Formed in Hanna, Alberta, in 1995, 2025 marked a special year for the band known as Nickelback. For the last three decades, the band embraced the stardom that came thanks to songs like “Photograph”, “Rockstar”, and “Far Away.” Having sold over 50 million albums, in 2023, the Canadian Music Hall of Fame inducted them. Just a few years ago, Nickelback released their latest album with Get Rollin’. But for 2025, the group found itself exploring a different avenue when they teamed up with Shenandoah for a new version of “The Church On Cumberland Road.”
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Bringing a blend of country and rock, Nickelback and Shenandoah decided to take the trip back to the late 80s when “The Church On Cumberland Road” was first released. When hitting the airwaves on Shenandoah’s The Road Not Taken album, it hit No. 1 on the Canada Country Tracks and the US Hot Country Songs charts. To add more history to the song, it was also the first music video recorded by the band.
Having become a part of country music history, with Garth Brooks and Rascal Flatts offering their own version, Nickelback jumped at the chance to add their names to the Shenandoah legacy.
Although keeping the theme and lyrics the same, fans will quickly notice the bands decided to take a different approach. Unlike the original, the new version was animated. A great way to keep the production costs down, it featured both Shenandoah and singer Chad Kroeger.
How The Special Collaboration Between Shenandoah And Nickelback Happen?
Discussing how the unique collaboration came about, Shenandoah’s lead singer Marty Raybon explained how a simple conversation sparked the idea. “Chad Kroeger and I had the chance to talk about their music and ours and the parallels of some of the tunes that could be swapped out on the setlists. The idea came up, and after a few text messages, we were off and running with what is one of the coolest things we’ve ever done.”
As for Kroeger, the singer took a moment to praise Shenandoah for being open to the idea. “Getting the chance to collaborate with them on ‘The Church on Cumberland Road’ was an absolute blast. It’s a song that feels as vibrant today as it did when it first came out.”
But what about the fans? Looking at the comments, they read:
“Just when the world needed them most!”
“World’s colliding here. Shenandoah, Nickelback, animation, an old country song… My ears don’t mind it, my brain is still processing this video.”
“Yessss!!! Can my day get any better?!!! Thank you”
With a fresh spin on a country classic and a partnership no one saw coming, Nickelback and Shenandoah proved that good music has no borders – only new audiences to reach.
(Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
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