Hero (Chad Kroeger song)

Infobox Single
Name = Hero


Artist = Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott
from Album = Music from and Inspired by Spider-Man and Silver Side Up (in some countries)
Recorded = 2001-2002
Released = 2002
Genre = Alternative rock, post-grunge, power ballad
Length = 3:21 (Orchestral background version)
3:09 (No Strings version)
Writer = Chad Kroeger and Josey Scott
Label = Roadrunner Records
Sony BMG
Producer = Chad Kroeger
Chronology = Chad Kroeger singles
Last single = -
This single = "Hero"
(2002)
Next single = "Why Don't You & I"
(2004)
Misc = Extra album cover
Upper caption = Alternate Cover
Lower caption = iTunes Cover
Type = Studio Album


Lower Caption = iTunes Cover

"Hero" is a single by Chad Kroeger, the lead singer of Nickelback, recorded in 2002 by Kroeger; Josey Scott, the lead singer of Saliva; Tyler Connolly, guitarist and lead singer of Theory of a Deadman; Mike Kroeger, bassist of Nickelback; Matt Cameron, drummer of Pearl Jam; and Jeremy Taggart, drummer of Our Lady Peace (for the video), for "Spider-Man". It is generally credited in full to "Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott."

The song was featured on the soundtrack to "Spider-Man" and became a cross-genre hit in the summer of 2002, reaching #1 on the "Billboard" Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock charts, and placing highly in the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #3, also winning considerable airplay at contemporary hit radio, hot adult contemporary and modern adult contemporary radio formats. Hero became 4x Platinum in the U.S. and 8x Platinum in Canada. It also did well in the United Kingdom, peaking at #4, and also being released on the Nickelback album "Silver Side Up".

The song was the result of a collaboration between Kroeger and Scott. "I was like, 'Dude, we've got to do Spider-Man, dude. That's dope. That's going to be big,'" Scott told Yahoo!'s entertainment news service "LAUNCH". "He had the idea for the song 'Hero' so I came up to Vancouver and met him. He pitched me the idea, and I was like that was pretty dope. So we sort of tweaked it, together, laid down some harmonies on it, and played everything from congas to acoustics on it."

Matt Cameron, who played drums on the track did not appear in the music video and cited family issues as the reason. He was replaced with Our Lady Peace drummer Jeremy Taggart.

Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell was originally picked to play the solo (later played by Connolly), but pulled out because he was concentrating on his solo album. He did however contribute a song to the soundtrack called "She Was My Girl".

Reviewing the song for "NME", Imran Ahmed drew a strong comparison to "How You Remind Me", Kroeger's 2001 international breakthrough with Nickelback, calling the formula for both "Commercial grunge + MOR sensibility = Nu-MOR hit."

There are two versions of this song, one with an orchestral background and one without.

It was covered by David Cook and David Archuleta at the American Idol Season 7 Finale.

Music video

The music video consists of the band playing, with footage of the movie.

Personnel

*Chad Kroeger of Nickelback - electric guitar, vocals
*Josey Scott of Saliva - acoustic guitar, vocals
*Tyler Connolly of Theory of a Deadman - guitar and guitar solo
*Mike Kroeger of Nickelback - bass
*Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam - drums
*Jeremy Taggart of Our Lady Peace - drums (for the music video)

External links

* [http://www.nme.com/reviews/nickelback/6445 NME review]
* [http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12046202 "Josey Scott On Teaming With Chad Kroeger For 'Hero'"] (Yahoo! "LAUNCH", May 11 2002)
* [http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12060864 "'Hero' Becomes Top Rock Track While "Spider-Man" Goes Gold"] (Yahoo! "LAUNCH", June 6 2002)