Modern hard rockers Nickelback show up in the #83 spot on the Gears of Rock Top 100 Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Bands of All-Time Countdown. While the band found a lucrative career releasing radio-friendly rock ballads, Nickelback is one of the few bands today that delivers a big stage hard rock show complete with pyrotechnics. Their breakthrough album was 2001’s “Silver Side Up,” which was panned by critics but sold over 10 million copies. Their most successful offering is 2005’s “All the Right Reasons,” also loathed by critics. Their sound may be stuck in the ’90s, but their mainstream success serves as a gateway to attract new fans of hard rock; similar to Green Day introducing 8 year olds to stronger rock and punk bands. Some people need to start somewhere and Nickelback isn’t a terrible place to begin. Once you sift through the love songs, you will find a strong dosage of hard rock within their catalog. Their best songs are “Side of a Bullet” (tribute to Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell that includes a posthumous guitar solo by Dimebag), “Animals,” “Something in Your Mouth,” “Burn it to the Ground,” and “Rockstar.”
Best Song: “Burn it to the Ground” (2008)
Best Album: “All the Right Reasons” (2005)
Best Tour: Dark Horse Tour 2008/2009
Most Valuable Band Member: Chad Kroeger – Vocals/Guitar
Fun Fact: If you are a longtime fan of hard rock and heavy metal, you may never appreciate this band.
Top 100 Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Bands of All-Time – 2013 Edition