Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor has claimed Nickelback are no longer the world’s most hated band, with him now bestowing the honor on Las Vegas group Imagine Dragons. 

Speaking on Jonesy’s Jukebox, a radio show hosted by Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, Taylor said he was pleased, in his eyes, that Nickelback were “passing the baton” after years of being the butt of the joke. He said of Imagine Dragons: “They’re awful, so that’s cool.”

“And they’re from Vegas, so I’m gonna go home to protests. Can’t show my face in this town now,” he added. “Yeah, people are slowly coming back to appreciate Nickelback and then just turning their irksome ire toward Imagine Dragons.”

Consisting of lead vocalist Dan Reynolds, lead guitarist Wayne Sermon, bassist Ben McKee, and drummer Daniel Platzman, Imagine Dragons first gained attention for their single “It’s Time” released in 2011.

The following year, they released their debut studio album Night Visions, with accompanying chart-topping singles “Radioactive” and “Demons”. 

They’ve won nine Billboard Music Awards and one Grammy Award. Furthermore, they’ve sold 12m albums and 35m singles worldwide. 

Taylor and Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger have a feud that dates back over 15 years after Taylor described Kroeger as “Shaggy from Scooby-Doo” and the rest of the band as pretty boys”.