Nickleback set for Birmingham's Genting Arena

They are back in Birmingham tonight, and super-fan Michelle Martin doesn't want to hear the usual clichés rolled out to attack them. Here is why she thinks you should shut up and rock out with Canada's finest...

Guess who's back? No, not Shady this time – Nickelback.

Hold onto your hats because Chad Kroeger and gang will drop by the Genting Arena with special guests Monster Truck tonight. Fans can expect an adrenaline-charged spectacle.

Regularly filling stadiums with dedicated fans, Nickelback continue to attract new listeners with their crowd-pleasing records and engaging shows.

It's common knowledge their work is not appreciate all over the world. In 2014, a Kickstarter campaign was created to prevent the band from performing in London in the future. Last year, a local police force in Queensland, Australia tweeted a picture of Nickelback on a Wanted poster, for crimes against music, with supporting text stating 'Urgent police warning: Men matching this description expected to be committing musical crimes in Boondall tonight'. The Aussies do have a sense of humour.

A PHD student has even written a paper on why people hate the band. Audiences have also commented that their music is bland and all sounds the same. Enthusiasts suggested that the band were in it for commercial reasons rather than artistic expression, and they are more popular with females than metal fans, blaming cheesy lyrics.

However their latest album, No Fixed Address, released in 2014, was met with favourable reviews, with one noting: 'it generates the best Nickelback album to date'.

Beginning way back in 1995, Nickleback formed during the era of the Britpop explosion, the mainstream introduction of alternative rock and grunge and the continuation of hip hop's golden age.

Their debut EP Curb had to be distributed independently and the band promoted the album themselves, dropping the music off at stores and ensuring they were restocked after a sell-out, which frequently happened. Their single Fly proved to be a big hit in Vancouver, their home base. Nickelback also received a nomination for Album of the Year.

Their second album The State progressed even better. Chad mentioned in a Canadian interview: "The managers weren't really helping us at the time. They were having problems, and that's why we actually let them go. We all thought we could do a pretty good job on our own, and, well, we did just fine."

Their first hit single Leader Of The Men charted in the US Top 10 for 13 weeks, establishing themselves within the grunge-rock community in 2000. Their emotionally charging lyrics shot them to popularity with singles How You Remind Me and Rockstar, a crowd favourite.

Silver Side Up earned triple platinum in 2002, cementing their place in the rock music industry for the long term. So they must be doing something right.

The second leg of their current world tour was postponed until autumn this year due to frontman Chad having surgery on his voice box. A statement released by management explained: "We are sorry to miss our fans out on the road, but a full recovery is what is most important right now."

All of Europe and the UK had their dates cancelled until the end of this year. And now the boys are back and ready to rock.

They have come quite far since their heydays in the mid-90s. Having sold more than 20 million albums, Nickelback are one of the most successful bands of the millennium, and yet audiences will still find a way to tarnish them.

For a good sing-along with crowd-friendly songs, headbanging anthems and stage lighting worthy of the Christmas Illuminations at Blackpool, I would suggest going for this. If you don't prefer the tacky lyrics, screaming girls on cell phones or nearly identical songs, go and see metal band Dragonforce the next time they're in town.

Nickelback return to Birmingham tonight at the Barclaycard Arena.