Rockstar ( Nickelback song ) - wikipedia Rockstar ( Nickelback song ) `` Rockstar '' Single by Nickelback from the album All the Right Reasons Released July 6, 2006 ( 2006 - 07 - 06 ) Format CD single digital download Recorded May 2005 ; Mountain View Studios, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada Length 4 : 14 Label Roadrunner Songwriter ( s ) Chad Kroeger Ryan Peake Mike Kroeger Daniel Adair Nickelback singles chronology `` Far Away '' ( 2006 ) `` Rockstar '' ( 2006 ) `` If Everyone Cared '' ( 2007 ) `` Far Away '' ( 2006 ) `` Rockstar '' ( 2006 ) `` If Everyone Cared '' ( 2007 ) Nickelback UK singles chronology `` Savin ' Me '' ( 2006 ) Savin ' Me 2006 `` Rockstar '' ( 2006 ) Rockstar2006 `` Photograph ( re-release ) '' ( 2008 ) Photograph ( re-release ) 2008 Billy Gibbons / ZZ Top singles chronology `` 36 - 22 - 36 '' ( 2000 ) 36 - 22 - 362000 `` Rockstar '' ( 2007 ) Rockstar2007 Music video `` Rockstar '' on YouTube `` Rockstar '' is the fifth U.S. single by the Canadian rock band Nickelback from their fifth album, All the Right Reasons ( 2005 ). It was initially only released in the United States and Canada, and has since been re-released worldwide. The lyrics feature the pretentious, materialistic desires of a wannabe rockstar, who craves money, cars and women. Spoken - word vocals between each verse are provided by Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. `` Rockstar '' is Nickelback 's most popular single, peaking at number two in the United Kingdom and being certified Platinum. It has also sold 4.5 million copies in the United States. Contents 1 Critical reception 2 Commercial performance 3 Music video 4 Track listing 5 Pop culture references 6 Charts and certifications 6.1 Weekly charts 6.2 Year - end charts 6.3 Decade - end charts 6.4 Certifications 7 Release history 8 References 9 External links Critical reception Rolling Stone ranked `` Rockstar '' at number 100 in their list of the 100 best songs of 2007. Aside from its praise from Rolling Stone and popularity, some have even labeled it one of the worst songs of all time. `` Rockstar '' was listed at number 2 in BuzzFeed 's list of the 30 worst songs ever written stating that `` If aliens came to earth and asked why everyone hates Nickelback so much, this song would be a perfect explanation. '' A 2008 Popjustice poll voted `` Rockstar '' as the worst single of the year. The Guardian 's Peter Robinson claimed that the song was ``... a Smack the Pony skit without the laughter track ; ironic, given that Rockstar is one of the most unintentionally hilarious songs of the last few years. It is also one of most confusing. '' He concluded his review by stating, `` In summary, this song makes literally no sense and is the worst thing of all time. '' The song has been used to mock the band. The first panel of a 2008 Cyanide and Happiness webcomic shows Kroeger performing the chorus, only for one of the strip 's characters to come in in the second panel and say `` yes you do, Chad Kroeger. Yes you do '' to Kroeger 's apparent dejection. In August of that year, the song appeared in a commercial for British sofa retailer DFS in the United Kingdom featuring actors miming it while playing air guitar in front of sofas. Four months later, the advert was recognized as one of the worst of all time by a Scottish newspaper. Commercial performance During the song 's original release `` Far Away '' was more successful on the Billboard Hot 100 and U.S. Pop charts, while `` Rockstar '' instead found moderate success on the rock charts. It peaked at # 4 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and # 37 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. It entered the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at # 54, during its original run. The song was re-shipped to radio for ads on 5 June 2007, and a video was made to accompany the re-release. After its re-release, became active on most charts again, reaching new peaks on numerous charts like the Hot 100, the Adult Top 40, and Pop 100. It re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number forty - seven on week ending date July 7, 2007. It also registered on charts it had previously failed to do on first release, such as the Pop 100 Airplay. `` Rockstar '' is now the band 's best selling digital single to date in the United States, with digital sales there at 4,229,000 as of July 2013. On 12 September 2007, `` Rockstar '' reached a new peak of # 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, faring better than `` Far Away ''. It became Nickelback 's third Top 10 hit from All the Right Reasons, and their fifth career Top Ten on the Hot 100 overall. `` Rockstar '' reached its 3,000,000 downloads mark in the U.S. in May 2009 and became the best selling rock single of the 21st century before `` How You Remind Me ''. It reached 4 million in sales in the U.S. in June 2012, making it the band 's best selling hit in that country. As of January 2015, the song has sold 4.5 million copies in the US. `` Rockstar '' was a major success in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and number one on the UK Singles Downloads Chart, becoming the most successful single overall of Nickelback 's career in Britain. The song was released in physical form there after becoming popular online and climbing into the top 50 on downloads alone. Over two years after the release of All the Right Reasons, it became the band 's biggest hit in the country, selling 587,000 copies. `` Rockstar '' debuted on the UK Singles Chart on October 21, 2007 ― week ending date October 27, 2007 ― and lasted almost nine months on the chart. On August 10, 2008 ― week ending date August 16, 2008 ― the song re-entered the chart. The release of `` Rockstar '' also helped All the Right Reasons achieve a top 10 position in the UK Albums Chart for the first time, becoming their third top 10 album there. It also pushed sales of the album there from under 200,000 to over half a million. It became the United Kingdom 's fifth biggest selling single of 2008. In August 2008, the song re-entered the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart at number 27, and stayed there for an extra four weeks, taking its total of weeks in the top 40 up to 35. The song remained on the chart for 50 consecutive weeks, before falling off in October 2008. Music video This section relies too much on references to primary sources. Please improve this section by adding secondary or tertiary sources. ( November 2008 ) When the song was first released in August 2006, a music video was not made for the single. Dori Oskowitz, who directed the band 's `` If Everyone Cared '' video, returned to direct the music video for the song 's re-release. Filming outside the Reichstag in Berlin on 23 July 2007 The video features celebrities and anonymous people lip synching to the lyrics. The non-celebrities are filmed around the world, in front of iconic landmarks, such as Times Square in New York, Millennium Park in Chicago, Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles, St Pauls and Tower Bridge in London, the Opera House and Harbour Bridge in Sydney, and the Brandenburger Tor and Reichstag in Berlin. On screen celebrities include multiple shots of Billy Gibbons ( who voices his lines in the song ), Chuck `` The Iceman '' Liddell, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Eliza Dushku, Dominique Swain, Gene Simmons, Wayne Gretzky, Big & Rich 's John Rich, the cast of The Girls Next Door, Kid Rock, Lupe Fiasco, Twista, Nelly Furtado, the crew from American Chopper, Paul Wall, Ted Nugent, Grant Hill, Taryn Manning, Tom Petkos, Lindsey Shaw, Riki Lindhome, Federico Castelluccio, and numerous others. Sometimes the lyric they are lip synching relates to themselves. At the end of the video Nickelback is shown playing live on stage ; this shot was filmed on July 13, 2007 at the Comcast Center for the Performing Arts in Mansfield, Massachusetts. Track listing Maxi - single `` Rockstar '' ( Album Version ) - 4 : 15 `` Rockstar '' ( Clean Version ) - 4 : 15 `` Never Again '' ( Live in Atlanta ) - 4 : 16 `` Photograph '' ( Live in Atlanta ) - 4 : 38 `` Rockstar '' ( Video ) Pop culture references The song makes several references to American popular culture : MTV Cribs ( Chad Kroeger, the band 's frontman, appeared on an episode of the show ), the Playboy Mansion and Playmates, and a spot between James Dean and Cher on Hollywood 's Walk of Fame ( Nickelback is already on Canada 's Walk of Fame ). The lyrics can be taken as generalization of the stereotypical rockstar lifestyle celebrating material success at the expense of artistic integrity. The material desires of the rockstar are listed, but the practice needed to become proficient at rock music is never mentioned. For example : `` I want a brand new house on an episode of Cribs And a bathroom I can play baseball in... I want a new tour bus full of old guitars My own star on Hollywood Boulevard '' The song has been compared to earlier satirical odes to the rockstar lifestyle, including Dire Straits ' `` Money for Nothing '' ( 1985 ), Joe Walsh 's `` Life 's Been Good '' ( 1978 ), Dr. Hook 's `` Cover of the Rolling Stone '' ( 1973 ), The Jam 's `` To Be Someone '' from their album All Mod Cons ( 1978 ), The Byrds ' `` So You Want to Be a Rock ' n ' Roll Star '' ( 1967 ), AC / DC 's `` It 's a Long Way to the Top ( If You Wanna Rock ' n ' Roll ) '' ( 1975 ), Cypress Hill 's `` ( Rock ) '' and `` ( Rap ) Superstar '' ( 2000 ) and most recently Weezer 's `` Beverly Hills '' ( 2005 ). Charts and certifications Weekly charts Chart ( 2006 -- 08 ) Peak position Australian Physical Singles ( ARIA ) 60 Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) 5 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Wallonia ) 23 Brazil ( ABPD ) 66 Canada ( Canadian Hot 100 ) 39 Canada CHR / Top 40 ( Billboard ) 14 Canada Hot AC ( Billboard ) 14 Canada Rock ( Billboard ) 9 Czech Republic ( IFPI Airplay Chart ) 17 Denmark ( Tracklisten ) 32 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 23 Germany ( Airplay Chart ) Ireland ( IRMA ) Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 14 Slovakia ( Rádio Top 100 ) 28 Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) 10 Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 14 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) UK Download ( Official Charts Company ) UK Rock and Metal ( Official Charts Company ) US Billboard Hot 100 6 US Adult Top 40 ( Billboard ) 6 US Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) 37 US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) US Mainstream Top 40 ( Billboard ) 6 Year - end charts Chart ( 2007 ) Rank US Billboard Hot 100 36 US Adult Pop Songs ( Billboard ) 14 Chart ( 2008 ) Rank UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 5 Decade - end charts Chart ( 2000 -- 2009 ) Peak position UK Top 100 Songs of the Decade 54 Certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales United Kingdom ( BPI ) Platinum 600,000 United States 4,500,000 shipments figures based on certification alone Release history Country Release date Version United States August 21, 2006 ( 2006 - 08 - 21 ) Original June 6, 2007 ( 2007 - 06 - 06 ) Re-release United Kingdom November 12, 2007 ( 2007 - 11 - 12 ) References ^ Jump up to : Grein, Paul ( January 31, 2015 ). `` The 15 Most Downloaded Songs in Rock History ''. Yahoo ! Music. Jump up ^ `` The 100 Best Songs of 2007 ''. Archived at Wayback Machine. Rolling Stone. 11 December 2007. Archived from the original on February 1, 2008. Retrieved 6 June 2013. Jump up ^ Robinson, Peter ( 9 February 2008 ). `` How bad can Nickelback be ? Phenomenally, says Peter Robinson ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 2 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` To See or Not to See : Nickelback ''. Metro. 15 September 2008. Retrieved 2 June 2013. Jump up ^ Broderick, Ryan ( 12 June 2012 ). `` These are the 30 of the worst songs ever written ''. BuzzFeed. Retrieved 2 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Popjustice Readers ' Poll Results 2008 ''. Popjustice. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2013. Jump up ^ Robinson, Peter ( 9 February 2008 ). `` How bad can Nickelback be ? Phenomenally, says Peter Robinson ''. The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 3 April 2016. Jump up ^ McElfatrick, Dave ( January 27, 2008 ). `` Cyanide & Happiness # 1156 '' ``. Explosm.net. Retrieved April 12, 2016. Jump up ^ `` 10 of the best - worst adverts of all time ''. Daily Record. 12 December 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2013. Jump up ^ Sweney, Mark ( 11 December 2008 ). `` The worst TV ads of 2008 : Federer, Woods and Henry take a bow ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 4 July 2013. Jump up ^ Billboard Hot 100, Issue Date : Saturday July 7th, 2007 αCharts. us Jump up ^ Paul Grein ( July 17, 2013 ). `` Week Ending July 14, 2013. Songs : Seven For Jay - Z ''. Chart Watch. Yahoo. Jump up ^ `` Yahoo Music ''. Jump up ^ `` Week Ending June 10, 2012. Songs : No Maybes About It ''. 14 June 2012. Jump up ^ `` Duffy and Burke top 2008 charts ''. BBC. 29 December 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2013. Jump up ^ Video Static : Music Video News : June 3, 2007 - June 9, 2007 Jump up ^ Nickelback - Rockstar ( OFFICIAL VIDEO ). 14 August 2007 -- via YouTube. Jump up ^ MouthMedia. `` Canada 's Walk of Fame ''. Archived from the original on 2007 - 09 - 11. Jump up ^ `` Nickelback - Rockstar Lyrics - SongMeanings ''. SongMeanings. Jump up ^ `` ARIA Report ( Issue # 918 ) '' ( PDF ). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2012 - 10 - 12. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Nickelback -- Rockstar '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Nickelback -- Rockstar '' ( in French ). Ultratop 50. Jump up ^ `` Brazil '' ( PDF ). ABPD. October 6, 2001. Retrieved April 1, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Nickelback Chart History ( Canadian Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Nickelback Chart History ( Canada CHR / Top 40 ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Nickelback Chart History ( Canada Hot AC ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Nickelback Chart History ( Canada Rock ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Danishcharts.com -- Nickelback -- Rockstar ''. Tracklisten. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- Nickelback -- Rockstar ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Jump up ^ `` Radio - Charts Deutschland -- Chartwoche 02 / 2008 ''. MusicTrace ( in German ). RadioCharts.com. Archived from the original on 21 January 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2017. Jump up ^ `` The Irish Charts -- Search Results -- Rockstar ''. Irish Singles Chart. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Nickelback -- Rockstar '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Jump up ^ `` SNS IFPI '' ( in Slovak ). Hitparáda -- Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note : insert 200745 into search. Jump up ^ `` Swedishcharts.com -- Nickelback -- Rockstar ''. Singles Top 100. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Nickelback -- Rockstar ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Jump up ^ `` Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40 ''. Official Charts Company. Jump up ^ `` Nickelback Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Nickelback Chart History ( Adult Pop Songs ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Nickelback Chart History ( Alternative Songs ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Nickelback Chart History ( Mainstream Rock ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Nickelback Chart History ( Pop Songs ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Hot 100 Songs - Year - End 2007 ''. Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Adult Pop Songs - Year - End 2007 ''. Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Chart Plus Year End 2008 '' ( PDF ). UKChartsPlus. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 August 2015. Jump up ^ Radio 1 Official Chart of the Decade, as broadcast on BBC Radio 1 on December 29, 2009, presented by DJ Nihal Jump up ^ `` British single certifications -- Nickelback -- Rockstar ''. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 28, 2015. Enter Rockstar in the search field and then press Enter. External links Rockstar Lyrics at Nickelback 's official site Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Nickelback Chad Kroeger Ryan Peake Mike Kroeger Daniel Adair Brandon Kroeger Mitch Guindon Ryan Vikedal Studio albums Curb The State Silver Side Up The Long Road All the Right Reasons Dark Horse Here and Now No Fixed Address Feed the Machine Compilations Three - Sided Coin The Best of Nickelback Volume 1 Extended plays Hesher Singles `` Fly '' `` Leader of Men '' `` Old Enough '' `` Breathe '' `` How You Remind Me '' `` Too Bad '' `` Never Again '' `` Someday '' `` Figured You Out '' `` Feelin ' Way Too Damn Good '' `` Because of You '' `` Photograph '' `` Animals '' `` Savin ' Me '' `` Far Away '' `` Rockstar '' `` If Everyone Cared '' `` Side of a Bullet '' `` Gotta Be Somebody '' `` Something in Your Mouth '' `` If Today Was Your Last Day '' `` I 'd Come for You '' `` Burn It to the Ground '' `` Never Gonna Be Alone '' `` Shakin ' Hands '' `` This Afternoon '' `` When We Stand Together '' `` Bottoms Up '' `` This Means War '' `` Lullaby '' `` Trying Not to Love You '' `` Edge of a Revolution '' `` What Are You Waiting For ? '' `` Million Miles an Hour '' `` She Keeps Me Up '' `` Satellite '' `` Get ' Em Up '' `` Dirty Laundry '' `` Feed the Machine '' `` Song on Fire '' Video albums Live at Home The Videos Live at Sturgis 2006 Concert tours The Long Road Tour All the Right Reasons Tour Dark Horse Tour Here and Now Tour No Fixed Address Tour Feed the Machine Tour Related articles Awards and nominations Discography Songs Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rockstar_(Nickelback_song)&oldid=838239383 '' Categories : 2006 singles 2007 singles 2008 singles Nickelback songs Songs written by Chad Kroeger 2006 songs Songs written by Ryan Peake Songs written by Daniel Adair Roadrunner Records singles Songs written by Mike Kroeger Hidden categories : CS1 German - language sources ( de ) Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Articles with hAudio microformats Articles lacking reliable references from November 2008 All articles lacking reliable references All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from December 2015 Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Wallonia Singlechart usages for Canada Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardcanadachrtop40 Singlechart usages for Billboardcanadahotac Singlechart usages for Billboardcanadarock Singlechart usages for Denmark Singlechart usages for Germany2 Singlechart usages for Ireland2 Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for Slovakia Singlechart called without artist Singlechart usages for Sweden Singlechart usages for Switzerland Singlechart usages for UK Singlechart usages for UKdownload Singlechart usages for UKrock Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart usages for Billboardadultpopsongs Singlechart usages for Billboardalternativesongs Singlechart usages for Billboardmainstreamrock Singlechart usages for Billboardpopsongs Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom Certification Table Entry usages for United States Talk Contents About Wikipedia Български Deutsch Français Italiano Nederlands Polski Português Shqip Slovenčina Svenska 3 more Edit links This page was last edited on 25 April 2018, at 19 : 51. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who sings i want to be a rockstar
Answer: Canadian rock band Nickelback; Nickelback; Canadian rock band Nickelback; Canadian rock band Nickelback; Nickelback