Green Day is an American rock band formed in Rodeo, California, in 1987 by lead singer and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, with drummer Tré Cool joining in 1990. Their major-label debut "Dookie" was released in 1994 through Reprise Records and became a commercial success, selling over 20 million copies in the United States. Green Day has been associated with a revival of mainstream interest in punk rock.
Before adopting the name Green Day in 1989, the band was called Sweet Children. They were part of the late 1980s and early 1990s Bay Area punk scene centered around the club 924 Gilman Street in Berkeley, California. The band's early releases were on the independent label Lookout! Records, including their first album "39/Smooth" (1990). Green Day has primarily operated as a power trio, with Tré Cool replacing John Kiffmeyer in 1990 prior to the recording of their second studio album "Kerplunk" (1991).
Subsequent albums include "Insomniac" (1995), "Nimrod" (1997), and "Warning" (2000), which achieved commercial success at varying levels, with "Insomniac" and "Nimrod" reaching double platinum and "Warning" reaching gold status in the United States. Their seventh album, the rock opera "American Idiot" (2004), gained widespread attention and sold six million copies in the US. It was followed by "21st Century Breakdown" (2009) and a trilogy of albums: "¡Uno!", "¡Dos!", and "¡Tré!" (2012), which received lower commercial performance than previous releases. Later albums include "Revolution Radio" (2016), "Father of All Motherfuckers" (2020), and "Saviors" (2024).
In 2010, a stage adaptation of "American Idiot" premiered on Broadway and was nominated for three Tony Awards, winning Best Scenic Design and Best Lighting Design. Green Day was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, their first year of eligibility. Band members have also participated in side projects such as Pinhead Gunpowder, the Network, Foxboro Hot Tubs, the Longshot, and the Coverups, as well as solo work.
As of 2024, Green Day has sold approximately 75 million records worldwide. The band has been nominated for 20 Grammy Awards and won five, including Best Alternative Album for "Dookie," Best Rock Album for "American Idiot" and "21st Century Breakdown," Record of the Year for "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," and Best Musical Show Album for "American Idiot: The Original Broadway Cast Recording."
Studio albums
39/Smooth (1990)
Kerplunk (1991)
Dookie (1994)
Insomniac (1995)
Nimrod (1997)
Warning (2000)
American Idiot (2004)
21st Century Breakdown (2009)
¡Uno! (2012)
¡Dos! (2012)
¡Tré! (2012)
Revolution Radio (2016)
Father of All Motherfuckers (2020)
Saviors (2024)
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