Music Towers has never really considered Chad Kroeger, of Canadian "rockers" Nickelback, to the be the sharpest tool in the rock'n'roll box - this is, after all, the same millionaire rockstar who penned a song where he explicitly and repeatedly expresses his ambition to one day become a rock star, seemingly oblivious to the fact he already is one. But maybe he's the smart one - if the details of the 360 deal he's just signed with Live Nation are to be believed.

Although specific amounts have not been announced, the deal is rumoured to be of a a value somewhere between $50 and $70 million for 3 albums, plus all the associated touring, merchandising, sponsorship, endorsements - the whole shebang.

While Nickelback still owe two albums on their current deal with Roadrunner Records, people are already speculating over what this move will spell for Roadrunner. While one of the biggest metal labels in the world (with a roster that hold Slipknot, Machine Head, Megadeth, Trivium and so many more), Nickelback have long been a cash-cow for the label. Chad's sub-grunge country-rock might not get the cool kids moshing, but it sure as hell has been a useful source of funding.

It also begs the question of what the Warner Music Group will be thinking now. They bought a majority stake in Roadrunner in December 2006 for a cool $73.5 million. With the biggest asset jumping ship in just two albums time, maybe that investment isn't looking like such a good deal now...