We've all been pronouncing Chad Kroeger's name wrong this entire time

Chad Kroeger throwing the horns — (Image credit: Getty (Taylor Hill))

We're still recovering from the news that Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme's name isn't pronounced how the mass majority of us have been saying it for the past twenty years (it's pronounced 'Hom-ay', in case you missed the memo), and now Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger has blown our minds by revealing we've all been pronouncing his surname wrong this entire time as well.

In a new interview with Loudwire, the singer/guitarist has finally revealed that his family name is not, despite its spelling, pronounced 'Crow-ger', as pretty much all of us have assumed over the years. In fact, it's actually pronounced 'Kroo-ger', like A Nightmare On Elm Street antagonist, Freddy Krueger!

"It's [Kroo-ger], don't trust the internet," Chad explains, noting that he's never made the effort to correct people during interviews because he doesn't get time before the interview starts.

"It's so far in by the time I get to say something, I don't," he notes. "Because if I just stop and go, 'Actually, it's Kroeger,' I'm gonna look like such a [expletive]. So I'm just like whatever, I don't care."

Chad also reveals that one of the few people to correct an interviewer on his behalf was none other than Alice In Chains guitarist and chief songwriter Jerry Cantrell, who once leapt in on Chad's behalf during an interview.

“I sort of looked over at Jerry, and he goes, ‘It’s your name, dude. That is your last name,'" says Chad. "'Tell that dude across there how to say it properly so that he stops saying it wrong into that microphone and misinforming people. That is your last name, brother.' And I was like, ‘Wow you really care about this shit!’”

Nickelback recently released rollocking new single San Quentin, taken from upcoming new album Get Rollin', out November 18.

Nickelback Get Rollin' tracklist

1. San Quentin
2. Skinny Little Missy
3. Those Days
4. High Time
5. Vegas Bomb}
6. Tidal Wave
7. Does Heaven Even Know You’re Missing?
8. Steel Still Rusts
9. Horizon
10. Standing In The Dark
11. Just One More

Merlin was promoted to Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has written for Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.