The band exploded in the second half of the 90s and sold an impressive number of records, but lived with several negative comments
The explosion of so-called post-grunge in the late 1990s meant that some bands in the segment received criticism for their work. Some of the most repudiated names were precisely the most successful: I believe, Nickelback, Mudd Pool, Bush and similar.
The commercial convenience of an initially alternative sound was the main negative comment expressed by some rock fans and specialized critics. An alleged lack of originality began to be cited even by those who disliked such groups.
There is nothing like time – and numbers – to “exonerate” most of these cases. Even with a relatively short career, Creed has managed to sell more than 50 million records across the planet and, in recent times, revive interest around the band to the point of reuniting them for popular shows in 2023.
What do its now more experienced members think of the “hatred” at its peak at the turn of the century? The guitarist Marco Tremonti he reflected on this point in an interview with Ultimate guitar (go Chatty).
Initially, the musician revealed that he deals with negative reactions naturally. After all, no truly popular artist enjoys unanimous acclaim.
“After a while, you realize that if you want to be in a band that becomes as big as Creed, there will be people who love you and there will be people who hate you. Look at all the biggest bands in the world, especially pop artists: Anyone who becomes a household name will be hated by people.”
So, Tremonti gave a strong – and, for those seeking popularity, undeniable – response to this type of situation. He said:
“We must accept the good and the bad. Would you rather sell millions of records and have people criticize you, or not sell records and have everyone love you? “
Interestingly, Mark believes he has experienced both sides of the coin. After Creed broke up in 2004, he formed another band, Alter Bridgewith the same instrumentalists as well as the singer Myles Kennedy in the vacant position that was Scott Stapp. The new project was critically acclaimed, rarely receiving negative comments, but did not repeat the success of the previous group. The musician says:
“I could see both sides of this when we started Alter Bridge. When we started and released some records, we got a lot of critical praise, but we weren’t selling the millions that Creed was. But I’m happy I got to experience all of this I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for those early days of Creed.”
Scott Stapp, Creed and the media haters
The negative reaction to Creed has already been addressed by Scott Stapp in another interview, with Consequence. At the time, the singer presented a different reflection: according to him, the perception of a “hated band” is unproven as it is something that is heavily reinforced by the media, without validation in the eyes of millions of fans.
Initially, he was shown to understand the initial criticism of the group’s sudden success. He said:
“I think part of the initial reaction to I believe it was just a consequence of it being something so big and fast. We had eight consecutive number one singles on the American charts. We were on all the radio stations. There was no getting away from us. But [o ódio] it was created by a kind of critical and elitist media, a kind of “cool kids club”, who liked bands that didn’t sell a lot of records. So it was a narrative generated by these niche media and then propagated to make people believe that this was the voice of the people.”
This narrative, according to Scott, has not been proven. After all, the success continued.
“As this narrative was being spread, we were selling out arena shows, breaking diamond records, and reaching stadium levels. Once this kind of thing gets to that point, there will always be something like this, but it doesn’t represent the people And the I believe has always been a popular band. That’s what meant so much to us: the awards and the recognition that we got, that people chose, and that the numbers said so, and that the concert tickets said so. As someone watching from afar, that’s my perspective.”
Yet no one is made of iron. The members of Creed were shocked by the negative outcry against the band, especially since they were just a band.
“It took us by surprise at the time. We didn’t understand why we went by magazine covers that said ‘I believe is the savior of rock ‘n’ roll, so much so that it suddenly becomes the most hated band in the media. Not from the public, from the media. Being so young, obviously there was some frustration, some anger, some hurt. But where we are now, we understand that this is part of it. This also happens in professional sports. Sign [Tremonti, guitarrista] and I was doing an interview the other day, and he was talking about how that happened [o jogador de basquete] LeBron James. He was the King Jamesnow he is hated. He’s one of the most hated players in the league, and it’s all because of how dominant and winning he is.”
In the end, so many years later, public approval is what matters for Creed. Stapp concludes:
“All that matters to us are the fans. All that matters is taking advantage of the positivity and trying to bring the best to the fans every night, focusing on the good and letting everything else pass.”
+++ READ MORE: Why Nickelback isn’t so hated today, according to Chad Kroeger
+++ READ MORE: In 2002, Creed was sued by fans after a disastrous showing; understand
Source: Terra
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
