New Survey Lists Nickelback, Nirvana, Limp Bizkit Among Top 10 “Dad Rock” Bands

What is the ultimate “dad rock” band? According to a new survey conducted by Merchoid, we’ve got a pretty definitive list. Researchers asked 3,000 Americans to name the band that “truly epitomizes dad rock today”.

Apparently the number one dad rock band with 26% of respondents was Nickelback… I think my back went out just from reading that. This is how you remind me of how old I really am. And if you’re around my age, then brace yourself because the assembled top 10 list is chock full of bands that you’ll swear you just saw performing on Leno last week:

1. Nickelback (26%)

= 2. Van Halen (12%)

= 2. Blink-182 (12%)

3. Red Hot Chili Peppers (10%)

4. Nirvana (10%)

5. Linkin Park (8%)

6. Guns N’ Roses (8%)

7. Coldplay (6%)

8. Bon Jovi (6%)

9. Limp Bizkit (2%)

I mean, it’s a perfectly fair list. A lot of these bands first came out when I was growing up, and people my age (not me, but people my age) are often parents now. So yeah, it makes sense that the likes of Linkin Park and Nickelback and Limp Bizkit are now looked at as dad rock. But that doesn’t make it feel any less like a gut punch to learn that the music that used to make you feel young and “with it” is now viewed as old people music. That being said, 89% of the people surveyed said they listen to dad rock, so maybe my generation isn’t as out of touch as the initial findings might suggest.

Some of the other interesting findings of the study include the fact that 41% of respondents think you become “out of touch with modern music” by the time you turn 35, while 30% say you never do. As I sit here at over 35 years old listening to the new Candy album, I concur with the latter 30% who say you never grow out of it.

The study also broke down what the number one dad rock band was on a state-by-state basis, so check out what band your state considers the ultimate dad rock band: