Is “Photograph” By Nickelback A Country Song? Lead Singer Chad Kroeger Thinks So

Nickelback

There are a lot of divisive topics in the United States, and one of the most heated debates of all time surrounds this question:

Is Nickelback good?

The Canadian rock band, which formed in 1995, has put out many radio hits. Despite their commercial success, it seems like musics fans everywhere either hate the Chad Kroeger-led band, or they absolutely love them.

Ask around and see for yourself, because it doesn’t seem like there is much middle ground with Nickelback.

The band is known for their chart topping songs like “Rockstar,” “How You Remind Me,” and “If Today Was Your Last Day.” Another song that has had somewhat of a second-life in the last five to ten years (thanks to the “Look at this Graph” meme) is the song “Photograph.”

If you can’t remember the song, let me refresh your memory with the opening lyrics. Try to read them in the deep, raspy Kroeger fashion:

“Look at this photograph
Every time I do, it makes me laugh
How did our eyes get so red?
And what the hell is on Joey’s head”

The song has also become somewhat of a viral meme itself, even being tweeted by former President Donald Trump.

Now it is ringing a bell right?

Well, another debate that comes up a lot in the music industry is “what exactly can be defined as country music?” With all the different sub-genres and the unfortunate pop-country emergence, it can truly be tough to put a finger on something and say confidently “that is country music right there.”

However, it wasn’t too hard for Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger to say that their hit song “Photograph” is a country song. The Canadian bandleader says:

“Photograph is pretty much a country tune with a heavy chorus.”

In the video below, he picks up a nearby guitar and begins to play the opening sequence of the 18 year old song (feel old yet?). After the first two lines of lyrics, he continues to strum and states:

“You know, that is so country.”

He then goes on to play a portion of the song “Rockstar,” comparing it to a country sound as well.

Well, what do you think? Does Nickelback’s lead singer have a point?

The band is typically thought of as grunge rock or even pop rock, but it could be possible that a couple of their songs slide into the country category, or at least were inspired by country chords.

Kroeger seemed pretty convinced that “Photograph” was country though, but it could all be a ploy to create yet another debate around the divisive and popular band known as Nickelback.

And I mentioned the legendary “Look at this Graph” meme, which stole footage from the Nickelback music video and edited it so that it went “full meme.” The zoom-in on Kroeger’s face is why this video had such a stronghold on the meme community for so long:

Also, while writing this article, I stumbled across this newly created meme of the music video that gives off similar vibes to the one above, but with a wild animal twist:

And of course, the original “country” song:

A beer bottle on a dock

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