It’s interesting how the perception of most rock and pop acts is divided between those who are annointed by critical hipsters and those who have actual fans. Think about it. For every Ramones or Pavement or Replacements — artists who e’er-glow with the sparkle of intellectual approval — there are the multi-million-selling populists such as Train, REO Speedwagon or John Mayer.

This is an-always relevant artistic observation, and it springs to mind now because 3 Doors Down headlines Sunday in the Grand Theater at Foxwoods.

Emerging from a small town in Mississippi in the first wave of post-grunge bands, 3 Doors Down, behind the single “Kryptonite,” became immediately successful and were at once lumped in with acts like Puddle of Mudd, Nickelback, Staind and Bush — all of whom excelled at similar brands of anthemic hard rock/metal, and all of whom are largely ignored or crushed by critics.

If this bothers 3 Doors Down at all, you can’t tell in conversation with band vocalist Brad Arnold. His Dixie accent is as comforting as sweet tea, he has a little leaguer’s boyish enthusiasm and, in fact, Arnold is far more delighted by a massive and loyal fan base than whether some goateed Pavement fan gets it.

Part of Arnold’s happiness comes from the fact that 3 Doors Down has survived significant personnel changes in the last few years and is once again a reliable and solid unit with guitarists Chris Henderson and Chet Roberts, drummer Greg Upchurch and bassist Justin Biltonen.

Too, earlier this month, their sixth album, “Us and the Night,” was released on Republic Records. If it doesn’t particularly break any new stylistic ground, the high-voltage energy and arena-happy choruses should continue to please longtime fans. After all, 3 Doors Down is one of the “last generation” bands who came to prominence through the now-archaic “major label” blueprint wherein acts built loyal followings through relentless touring and album-length recordings rather than Youtube videos and downloaded singles.

“We sure try to make our albums a complete listening experience,” Arnold says. “As a fan, I know it drives me crazy to buy an album and skip through songs. I understand that not everyone will like every song, but I do think it’s a fun and important experience to listen to an album as a whole work.”

And while “Us and the Night” isn’t a concept album, the band took care to sequence the 11 songs in a way to maximize the listening experience.

“Once we’ve chosen and recorded the material, and then it gets mastered, we go back and work hard at arranging the order of the songs so that there’s a flow and an energy,” Arnold says. “That’s an old school way of doing it, but there’s a reason. Sometimes a casual listener might say, well, there are two or three songs in a row that have the same tempo or whatever. Well, sometimes that’s on purpose. If you listen to the whole thing, you start to get it.”

As for which tunes might resonate with the audience, Arnold is philosophical.

“I think, even as you’re writing a song, it starts to take on a life of its own,” he says. “The label might pick a single, and maybe it’ll be a hit. Maybe I’d think another song could be a hit — and maybe another isn’t my favorite, but for some reasons, the fans get something out of it I’d not have expected. Believe me, it means a lot more to us when fans like something.”

That sentiment takes on added weight to Arnold because 3 Doors Down keep seeing younger and younger folks show up at concerts.

“That’s why we’d never get tired playing old hits,” he says. “I love to watch fans singing along — and, at a certain point, we started to realize there are a lot of 15-year-olds out there, and oh, yeah, they know the lyrics and sing along fervently.

“Maybe I’m naïve or corny, but I think that’s frickin’ awesome. I’m 37 years old, and I’ve been in this band longer than I haven’t. It’s surreal to me that kids love songs that were out before they were born. If you’d told me that back at the start, I wouldn’t have believed you. I’d have been overjoyed, but I wouldn’t believe you. And in the end, that’s what we do it for.”

IF YOU GO

Who: 3 Doors Down with Blackberry Smoke

When: 7 p.m. Sunday

Where: Grand Theater, Foxwoods

How much: $52.50

For more information: 1-800-200-2882