Jul 31, 2025 - Music

Nickelback could take the long road to the Rock Hall

Troy Smith

The four members of Nickelback standing against a white background, all wearing black T-shirts and casual pants, with two showing full arm tattoos and different casual footwear styles. — Look at this photograph. It's the men of Nickelback. Photo: Maya Sarin via Live Nation

Nickelback headlines the Pro Football Hall of Fame's annual Concert for Legends on Sunday — but is it the closest the Canadian band will ever come to being in an Ohio Hall of Fame?

How it works: To be eligible for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, an artist had to release their first official recording at least 25 years ago.

Nickelback released its debut album in 1996 and has been eligible for a few years now.

By the numbers: Nickelback has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide, generated over 10 billion streams and had 12 consecutive sold-out tours, according to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, of which the band was inducted in 2023.

The other side: Nickelback is also the quintessential band of the post-grunge era made up of critically panned bands like 3 Doors Down and Buckcherry.

Between the lines: The Rock Hall's induction criteria also includes impact on music culture, influence, longevity and body of work.

Comparable inductees to Nickelback include chart-topping bands like KISS, Bon Jovi and Foreigner, none of which were critical darlings.

💭 Troy's thought bubble: Those bands had to wait a long time for induction and so will Nickelback.

I suspect bands from the same era, like Coldplay or Linkin Park, will earn induction before Nickelback ever sees a ballot.

If you go: Tickets for Nickelback's Canton show start at $76.

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Nickelback could take the long road to the Rock Hall

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