You probably won't be surprised to find a lot here, given that Green Day are one of the definitive Pop Punk bands.
- The underrated Kerplunk features some classics in the Green Day canon: "2000 Light Years Away," "Who Wrote Holden Caulfield?" and "80."
- Most of Dookie. You could probably go so far as to say that this album is the reason pop-punk became such a hot commodity.
- "Basket Case" of course, with a solitary guitar chug exploding into a full band a minute in, is now one of the bands Signature Songs. You know the words: "Do you have the time / To listen to me whine / About nothing and everything all aaaaaat once?"
- In retrospect, the slightly slower "When I Come Around" was the first sign that Green Day were more than just your typical punk revivalist band, as well as the faster "She." Both songs display a surprising bit of emotional depth.
- "FOD" is much catchier than it should be, and this statement applies to both the more gentle first half and the heavy, abrasive second half.
- "Longview." Mike Dirnt thought up the bassline while on acid, and it's actually one of the most stupidly catchy things in the band's entire catalog.
- Insomniac:
- "Brain Stew/Jaded." The band tends to play only the former in concert these days, but hearing the two together is still a rush.
- The first half of "Panic Song" is an instrumental featuring Mike Dirnt furiously playing the bass like he's doing his best Dick Dale impression. It's intense.
- Reviews are a bit mixed on Nimrod due to so much being packed into the album, but there are some classics in there:
- The acoustic ballad "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" (you know, the Seinfeld song) is an undisputed gem.
- The Stray Cats-influenced "Hitchin' A Ride." Especially the climax, where Billie Joe yells "SHHHIIIIIEEEEEET!" and the guitars just pull out all the stops. In the music video, it's accompanied by the stage erupting into sparks. In the live Bullet In A Bible performance, it's accompanied by pyrotechnics.
- The ode to dressing in drag, "King For A Day" invites some ska influences, and it's still a live favorite.
- "The Grouch" is glorious, juvenile fun. "I was a young boy that had big plans / Now I'm just another shitty old man..."
- "Platypus (I Hate You)", a big, hyperspeed, fuck-you. Especially the bridge. "DICKHEAD, FUCKFACE, COCKSMOKIN, MOTHERFUCKIN ASSHOLE, DIRTY TWAT, WASTE OF SEMEN, I HOPE YOU DIE"
- "Nice Guys Finish Last" may be one of the strongest openers to any Green Day album. Just a barrage right out of the gate.
- Warning has the fighting-the-man anthem "Minority," plus one of their unheralded classics in "Waiting."
- Anything off of International Superhits!
- American Idiot was critically and commercially successful for a reason:
- The title track. They hadn't sounded that ferocious since Insomniac.
- "Jesus of Suburbia" proves that they can pull off Epic Rocking while staying true to their punk roots. As does "Homecoming" in its own way.
- The Power Ballad megahit "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams."
- "Letterbomb" is a fan favorite that has become a staple of their live shows.
- "St. Jimmy". Three minutes of breakneck-speed awesomeness.
- The first minute of "Extraordinary Girl" is solely composed of extremely groovy tribal bongos.
- Their impressive cover of John Lennon's "Working Class Hero." Strangely, that song fits 2000s Green Day really well.
- 21st Century Breakdown:
- "Song of the Century". Billie Joe's raw, broken vocal delivery on this song is absolutely immaculate.
- "Murder City", pure insanity but in such perfection.
- "Peacemaker" with its very simple guitar riff and fast drum part that make the song sound like it's from Arabia.
- "Restless Heart Syndrome", with its striking piano blended with pounding drums, violins, and acoustic guitar, its heartbreaking lyrics, and a callback to "Know Your Enemy", only with a dose of melancholic realization, serves as the thematic crux of the album's story. And it's hard not to headbang to the explosion of guitar after the callback occurs.
- "21 Guns," their unusually gentle hit enhanced by great acoustic guitar in the verses and more aggressive electric guitar in the chorus.
- Their cover of the theme of
The Simpsons. Why the hell does this work? - Their Reading 2013 cover of "Highway to Hell". Billie Joe not only nails the pre-chorus vocals, but the audience sings the chorus.
- Their Reading 2004 performance blessed us with this amazing cover of "We are the Champions".
- ¡Uno!:
- "Let Yourself Go" eases any doubt that their energetic irreverence from the Dookie days hasn't gone away entirely.
- "Kill the DJ" is like Green Day trying to make a funky, Red Hot Chili Peppers-esque song, and it is awesome.
- Revolution Radio:
- Bang Bang, a politically-charged fast-paced punk song akin to their earlier work.
- The title track creates a vivacious empowerment anthem with an epic guitar riff.
- "Youngblood" is both a touching ode to love and a spirited celebration of the punk lifestyle.
- "Still Breathing" is incredibly empowering, with a very inspiring melody.
- Bang Bang
- Father of All Motherfuckers:
- "Fire, Ready, Aim" is just a straight-up banger about acting without thinking.
- "Stab You in the Heart" is an invigorating song about wanting to murder somebody backed up with an amazing classic rock-style riff.
- "Pollyanna" is Green Day at their most optimistic, with Billie's voice at its gentlest ever. You really will believe "it's wonderful to be alive."
- From Saviors, "The American Dream is Killing Me", a catchy and head-banging Deconstruction of The American Dream.
