Nickelback’s “Rattle the Cage,” featuring John 5, rises a spot to No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart (dated Sept. 26), earning the band its ninth leader at the format and first since 2014.
Released July 14 via Nickelback II/Virgin Music, the song leads via an 8% increase in plays at the format Sept. 11-17, according to Luminate.
Here’s a look at Nickelback’s Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1s:
Title, Peak Date:
“Rattle the Cage,” feat. John 5, beginning Sept. 26, 2026
“Edge of a Revolution,” Oct. 25, 2014
“Something in Your Mouth,” March 7, 2009
“Animals,” Feb. 11, 2006
“Photograph,” Oct. 1, 2005
“Figured You Out,” Jan. 24, 2004
“Never Again,” Oct. 5, 2002
“Too Bad,” April 27, 2002
“How You Remind Me,” Sept. 15, 2001
“Rattle the Cage” debuted on the chart in August, marking Nickelback’s 32nd career entry. The band first made the ranking in March 2000 with “Leader of Men,” which climbed to No. 8. The following year, “How You Remind Me” spent 13 weeks on top. At the time, it was one of only eight songs to have led for at least that long. Nickelback matched that run in 2004 with “Figured You Out.”
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“Rattle the Cage” is also the first Billboard No. 1 for John 5 in a billed role. The legendary guitarist has been a band member for Marilyn Manson, David Lee Roth and Rob Zombie, and has been the touring guitarist for Mötley Crüe since 2022.
The new leader also adds to a strong year for Virgin Music, which earns its third Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1 this year, among five this decade, matching Atlantic, Better Noise, BMG, Concord and RCA for the most of 2026.
Here’s a recap of the label’s leaders this decade:
Nickelback feat. John 5, “Rattle the Cage,” Sept. 26, 2026
Poppy, Amy Lee & Courtney LaPlante, “End of You,” Feb. 21, 2026
Bad Omens, “Dying to Love,” Feb. 14, 2026
Bad Omens, “Specter,” Oct. 18, 2025
Bad Omens, “Just Pretend,” March 11, 2023
“Rattle the Cage” is the lead single from Nickelback’s 11th studio album, Everything Under the Sun, due Oct. 30. In a statement, singer-guitarist Chad Kroeger said, “This album has every side of the band on it. There are songs that hit as hard as anything we’ve ever done, songs that take chances and songs that remind us why we’ve been doing this together for so long.” He added that “Rattle the Cage” “felt like the perfect way to kick the door open — it has the energy we’ve been feeding off every night on stage.”
