Question: Who are these people that are buying the new Nickelback album? And are there really enough of them to make it the highest selling album of the week in America? Are they actually leaving their homes, driving to their local CD conglomerate, picking it up off the shelf and walking up to the counter with a straight face?

Answer: These are probably the same people that have put The Black Eyed Peas' most recent album ninth on Billboard's Top 200 chart. This, just 18 weeks after its release and the Peas selling themselves all over the media, not excluding 'getting the party started' in Twix commercials and the live-action film, Garfield.

I'm not going to lie, I've come into the whole concept of a new release from Nickelback a bit biased and uninformed as to the actual content of the album. However, relevant knowledge is not a prerequisite for writing a Viewpoint. And I stand by my right to be bitter and uppity when dealing with this particular subject.

Nonetheless, I've realized record company execs only need to ask three questions before saying "yes" to backing a CD like Nickelback's "All the Right Reasons." 1. Have they made money for us before? 2. Can they reproduce the same mediocre hook in their forthcoming singles? 3. Can we cut the lead singer's hair to give him a new look and provide a metaphor for the artistic progression of the band?

Of course, the answer to each of these questions is: why not? However, this answer causes many problems. Record companies need someone competent enough to jump into these conversations and actually tell them why not. The real answer should be this: because the music is recycled, boring and will subsequently be featured in the trailer for the upcoming Jerry Bruckheimer movie. And no one needs to see that.

American FM radio is simply appalling, and it has been for as long as I can remember. Though I had no problem with it when I was younger, it would be nice to see radio mature, just as my musical tastes have.

Despite all of these troubles, I really do think decent music has a chance to overtake the Nickelbacks and Sugar Rays of today's culture. Whether it's because of college radio, mp3s, MTV2, or the one, "Float On"-type song that becomes mainstream every few years, I won't rule out the possibility of good music pervading our culture.

However, this potential for change only brings on another question. Do you want your favorite band or song that only you and your friends know about becoming the favorite band or song to millions of Americans? I say, "why not?"

And this time, I think it's okay. For example, it took exactly one week before the release of the new Franz Ferdinand album became engrossed in pop-culture with FOX playing their new single during the Major League Baseball postseason broadcast. Of course the song will become overplayed, though I'd rather have it be Franz Ferdinand over Nickelback any day.

While tunes like these will surely go from fun and enjoyable to a matter of annoyance, I can still take pride in knowing I listened to that song three days before the rest of America did. It doesn't matter to me. If it means one less consumer being able to keep a straight face when they go to buy the new Nickelback album, then music in the mainstream might finally be on the right track.

This viewpoint was published in The Marquette Tribune on October 27, 2005.