# The Plaque Series Part 2 Episode 2: Nickelback's The Long Road, Marianas Trench's Astoria, & A Rant On The Organ's Acceptance Speech

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/i-hate-simkin-7337655/the-plaque-series-part-2-episode-2-nickelback-s-the-long-road-marianas-trench-s-astoria-a-rant-on-the-organ-s-acceptance-speech
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Podcast: [I Hate Simkin](https://stenobird.com/podcast/i-hate-simkin-7337655)
Published: 2026-06-03T11:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://3b54cd92-d36d-4435-aa90-79f3f823bb32.libsyn.com/the-plaque-series-part-2-episode-2-nickelbacks-the-long-road-marianas-trenchs-astoria-a-rant-on-the-organs-acceptance-speech
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/3b54cd92-d36d-4435-aa90-79f3f823bb32/Episode_2_no_music.mp3?dest-id=4100463
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Duration seconds: 2887

## Resource

Jonathan Simkin breaks down the real story behind Nickelback backlash, internet hate culture, Marianas Trench pressure, and the fallout between 604 Records and The Organ. From The Long Road selling millions while being labeled a "failure," to when Nickelback started to get public abuse, Jonathan explains what was actually happening behind the scenes during one of the biggest backlashes against a rock band. He looks back on giving up creative control on Marianas Trench's This Means War video, and why that song didn't connect commercially. He also responds in detail to comments and narratives surrounding The Organ, their breakup, the Polaris Heritage Award controversy, and why he feels 604's role in the band's success has been erased from the story. The episode also covers: Why Nickelback became a punching bag online The psychology of rock fans and backlash Marianas Trench's Astoria era pressure How The Organ almost became massive internationally The beginning of 604 studios due to The Organ 'tossing a record in the river' Why some Canada's biggest ever bands never made it out of the country Each segment is also available on Youtube (or soon will be). Like, reviews, shares etc. help us big time. Thank you for listening!

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