Is Nickleback that bad? The nature of selling out

[Bells]

So, here is a thing... a lot of people tell me that Nickleback is a bad, bad, bad band... like, terrible songs, no talent, no voice...

Yeah, i see that. Ok. I saw the side-by-side comparison and hwo they recycle their own songs from time to time... i have to wonder that they are not really the only ones to do it, but most likely one of the few to do it poorly or get caught doing it.

And yet... they have songs i like. "Someday"? I like that song... some of their singles? I can dig it. Like, i'm not music expert, so i can't really tell "Oh this beat is so poorly designed" most of the time i either dig the lyrics or i just tune the lyrics out and run the beat in my head.

Or when i'm writing, quite often i use music as a mood setter, so it's actually pretty easy for me to design scenes and set pieces that play out on the pace and beat of a certain song...

But this is not just about Nickleback. I just thought to bring them upfront cause i just know they WILL get mentioned... There is also Linkin Park to talk about.

Again, i can usually find 1 or 2 songs in every linkin park album that i like. Like, "listen multiple times" like. I also completely understand that they are 100% a Studio band. Their music is mostly digital ,it only exists in an editing room. Most of their Live stuff is waaaaaaaay below any margin of good they have.

But one thing i never saw them as was Sell outs. Totally honest about this. Here is why... you see, for me, a sell out is the band that makes a video clip of a new hot single with the sole purpose to display that new Motorolla phone that has nothing to do with the song, but Motorolla wants to pay for the video so they can show the phone in it, so people do it. And that's fine.

To be honest, even that i don't really have a problem with... i mean, fuck it! Just do it... a huge company wants to give you hundreds of thousands of dollars just so you can market yourself more and show up holding a new phone for a few seconds? Yeah... no brainer.

But on Linkin Park for instance, they recently did a song for Medal of Honor Warfighter, "Castle of Glass". Now... if i just take the song, completely detached from the fact that is next to a shitty game... i like the song, i even like the clip. I like the lyrics, i like the beat i like the build up... i enjoy that song and i thought the clip was quite nice.

But of course, to the eyes of many, that was just Linkin park selling out... but is it really? That's a band that has a known history of interacting with games and midia cause the members of the band really like that stuff.... hell, they have their own Limited Edition Gundam Model Kit cause their song "Catalyst" was the opening theme of an Gundam Arcade Fighting game! And they displayed the Wing Gundam on at least one of their earlier clips... cause some of the members of the band actually like that stuff, and are fans...

I see it similarly with something like Medal of Honor, i mean... why shouldn't they? If they are gamers, if they like games, if they like Medal of Honor, why would they refuse the opportunity to be a part of it? Make a song for it, a video... it's corporate marketing, OF COURSE. For both sides... but is it really "Selling Out"? Is there any rule that a singer or performer is not allowed to get involved with things they personally enjoy?

So, just some food for thought i guess... what really is the nature of a band "Selling Out"? What does that even mean today? I Mean, it's a new world and a new marketing world and bands need to make money or a name somehow... using tools that weren't around 10 yeas ago.

So what really is Selling out? Who actually does that today?

Also, feel free to shit on Nickleback