Nickelback Not Loved, But Very Rich
A Nickelback show costs around $230,000 to produce, according to UEG, about average for a touring group. A seat goes for about $61, a fraction of Gaga’s prices. At that price, venues usually sell out. The group averages about 11,000 fans a stop: That’s $671,000 a show. According to UEG, ticket sales for about 80 shows in North America and Europe should gross about $53 million in 2012.
In Noblesville, two sales tents are packed throughout the night. Stand operator Brittany Baker, 22, says some of Nickelback’s logo-adorned offerings, such as $10 beer cozies and $40 T-shirts, are standard for most groups that roll through. They’ve also got $4 collectible cups, a $30 set of drum sticks, and $20 red panties with “Rockstar” on them. UEG confirms that one stand alone can take in about $100,000 for the night. That could add up to as much as $200,000 per venue or an additional $16 million over the course of the tour.
I’m not the sort of person who shows disdain for musical acts that I don’t like (listen to whatever you want! Life is too short to be embarrassed about something that is pleasing to you). Nickelback’s music is not for me, but I find their ability to make tons of money while being one of the most hated bands in the world awe-inspiring. (“Right now it’s become trendy to hate Nickelback, and no one even knows why,” tour manager Kevin Zaruk says.) I don’t know why either—somebody (lots of somebodies!) are buying those $40 T-shirts.
Literally the only Nickelback lyric I can think of is surprisingly apt: “How the hell’d we wind up like this?”
One of the challenges of my life has been extricating myself from the hyper-critical, elitist mindset that I developed as an insecure teenager. In college, within minutes of meeting people, if they mentioned some band I didn’t like, I’d immediately say “ugh, they suck.” Who asked me!?
I still hate Nickelback and Olive Garden and a lot of other stuff, but other people’s tastes don’t hurt me, and I try to keep my douchey opinions to myself these days.
@probs Is Olive Garden a band? Or just a restaurant?
@probs Totally this.
People hate Nickelback because the lead singer looks like the douchest douche to ever live. He hurts the eyes.
No, people hate Nickelback because every Nickelback song sounds exactly the same. They just randomly generate new lyrics for each one using the NCKLBCK, their in-house AI.
I know why.
Is this a good time to mention my favorite site-of-the-moment? Because it’s http://www.look-at-this-photograph.com and it makes every picture ever better
Except this one :(
http://look-at-this-photograph.com/?photo=http://madelinesweddings.com/blog/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/brideuniverse.com_.jpg
There’s a Kiwi band called the Feelers whom I would say is our equivalent of Nickelback. They write to a formula; every song is a variation of the same, reasonably foot-tappy type.
I admire Nickelback for churning out catchy songs and making buttloads of money. I sing along when they come on the radio, though I wouldn’t go to their concerts. But as they said in a recent interview, LOTS of people do – they pack out stadiums. I wonder how many of those concert goers are closet fans who wouldn’t admit to it in real life?
Scorn vs riches…