What bands, good or bad, are seen as "cool to hate"

As the title says.

Nickelback lol.

Coldplay.

U2.

Linkin Park were good back in the day (Meteora was their last good effort IMO, but even Re-Animation was better than it) and I liked Silver Side Up, but the rest of what's been mentioned so far are genuine ****e.

Interestingly, I thoroughly disagree. I'd say their first two albums were the worst. I don't even put Reanimation into the picture as it's not an original album (same goes for Recharged, although what I've heard from that is better than Reanimation). I think Minutes To Midnight was an interesting transition but A Thousand Suns is the best thing they've ever done. I find it hilarious that so many 'die hard Linkin Park fans' hate their more recent material because they started writing songs with more than a handful of power chords played on highly distorted guitars with a mix of harsh vocals by Chester Bennington and raps by Mike Shinoda. I know from our previous conversations that you're not one of these stereotypical "nu-metal is da best ev4r" types, but I thought it pertinent to mention nonetheless.
Living Things was pretty good too, but not as experimental as ATS. I've not heard their latest album; I think it's called "The Hunting Party" or something like that.

That is the first time I have heard anyone say that.

In fact every time they do anything new it always end up being about how they aren't as good as they used to be.

I don't think I've ever encountered anyone else saying it, either. I know what you mean about people always saying they're not as good as they used to be. I find it amusing and frustrating in equal measure when people say they've 'sold out' because they aren't as heavy any more, yet their more recent material is probably harder to market than their old ones as many tracks aren't self contained songs. Especially on A Thousand Suns where most of the tracks flow into each other and there's lots of drawn out transitions. Additionally, because so many people only like the first two albums, if they returned to that (and they seem to have done with their latest album) then they've essentially just made an album that people will buy rather than an album they can be creative on. If that's not selling out I don't know what is!