Nickelback has never cared if you like them. In fact, the perennially popular Canadian hard rock titans have in recent years embraced their reputation as the “world’s most hated band.”
But that hasn’t stopped music fans north of the 49th parallel from bristling at the band’s decision to join noted Donald Trump booster Kid Rock as a co-headliner for Rock the Country, a massive U.S. rock festival described as a celebration of the country’s “God-fearing patriots.”
“If you hated Nickelback before, how about now that they’re doing a MAGA-friendly festival tour?” one lapsed fan wrote on X.
“Rock The Country is more than just a festival,” the event’s website reads. “It’s a gathering for the true heart of America. This is where hardworking, God-fearing patriots unite under the open sky, celebrating the freedom we hold dear and the power of live music to connect us all.”
The tour, which kicked off in April and continues until July, includes 10 stops in 10 small U.S. towns. In addition to Nickelback and Kid Rock, the lineup features classic rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd (known for their penchant for Confederate flags); conservative renegade Hank Williams Jr.; and MAGA-regular Lee Greenwood, who recently collaborated with Trump to publish the ”God Bless the U.S.A. Bible,” available from $59.99. Early 2000s one-hit wonder Afroman will also be there, for some reason
Nickelback seems to be the only Canadian act on the lineup.
“We’re really looking forward to hitting the road and visiting some amazing towns, especially in places we’ve never played before. There’s something special about connecting with fans in these communities, and we’re ready to bring our best and truly rock the country. Can’t wait to see you all out there!” Nickelback bassist Michael Kroeger said in a statement. A representative for Nickelback did not immediately respond to the Star’s request for comment.
Nickelback, the post-grunge pride of Hanna, Alta., is not known for being a political band, though their journeyman, no-frills approach to hard rock seems it would resonate with a certain conservative sensibility. But the decision to align themselves with a MAGA-adjacent festival in the midst of an unpopular trade war that has sparked a resurgence of Canadian pride is clearly not landing with all their fans.
(A recent poll found that Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to “annex” Canada and turn it into a “51st state”, has a “deeply negative standing” among the majority of Canadians.)
“NOW can we disown them?” one user wrote on X. “Add this to the long list of reasons to hate Nickelback,” another wrote, adding the hashtag ”#Never51.”
Nickelback formed in 1995, and released their debut a year later. They exploded in popularity with the release of 2001’s colossal “Silver Side Up,” which sold over 10 million records.
“The album spawned countless imitators, giving rise to the derogatory but somehow perfectly apt term ‘butt rock,’” I noted in a recent story on the most important Canadian albums of the 2000s. “And yet despite the derision they faced, Nickelback maintained its immense popularity amongst its fiercely loyal, beer-swilling fan base. To this day, Nickelback’s unwavering resilience feels like a giant middle finger to the hipsters and the haters.”
As of 2025, the band has 10 albums under their belt, and have sold over 50 million records worldwide. But given the current aversion to Donald Trump among most Canadians, their reputation even among their loyal fans might be at risk — just ask Wayne Gretzky.
