Green Day Biography

—
Green Day Biography
American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California, widely credited with popularizing punk rock for a mainstream audience in the 1990s and beyond. Green Day, formed in 1986 by childhood friends Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt, emerged from the East Bay punk scene. Originally named Sweet Children, they changed their name and solidified their lineup with drummer Tré Cool in 1990. Signing to independent label Lookout! Records, they built a cult following. Their major label debut 'Dookie' (1994) on Reprise Records was a massive commercial breakthrough, selling over 20 million copies worldwide and defining the pop-punk genre. Subsequent albums like 'Insomniac' and 'Nimrod' maintained their success. The politically charged rock opera 'American Idiot' (2004) marked a significant artistic evolution and massive commercial resurgence, winning the Grammy for Best Rock Album. They continued success with '21st Century Breakdown' (2009) and the ambitious '¡Uno!', '¡Dos!', '¡Tré!' trilogy (2012). Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, they remain a major force in rock music.
  • The band's original name was 'Sweet Children'. They changed it to Green Day in 1989 to avoid confusion with another local band called Sweet Baby and reportedly because one of their early songs was about smoking marijuana ('Green Day' being slang for a day spent smoking weed).
  • Their discovery by Rob Cavallo from Reprise Records happened after a legendary gig at Berkeley's 924 Gilman Street club, a venue known for its strict DIY punk ethos. Signing to a major label led to some backlash within that scene.
  • The album 'American Idiot' revitalized their career after the relative commercial disappointment of 'Warning' (2000). It became a cultural phenomenon, spawning a hit Broadway musical adaptation that earned two Tony Awards.
  • Billie Joe Armstrong entered rehab in 2012 for substance abuse issues, forcing the band to postpone and cancel tour dates supporting their trilogy albums.
  • In 2015, Green Day received the prestigious honor of induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.
  • They swept the major categories at the 2005 Grammy Awards, winning Record of the Year ('Boulevard of Broken Dreams'), Best Rock Album ('American Idiot'), and Best Rock Song ('American Idiot').