Green Day

A band formed in the late 1980s by lead singer/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer John Kiffmeyer. After their first album, Kiffmeyer left, and drummer Tre Cool joined, cementing the lineup. The band first became famouse in the early-mid 90s due to their independant albums 39/Smooth and Kerplunk. The success was improved upon with 1994's Dookie and 1995's Insomniac. Subsequent albums Nimrod and Warning were less successful, though they yielded popular songs such as Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) and Minority Though their popularity began to sag, the band came back with the multiplatinum 2004 'Punk Rock Opera' American Idiot, which detailed the story of the Jesus of Suburbia, St. Jimmy, and Whatsername as they navigate the waters of Bush-Era America. The album was both critically and commercially successful, and spawned a profitable world tour. The band's next release came in 2009, 21st Century Breakdown. Similar to American Idiot in concept, the album varied in style and was praised for its diversity. Like the previous album, it's a 'Punk Rock Opera', following two 20somethings, Christian and Gloria. Music Elitists that don't actually know what they're talking about like to use Green Day as an example of a band that is a sellout because they signed to a major label. Obviously someone doesn't remember The Clash in 1977.