Nickelback has had an interesting career. The band can boast of being one of the best-selling rock groups of all time and one of the most controversial.
Videos by American Songwriter
Since making their debut in 1996, the band has earned countless hits and played some of the biggest stages in the world. At the same time, they have amassed a loyal group of haters that are almost religious in their naysaying of the band.
Nevertheless, the group is still rocking today. The four-piece most recently shared an album titled Get Rollin’ and is slated to embark on a sprawling tour in the summer.
As a nod to the rockers, we’ve compiled a list of Nickelback’s best songs to date. Check out our pick for the band’s Top 10 songs below.
10. “If Everyone Cared”
When first listening to “If Everyone Cared” you’d be forgiven to think at first that it was another run-of-the-mill rock song. But, when paying attention to the lyrics, the band delivers a unifying message about loving your neighbor. A departing sweet sentiment from a rock n’ roll band.
9. “Gotta Be Somebody”
“Gotta Be Somebody” was the lead single from the band’s Dark Horse album – a last-minute switch from “If Today Was Your Last Day.” Frontman Chad Kroeger’s vocals are as rich as they ever have been here. One of the more endearing offerings in Nickelback’s catalog, the lyrics see the frontman fantasizing about finding the love of his life.
8. “Someday”
Nickelback has tried on a fair few rock flavors throughout its career. “Someday” represents the band’s turn to a post-grunge sound. Kroeger lets it rip on this one, somehow managing to give the break-up song genre a fresh perspective.
7. “San Quentin”
Looking at more contemporary Nickelback offerings, “San Quentin” is taken from the band’s latest record, Get Rollin’. Kroeger takes life on the road a little too far in this one, threatening to get locked up in the titular prison. Let the record show he did it all for rock n’ roll.
6. “Follow You Home”
If the anti-Nickelback metal purists were to ever be swayed, it would likely be from listening to “Follow You Home.” This song crash lands through your speakers and doesn’t let up for the duration. They lay the guitar on thick and set it with some near-screamo kick drum hits, making for a truly wild ride of a track. If you’ve ever been confused as to why Nickelback has been labeled a metal band, look no further for clarification.
5. “If Today Was Your Last Day”
In stark contrast to “Follow You Home,” “If Today Was Your Last Day” takes a softer approach to rock. This mid-tempo hit was released on the band’s 2008 album Dark Horse. Kroeger urges the listener to enjoy their lives instead of meandering passively through. Though the message could come off as a little cheesy, Kroeger manages to give it enough edge that it is still worthy of a rock band of its stature.
4. “Far Away”
“Far Away” acted as the third single from All the Right Reasons. It doesn’t have the same grit that the band made its name on, but it showcases the group’s versatility with poppier sensibilities. Kroeger sings wistfully about love in this track with vocals that sends chills down the listener’s spine.
3. “Rockstar”
Upon its release, “Rockstar” was panned off as a kitschy number that only grew the anti-Nickelback bandwagon’s numbers. As time has gone on, it’s become a cult favorite with its satirical lyrics about the benefits that come along with superstardom. It’s endlessly catchy and singable. It’s one of their biggest songs for a reason – perhaps even All the Right Reasons…
2. “Photograph”
Mixed in between Nickelback’s interminable list of anthemic rockers is “Photograph.” Kroeger makes nods to his friends, family, and past transgressions, all through the rose-filtered tinge of nostalgia on this song. Many of the lyrics stem from the frontman’s real-life – notably his criminal record.
“I think I have 11 counts of breaking and entering on my criminal record,” Kroeger recently told American Songwriter. “God, I was a bad kid. If [Hanna, Canada] was an island, they would have either drowned me or I’d have been voted off real quick.”
1. “How You Remind Me”
“Once our label heard ‘How You Remind Me’ everything changed,” Kroeger recently told American Songwriter. “How You Remind Me” catapulted Nickelback to new heights. The song landed at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart, becoming the band’s only U.S. chart-topper.
As recounted by Kroeger, after this song was released their “Rockstar” lifestyle immediately kicked in. Suddenly their piecemeal efforts were a grandiose operation and they were well on their way to becoming one of the biggest bands of the ’00s. Check out Kroeger’s full thoughts on the song, HERE.
Photo by Maya Sarin / R&CPMK
