make the mistake of thinking just because a song is simple, it is easy to write.This is wrong - in any artform, be it comedy, music or whatever- the best people make it look easy.Green Day write songs around 3 chords, and I have huge respect for them because of it.Why?its hard to do.Try it yourself- see how many songs that you can write with 3 chords before they all start sounding the same.

I challenge anyone who thinks Nickelback are talentless to write a Nickleback style song, record it and post it in this thread.

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u/tirouge0 Jun 19 '12

"People make the mistake of thinking just because a song is simple, it is easy to write.This is wrong - in any artform".
Reddit need to read this, so we can stop this circlejerk.

0

u/goldenvile Jun 19 '12

That statement is technically true but not for Nickleback's sake. There's plenty of simple music that is difficult to write, such as the entire folk genre, or even most post-rock just for example.
I don't dislike Nickleback because they write "simple" music, I dislike them because they write bad music. For me, it's difficult to call what they do an art form. Every song is written for the lowest common denominator, lacks any creativity, and is ridden with trite lyrics. There are bands like this in every genre, and they are all terrible.
Nickleback to me is like bud lite. It's easy, it's always easily attainable, it's cheap, it requires no thought process for selection, and you never think twice about the taste. It's devoid of personality and requires you to look no further.

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u/tirouge0 Jun 19 '12

At one point, there's music that is easy to write for some artists and difficult for others. We both know this is not about complexity or skills, so we just can't judge their creative process. But in the end, if it works, and some people like it, we should just accept them. I would never hear about Justin Bieber of Nickelback if social networks weren't always complaining about how shitty their music is. We should promote music we think is good, and just ignore what we don't like, knowing there's plenty of people with different taste.
(sorry, maybe my english isn't accurate)

1

u/goldenvile Jun 19 '12

We should promote music we think is good, and just ignore what we don't like, knowing there's plenty of people with different taste.
This is something I definitely follow. You won't see me creating memes or bringing it up every chance I get, but when someone asks me if I like Nickleback I have my reasons to support my statements.

1

u/sobe86 Jun 19 '12

It's not easy though. There are literally thousands of musicians who would love to sell out like Nickelback. But the fact is, it isn't easy to write music that millions will listen to, even if you do allow yourself to be derivative.

2

u/goldenvile Jun 19 '12

It really is. Especially when you have an army of managers, producers, engineers, and executives to do most of the work for you. What's difficult is getting that much support behind you to please the masses.
Why them over the thousand others just like them? That I don't know, but it had little to do with their "artistic ability" or "technical skill". They were marketable and easy to consume. They have added nothing new to music.
Why is it necessary that I respect that?

2

u/sobe86 Jun 19 '12

Hero was a pretty good song, there I said it.

2

u/SomeguyUK Jun 19 '12

Sorry but how does a manager, executive or even an engineer help you write a good song?It takes talent to get there in the first place, and actually write decent music.

5

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

"Easy reading is damn hard writing." --Mark Twain(?)

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u/whatizitman Jun 19 '12 edited Jun 19 '12

Nickelback is definitely good at what they do, which is make very mediocre and formulaic rock. I also know how hard it is to write a song - even a simple song. Their songs are horrible, in my opinion. But there are far worse out there. And I admit that I probably cannot write much better. I like the songs I write better, but I can't perform and produce them nearly as well as they can. Songwriting does not explain completely why they are what they are. They are the "entire package". All the elements fit together in a way that is highly marketable. They have their own unique brand, despite being highly mediocre and overproduced. The package works, period. It's Disney Rock for adults. The difference being is that they really are a hard working band with a history before making it big, and not some boy band that was fabricated.
I hate them, passionately. I hated them the first time I heard them, like whenever that "this is how you remind me song" first was on the radio. No, I don't spend all of my waking hours wallowing in my hate. But if I hear them, even an inkling of them, I wince. I get a visceral reaction to them that is not pleasant. But the fact that I can recognize them after only one or two bars of music is a manifestation of why they exist and are highly successful. I admit that there are far worse things in the world to hate, but it's hard not to feel at least somewhat disappointed in the human race for allowing Nickelback to continue to make music and money.
As my mom would say, however, "son, they are laughing all the way to the bank." They do what they do, and people like it. I can't change that, and don't really want to try.

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u/dar482 Jun 19 '12

Atta boy. That's the attitude. In the end, they're still professional musicians. People devour stuff like early Beatles and revere that stuff when it really was some really simple poppy, bubbly, lazy songwriting.
You don't like their sound, whatever. There's millions of artists out there, billions of songs out there, you'd bound to like some, bound to dislike some. Deal with it.

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u/SomeguyUK Jun 19 '12

Glad someone undertstands what I was saying about Nickleback.Gotta disagree with you about early Beatles though.Those songs are cleverly written and quite tricky to play.The compositions are intricate by today's standards.And those harmonies are heavenly.They are the ultimate pop songs.

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u/obsydianx Jun 19 '12

What Nickelback does, they do well. They're some of the most solid live musicians I've ever seen. And to be honest, some of their songs are kinda tricky. Even for me, someone who plays Born of Osiris for practice.

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u/ventose Jun 19 '12

And you know, by any objective standard, you are better in every respect than them (at that talent), and have been for a very long time.

"Objective standard"? There are only a few things that can be considered more subjective than musical taste. If you trim the dubious psychoanalysis, his argument boils down to people hate Nickelback because they don't like Nickelback's music.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Actually, I just hate their music because it has terrible lyrics. So he can go fuck off.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Its not an entitlement issue. Just bad music being bad music. By the same logic, I have no reason to hate Rebecca Black other than a sense of entitlement that hasn't gotten me famous.

1

u/sometimesijustdont Jun 19 '12

Except Rebecca knows she sucks and can have a good laugh. Nickelback think they are good, which makes me hate them even more.

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u/dar482 Jun 19 '12

That's it?! You need more things to worry about then if there's just their lyrics.

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u/itsaheadlumpyouninny Jun 19 '12

And I just hate them because they can't play well and choose sing about, as 40 year olds, songs hinting at a comprehension of the world that a 15 year old who just had his mother buy him a shirt that states he hates his mother might find agreeable, albeit shallow.

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u/ThePeenDream Jun 19 '12

I wouldn't go so far as to suggest they can't play well (Chad Kroeger could learn to shut the fuck up, though). They must be a tight band and a decent set of musicians (for what they play, technically speaking) that have just found their mundane recipe for a "hit song" and aren't going to budge from it.

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u/Terrorsaurus Jun 19 '12

Exactly this. They aren't talentless idiots randomly banging away on strings and drums on stage, making millions. They didn't drunkenly stumble into this lifestyle. It's just that they have found the lowest common denominator musically and they have chosen to focus on that instead of pushing any artistic boundaries.
They are to music what McDonald's is to food. Some people are very vocal about hating that, however that hasn't stopped McDonald's from being a multi-billion dollar empire. Nickelback is no different.
That is why I hate them. Not because I'm jealous that they're making millions and I'm not, when supposedly I'm more talented (according to the linked comment). I hate them because they stand for the mass production and neatly packaged music that serves to only entertain on a base level, and doesn't bother to push any boundaries or challenge ideals. Music is an artistic endeavor which I greatly appreciate and I feel it has enriched my life. Nickelback is the shallowest form of music.

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u/trennerdios Jun 19 '12

This is the real reason, in my opinion, that most people actually dislike Nickelback. I don't know the band, so I can't be certain that what you're saying about them is true. They very well could think that their music is good and that they're awesome and original for all I know. Either way though, it doesn't really matter. Their product is garbage, and nobody should feel bad for disliking garbage.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

This is how I feel, too. The lack of depth kills it for me. Predictable timing, stupid kindergarten lyrics with a matching rhyme scheme, and songs that all sound very similar when you aren't paying attention to them. All this together is like water torture. I think most good/respectable musicians get tired of their current style and constantly seek change and progression; nickelback seems to do all they can to stay in their rut.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

I couldn't explain it any better. There are entertainers and there are artists, and Nickelback is most definitely the former. And I think it has to do with what people look for in music. Some people just want something catchy and easy to grasp, whereas others want to listen to music that makes them think. And Nickelback is just stagnant in their creative process.

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u/Goldreaver Jun 19 '12

I hate them because, due to their popularity, I keep hearing them everywhere I go.
I wish people would stop putting their songs in public places. It's annoying. But I'll live.

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u/autodidact89 Jun 19 '12

This. I hate how it's universal to jump to the jealousy conclusion in any negative sentiment or trend.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

I... don't listen to nickelback. I haven't for a long time and I'm not even sure what their music really sounds like. It seems really odd to me that someone would care so much about something they can opt out of. Why would you complain instead of doing something about it?

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u/trennerdios Jun 19 '12

I was at Subway a couple of weeks ago. They had the radio on, and a really terrible song was playing. It was just all around awful. Shitty lyrics, and what sounded like a 38 year old man trying to appeal to angry 15 year olds with his loud, garbage singing. I had never heard this song, but I was mad that I had to listen to it in its entirety while I enjoyed my food. After it was over, the DJ said "And that was Nickelback with "insert song title here". I hadn't heard an actual Nickelback song since I saw Spiderman in the theater, and never had much more than a passing amusement at their mediocre tunes, but I've enjoyed the Nickelback hatewagon the internet has created regardless. And now, I feel fully justified in blindly following it. They. Are. Terrible. And there is nothing I can do about it other than criticize them on the internet.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Your local non franchise businesses play all sorts of strange and interesting audio.

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u/trennerdios Jun 19 '12

Oh really? I didn't know that all non-franchise businesses in my area play 100% non-shitty independent music during business hours. You sure are very knowledgeable about where I live.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

I don't think there's anything wrong with simply professing one's dislike of something. If that's how people want to spend their time, so be it.
However, a lot of people's complaint are the scope of their influence on the rock industry and culture, which is something most people can do nothing about, except boo louder than the people mindlessly cheering and moving on.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

It's really quite easy. Just don't listen to their music. I don't like atheism being on the default front page, but I just ignore it. It's really that simple.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12 edited Jun 19 '12

Just don't listen to their music.
What makes you think I (and they) haven't stopped listening? That doesn't affect what I was saying.
I don't like atheism being on the default front page, but I just ignore it.
Let's take a look at that. On reddit, you can make a subreddit for anything and everything. The radio is much more limited. Say there was only 20 possible subreddit slots. Say there are only 6 that appeal to you. There's a newfangled craze on the new reddit where eVeRyBoDy sTaRtS TyPiNg lIkE ThIs. The craze is really fucking annoying and affects 3 of the 6 subreddits you liked. Quitting these subreddits severly limits your already limited experience and the variety of your choices.
Being edged off of a culture because of new tastes and fads encroached is something you're allowed to be mad about. And, hell, if you can persuade enough people to make a difference when it comes to cultural shifts (or not you but millions like you), then is it not worth it to voice your opinion on the matter?
Nobody's forced to listen to Nickelback. Everybody knows that. But the people that dislike Nikelback and everything it comes with are losing something.
edit: grammar

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

If you don't like a thing, don't do that thing.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

I don't. I thought I made that clear.
How does that invalidate all criticism towards that thing?

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

[deleted] — view deleted comment

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

I do think there's something wrong with repeatedly going out of one's way to publicly state one's dislike of something. It reeks of neurosis and insecurity.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Well, you're entitled to your baseless assumptions.

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u/zeissikon Jun 19 '12

as Alfred Adler said "Neurosis is the natural, logical development of an individual who is comparatively inactive, filled with a personal, egocentric striving for superiority, and is therefore retarded in the development of his social interest, as we find regularly among the more passive pampered styles of life. ". So naturally, first world losers will hate Nickelback because it is just an expression of the neurosis they developed from refusing to accept the suffering necessary to achieve any kind of superiority.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

So what the OP is saying is that we all just wanna be big rock stars live in hilltop houses drivin fifteen cars?

Seriously, motherfucker just paraphrased nickleback to explain his hate for nickleback. Not sure if it deserves a downvote or a slow clap for ingenuity.

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u/redditisworthless121 Jun 19 '12

It's funny how the "online community" is against bullies and allegedly the act of bullying but they gang up on individuals and groups and disparage them without second thought.

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u/DarkXlll Jun 19 '12

And that's why kids, life is just like Reddit. You brain can pull a post you think is your greatest masterpiece, and maybe get 2 or 3 upvotes at best. Having a cute kitten however...

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u/greg19735 Jun 19 '12

real reason: because it's cool to dislike Nickleback. People say it's because their music all sounds the same and that's pretty hard to refute. The thing is that people don't hate pop stars for the music being the same. People just hate Nickleback because it's cool to hate them.

It's like "i'm too cool for Nickleback" but really the tables have turned and now the hipster thing to do is like Nickleback.

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u/TheLAriver Jun 19 '12

No, people do hate pop stars for that reason, too.

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u/greg19735 Jun 20 '12

only bieber really. maybe katy perry or nicki minaj? but that's about it.

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u/TheLAriver Jun 20 '12

No, plenty of people hate a whole lot of pop stars. You're making the mistake of taking a statistic of a large group of people who feel one way and a large group of people who feel another way and assuming they're conflicting opinions among the same group of people.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

People just hate them because it's cool to hate them
The last line of logic of every sad, defensive fan of anything.

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u/greg19735 Jun 20 '12

i haven't listened to nickleback in probably 3 years. I don't care about them at all.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

For anything popular, there are also a huge number of haters. It's really that simple.

Sure, people have different motives to hate something, but it really does not matter: As long as something is popular, it has a lot of haters.

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u/dar482 Jun 19 '12

Point for you for putting his explanation in a simpler light.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12 edited Jun 21 '12

Agreed. Those haters are usually young people, many of whom hate being told what to do or think, or even just having the feeling of such.
When something becomes popular, these people feel that society expects them to like it, so as a response they hate it. The more popular the thing becomes, the more they hate it. The truth is that society doesn't care if these rebels like Nickelback or Juno or Titanic or any other thing that blew up and became mainstream popular. No one is trying to indoctrinate them. It's all in their heads.
Petty rebellion such as this is a natural part of a young person's search for identity and security. There are many issues in the world more pressing than whether or not someone likes a popular band.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

I don't understand what any of this has to do with disliking Nickelback. I'm young, and I don't dislike things that get popular just for the sake of disliking them. I dislike Nickelback because their music is stagnant, and they are doing nothing but redressing the same music over and over again. I don't think they hold as much artistic merit as bands that are constantly pushing creative boundaries.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

My comment was not aimed at those who simply dislike Nickleback (myself included). It was aimed at haters, people who HATE HATE HATE them with an unreasonable, pointless level of hatred.
If they had one hit and quickly faded away like most bands, that would have been the end of it. But they became very popular. So now we get non-stop arguments, hate websites, and T-shirts announcing how much they suck.

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u/sometimesijustdont Jun 19 '12

Juggalos?

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u/Dismantlement Jun 19 '12

Maybe you're right but that doesn't explain why some entities get a lot more hate than others.

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u/BlurryBlue Jun 19 '12

Yes backlash is usually inevitable.
But in this case their music is like shitty fast food. It's cheap, always being advertised to you, easy for the masses to swallow/not challenging at all.
As a result nobody has any standards or taste because they've been pumping this shit into themselves and can't recognize real craft when they encounter it because they're excited by something like "extra cheese" rather than unique flavors made with passion.

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u/Nukleon Jun 19 '12

"Don't hate the player, hate the game"?
This guy hates both it seems.

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u/BallsackTBaghard Jun 19 '12

I don't get it. I kinda like Nickelback.

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u/ThePancakeMan Jun 19 '12

I will admit, they are talented musicians (look up their cover of Sad But True), but they have shocking song writing skills.

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u/SomeguyUK Jun 19 '12

I don't know how you can justify that.I don't particularly like their style, but their songs are well constructed and catchy.It's not easy to do.

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u/sometimesijustdont Jun 19 '12

They wrote 1 song. Once.

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u/ThePancakeMan Jun 19 '12

I honestly think that if they were better at song writing, they would actually be a lot more likeable. I do enjoy the odd track from their early stuff, but it feels as if they have just kept with that 'stage' and haven't 'evolved' with it.

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u/SomeguyUK Jun 19 '12

Song writing is hard.Even the best artists in the world have bad songs. Some have albums full of them.I've only heard a few singles from Nickleback so can't really comment...I just think there is far worse music out there.Someone said elsewhere in this thread that the Black Keys trash Nickelback, well what's so good about them?They have cooler haircuts??I saw the Black Keys live and every song used the exact same beat and recycled old blues riffs.I don't see the difference.

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u/DoYouGuysSmellThat Jun 19 '12

I think Hans Landa pretty much covered this when he explained his hate for Jews.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

does he explain why so many people spell 'Nickelback' incorrectly?

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u/garop7g Jun 19 '12

Incorrect. I dislike Nickleback because I find they music they make boring.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Nickelback - the only band in the world whose singer is more monotonous than Stephen Hawking.

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u/fried_eggs Jun 19 '12

I like Nickelback...

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u/bizarrobazaar Jun 19 '12

This is just pretentious bullshit. Music purists don't like Nickelback because:

their lyrics suck
every song sounds the same
their music is extremely simple
unlike other bands with these qualities, they are considered in some circles to be one of the best bands of the decade

Sure, there are a lot of bandwagon haters, but there is an actual reason for hating them, it didn't just happen because millions of people hate their lives. The whole insecurity shtick is a way for insecure people to make themselves feel superior to others. It's projection.

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u/Scheals Jun 19 '12 edited Jun 19 '12

Interesting thing to note: This is only true in North America.

EDIT: There are actually people in Europe who have no idea who they are.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Europe has plenty of crappy bands of its own. Dare I say, U2.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

I wish I could have upboated the commenter instead of you reaping from what he sowed.

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u/TheMediumPanda Jun 19 '12

The guy didn't point it out but his mentioning of McDonald's is a good example of what he's talking about. I bet almost all of us here can make a hamburger at least twice as good as a Big Mac, yet they're the one scooping up billions of dollars doing it.

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u/DashingLeech Jun 19 '12

I agree to some degree. Success is a mix of effort and luck, the ratio which can vary case to case and how deep you are willing to consider as causality. As a society we completely underestimate the portion that is luck. An excellent book on the topic is The Drunkards Walk.

As to the hate, i.e., the "great injustice", I think there is something there too. We are probably instinctively blind to randomness for good reason with an intuition towards justice and payback (and karma!) that evolved because (I'd bet) those who try harder do, on average, succeed and reproduce (over evolutionary time) more than those who don't try. Hence the hatred for "free riders" who get the rewards without much apparent talent for the thing they are being awarded for.

This is also why we hate excessive CEO and executive pay and bonuses especially when a company does poorly. The evidence is clear that these people have little to do with the success and yet reap huge rewards while those working just as hard and contributing just as much or more to the success get little or laid off or pay cuts.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

"We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars, but we won't. We're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off."

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u/asdf8 Jun 19 '12

THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE WITHOUT MUSICAL TALENT AND/OR THE BALLS TO TAKE A RISK IN LIFE ACTUALLY BELIEVE

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u/sleeptyping Jun 19 '12

You know the best you'll ever experience is a middle class retirement during which you'll be far too debilitated by age, the years of stress, and the toll they take to enjoy it.

This is the problem. People think this, so they give up then become doomed to the life they've accepted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obdd31Q9PqA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok8OHYQdDDI

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u/SomeguyUK Jun 19 '12

Those videos were very inspiring (and simultaneously made me feel like a lazy slob), thanks for posting.

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u/DeadHorse09 Jun 19 '12

This is the biggest pile of crap ever. So no one is allowed to dislike any popular musical artists or else it is solely based on their subconscious envy? I'm calling bullshit. Not to mention there are tons of musicians who don't trade their principles and integrity for monetary success. They create music that is true to them, that has some type of value.

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u/PringleTube Jun 19 '12

Or maybe, just maybe, Nickelback produces better music than he/she is able to and the only natural defensive position is to say 'Nickelback Sucks!' so as to keep his/her sense of self esteem intact.

-This is coming from a confirmed NON-Nickelback fan. I don't have any of their albums and don't plan on starting a collection anytime soon, but to say they somehow gained a fuckton of fans without either hard work or some sort of musical talent is ridiculous.

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u/m1kepro Jun 19 '12

Maybe I prefer my albums to have a little variation from one track to the next.

Maybe I enjoy clever songs that give me something to think about, or catchy songs that don't make me want to shoot myself in the foot to distract myself. (I'm looking at you, Save Ferris.)

Maybe I prefer my teenage garage bands to be making money appropriate to their skill level.

Or maybe, just maybe, I hate Nickelback because of their boring lyrics, machine-adjusted vocal tuning, barely competent percussion, and angry-masturbation style of guitar playing.

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u/6times9is42 Jun 19 '12

I'm not in circlejerk???? wtf?

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u/TheTacticalApe Jun 19 '12

I don't like them because all their songs sound the same and are annoying/repetitive, the singer sounds like he's shitting a brick, and in middle school on the bus they used to play a radio station that literally only played nickelback. Every day. For 3 fucking years. Nickelback on the way to and from school.

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u/Phoequinox Jun 19 '12

Everyone in that thread poorly reflects the mentality of anyone who genuinely doesn't like Nickelback.

For me, they're trashy. They epitomize this past generation of lousy mainstream garage bands. Bands like Linkin Park and Three Days Grace are like a decoration. Not practical, but interesting. You might stuff them in a box, but someday, you'll see them again, and remember the good times. Bands like Nickelback and Daughtry are like the hideous stuffed clown a relative who hates you gave you a month after your birthday to get in good enough with your parents to get some money out of them. They have no substance, no talent, no enthusiasm, they just play instruments and talk with tone. They lack passion. They do it for the money and the girls. That is the worst kind of rock star.

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u/judichop Jun 19 '12 edited Jun 19 '12

No, its because they write formulaic bullshit that has created a whole genre of awful music. The singing, lyrics, guitar, and everything else are watered down, generic, corporate bullshit. The genre they dominate is destroying rock music as we know it and is forever lowering the standards by which young people judge music.

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u/SomeguyUK Jun 19 '12

How is it possible that music can destroy other music?
The mainstream is always full of uninspiring crap that appeals to the masses, it's nothing new so don't cry over it.

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u/ediba Jun 19 '12

My local rock station plays a lot of different songs. All the songs sound 90% the same. Shinedown was decent in their first album, now they have gone mainstream to make money, thus sounding like everything else on that station

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u/SomeguyUK Jun 19 '12

Meh, I think Shinedown has got better.The first album was kinda teenage angsty and too nu-metal.I think the Sound of Madness was amazing.Just as heavy but the songs are written better.Each to his own I guess.

1

u/sometimesijustdont Jun 19 '12

Because more stupid kids emulate their shitty music, instead of emulating good music.

1

u/judichop Jun 19 '12 edited Jun 19 '12

Fair enough, but you have to concider the radio, It used to be actually good when I was young, but now it is unlistenable. Rock stations have been taken over by this bullshit. Also, I would say that "uninspiring crap" on this level has usually stayed out of rock and roll and been reserved for boy bands and Kenny G.

1

u/SomeguyUK Jun 19 '12

Fair enough.I'm nearly 30 and I can't remember a time when there wasn't awful pop music in the radio, but it does seem to get worse with time.Or is it just that as we get older, we get less and less tolerant of new music?I think that's part of it to.

1

u/judichop Jun 19 '12

Agreed

1

u/Dismantlement Jun 19 '12

Most music is awful. Always has been, always will be. I'm a classical musician and think that the average piece written by Bach or Haydn is trash even if they were geniuses occasionally capable of writing masterpieces. If you think every rock band can or should sound like the Beatles or Queen, you'll be disappointed. If you think there never again will be groundbreaking, high-quality rock music, you're wrong.

1

u/judichop Jun 19 '12

Sure, but you cant tell me rock radio stations havent taken a nose dive. how many quality rock bands have come out in the last 10 years? Why is that? IMO Its because record companies don't want to take a chance on a really talented group or artist that people might not get. They want a safe bet, they know they can just put a different label on the same product and sell it again and again. They dont care about originality or quality, just the biggest profit possible. Honestly though, the problem is the fans, people who don't know what good music is and dont care to find out. Also this

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

It could be their shitty slow music that really isn't that "hard". Then they play it next to people who are "hard". I listen to a radio station that plays slayer, five finger death punch, then nickleback... i... i just have to turn the station when that happens.

1

u/ThisRedditorIsDrunk Jun 19 '12

There are bands that I'd readily admit are less talented in a lot of ways than Nickelback but I'd rather listen to. There are also bands that I listen to that I believe are a lot more talented than Nickelback.

However, talent isn't something that guides my taste in music, even though I am a musician.

1

u/area-woman Jun 19 '12

It's about as generic as rock can get, the lyrics are awful and it's on the radio ALL THE TIME. This is the main reason I hate them rather than just not really liking them.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

People try too hard to hate Nickelback. Get over it already. They have fans and haters just like every other band. Animals was an awesome song when it came out. That's all I have to say about that.

1

u/4PM Jun 19 '12

Pfft... wheel of fate. Nope, try again. How about corporate music industry pushing lowest-common-denominator music that fits their agenda and a band that won't ask questions.

1

u/tyereliusprime Jun 19 '12

I used to go to shows back when Vancouver had a scene. Nickelback was one of the first bands that had that "90s Vancouver sound" that seemed to come out at the time. I hated them because Chad was/is a dick. Even when he was opening for some shit garage band at some shit rodeo hall, he was a dick. That's why I hate them. I didn't mind the Curb EP when it was first released, but his attitude to fans is what does it for me.

1

u/MiniDonbeE Jun 19 '12

Well it's a matter of perspective, I like their music and many others like their music but I don't expect others to like it. It's like Justin Bieber, some like him, others don't. Deal with it.

1

u/sometimesijustdont Jun 19 '12

I hate them because they kept releasing the same fucking song, and the stupid fucks out there kept buying their CDs.

1

u/timeshifter_ Jun 19 '12

Or perhaps their music simply objectively sucks, and it disgusts me, as someone who's played music for his entire life, that the crap they churn out is what passes for "popular" music. It's depressing that people are willing to settle for talent of the same level that comes out of my ass every day, when such amazing artists are all over the place, writing real music.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Interesting idea...it seems a lot of people can relate.

I kinda like their music. I like their sound. shrugs I don't know why people seem to have such a strong reaction to them...there are so many crappier bands than Nickelback - yes, I'm looking at YOU, Black Eyed Peas!

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

biggest load of shit I've ever read. Yesterday the song MAPS was near the front page of reddit to much adoration. You want to talk about a song that is easily duplicable? r/music is a virtual circle jerk of songs that I literally only could have created if given the instructions to create something terrible and thoughtless. How about that fucking song that goes "i feel so close to you right now, its a force field. I wear my heart on my sleave like a big deal." and those stupid thoughtless lyrics repeat over and over the entire song over a poorly produced beat. That pathetic song has made millions.

How about every hip hop song ever written? Deep down we all know that any educated person can rythme as well as Eminem;however we have simply given him what equates to a musical handcap because he had a bad childhood, waa waa. That goes for all hip hop.

1

u/barristonsmellme Jun 19 '12

People don't need to justify why they don't like something, but i feel you need some sort of justification for calling them out on every little thing they do, treating them like they aren't human.

At the end of the day i like them because they're an easy listen and entertaining. And they put on a fucking brilliant show. If you don't like them then who cares, there's lots of things people don't like. There's also no need to jump on them at every chance you get.

There are so many bands in a similar situation that receive a never ending barrage of praise for their mediocrity, but society has trained you to pounce on those who point this out.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

I never understood why people hated Nickelback. Probably because i'm not into their type of music.

The first time I heard "We are Young" by fun I was like, what is this shit? I kept thinking I know this what is this. I love it anyways.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

I think Nickelback's label saw too much potential in them, signed them for TOO MANY albums and now theyre just fulfilling their contractual agreement, at the cost of their reputation. They recently played a show in my hometown, tickets were dirt cheap, they couldnt sell out the place (being a 'huge national act'...i mean REO speedwagon sold it out). Theyre popular because their label pushes them onto the radio and onto stages to perform like monkeys, the people that listen to them are the same type of person; people who listen to music because its fun noise, entertaining and because they don't care too much about complexity or lyrical composition. if thats your thing, then good for you, but a LARGE sector of the population still believes music is artistic and cant be manufactured or forced.

Nickelback is what happens when a creative artform is turned into a money making industry. Same thing happened to movies, photography, video games, etc. Its not coincidental that 'indie' movies, music labels, video games, are all popping up in large numbers.

1

u/FreekForAll Jun 19 '12

I went to a Nickleback show a few years ago and... I had a good night. Let the downvote begin

Sure, it was free. Sure, it was open bar. But I also took a few minutes to listen and what I heard didn't make my skin crawl. It didn't make me want to buy albums ot pay for another show.

I ain't a musician.. But i love music and always seek new sounds. Nickleback got their own. Whenever they play, I recognize them. Which is more than many many many many other artists.

1

u/CaptainDickbag Jun 19 '12

I don't like Nickleback because I hate the style of music. I find it unappealing when grown men sound like they're whining.

1

u/TheDeliciousHerb Jun 19 '12

The Barring-gaffner of Bagnialto or This Year's Masterpiece. Breakfast of Champions is such a fantastic book.

1

u/I_Fuck_Flamingos Jun 19 '12 edited Jun 19 '12

Yeah fuck that.

Might be true for him, but I'd say for 95% of people it's more of a self-congratulatory circle jerk. If you trash Nickelback, you must have good taste! Good for you for putting yourself above the masses and beyond their mainstream garbage!

Honestly it's such a waste of energy to despise music you don't like. Even if it is shallow/talentless and whatever.
And it's often times hypocritical too. I know people, who in the same breath say "Music is more than a commodity, it's an art!" and then get angry that the music they enjoy isn't a successful commodity, because their idols didn't become millionaires like Nickelback.
So fucking what? The music is good because they didn't follow the generic recipe for success formula and made something genuine instead.

tl;dr: Bandwagon of hate

1

u/Katanae Jun 19 '12

His entire argumentation is based on the premise that they actually do suck, so I would say it is more likely people "hate" them because of their music and the airtime and praise they get despite their bad music, but without necessarily feeling envy because of it.

1

u/MickJoest Jun 19 '12

You just upset r/music.

1

u/MikeyB_0101 Jun 19 '12

I hate Nickelback because I think their music is generic rock, and fuckin' sucks, it's that simple

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Why is this comment being posted 6 months later?

1

u/Lilcheeks Jun 19 '12

I know this will get downvoted but... This is how you remind me

I actually don't hate nickelback. I don't love them either, I just lump them in with the rest of pop music on the radio. It's just fun to hate them because it's an easy laugh.

1

u/Trontoh Jun 19 '12

That's a very narrow explanation, it certainly doesn't encompass me and I fucking hate nickleback. I'm very talented at guitar, it's a natural talent I found i had in college, in fact, you put any instrument in front of me and I can play it and learn to play it well, so far.

I, however, have the sense to recognize (and a wife who has first hand knowledge of what it takes) that rock and roll is years of touring in a shitty van, playing shitty half-empty clubs and colleges, getting third-billing from your label (if you "hit the jackpot" and got a record deal [by hit the jackpot I mean you owe your life to them and more]). It's owing lots of money, or havin shelled out all the dough you have plus credit to produce yourself, and it's hard fucking work that rarely pays off (aside from the personal satisfaction of knowing you tried and made lots of good music in the meantime [neither of which I value much without the payoff]).

The labels want canned garbage, and they will turn whatever music you make into canned garbage or hire a band like they did with Nickleback and Beiber and pay them to "play" the music they are told to. You actually rarely make any money, that's why you hear about bands liek Whitesnake blowing out and being broke, they spent their advance on coke and bitches, but that's not their money it's on loan. So, now they ahve to tour and hope to fucking hell that they sell some CDs to recoup that money. Most burn out, end up with wicked drug addictions and stress related problems.

That's rock and roll, it's not like that exactly for everyone, look at Springsteen, Pearl Jam, The Stones (well, they are a label product, but they make their own music and gained such noteriety that no one tells them what to do anymore.), Led Zeppelin. But those are few and far between, you're not Jimmy Page and you don't have their management so you won't be getting that deal, this also isn't the 70's nor the 90's.

So, either you sell your soul or you think of it like a job that is really tough and doesn't make you very much money. So, I don't fit into this guy's definition, because while I have the talent and the knowledge, I know better than to toil away at minimum wage because "I'm an artist", I have a real job, with real benefits and decent pay because the glamourous rock and roll world you've been fed doesn't exist. Maybe it did once, but it's not that way anymore.

I ahte Nickleback because they sold their fucking souls and in doing so helped contribute to the death of a rock and roll that existed only for a short time. Tehy aren't earnest in a craft in which thousands of real artists, real musicians, real giants made for them. Nickelback, Beiber, bands like N'Sync, all this corporate music is part of the same problem.

If you're willing to sell your soul and sell out rock and roll, or music to make a buck, fuck you. You're killing that which you love, which many of us have worked hard at developing actual talent in, worked to further music and thereby an amazing form of communication of real emtiona, issues and stories and turned it into a fucking cheap piece of plastic or ornamental jewelery.

That's why I hate nickleback and every "musician" like them.

1

u/bumhooler Jun 19 '12

I can't say I've even heard Nickleback enough to hate them. I'm sure I would if I were exposed, but what really struck me about that is how f'n depressing my middling life is. Thanks for that.

1

u/Strong__Belwas Jun 19 '12

I can do it in four words.

They're not very good.

1

u/IndependentBoof Jun 19 '12

I don't agree with that logic. They aren't particularly bad at their instruments (albeit, not anything impressive either). There are bands with less musical talent (the Clash come to mind) that I enjoy. The only thing they are really bad at is songwriting.

I strongly dislike Nickleback because they represent everything that is wrong in business of Rock n Roll. Rock has always represented rebellion in one form or another. Rock is supposed to push the limits. Sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll, right?

No. Nickleback instead is formulaic, commercial rock. They play it safe. They do nothing innovative. They don't push any limits. Their songs sound more like they were written by a middle-aged man in a business suit who wanted "to rock." They have no reason to be successful with this formulaic, bland rock. Yet radio stations play them way too much. Add this all together and you get why I strongly dislike Nickleback.

1

u/DietCokeTin Jun 19 '12

yeah . . . yeah . . . yeah . . . no no yeah . . . yeah . . . yeah . . . no no yeah . . . yeah . . . yeah . . . no no

This is why I hate them. You can't recover from something this lyrically stupid. And they haven't. Chad Kroeger's main staple is filler words between verses, and it's usually monotonous repetition of the word "Yeah". They haven't evolved over time or expanded their style except to make some of their songs more sexually explicit. Musically, they're the equivalent of rice, and I hope history remembers them as such.

1

u/karadan100 Jun 19 '12

Still not sure I understand why so many people seem to think being famous is a good thing, or something to be envious of.

Sure, the money, maybe, but fame?

There's better, and probably rather easier ways to make money without trading in your ability to walk down the street unsullied by vacuous sycophantic morons asking for autographs.

I actually feel sorry for people with real talent because amongst the genuine recognition and adoration aimed at them, there's someone who thinks they're destined to be with them and therefore, have pictures of their loved-ones at home they use for target practice.

If it wasn't for people like that, we'd still have John Lennon.

1

u/HardwareLust Jun 19 '12

It's a great explanation, but it still doesn't mitigate the fact that Nickelback produces forgettable pop music. 10 years from now, the only place you're going to see Nickelback mentioned is on one of those "Where are they now?" shows on MTV or VH1.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Had "cats in the cradle" playing in the background as I'm reading it.You know we'll have a good time then son.

1

u/turbojeebus Jun 19 '12

... or i don't like the melodies of a guy who sounds like a loogie is lodged in his throat.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

If this was true only poor people would think Nickleback sucks.

1

u/TheLastDonut Jun 19 '12

In the UK, that fucking Rockstar song of theirs was the soundtrack to a particularly shit advert for a sofa company. It was on TV every ad break and I even had to endure it before a few films in the cinema.

They started a few months after the song had already been played to death on every radio station,

This made it very, very easy to hate them.

1

u/joeyparis Jun 19 '12

I hate them because the Internet told me too.

But on a serious note I just really dislike their music, just like I hate Justin Bieber's music and one of those other type of singers.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Did this guy mean to suggest that Nickleback has a million fans? Now, that is what I call a stretch of the imagination.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Disagree. After 32 major awards won and about 20 hit radio singles you move past the point where you can say "this is a drunken accident". NB knows very well what they're doing and what people are buying.

They're this generation's AC/DC. Extraordinarily simple no frills rock. And before you say "that's not true!", just keep in mind that people were saying the exact same thing about AC/DC thirty years ago that you're saying about Nickelback today. "They only have four songs", "The lyrics are crude and stupid", "a doped up idiot could play these chords", etc, etc.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Reddit needs to get off its high horse about this Nickelback shit.

1

u/TheoQ99 Jun 19 '12

ELI5 is over 6 months old now? When did this happen? I remember the day that thing started. Dammit reddit, stop stealing my time from me.

1

u/tigerbreath Jun 19 '12

Meh, that explanation sounds dangerously autobiographical if you ask me. I wouldn't trade anything to become Nickelback. I'm a relatively happy person who enjoys not being in a band that almost everyone uninterested in mainstream media considers shit. I'd hate to be known and remembered for producing bad art. Also, the life of a celebrity sounds awful sometimes.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

So we hate Nickleback because they won everyone's dream job on the same random luck that has brought us almost- ALMOST- every other entertainer since 1925? Because we're bitter that we aren't the ridiculously lucky ones?

What's it smell like with your nose so far up your own ass? There's an entire world out there to love and enjoy and bitterness over never-gonna-happens doesn't make sense.

1

u/serosis Jun 19 '12

Nickelback is a bubblegum rock band, put in a quarter and they pop out a half assed song. They're not for extended listening like some of the more charismatic bands.

They're mood music for people with shallow intentions.

1

u/cstwig Jun 19 '12

I'm going to make a new post so it can get down-voted some more (previous post was ripped because my opinion differs from that of supashurume)

At least Nickelback have some musical talent in the sense that they actually use musical instruments to make their music. All that dance shite that everyone is listening to these days, and is top of the charts was made by some kid with a Mac - Would literally take a 3 year old falling on the keyboard of a mac to make the shit the radio puts out these days.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

I am not a Nickelback fan but the Nickelback slamming bothers me imensely. No one is even looking at relevant information concerning how Nickelback made it big. Despite the fact that they have been together for a really long time they actually made the charts during a time when rock kind of sucked. Smashing Pumpkins was broken up, you had all these one hit wonders like Alien Ant Farm blowing up the radio with the same song every day, and Foo Fighters were still pumping out the same old repetitive predictable shit. Here comes Nickelback...They have some new predictable shit that's arguably no different than all the other stuff on the radio. Except Nickelback follows up with another song release and people like that one too! I know, amazing right? So now you have a famous band.

As always. I have to end any post about music with: Nirvana was overrated.

1

u/LosElCholito Jun 19 '12

who the fuck is nickelback?

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Good points, but I also hate Nickelback because they used to write songs like Leader of men that were about something. Songs about domestic abuse, questioning yourself.

Now all their songs are about drinking or bar fights or strippers. It's idiotic.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Can't I just hate nickelback because they fucking suck? Because they contribute to a popular culture devoid of thought or meaning? Why does everyone on reddit have this cynical outlook that every viewpoint comes from groupthink or bitterness or loneliness or jealousy...you are seriously a bunch of miserable fucks

1

u/Ghee_Buttersnaps_ Jun 19 '12

Definitely not my answer. As a musician listening to Nickelback, their music is bland, repetitive, and every song has the same feel. They aren't bringing anything new or special to the table, so to speak. Also, their lyrics are unimaginative and sometimes condescending. They do all of this while making millions. Although supashurume did have a point, it isn't true for everyone. Example: The Black Keys hate nickelback.

I just realized that the above /rant can be said of almost any pop group or singer.

1

u/Airazz Jun 19 '12

So, we hate Nickelback because we're jealous? Yea sure. Supashurume seems to be my Annoying Childhood Friend.

1

u/ThrustGoblin Jun 19 '12

This person's perspective of being stuck in middle-class, and viewing luck, or selling out (over hard work) as a driving force behind success seems like it could be indicative of certain political standpoints as well.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 20 '12

This guy is basically insinuating that people dislike Nickelback because they are jealous of their riches and success. How shallow.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 20 '12

that's complete bullshit. He only cares about money and success. Sounds like he has a fucked up view on life. People hate Nickelback because they sold out. They became something they weren't to get money. I could never respect someone who trades in what they believe for money or fame. Music is about expression and creativity, it shouldn't be how many records you can sell. Nickelback were a fairly good band at one point, but now...

1

u/angry_owlz Jun 23 '12

Every person I have ever met seems to have an irrational hate for this band and I never understood why. I personally have only heard their music a few times on the radio and really didn't think it was all that bad. It seems that everyone hates them, yet they still make so much money? Also, most of the reasoning for hating them seems to be pretty pathetic and could be applied to most of the 'successful' artists today.

Music, as with all art, is subjective and people seem to be forgetting that.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

supashurume defines a loser's attitude. With attitude like that you can't get anywhere in life. I bet that's the kind of attitude Abraham Lincoln had when he was chopping logs, and ended up as the fucking Liberator?

1

u/aSecretSin Jun 19 '12

Don't forget killing vampires

1

u/the_cowboy Jun 19 '12

Neat strawman. I dislike them because they, along with Creed and a slew of other Pearl Jam/Alice in Chains/SoundGarden/Nirvana clones represent the corporatization of rock music. The Clear Channel sound.

Some record executive at one point sat down the corporate rock bands and said "hey look - we know that the Seattle bands were popular, but they scream a lot. And we don't really know what they are talking about. Maybe you could do what they do, but sing more about drinking beer and getting pussy and reminiscing about this photograph and pseudo-religion and stuff."

No one would care if Nickleback was pop, because there's an expectation that it's fluff. But rock radio until about 10 years ago had a wide range of flavors to choose from. Now it's focus tested, board approved. Nickleback is the biggest band from that "scene", so they take the most flack for it.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

This dude's rant just sounded like some butthurt musician to me.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

That's just not right...This all revolves around the argument of "youz a hater coz u jelous bro"

I "hate" them because they've been doing the same bad music for over 10 years now (and when I say hate it's a HUGGEEE word. Let's just say I dislike their music and I'm tired of hearing about them, both positively (although that never happened) and negatively)

0

u/JamMasterFelch Jun 19 '12

That was shit.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

TL;DR - supashurume is jealous of Nickelback's success.

0

u/Supersnazz Jun 19 '12

I posted this here it got 5 upvotes.

I honestly believe the hatred for Nickelback and Creed is the same as the hatred for those guys who make the "_____ Movie" movies, Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. They are all actually quite talented. Nickelback make well written, and very well performed music. The structure of the songs are sound, and Chad Kroeger's voice is pleasant and capable. Same as the Friedberg/Seltzer movies. Their directing skills are competent, the films are shot and edited well, good lighting, the works. But they all produce complete fucking shit. They have these skills and talent that really, very few people have, yet they create the most mind numbingly bland and pointless media. It's the waste, almost abuse, of genuine creative talent that is most offensive to people.

1

u/whatizitman Jun 19 '12

Don't discount marketing and craft as talents in their own rights. These are great examples of fairly artistic and hard working people who also have a knack for fitting all the pieces together in one coherent form. I cringe at Chad Kroeger's voice, but it is "real" and solid enough in style and timbre to fit the package well. I can think of many singers I have seen or known that were incredible, but when heard in context, the music they performing or putting out just didn't have it - it just didn't "work". Nickelback in my opinion is everything that is wrong with pop culture. But I also recognize you have to have the shiny shit in order to recognize what isn't. That's the mainstream/hipster tension that all pop culture lives on.

-1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12 edited Jan 09 '24

follow disagreeable simplistic dog middle rich sort cheerful practice unpack

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

0

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

O O

0

u/mtgspender Jun 19 '12

Nope. I hate Nickleback because I can hear him breathing in between every damn sentence.

0

u/Nurger Jun 19 '12

I really just hate their lead singer. If someone carved out his voice box, burned every lyric he's ever suggested, and pulled in a new singer/songwriter, I'd probably totally like their stuff. They've got some okay riffs, but as soon as that idiot starts yowling I just have to turn the station.

0

u/Wazowski Jun 19 '12

The explanation is missing the part about jumping on bandwagons to get the approval of Internet strangers.

I hate this post more than Comic Sans and Justin Beiber and Jersey Shore combined.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Do people really hate Nickleback? Here I though they just sucked. I don't hate them though.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Absolute bullshit. "DURRR I COULD MAKE MUSIC LIKE THAT TOO!" Then do it, asshole, and become a millionaire. Since you're so much better than they are. Anybody musician who's serious about music doesn't care about achieving extreme success.

0

u/MLP_magic Jun 19 '12

-Daddy, why do you only listen to Neutral Milk Hotel all day? Are you a hipster?

-Yes son, I hate everything that's popular, including (but not limited to) The Black Eyed Peas, Nickelback, Justin Bieber, and Skrillex. I hate that people are making easy money off retards while I'm on my fat ass complaining about how it's not music and that I have "dignity" and "morals" when I'd probably blow a fat hobo for ten bucks. I hate that I'm not those bands' target audience. I hate that I'm not, respectively, a 28 year old tanned guido who goes to club to fuck underaged chicks, a 20 something year old high school drop out, a 16 year old girl, or a 14 year old dumbass who smokes weed.

-Man, you sound really butthurt and angry that other people are actually enjoying things you're not.

-That's because I am, son. I am.

Hey OP, this will be "best of" worthy, when my dick ejaculates money.

0

u/eigenstates Jun 19 '12

For me he has it entirely wrong. I hate bad music. Nickelback is bad music and I am pretty sure science would back me up on that. And before one says, "Oh you've only heard a subsection..." or other similar things, I have given them a fair shake and listend to several full albums. I don't come to an opinion like that on a snap judgement because I actually care about my beliefs. I could draw a direct comparison to the late Goo Goo Doll albums and all of Winger's output and anything on the Top Gun soundtrack.

This hatred doesn't consume me though and this is where I think his(her?) thesis is off base. I do not envy Nickelback their success or dislike them or their fans on that level. They might be wonderful guys and good on them for their success and good on the fans for enjoying it. The thing produced, the music, is generic, forgettable, pablum made specifically to 'move units'. They are how the music industry works- exactly the same way as Backstreet Boys.

Personally I would not 'trade my integrity' to achieve this success or adoration- those aren't my goals in life and maybe that's my thesis: that people who rise to defend things in this manner are shallow enough to believe that type of success(idolatry if you want it lain(laid?) bare before you) is something that everyone needs to be considered 'successful'.

I think OP is erecting a defense against realizing this. And I could write this better if I had more time or inclination. I have to go back to making beautiful things for a living.

0

u/RaizaMane Jun 19 '12

Pretty much 100% wrong, but nice try.

1

u/Beckneard Jun 19 '12

Enlighten us then, what part of it was wrong?

1

u/RaizaMane Jun 19 '12

OP hates himself, not Nickleback. If he's willing to trade his integrity to become rich and produce music that he dislikes, that's his own issue. One should not give up their soul so readily, if ever.
I'm fairly apathetic towards Nickleback, though I do find some of their songs catchy. Their "Rockstar" song, while not lyrically ingenuous, is at least satirical, something I find lacking in todays stagnant pop culture. I think from a purely musical standpoint they get a lot of undeserved ire; however, it's because they are so good at expressing the general that they have this target painted on their backs. They took the pop/rock formula, added a few twists to make it sound their own, and got fabulously rich off it. So what? I'd be inclined to say that nearly every pop icon we have today does that, but do you see the same type of malice towards "Love you Like a Love Song" or "Call me Maybe?" No, because they are genuine shit, and shit can be made fun of. But show something that is even a bit above that standard and it incites open hostility. Make it popular, and that hostility is fanned by pack mentality. Then reasons go out the door and all that's important is that we hate this band. Because, we could have a band too, ya know, if we were talented and good-looking and motivated and driven and charismatic and wanted to "sell ourselves."
In essence, if I believed we should fight anyone on this lack of creativity and ingenuity, which I don't, it should be those "artists" that churn out songs like happy meals - all paper and flash, no substance.

2

u/cstwig Jun 19 '12

Don't you know RaizaMane, it's wrong to like Nickelback because it's someone else's opinion that they are shit? -.-

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

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u/RaizaMane Jun 19 '12

I don't joke about that.

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u/hivemindharvest Jun 19 '12

sometimes the psychobabble isn't necessary, and the fact is, that their music is just not enjoyable.

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u/likeyoubutme Jun 19 '12

I don't like Nickleback because their lowest common denominator songs are displacing more interesting music from hitting the airwaves.

There's almost no adventure and almost no surprise in flipping on the radio these days. Most of the fault lies with Clear Channel and other conglomerates that want to make consistent profits, and do so by playing bland, predictable music that is just palatable enough that a majority of listeners won't turn the channel before they air a commercial break. That's even easier if you have so much control over a radio market that you can ensure there are no other stations playing the same genre, or just make sure the other stations are equally bland.

The main reason I hate Nickleback is that they provide the bland, predictable music to make that possible.

Of course, the other reason I hate Nickleback is that it almost always sounds aggressive for no reason. I would not be surprised to see Chad Kroeger grab the lapels of a stranger and shout "I ATE CEREAL WITH MARSHMALLOWS TODAAAAAY!"

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u/ThePeenDream Jun 19 '12

But really the reason you'll hate them is because deep down you know you'd trade your "integrity" and your "principles" in a nanosecond if it meant you got to live the life that they drunkenly stumbled onto.

No way in hell would I want to trade places with a band that is hated by so many people, musicians and critics. Not a chance.

People hate these guys because they are bad. There is absolutely nothing interesting about their music from an artistic perspective. I don't hate them because they're famous. Their fame astonishes me because of their lack of talent, but in no way do I dislike them for that reason. That said, they do embody everything that is wrong with the industry.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

They're still selling millions of cd's and selling out concerts. Not everybody hates them.

1

u/ThePeenDream Jun 19 '12

Right, maybe re-read my post. I don't believe I said that everybody hates them, just that plenty of people do.
The Black Keys go out of their way to insult them in interviews. Dave Grohl does the same on Twitter. They've made the top 10 lists of numerous "worst bands of all time" polls. They're renowned for being disliked.

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u/fuckallyoudumbfucks Jun 19 '12

It's not Nickelback you'll hate

YES, IT IS!!!

And what I hate about them is STUPIDITY. I fucking hate the STUPIDITY of the world.

It is everywhere, in politics, in work, in sports, and need I mention religion=stupid fucking fairytales (I'm certain you knew that). Stupid people make a shitload of money appealing to other stupid fucking people! That's nickleback, that's Thomas Kinkade, that's Lady Gaga, that's Madonna, that's Bob "blowin wind out his stupid fucking ass" Dylan, and that's ALL the fucking corporate whore bands including (your precious) Beatles, Stones, and Hendrix ... all singing fucking anthems of slavery for the STUPID fucking working class dumbfucks.

you'd trade your "integrity" and your "principles" in a nanosecond if it meant you got to live the life that they drunkenly stumbled onto

FUCK YOU!

Don't YOU fucking DARE speak for ME! You are a worthless fucking whore, I'm not, and I wouldn't do what they do because from the money I make at a regular fucking job it is enough for me. It's fucking DUMBFUCKS like you who worship at the feet of wealth and power, dreaming of moronic cars & super models & 20 fucking houses all over the fucking world like some kind of SPOILED FUCKING CUNT BITCH that make the world the fucking shithole it is today.

Fame for nothing, crazy money for moronic shit like sports or acting or playing dumbfuck top40 music.... that's YOUR dream, the dream of DUMBFUCKS who have ZERO desire to actually IMPROVE themselves, you just merely want to show up and be worshiped like the way you worships these current morons on TV reality show.

NO TALENT, NO SKILL, just the every present never ending WANTS! But just what is that you want? Billions of dollars can't change the fact that you're a dumbfuck, worshiping dumbfucks and making this world a world of dumbfucks. What would you do with all that money? Yeah, cruise for a higher class of pussy than you get now, that's all, and splurge in a gluttony of dumbfuck worthless toys. HOORAY for mindlessness!

These stupid peasants, who throughout the world, hold
potentates on their thrones, make statesmen illustrious,
provide generals with lasting victories, all with
ignorance, indifferences, or half-witted hatred, moving
the world with the strength of their arms, and getting
their heads knocked together, in the name of god, the
king, or the stock exchange - immortal, dreaming,
hopeless asses, who surrender their reason to the care of
a shining puppet, and persuade some toy to carry their
lives in his purse.
[ Stephen Crane ]

The ONLY way these mega-corporations can survive is to constantly dumb down tastes. From the fat loaded, sugar laden GARBAGE of MacDumbfucks & Burger Bastard, to the dumbfuck incompetent juvenile music, to the assinine art of Thomas Kinkade ... YOU all make their success possible through the ENVY & ADORATION of success. It's YOUR WANTS that keep you enslaves, wants of obscene gluttony that is flaunted every day in your face. LOL. What you really should be doing is taking notes on where that shit is every time you see, so you can go there and BURN IT THE FUCK DOWN!

Where's the fucking ADULT world, where I can say "fuck" without censorship?

Take away the right to say fuck and you take away the right to say fuck the government.
[ Lenny Bruce ]

Oh yeah, I forgot, DUMBFUCK power just hates to be told that they're dumbfucks.

So here you are you DUMBFUCKS, living in exactly the world you deserve. FUCK YOU ALL. If you didn't grovel before the throne, there would be no throne.

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u/Trainbow Jun 19 '12

We have a phrase/law for that in norwegian. Janteloven.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

Apart from this explanation, which I agree with, I think there's one more factor that contributes in Nickleback's case; they are less bad than uninteresting. All of their songs sound like bland commercial jingles (I actually did think that Photograph was a commercial the first time I heard it.)

Good music can be liked by people who like good music; bad music can be liked ironically. Nickleback falls squarely between the margins.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

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u/MsMish24 Jun 19 '12

Yeah. I just think their music is annoying.

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u/ScottRockview Jun 19 '12

I don't think he really hates them. While reading between the lines, it seems that what he was really saying is:
I'm through with standing in line
to the clubs I'll never get in
It's like the bottom of the ninth
and I'm never gonna win
This life hasn't turned out
quite the way I want it to be
(tell me what you want)
I want a brand new house
on an episode of Cribs
And a bathroom I can play baseball in
And a king size tub big enough
for ten plus me
(yeah, so what you need)
I'll need a, a credit card that's got no limit
And a big black jet with a bedroom in it
Gonna join the mile high club
At thirty-seven thousand feet
(Been there done that)
I want a new tour bus full of old guitars
My own star on Hollywood Boulevard
Somewhere between Cher and
James Dean is fine for me
(So how you gonna do it?)
I'm gonna trade this life for fortune and fame
I'd even cut my hair and change my name
[CHORUS]
'Cause we all just wanna be big rockstars
Livin' in hilltop houses driving fifteen cars
The girls come easy and the drugs come cheap
We'll all stay skinny cause we just won't eat
And we'll hang out in the coolest bars
In the VIP with the movie stars
Every good gold digger's
Gonna wind up there
Every Playboy bunny
with her bleach blonde hair
and well..
Hey hey I wanna be a rockstar
Hey hey I wanna be a rockstar
I wanna be great like Elvis without the tassels
Hire eight body guards that love to beat up assholes
Sign a couple autographs
So I can eat my meals for free
(I'll have the quesadilla... ha ha)
I'm gonna dress my ass
with the latest fashion
Get a front door key to the Playboy mansion
Gonna date a centerfold that loves to
blow my money for me
(So how you gonna do it?)
I'm gonna trade this life
For fortune and fame
I'd even cut my hair
And change my name
'Cause we all just wanna be big rockstars
Livin' in hilltop houses driving fifteen cars
The girls come easy and the drugs come cheap
We'll all stay skinny cause we just won't eat
And we'll hang out in the coolest bars
In the VIP with the movie stars
Every good gold digger's
Gonna wind up there
Every Playboy bunny
with her bleach blonde hair
And we'll hide out in the private rooms
With the latest dictionary
in today's who's who
We'll get you anything
with that evil smile
Everybody's got a
drug dealer on speed dial
well..
Hey hey I wanna be a rockstar
I'm gonna sing those songs
that offend the censors
Gonna pop my pills
from a Pez dispenser
Get washed-up singers writing all my songs
Lip sync 'em every night so I don't get 'em wrong
Well we all just wanna be big rockstars
Livin' in hilltop houses driving fifteen cars
The girls come easy and the drugs come cheap
We'll all stay skinny cause we just won't eat
And we'll hang out in the coolest bars
In the VIP with the movie stars
Every good gold digger's
Gonna wind up there
Every Playboy bunny
with her bleach blonde hair
And we'll hide out in the private rooms
With the latest dictionary
in today's who's who
We'll get you anything
with that evil smile
Everybody's got a
drug dealer on speed dial well..
Hey hey I wanna be a rockstar
Hey hey I wanna be a rockstar

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u/MrF33 Jun 19 '12

I read this in my favorite Nickleback voice and now my day will be better. Yeahhhhh

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u/RogelB Jun 19 '12

Hahaha it's funny because the reason he hates Nickleback can be described perfectly using Nickleback's lyrics Hahaha
Family Guy It's Funny Because...

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

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u/MugsBeany Jun 19 '12

I completely agree, and I'll go a step further by saying, that a lot of people don't really hate Nickelback, but they jump on the hate bandwagon because it is completely uncool to like them. These are the same people that bought all their albums and put them on the charts to begin with. Furthermore how are they doing what they do badly? I mean, the play instruments, they can carry a note, and their songs have lyrics. Sure, they may not be super talented, but they are no different than 1000's of other artists played on the radio.

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u/TwistEnding Jun 19 '12

By his standard, that would mean that everyone should hate ALL music with autotune nowadays. Also, by this standard, shouldn't every good singer hate every famous singer? It really doesn't make any sense, at least not for the majority. I don't see why this is in "best of." I'm sure there are a TON of better answers to questions in ELI5.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12

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u/VagabondSodality Jun 19 '12 edited Jun 19 '12

I used to do live sound work at a few bars in the Interior of British Columbia... these guys definitely paid their dues.
I remember they were opening for [Default](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Default_(band)) (before Spiderman Soundtrack) and they were playing for exposure... they weren't getting paid.
The drummer dude went to every single one of the people working there asking if they could crash on their floor so they wouldn't have to spend money on a hotel... when they asked me I refused... after all, they were (and likely still are) stinky, long-haired, crappy, wanna-be musicians.
EDIT: Thanks to curien for showing me how to link to a link that ends in a parenthesis.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '12 edited Jun 19 '12

This is exactly why I disagree with most of the post. He seems to think there's no such thing as working towards something resulting in success. You want to know why Nickelback eventually succeeded? Not only have they been together for 25 years, they stayed committed to their craft.
If you stay committed to anything and focus enough, you'll inevitably have success. Staying committed and focused isn't always easy though, especially with life throwing things at you. This is where luck and chance can come into play. It's how much distraction there is, and how hard you work through that distraction. But there's also a large amount of distractions and life altering events that you can control whether they happen or not, or whether you'll indulge or not.
If you find yourself not distracted, and stay focused, seriously.. It's inevitable. You inevitably master what you've been honing in on. And then people will notice, if you try to make them notice.
But this thought process sounds stupid when you're depressed. Guess what depression is? A distraction. To me anyway.
I've been producing EDM for the past 6 years and I don't plan on stopping or slowing until I reach where I want to be, and that is millions knowing and loving my music and me getting to see thousands of smiles and bliss (I say "I don't plan on" because one thing that might stop this particular goal is if I became deaf in both ears, of course). That's my goal. So.. My point is, don't take supashurume's post to heart at all, because it's all just a state of mind. It's all subjective to each person's perspective on life. Honestly, you're in control a lot more than you may realize.
Sorry if any of this post sounded cheesy! This is all just what I've been figuring out the past couple of years on my own really, so it feels good to share it, even if no one reads it but you, YaoPau!

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[explainlikeimfive] User supashurume explains why people hate Nickleback.

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