Our Top 10 Nickelback Songs list looks at a Canadian rock band that was formed in 1995. The band consists of members Chad Kroeger (lead singer/guitarist), Ryan Peake (guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocals), Mike Kroeger (bassist) and Daniel Adair (drummer). The band came up with their name because Mike used to work at Starbucks and would tell the customers about getting their nickels back. They were a cover band and performed rock songs before they became famous. Nickelback is one of the most successful Canadian rock bands. The band sold over 50 million records.
Nickelback’s debut album Curb came out in 1996. The album wasn’t a hit out of the gate. It had a low debut on the charts. It debuted at 182. This was an emotional album for the band because Chad’s friend was killed in an accident when they did this album. It received mixed reviews. They also went through a drummer change. Chad and Mike’s cousin Brandon Kroeger was the drummer, but he left the band. Mitch Guindon replaced him. The album features the single “Fly.” The album went gold in Canada and silver in the U.K.
The band released their second album The State in 2000. The band went through another member change when Guindon left. He wasn’t cut out for the road so he left the band. Ryan Vikedal replaced him. The album peaked at 130 on the charts. It was number three on the Top Hot Seekers Album charts. This album was initially released independently before it was re-issued at a record label. The album features the singles “Leader of Men,” “Old Enough,” “Breathe” and “Worthy to Say.” “Leader of Men” and “Breathe” cracked the Top 10 on the rock charts. The album sold over one million copies.
The band released their third album Silver Side Up in 2001. The music on this album was high-octane rock. This album performed better than their previous albums. It sold over six million copies. The album features the singles “ How You Remind Me,” “Too Bad” and “Never Again.” The songs on this album were written before they recorded their second album. The album peaked at number two on the charts. This project was released during the September 11 attacks. Fans listened to the album to help get through the pain of the tragedy.
Nickelback released their fourth album The Long Road in 2003. The album debuted at number six on the charts. This is the last album with Vikedal as the drummer. The band changed their style on this project. They wanted more aggressive riffs and double bass drumming on the album. The album features the singles “Someday,” “Figured You Out,” “Feelin’ Way Too Damn Good,” “See You at the Show” and “Because of You.” It sold over six million copies worldwide. It made the list for albums of the decade.
They released their fifth album All the Right Reasons in 2005. The album peaked at number one on the charts. They went through one more member change. Daniel Adair replaced Ryan Vikedal as the drummer. This was their best selling CD. The album received mixed reviews. It was their third album to reach number one in Canada. It was also number one in the U.S. This is one of the best selling albums of all time in the U.S. The album features the singles “Photograph,” “Animals,” “Savin’ Me,” “Far Away,” “Rockstar,” “If Everyone Cared” and “Side of a Bullet.” The CD sold over 10 million copies.
They released their sixth album Dark Horse in 2008. This album was co-produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange. The songs on the CD were hard rock, heavy metal, post grunge and alternative rock. The album debuted at number two on the charts. It stayed on the charts for over a year. It was a reentry on the charts six years after it was released. The album features the singles “Gotta Be Somebody,” “Something in Your Mouth,” “If Today Was Your Last Day,” “Burn It to the Ground,” “I’d Come for You,” “Never Gonna Be Alone,” “Shakin’ Hands” and “This Afternoon.” This album went platinum after being out for three weeks. It sold over three million copies. The band received awards for this project.
Their seventh project was Here and Now in 2011. It debuted at number two on the charts. It peaked at number one on the rock charts. The album received mixed reviews. It sold over 227,000 copies in its first week. It went on to sell over two million copies. The album features the singles “When We Stand Together,” “Bottom’s Up,” “This Means War,” “Lullaby” and “Trying Not to Love You.”
They released their eighth album Fixed Address in 2014. The title of the album was inspired by the fact that they had to travel a lot to do this album. They changed their musical style for this CD. They included pop and dance music. They even had a guest appearance from Flo Rida. The album debuted at number four. It sold 80,000 copies in its first week. It was number one on the rock charts. The album features the singles “Edge of a Revolution,” “What Are You Waiting For,” “Million Miles an Hour,” “She Keeps Me Up,” “Satellite” and “Get ‘Em Up.”
The ninth album Feed the Machine was released in 2017. The CD debuted at number five on the charts. They couldn’t tour for this album because Chad had surgery to get a cyst removed from his vocal chords. The band also faced legal issues, which kept them from touring. It sold 47,000 copies in its first week. This is their worst selling album. It features the singles “Feed the Machine,” “Song on Fire” and “Must Be Nice.”
Nickelback faced a lot of criticism as a band. They received mixed to negative reviews for their music. Despite the bad reviews, they were able to sustain a successful career. They have hits in the United States as well as other countries worldwide. They proved you don’t have to receive positive reviews in order to have success. This Top 10 Nickelback Songs list will feature their hit songs. Which one of your favorites will make it to the number one spot?
# 10 – Gotta Be Somebody
The first song on our Top 10 Nickelback Songs list is the romantic “Gotta Be Somebody” from the Little-Engine-That-Could album Dark Horse. This relatable song has a pop rock and alternative rock sound. The song is about searching for true love. The song is relatable for people who are looking for love. The instrumentals are flawless. The bass, guitar and drums are magnificent.
Chad Kroeger’s vocals are phenomenal. He has the perfect grit to match the loud music. His vocals are very pleasing to the ear. He sounds similar to Chris Daughtry except his vocals are a little bit deeper. The song is really good and it isn’t a surprise that it ended up number one on the charts. The song has the potential to stay in your head after you have heard it.
# 9 – If Everyone Cared
The next song on our Top 10 Nickelback Songs list is the inspirational “If Everyone Cared” from the monster-hit album All the Right Reasons. This conscientious ballad has a post grunge sound. This song is about the world being a happier place if everyone loved each other. This touching song has an important message about loving people. The music contradicts the lyrics, but it was a pleasant surprise. When you first hear the music, it seems as if it’s a typical rock song.
You have to pay attention to the lyrics to realize it has a deep message. The music is hypnotic. It is the perfect rock sound. Chad’s vocals are top notch. His gritty and smoky vocals blended impeccably with the music. Chad vocalizes towards the end of the song as the guitar riffs get louder. It is easy to get mesmerized by the impressive music and vocals.
# 8 – Someday
The longing for love song entitled “Someday” is the lead single from the popular The Long Road album. This fascinating ballad has a post grunge sound. This song is about him talking about a failing relationship and wondering if he could get it back. The guitar riffs are fierce and gritty. Chad’s vocals are full throated and emotional as he is pouring his heart out about wanting the love of his life back. He makes it sound cool instead of cheesy and corny.
This subject has been done many times before, but Chad makes it sound as if it’s original. His vocals are strong and powerful throughout the song. He belts and holds notes that are controlled. His voice is strong enough that he doesn’t get lost in the music when it gets louder. The only issue with the song is that it’s not long enough.
# 7 – Savin’ Me
This passionate song entitled “Savin’ Me,” is the third single from the highly successful album All the Right Reasons. This sensual ballad has a post grunge sound. The innovative song is about him wanting someone to save him. The music starts slow and soft for the verses. The tempo picks up and gets louder for the hook. The music has an incredible instrumental pause.
He is wearing his heart on his sleeve as he begs for someone to save him. He sounds angry, but if you listen to the lyrics, he’s not. He is pleading to be saved. His gritty vocals were on fire. He saves the best for last when he has titanic high notes towards the fade out of the song. The only complaint is he is a little hard to understand in the lyrics. Other than that, the song is exceptional.
# 6 – When We Stand Together
This motivating tug-at-the-heartstrings song is the lead single from the underrated Here and Now. This inspirational song has a pop and rock sound. It is about getting people to know what is going on in the world. This is a change of style for the band because they didn’t use the heavy metal that they usually do. This song gives you a chance to hear all of the instruments.
It’s not just a guitar heavy song. It has great crossover appeal because it doesn’t sound like a typical rock song. You can also move around in your seat to this head bopping song. Chad has some grit, but it’s not as prominent as it is in the other tracks. It wasn’t needed because the music didn’t call for it. He got his point across without doing too much vocalizing in the song.
# 5 – If Today Was Your Last Day
The next song on our Top 10 Nickelback Songs list is the haunting “If Today Was Your Last Day” from the uber successful Dark Horse. This expressive song has a post grunge sound. The conceptual ballad is about living each day as if it’s your last. This song has a good message about stopping and smelling the roses because you never know when it will be your last chance to do it.
It is unusual for a rock band to sing a song like this. Nickelback manages to make the message sound sincere and authentic instead of cheesy. The music has killer guitar riffs and powerful drum beats. Chad’s vocals are massive and enjoyable. He takes you places few rockers tend to go. His notes soar over the blasting guitar riffs.
# 4 – Far Away
This touching ballad is the fourth single from massive hit album All the Right Reasons. This emotional song has a soft rock sound. This sentimental song is about being in love. The music is soft and sultry. It still has a rock edge with a pop appeal. Chad’s vocals can send chills up and down your spine. He sings this in his lower register. He doesn’t have the grit in his voice, which was a good thing. The music didn’t call for him to sound gritty. You can hear the emotion in his voice when he sings about the love of his life. He did miss opportunities to hold notes and really belt, but he does a fabulous job vocally. The music was soft so he didn’t need to get carried away vocally.
# 3 – ‘Rockstar
This spoof-filled ballad is the fifth single from the immensely popular album All the Right Reasons. This has a pop rock sound. This appealing song is about the lifestyle of famous people. The lyrics are ironic considering Nickelback is a rock band and they are singing about being rockstars as well as other famous people. The song isn’t really about anything, but it’s still a good song. The theme of the song is similar to Good Charlotte’s “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” This satirical song was critically panned and considered one of the worst songs of all time, but it’s not true. It is catchy and ahead of its time. The music is soft and controlled. Chad sings in his lower register. He sounds soulful in this song. He growls in some of the vocals.
# 2 – Photograph
This reminiscent ballad is the lead single from the hit album All the Right Reasons. This mesmerizing song has a rock and country sound. This compelling song is about remembering the old days. It can be relatable to anyone who wants to think about something that happened in their past. The music is perfect for crossover radio. It’s sure to please rock, pop, and country fans.
The music is loud enough to please rock fans while having a tempo to please pop fans. The guitar riffs can also make it pleasing for country fans. The melody of the music is enjoyable. You can get lost in the music. Chad’s vocals are gruff and pleasing. He doesn’t use too much grit, but it’s enough to give him his signature sound.
# 1 – How You Remind Me
We have come to the number one song on our Top 10 Nickelback Songs list. It is the show stopping “How You Remind Me” from the drama-filled album Silver Side Up. This amazing song has a post grunge and alternative rock sound. This sleeper-hit is about a relationship gone wrong. The song has a relatable factor for people in bad relationships. You can feel the rage even through the instrumentation.
The killer guitar riffs scream bitterness. The pain in Chad’s voice feels fresh. You can tell he has suffered from heartbreak. He sounds angsty and frustrated in his vocals. It feels real. He uses his famous grit and growls throughout the song. He does a little belting towards the end of the song. This song is the best way to end this top 10 list.
Feature Photo at top of page – Photo” Jonnylondon11, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Updated September 23, 2023
Top 10 Nickelback Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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