Yep, you read that right. Nickelback: the internet’s most polarizing band will join the illustrious group of musical talent in the Canadian Music Hall of fame in next year’s 2023 induction class. And I have some thoughts for the haters out there.

Nickelback was formed in Alberta, Canada in 1995 has been probably the most memed band in the history of the planet. For that alone, they deserve to be immortalized in every single music related hallowed hall in existence.

The way I see it, the love-hate relationship with Nickleback that exists on the internet can be divided into two camps.

People that love Nickleback;

And liars who pretend to hate Nickelback but secretly know that they have a few rock solid bangers in their discography.

Listen, the criticism of the band makes sense. Some of their biggest songs sound pretty homogenous. Their look in their heyday (see Chad Kroegar’s greasy blond locks) was something that definitely deserved a bit of poke-funnery. And their hit song “Photograph” has gotta be one of the most outrageous tracks ever recorded in a studio.

But look, even “Photograph” is catchy. Many of us are still transported back to the glory days of our youth when we hear the first bars of “Hero.” Sitting there in our jammy jams and getting excited over the commercials for he original Tobey Maguire Spiderman movie while Mr. Kroeger serenaded us – I’ll be  chasing that feeling for the rest of my damn life.

Whatever your stance on Nickelback is, it’s undeniable that SOMEHOW they have stayed culturally relevant all of this time. Name me another band that hit their strife in the 90’s, plowed through the 2000’s, and stormed into the meme-era as true and legitimate rockstars.

First, the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, next, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and then, the WORLD.