HARDY Blames ‘Hipster Jealousy’ for the Hate Toward Creed and Nickelback
Country-rock breakout HARDY isn’t shy when it comes to defending the bands that shaped his musical upbringing — especially when those bands are Creed and Nickelback. The singer has never hidden his admiration for the two rock giants, and in a recent interview with SNSMix, he didn’t hold back on why he thinks they’ve been unfairly ridiculed over the years.
“They Wrote Hits — That’s Why They’re Hated”
When asked why Creed and Nickelback have long been such polarizing bands, HARDY cut right to the core of the issue.
“Because they wrote hits,” he said bluntly. “I think that anybody is easy to make fun of when everybody else likes them.”
According to HARDY, the backlash has little to do with the quality of the music — and everything to do with the public’s obsession with not liking what’s popular.
“I think that’s when people start disliking bands, is when everybody starts liking them — and that’s just a horrible truth,” he added.
The Backlash Against Popularity — and Their Fans
HARDY expanded on the phenomenon, pointing to a strange kind of cultural gatekeeping that seems to emerge once a band becomes wildly successful. For some fans, especially those deeply embedded in a specific subculture, it becomes uncomfortable when outsiders start enjoying “their” music.
“Let’s say you’re a rock ‘n’ roll fan and you don’t particularly like, I don’t know, frat guys,” HARDY explained. “And a rock band gets so big that those frat guys start listening to Nickelback — well, you don’t like that because you’re a hardcore metal guy.”
That reaction, he said, isn’t really about the band itself. It’s about identity — and a strange sort of musical possessiveness.
“It’s this hipster jealousy,” he added. “Like, ‘I discovered them first, so now that everyone likes them, I don’t want to anymore.’”
“It’s a Weird Possessive Thing”
From HARDY’s point of view, hate is simply part of the price of fame — and it often has more to do with fans than the music.
“When everybody starts liking something, that’s when a lot of people start hating that same thing,” he said.
“When you first get into a band you feel like it’s yours – like there’s an ownership thing, right? And then if everybody else likes it, I can see why people feel a certain way.”
It’s a “weird possessive thing,” as he puts it — the idea that you no longer have exclusive access to a band’s sound once they go mainstream.
HARDY’s Personal Ties to Creed and Nickelback
This isn’t just fan speculation — HARDY has worked directly with both bands. In April 2023, he performed with Nickelback during their CMT Crossroads episode, and later that summer, he shared the stage with Creed in Nashville, joining them for a live rendition of “Weathered.”
“I love ‘Weathered,’ man,” he said. “It’s got a cool southern rock vibe to it. I was a huge Creed fan growing up and I was thankful to see that that one was still in the set list.”
The Road Ahead: Jim Bob World Tour
HARDY is kicking off his Jim Bob World Tour this week, starting May 22 in Chula Vista, California, and wrapping up at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sept. 24. With his bold mix of country grit and rock attitude, he continues to push boundaries — and speak up for the music and artists that influenced him most.