NICKELBACK's MIKE KROEGER: We Wanna Keep Going 'As Long As The People Keep Turning Up For The Rock Shows'

In a new interview with U.K.'s link textHive magazine, NICKELBACK bassist Mike Kroeger was asked if there is anything still left on the Canadian rockers' "bucket list to take off" before he and his bandmates hang their hats up as a group. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, we had a really great run, obviously. The statistics you were talking about" — including being inducted into the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame and receiving nine Grammy Award nominations — "they are really awesome things, and we're really grateful to have gone through those and got those accolades or whatever. I think now the goal is just to keep going — to keep making records, to keep going on tour — and as long as the people keep turning up for the rock shows, we're into it. We wanna keep going, having fun."

Regarding whether he and his NICKELBACK bandmates have ever had a conversation about how long they could keep doing this, Mike said: "No. I think I tried to bring it up once and it just didn't go anywhere. It was more, like, 'Nah, we're just gonna keep going. We'll worry about...' We don't look back ever, and we don't look too far ahead. We kind of pay attention to the task at hand and worry about that. That's kind of the way we work."

During the chat, Mike also once again addressed the fact that NICKELBACK at one point became arguably the most disliked band in America, to the point that people who enjoyed NICKELBACK were denying their fandom and hiding their CDs like criminal contraband. Asked if there was ever a point in time where the criticism and the memes and the jokes created an issue for him and his bandmates in terms of how they went about running NICKELBACK, Mike said: "Well, it does affect you. It's not gonna change ever what we do or how we do things or how any of us live our lives — it's never gonna change that — but it does get in your head a little bit. And I wouldn't say it ruins it, but it kind of takes a little bit of the shine off of the fun of it. But on the other hand, you gotta realize how much of it is actually criticism and how much of it is just the sound of a barking dog. You know what I mean? So much of it's totally meaningless. And you know what? Honestly, some of it is hilarious. Some of those memes are fucking great, man. Some of those memes are fucking funny. Have you seen 'Thickelback'? Jesus Christ. That's fucking great, man. That's my favorite one of all, with all of us with the really super-skinny waist and the big fat ass in the tight jeans. I think it's the best."

Earlier this month, NICKELBACK announced the dates for a massive 2027 world arena tour in support of the band's upcoming eleventh studio album, "Everything Under The Sun", which will arrive on October 30 via Virgin Music Group. The extensive run of shows will kick off in North America in February and include dates in Europe, before winding down in Australia in October. The concerts will feature support from British alt rockers DON BROCO.

The tour kicks off its North American leg on February 6 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, with stops at Chicago's United Center, Toronto's Scotiabank Arena, Vancouver's Rogers Arena, Las Vegas' T-Mobile Arena and Houston's Toyota Center before wrapping on May 1 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. The tour then heads to Europe from May through July, beginning May 22 at First Direct Bank Arena in Leeds. Stops include London, Dublin, Amsterdam, Munich and more before the run concludes on July 13 at Royal Arena in Copenhagen. The Australian leg begins October 2 at RAC Arena in Perth, with stops in Adelaide, Melbourne, Geelong, Brisbane, and Sydney before wrapping on October 16 at Roche Estate in Pokolbin.

Tickets for the North American shows will go on sale beginning with an artist and Verizon presale starting at 10 a.m. local on Tuesday (October 13),followed by a general onsale opening at 10 a.m. local on October 16.

NICKELBACK's "Rattle The Cage" (featuring John 5) single recently landed at No. 1 at Active Rock radio in the U.S., marking another chart-topping moment for a band whose catalog has defined rock radio for more than two decades. The track introduced "Everything Under The Sun" with blistering guitars, pounding riffs and arena-sized energy, while subsequent releases "Leave Me Behind" and "Make Me Love You" have revealed a more vulnerable and emotionally expansive side of the record.

NICKELBACK's "Get Rollin'" world tour became the fastest-selling and highest-attended tour of their career, while the Netflix documentary "Hate To Love: Nickelback" became a global sensation, spending weeks in the platform's Global Top 10 and offering fans an unprecedented look inside the band's journey.

With nearly 65 million albums sold worldwide, billions of streams across digital platforms and more than 50 million monthly listeners, NICKELBACK remain one of the most streamed and commercially successful rock bands in the world. Their music continues to connect across generations, while their live shows have cemented their reputation as an arena force with a catalog built for massive rooms and massive moments.