A U.S. Congressman defended his appreciation for Canadian rockers Nickelback in a debate on the House floor after a colleague suggested just 0.005 per cent of people like the band.
During a debate concerning voter rights in Congress on Thursday, Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan referenced that just four out of of 77,000 people who were asked about the proposed provisions were in favour of it, which he added is "probably about the per cent of people who think Nickelback is their favourite band in this country. It's pretty low."
Illinois Republican Rep. Rodney Davis then indicated his appreciation for the much-maligned band, saying: “Why would you criticize one of the greatest bands of the 1990s?"
Only one of the band’s six studio albums were released before 2000.
Davis went on to say that Pocan’s disapproval with Nickelback could cost him at the polls in Wisconsin and that the band is part of his workout routine.
“I actually do have a Nickelback song on my running playlist that I listen to on a regular basis and was ridiculed about that when I posted my playlist one time,” he said.
According to 2017 statistics from Nickelback’s record label BMG, the band has sold more than 50 million albums in the U.S. since 1995. These sales put them second in the U.S. behind only The Beatles among foreign artists.
