If you’re popular, someone is going to hate you. It’s a sad truth. However, the ten acts listed below get SUCH vitriolic hatred, and, in my humble opinion, do not warrant such. Actually, NO one does, as these ten acts have received quite the lion’s share of public scorn, ridicule, and criticism.
Here’s my list of the top ten bands (in alphabetical order) that don’t deserve the hate that they get:
Bring Me the Horizon – Yes, the deathcore act that once had tens of thousands of fans is now quite different, and that’s ok. Some people just can’t scream forever, and some peoples’ tastes change. If you listen to the band’s releases in succession, “amo,” Bring Me The Horizon’s latest major label record, makes total sense. It’s subjective whether one finds these changes progressive or not, but they are not as radical of a shift as one may assume based on the band’s amount of vocal haters. I definitely believe that “Sempiternal” flows excellently into “That’s The Spirit,” and a “That’s The Spirit” listen sounds incredible just before “amo”. Whatever they’re doing, it’s working for BMTH, as they just headlined a show at the Forum in LA. As a frame of reference, I saw Van (Fucking) Halen at the Forum. Respect.
Good Charlotte – I feel that GC always had some cards stacked against ‘em. While their peers in Green Day (more on them later) and blink-182 achieved some mainstream punk (or “punk” success) on their respective third and second releases, Good Charlotte blew up after its debut album, and only got bigger with its second. The punk rock community was not kind to this band and they labeled GC sellouts right away. Good Charlotte has taken it all in stride, and showed that living well is the best revenge while consistently writing and releasing ridiculously catchy and evolving material. I don’t know if the world in 2001 expected more than a flash in a pan from the band. Surprisingly, GC is on its seventh album eighteen years later with 4/5 of the same members from its debut, and I am excited to hear what they come up with eighteen years from now.
Green Day – When a counterculture becomes mainstream, there is often a backlash from the underground. In my last article for Substream, I discussed the rise of mainstream punk and noted that Green Day were the kings of the genre in 1994 and beyond. It truly feels like some hardcore fans cannot legally enjoy “Dookie” or anything released afterwards. It also feels like people who started listening to Green Day after “Dookie” came out can’t like anything released afterwards either. I discovered Green Day with “Dookie,” and I remember many of my peers who loved ‘em in 1994 discounting “American Idiot” when it came out ten years later. The band can’t seem to win with cred points with anyone on the planet, but it definitely triumphs with record sales, sold out shows, and Grammy Awards. Also, Green Day easily puts on one of the best live shows on the planet, and you will marvel at how many hit hit songs they have across their three hour Bruce Springsteen-esque set. It’s fucking insane.
Hoobastank – When Hoobastank’s self-titled record came out in 2001, the band was often called a baby-Incubus because its similar style and home base. The band toured with active rock bands for the next few years and then released a follow up “The Reason” which was way bigger than the self-titled record, but far more polarizing for the band’s fans. The rock kids completely abandoned the band after the single came out, while moms across the globe and supermarkets across the United States overplayed the title track to oblivion. It was a somber ballad that was perfect as a wedding video montage, and even was featured in the finale of “Friends”. Here’s my truth: I LOVE “The Reason”. I also LOVE its follow up “Every Man For Himself,” but not too many people that I know feel the same way. The band now performs for much smaller crowds that it did in the early-00s, but Doug Robb does not get enough credit as a vocalist, and the band gets besmirched MUCH more than it should.
I Prevail – I Prevail is not the first band to gain a fan base based on a cover and won’t be the last. A lot of bands/fans in the metalcore have had less than flattering things to say about the I Prevail, but the band responded by getting bigger and bigger, and taking scene veterans We Came As Romans, The Word Alive, and Escape The Fate out on tour. The band could’ve easily gone out with younger and cooler bands, but they did what they wanted, and the tour was immensely successful. Also, I Prevail had some of the largest crowds at Warped Tour 2017 every single day. The band’s recent sophomore album “Trauma” is my favorite heavy album of 2019 so far, so it looks like I Prevail is here to stay.
Imagine Dragons – I feel that ID has replaced Nickelback (more on them later) as of late, but they have a long way to go before they are on Nickelback’s global hatred scale. Still, they are climbing (or shrinking into the depths of hell) the shit ladder nearly every day all over my feed and in MAJOR MAJOR publications. Regardless of your stance on the band, Imagine Dragons’ singer Dan Reynolds does a hell of a lot more for humanity than the trolls who discount the band could ever hope to do. Watch “Believer” on HBO and try NOT to like Dan. I dare you. Dan has made major strides for the Mormon LGTBQ community. Plus, “Demons” is such a sick song. AND, Mark Foster of Foster The People recently issued an apology for talking smack on the band. Hopefully more people will follow suit.
Limp Bizkit – With the exception of Nickelback, I don’t know if any band on this list gets more hate than LB, but I don’t know any band on this list that puts on as fun of a big rock show. If the haters just took Limp Bizkit for what it is, a fun rap-metal hybrid that can inspire intense mosh pits as frequently as booty shaking, the world would be a much much happier place. Plus, Fred Durst currently puts on jazz nights in LA every Thursday evening; what is so damn hatable about that?
Maroon 5 – If you hate Maroon 5, I have three words for you that explain why you shouldn’t: “Songs. About. Jane.” A perfect record and a testament to what would happen if a rock band played r&b. I love those twelve songs so much and that’s all I have to say about that.
Nickelback – Nickelback is easily the most hated band in rock and it’s quite sad how widespread this abhorrence is: Major musicians, critics, and celebrities often use the band for as a synonym for terrible. It’s undeserved. Without talking shit on other bands, I can think of SO many other bands that are “worse” than Nickelback. They have some truly solid rock songs and power ballads. Also, the band has been clapping back at its haters in a similar way to Wendy’s savage twitter page, and they deserve so much love for it. I truly appreciate that the band is extremely self-aware and has a biting sense of humor, and I also dig that Nickelback destroys the spirits of so many its haters with constant sold out arena shows.
Weezer – Three words: “The. Blue. Album.” One word: “Pinkerton”. Come at me, bro. Also, each subsequent album has at least 2-3 bangers. I love Weezer.
So that’s how the cookie crumbles. Be nice. Instead of talking shit, write better songs than the artists that you hate. Fin.
