Coldplay was an adult contemporary with top 40 cross over appeal, while Nickelback was a hard rock act with top 40 cross over appeal.
Coldplay and Maroon 5 are closer comparisons here.
I know I am just clarifying that the backlash against both is mainly due to different audiences and that the backlash against Coldplay came after Nickel back, despite Nickel back coming onto the scene later. Nickel back was pretty much hated immediately while most people loved the first 2 and a half Coldplay albums.
“Hard Rock” means corporate Pearl Jam ripoff now.
I feel like people who don’t have memories of the 90s miss this. Rock music in the late 80s and into the late 90s was in a Renaissance, and then Clearchannel killed Kurt Kobain, bought out the Chili Peppers and rammed a dozen Nickelback clones down our throats instead.
