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There is a movie opening tomorrow, with Steve Carell and Tina Fey, called "DATE NIGHT". I like both comedians, so I wanted to see the trailer for the movie...

DATE NIGHT TRAILER:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSV4Y2l7JQg


But in doing so, I was sure I heard Nickelback on the music track to the trailer, playing in the background. This got me thinking, because I have noticed more and more, outright hatred, for this band, even by musicians. And yet, they are one of the most successful bands of recent memory, with numerous hit songs, videos, and...

LOTS OF MOVIE SONGS!

I checked that out too, because I knew of several myself, but I was really surprised at just how many movies, their music has found it's way into!

(LIST BELOW)



So... How does a band, that successful, still being used constantly, also engender so much hatred? With acts like Madonna, it's the shock value usually, but how to explain Nickelback? I get that many consider them mediocre... but does MEDIOCRITY merit... ANGER and HATRED?

I wonder what will happen if that continues, because a simple line "Disco Sucks" spread like wildfire, and was partially responsible for the early death of Disco. Will Nickelback suffer a similar fate?

What's your opinions on all this?


Nickelback Soundtrack & Writer's Credits:

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) (writer: "Burn It to the Ground")
... aka "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (IMAX DMR version)" - Hong Kong (English title) (IMAX version)
... aka "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - The IMAX Experience" - USA (IMAX version)
... aka "Transformer: Revenge" - Japan (English title)
"Bones" (1 episode, 2008)
The Wannabe in the Weeds (2008) TV episode (lyrics: "Far Away" (uncredited))
The Condemned (2007) (writer: "Savin' Me")
Going the Distance (2004) (writer: "So Far So Good") (performer: "Someday" (Acoustic))
... aka "National Lampoon's Going the Distance" - USA (DVD box title)
Torque (2004) (writer: "Someday")
Nickelback: The Videos (2003) (V) (lyrics: "Leader of Men", "How You Remind Me", "Too Bad", "Never Again", "Someday")
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003) (producer: "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting")
Daredevil (2003) (writer: "Learn the Hard Way")
... aka "Daredevil: A Daring New Vision" - USA (director's cut (DVD title))
Nickelback: Live at Home (2002) (V) (lyrics: "Woke Up this Morning", "One Last Run", "Too Bad", "Breathe", "Hollywood", "Hangnail", "Worthy to Say", "Never Again", "Old Enough", "Where Do I Hide", "Leader of Men", "How You Remind Me", "Good Times Gone" (end credits), "How You Remind Me" (video), "Too Bad" (video), "Leader of Men" (video))
Spider-Man (2002) (writer: "Hero") (performer: "Hero") (producer: "Hero")
The Scorpion King (2002) (writer: "Yanking Out My Heart")
Clockstoppers (2002) ("Breathe")
... aka "Time Machine" - Japan (English title) (video title)
The Forsaken (2001) (writer: "Diggin This", "Hold Out Your Hand")
... aka "Desert Vampires" - International (English title)
... aka "Vampires of the Desert" - Europe (English title)
... aka "Vampire Hunter" - Japan (English title)
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000) (writer: "Old Enough")
... aka "BW2" - USA (promotional abbreviation)
... aka "BWP2" - USA (promotional abbreviation)
... aka "Book of Shadows: Blair Witch Project 2" - USA (video title)

As an example of this, check the public comments HERE:

http://www.joblo.com/index.php?id=29520


This is how the review of the Movie Trailer itself begins...

"This trailer involves guns, Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, and Nickelback. These are all good things, except Nickelback."



Wow!

And there are no shortage of readers, jumping in to trash the band too!

So, how do they keep getting asked to write and perform songs for major projects like this?

Can it continue?

I hate them because I can't tell the difference between them, creed, and about 100 other "post-modern-rock" bands that just all sound dull, lifeless, sexless, joyless, etc..

They are also one of the LAST "arena rock" bands to have been signed by a major label, much in the same boat as creed, puddle of mudd, etc.. so us musicians partly hold them to blame for the decline of "rock"

More or less though, I despise them just because they ARE mediocre, yet, unbelievably successful for such mediocrity.

You said it quite well, Kramer. They're boring in that they aren't unique. They seem to embody the bland copycat cookie-cutter acts that seem to be all the music industry want to allow us to hear.

I don't hate them, though. I prefer to hate the industry that creates & celebrates them & thier clones.

Kramerguy wrote:
More or less though, I despise them just because they ARE mediocre, yet, unbelievably successful for such mediocrity.

So it "IS" the mediocrity?

Well... combined with the enormous success.

Some people would say the same about the Beatles though.

But I love the Beatles!

And I like some of Nickelback's songs too.

And I really like Puddle of Mudd!

I would agree that Nickelback begins to sound redundant on too many listens... alot of their songs sound too similar. But straightforward simple songs with strong or memorable hooks, are more easily consumed by the masses. Songs like that are accessible to EVERYONE!

I think that is the main key to their success.

It's also why I write simply, more often than not too. I want my music to be accessible to the largest number of people.

Don't get me wrong... I like abstract, edgy and artsy stuff too, but it's the simple, yet powerful hooks, that I will end up singing in my head, when I am just running around town or working out in the yard, etc...

That's right Philbymon! The industry seems to promote meaningless mediocrity all across the board anymore. Seriously...WTF is this Lady Gaga B.S. as well? Total crap once again.


Then there's bands out there like Into Eternity who are brilliant, exhibit tons of skill, and have well put together songs, yet no one ever hears about them unless you're an underground metal musician such as myself.


Check this link and prepare to be astounded. This is my kind of stuff, but even to this day, I still haven't found the other musicians that can even get close to playing what I want them to, and/or keep up. I'm not an elitist...just a realist.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nQ4ZR-NI6A

Craig, you got it right, but wrong still at the same time-

The beatles weren't mediocre on any level, very few of their songs sound even similar to each other. That's where Nickelback, Creed, PoM, and countless other bands today fail in such an epic format - they tend to write within such a vacuum that nothing they do even stands apart from anything they've ever done.

Now, what you said about writing simple music with GREAT hooks? Precisely what made the beatles so famous. It's what we all strive for, at least, the great hooks part. Many bands like Rush, Kansas, Yes, Porcupine Tree, DMB, etc.. taught us you can still write great hooks and not choose to be simple also.. (although it is harder to captivate the masses)...

So with Nickelback, Creed, etc.. I hear one or two great hooks, but the rest? Meh.. medium to good hooks.... just like everyone else

dECHO wrote:

Check this link and prepare to be astounded.

I usually find screamo bands (ok, they're progressive metal or death metal, or something-else metal - LOL) to be as cookie cutter as pop and rap get sometimes.

But that singer has MASSIVE VOCAL CHOPS! And he sings and screams equally as well! Pretty awesome, I must admit! The musicians are clearly top rate too! Reminds me of Dream Theater, as far as quality of musicians goes.

Seriously folks, they're really good!

Thanks for sharing!

Kramerguy wrote:
Craig, you got it right, but wrong still at the same time-

Well, I both agree with you and don't agree with you, that I got it right and got it wrong at the same time!

Your points are valid, but the Beatles "DO" have alot of similar sounding songs and hooks, but what they were amazing at, was developing with the times. 50's Beatles... is not 60's Beatles... is not 70's Beatles. Someone could think all three were different bands if they didn't know better. Also their sheer VOLUME of songs are staggering! Bound to be similarities.

But I would never put Nickelback anywhere near the Beatles.

Kramerguy wrote:
The beatles weren't mediocre on any level

Well, they weren't great musicians. None of them. Don't throw rotten tomatos... It's just an opinion!

Kramerguy wrote:So with Nickelback, Creed, etc.. I hear one or two great hooks, but the rest? Meh.. medium to good hooks.... just like everyone else

I agree with you that both band's successes (Creed - Nickelback) surpassed their talents.

But why is that?

A shortage of competition? Fate? Magic spells of Santaria?

I don't think I ever heard of two Beatles songs that sounded the same to me. They had thier hallmark harmonies, & a certain style, but they never let themselves copy thier own successes like NB, PoM, or Creed. No, they weren't virtuoso musicians, but they were songwriting magicians.

As to why these newer, blander bands have become so popular, it's due to overexposure more than anything else, imho. The industry had removed all competition in thier zeal to sell, sell, & sell again, the bland crap that they've invested in, rather than to promote individuality & creativity.

It's almost as if they TELL bands to keep writing the same song that made them famous, over & over, rather than to expand upon thier work a la the Beatles.

I think that the music industry is downright afraid of any band becoming the next super-group, preferring to reap the rewards of the same old over any act that can grow so powerful & influantial as the Beatles or the Stones. The music industry has become the equivalent of WalMart - bringing the cookie-cutter stuff & making ppl want it, cuz it's all they've left us, the consumers.

I hope I don't sound sexist but most of Nickleback's fans are female. And you can't explain anything women like.

His...voice...must...stop...

I definitely think, where Nickleback is concerned, it is the sense that they have achieved far more fame and success than their music warrants that has gotten them such hatred.

For me, I find them to be rather bland. I do like a few of their songs though - in particular Photograph is great and I love playing it.

However, the previous comments about these guys being compared to Creed? Are you kidding me?? Tremonti rocks! OMG... I can't believe you guys dissed Creed man...

Tremonti is one of the few guitarists in the post-grudge era who is actually playing guitar! Leads and all! And every song sounds different and unique, and holy hell do they rock. The Creed stuff and the Alter Bridge stuff... me love

Creed and nickleback are the two worst bands ever due to cartoon character like vocals. Slack songwriting further seals their fate.

philbymon wrote:I don't think I ever heard of two Beatles songs that sounded the same to me.

Yeah, not the same Phil, just similar.

Similar hooks, melodies, chord progressions in some of their songs. But, the Beatles have close to 300 songs catalogued, so I suppose that is inevitable.

But they are also very diverse in their music, which I pointed out... especially over the decades... You've got a song like... "You Never Give Me Your Money" which has 28 chords in it!

And then stuff like Helter Skelter, Help, Day in the Life, Yellow Submarine, Long and Winding Road, you name it... they were all over the place, in their lengthy success in the limelight.