Rockstar

Album: All the Right Reasons (2005)
Charted: 2 6
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Songfacts®:

  • This song pokes fun at the stereotypical lifestyle of a famous musician, complete with references to extravagant homes, groupies, drugs and famous friends.
  • The spoken interludes are performed by Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, who is a certified rock star. Gibbons appears in the video as well.
  • The song was released as a single in America in 2006, but there was no video for the song and the Nickelback tune "Far Away" was still saturating the airwaves, so it reached just #54 before falling off. The band and their label knew the song had tremendous potential, so in the summer of 2007 they re-released it, this time with an eye-catching video and a clear path on the airwaves. This time, it made #6 in America and also climbed to #2 in the UK (this was the song's first release in that territory).
  • In the video, every few words are mimed by a different person, resulting in over 100 people participating. Some are regular people, but many celebrities show up as well, including Eliza Dushku, Paul Wall, Wayne Gretzky, Gene Simmons, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Kid Rock and Nelly Furtado.
  • On Apple's iTunes, this was the most downloaded video of 2007. Rihanna's "Umbrella" was second and Soulja Boy's "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" third.
  • Chad Kroeger told musicomh.com: "We had a lot of fun with that one. Just crazy nonsensical things that help paint this picture of someone dreaming about being a Rock Star. It's what you would also do if you won the lottery. I hope it comes across as us having a lot of fun and even to some degree, making fun of ourselves."
  • Kroeger originally met Billy Gibbons at a state fair where both bands were playing. Kroeger asked his tour manager to get him Gibbons' phone number. Kroeger told musicomh.com: "He took the initiative and got Billy to call me. And when he calls you, it's the coolest feeling on the planet. You pick up the phone and say 'Hello?' And he goes (imitating deep Texan voice), 'This is Billy Gibbons. How are ya?'"
  • This dropped out of the UK Top 40 in July 2008 after 37 continuous weeks, thereby equaling the record 37 week continuous Top 40 run clocked up by Frankie Goes To Hollywood with "Relax" in 1984.
  • In 2008, this was used in commercials for the UK furniture chain DFS, sending it back into the UK Top 40 a month after it dropped out. The second time around, it reached #27.

    The spots were ridiculed online, ramping up a groundswell of Nickelback hate that had been brewing the past few years. "You know you've made it when your song makes it into a sofa commercial, Kroeger said.
  • After British group Lottery Winners' sea shanty version of "Rockstar" went viral on TikTok in early 2021, Nickelback added their own vocals to the mix. The band posted their nautical version on January 22, 2021.
  • A songwriter named Kirk Johnston brought legal action against Nickelback, claiming this song copied his composition "Rock Star," which he wrote in 2001 while a member of the band Snowblind Revival.

    US District Judge Robert Pitman dismissed the copyright lawsuit on March 16, 2023. Pitman ruled that there was zero evidence that Chad Kroeger and his bandmates ever heard Kirk Johnston's "Rock Star" – and that the two songs barely overlapped.

    "Stated simply, they do not sound alike," the judge wrote in the order. "Where both songs evoke similar themes, they are rendered dissimilar through the vivid detail of the original expression in Nickelback's lyrics."

Comments: 10

  • Luna Loud from Royal Woods, MichiganRobert from LA I agree with everything you said except it does mention drugs in the song, "Everybody's got a drug dealer on speed-dial," and, "Gonna pop my pills from a Pez dispenser." Sounds like drug references to me, dude!

    I really like this song, but "Follow You Home" is way better. It just ROCKS harder, ironically.
  • Esskayess from Dallas, TxMost overplayed song I ever heard was Bryan Adams' 'Everything I Do, I Do It For You.' I still change stations when it comes on.
  • Claire from Forsyth, GaI was wondering id Sully Erna from Godsmack was in the video...?
  • Nathen from Phoenix , AzDon`t Forget UFC Fighter Chuck Liddel Who`s Also In The Video
  • Kitty from Montreal, QcYeah love totally can relate to it!!!!!
  • Robert from Los Angeles, Canickelback was poking fun at themselves when they wrote this song. it's about how all rock musicians get grouped together for the sole purpose of the music they make. this song does get a lot of air time, but o ssay it's overplayed may be inaccuratae, it depends on how much you like the song. it's a good thing not everyone is like rhis because there would be no one for us to rock to or for. the song doesn't say anything aboput being a driggie or pothead, or anything about drama, you just assumed that it did. this song does not expose any sid ewe rarely see, it puts it more simply for the simple minded. we see this side of celebrities all the time. it's not about being famous, it's about stereotypes. only jerks like you pick at famous people, probabl;y because you know you'll never reach such high status.
  • Tyler from Toms River, NjThis song was also voted the worst song of the year because its so overplayed
  • Bethanii from Okc, Okeveryone wishes they could be a rockstar. and this is wat the "typical rockstar" goes thru. or wat everyone stereotypes them as. too bad this dream doesnt happen for everyone. or really thank god this doesnt happen for everyone or according to this we would hav a ton of druggies and potheads and wayyy to much drama.
  • Valerie from None Of Ur Buisness, Bci love this song! i like how it exposes a side of celebrity life that we rarely get to see in magazines and stuff...and also because its just an awesome song!!!!
  • Alease from T-town, Ohi love this song.. it just shows how typical being famous is now, and just how much people like us pick at them, lol! I LOVE IT!
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