It is still difficult to believe that Green Day has gone from being a Dookie-joke making ’90s pop-punk outfit to one of the most popular rock bands in the world.
It’s amazing what landing a schmaltzy acoustic ballad on Seinfeld can do for a punk’s career.
Green Day’s new concept album, 21st Century Breakdown, is a melodramatic blast of political-pop that comes up sounding more like Disney pop than Clash-y revolutionary rock.
Aside from the obvious pitfalls of concept albums in general, there’s something disingenuous about hearing middle-aged millionaires peddling teen angst. The Who famously hoped they’d die before they got old. Clearly, Green Day has no such foresight.
The rest of the album review depends largely on which version of the album you actually own. The group has released the disc at several price points, ranging from digital download to deluxe edition with hardback book and bonus material.
While it’s easy to understand that bands need to come up with new and inventive ways to lure fans into buying discs rather than pirating them online, there begins to be something disconcerting about an ostensibly politically-charged, proletariat-touting punk trio dividing its audience based on economics.
Following lead characters Christian and Gloria, 21st Century Breakdown is essentially broken into three movements following the pair’s struggles with church, state, love and grown-ups in modern America, all set to a soundtrack of easily palatable pop-punk guitar riffs (ready for Guitar Hero?), sensitive piano interludes and sweetly Queen-tinged vocal harmonies.
Make no mistake, mainstream critics are drooling over 21st Century Breakdown and this album will be hugely popular. The band’s logo is destined to be scribbled on across the notebooks of moody youngsters who’ve outgrown Jonas Brothers, and old loyalists and hangers on will defend the band as well. While the music is certainly easy to swallow, we just can’t keep it down.
Perfecting its own formula for grandiose, proselytizing arena rock, Green Day seems determined to become the U2 of a new generation, with all of the pompous self-importance and posturing (and eyeliner) that implies.
Perhaps best we can hope for is that this ultra-glossy pop ode to rebellion might inspire some musicians to stage their own anti-pop-punk revolution. So, maybe Green Day will be useful after all.
U2 Fan says...
05.18.09 10:23 am
Who writes this s¿$t? What, Greenday does something a bit more polished and they suddenly are selling out? Every band that stays together for few years has to evolve their sound. Greenday has managed to do this AND stay true to their roots. Do us all a favor and quit pretending to have a valid opinion.
U2 and Green Day Both Suck Hairy Dog Nads added...
A U2 fan defending Green Day??? Hilarious!!!!! For f—’s sake, I honestly couldn’t think of any bands worse than those two in popular music. U2 = most boring band in the world; Green Day = most fake “punk” band in the world. Both bands can f— off and die. The mere fact that you enjoy the music of two such disparate yet equally tedious bands immediately invalidates your opinion. In fact, I think I’d rather subject myself to the torture of listening to Nickelback…
06.29.09 4:43 am
Joe added...
This anti american Green Day s— can go, they are done, they have been done since dookie. They are just fulfilling their contracts and getting paid.
09.22.09 7:56 am
turbo says...
05.19.09 11:52 pm
u2 fan is probably either a 14 year old girl to young to remember greendays albums before american idiot or a 35 year old male that lives in a one bedroom apartment working a minimum wage job and has one friend (who also likes greenday). Staying true to their roots would be the exact opposite of what they have done with their last two albums. the politically charged faggotry they are releasing is a simple play to make sales. their music is bland and emotionless with little or no difference between each droning tune. you have to be fuckin hellen keller not notice this. dont get me wrong, they are smart as hell for doing what they do, because it sells records and makes them bajillionares, but it doesnt change the musical atrocities they commit with each new record after “warning”
Karen added...
Thanks
-MV
05.20.09 8:30 am
Sorael says...
05.20.09 7:03 pm
Hah I agree, and despite hearing the interview on 107.7 with the drummer on the views they have, they present it horribly. The only positive thing I see with this album is that it’s so catchy and terribly simple minded that it may get even the most brain dead people to somehow figure out that there’s issues with the world. I’m not exactly sure what makes this band so incredibly amazing right now. Their riffs have been the same in almost every song they have created and the content is so uncreative and painfully direct that it leaves nothing to imagination. Could just be their image and marketability but honestly, there have been claims that this album will pass Dark side of the moon as far as album sales. Really? Claims like that make me feel like I’m a part of an endangered species.
Karen added...
Yikes, having this thing outsell Dark Side would be kinda depressing…
I think you’re right though, that maybe it’ll at least help some people realize there are issues in the world.
Hopefully it’ll also help people realize there’s better music in the world, too,haha.
05.27.09 3:11 am
Brian says...
05.25.09 5:59 pm
Turbo is obviously a bitter, petty person who can’t spell simple, elementary level words and thinks that using immature and bigoted words is the height of wit. Grow up. Learn how to spell too while you’re at it. It is possible to state your opinions without being degrading. Maybe you and Karen will grow up and realize that one day.
SomeGuy says...
05.27.09 7:40 pm
Biased or not, I must state my honest opinions. Green Day has been absolute sh!t since Dookie, but even that has lost its value. Green Day has become the type of music manufactured for the hive mind.
I can’t hope to understand what draws people to this band which makes me hate them more. I guess people see a message in their lyrics and think they’re brooding, witty, and deep. That’s just not true.
The fact that it’s politically charged makes it even worse. What the hell does Green Day know about the problems of the world, are they sociologists? If you’re concerned about the state of the world, read a newspaper, study Socrates/Plato and justice.
Oh, and Brian, turbo didn’t misspell any words (except “to” –> “too”) that I saw. He left out some punctuation and capitalization though. However, both of their posts were related to the subject at hand. And yes, I arrive here with the intention of bashing Green Day. Sorry, this was as concise an argument as I could make.
Karen added...
Glad someone is on my side =)
05.28.09 6:17 am
Dave S added...
Damn straight!!!! Good remarks.
06.16.09 10:27 am
U2 and Green Day Both Suck Hairy Dog Nads added...
So true! Who can take a bunch of middle-aged millionaire arseholes whining on about “revolutions” and “standing up to the man” seriously??? They can spout all the angsty buzzwords, catchphrases and clichés that they want from the comfort of their multi million dollar mansions – that doesn’t alter the fact that they are hypocrites of the worst possible kind.
06.29.09 5:02 am
gdloved says...
05.28.09 4:09 pm
i agree i mean wtf how did a punk-rock legend turn in to this some faggoty commercial pop band?
Penis added...
Agreed Homie
06.26.09 7:08 am
Joshroxx says...
05.31.09 7:02 pm
I have been a faithful somewhat biased Green day supporter for 16 years . But this album is garbage it sounds like all the other whiny pop bullshit that calls them self bands. Billie Joe is probably the key to the turn around When he shaves his head cleans of the eyeliner and stops dressing like a modern 17 year old and looks around there is a lot to make fun of or be pissed about and jam some power cords to or at least somebody step the F up WTF. Know your Enemy was and is better when Rage Against the Machine did it. I am just so disappointed with this crap. Foxboro Hot Tubs was a hold me over I really hope it’s not the last one I will enjoy.
Karen added...
Yeah, at least Foxboro had a sense of humor. The new Green Day CD is a joke, but the band doesn’t know it.
06.1.09 6:27 am
Nicholas O'mahen says...
06.6.09 6:05 am
Quote from 21st Century Breakdown song Know Your Enemy…
“Revolt Against the Honor To Obey”
Okay, so Billie thinks I should revolt against those who try to make me obey.
I was hanging out with a group of friends who are all Green Day fans and we were talking about the band and the new album. We had all listened to it. The response from each person was almost exactly the same “Oh yeah I love the album it’s sooo great, they did a great job, this album is better than American Idiot” then I piped in and said “You know I’m not gonna lie and say this is a good album, I think it really sucks. I listen to the song Longview and then listen to Know Your Enemy and I’m like wtf? This sounds like pop BS! I hate it, it’s not creative” any Green Day fan who tells me to shut up because I’m not a teeny bopper who gets a hard-on every time big rock band comes out with their new album is a hypocrite!! You listen to billie joe say he WANTS A REVOLUTION and He wants you to fight against those who shut you up and then you go and try to shut up those who voice there opinions just because the differ from your own… You are becoming exactly what he hates, yet you worship him as a creative genius rock star!
I don’t like the new album! I’m entitled to my opinion and no one is going to shut me up.70’s=Punk Rock 80’s=Great Movies 90’s=Grunge 2000’s=Sh*t!
MY GENERATION SUCKS!!
Thank You.
Karen added...
This is my favorite comment ever.
You rock.
06.8.09 10:06 am
Yelo Fink added...
You, my friend, are voicing precisely what I thinK!!!!
(lol)
ARGH! I have loved green day since the Kerplunk era, and I’ve just been besotted by them ever since. I’m not stupid, I don’t blindly follow everything they do, but their music just means something to me and it always will. When I was a kid my dream was to marry Billie Joe…
Now, this new album?
The only song I like on it is… er… Horseshoes and Handgrenades. It’s just too pop for me. I like the old Green Day. And I hate teeny-boppers coming up to me because they know I like Green Day and saying ‘OMFG, I LOVE 21 guns. It’s like so cool. Billie Joe is hot.”
ARGH! DARN RADIO MAINSTREAM FOLLOWERS! I KNOW Billie Joe is extremely attractive, but because YOU like him, his value is decreasing!!!! AARGH!
I have decided that I don’t care what they think. I love Green Day. But I don’t like the new album. No-one expected me to say it. But I DID. TAKE THAT.
11.8.09 12:19 am
Lyndsey says...
06.11.09 12:08 am
f— you.
you’re just jealous because they’re way more talented, interesting, sexy, and funny than you!!!
and no, im not just some teenie. f—no.
and also, 37 (which is the oldest age out of the three of them) IS NOT MIDDLE-AGED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nicholas O'mahen added...
You use quite a lot of explanation points, profanity, and immature sayings like “oh, you’re just jealous” for a 37 year old
06.12.09 7:36 am
U2 and Green Day Both Suck Hairy Dog Nads added...
F— off b—-. The mere fact that you like Green Day is proof positive that your taste in music is piss poor, and that you wouldn’t know good music if it bit you on your fat arse. Also, the way you resorted to using the word “sexy” to defend Green Day is an undeniable indication that you have little real interest in music itself, lack in-depth knowledge of music as a whole, and are wholly susceptible to marketing hype and hyperbole. Therefore one can then safely assume that you are an avid consumer of anything force fed to you be the mass media monster. As such, your opinion on anything musical means absolutely zilch.
Let me conclude by asking you to piss off and go back to your Jonas Brothers and Fall Out Boy records.
06.29.09 5:13 am
Dave S says...
06.16.09 10:25 am
Dead on review methinks. Green Day has sucked from day 1. The band actually reflects the title of their first album, “Dookie”. Their constant whining is about as enjoyable as jock itch.
If you want punk…buy real punk! TSOL, The Exploited…That’s real punk. Green Day? Punk for idiots that like living with their parents at the age of 40….
Karen added...
Thanks! And now, it’s going to be a musical!
So lame.
06.16.09 11:20 am
U2 and Green Day Both Suck Hairy Dog Nads added...
Too right friend, too right. Green Day has never been good. These people who say Green Day are sell-outs need to get their facts straight – you can’t really sell-out if you were a totally s— band right from the get go.
As for real punk: hardcore is what does it for me, old stuff like Minor Threat, Black Flag, Bad Brains, Deep Wound, et al. And in more recent years post-hardcore and such: Fugazi, Sleepytime Trio, Black Cross, City of Caterpillar, Guilt, Botch, Braid, Pyramids, Ultra Dolphins, Pelican, etc etc etc… Now that’s good music folks – you silly Green Day fans could improve your quality of life by taking a leaf out of my book.
06.29.09 4:54 am
zoe says...
06.20.09 2:54 pm
all of you are a bunch of haters!! leave green day alone!
me says...
06.24.09 8:32 am
Their first album wasn’t Dookie (but that is when they sold out). That was there third album. First 2 were okay though.
Penis says...
06.26.09 7:10 am
GREEN DAY SUCKS
U2 and Green Day Both Suck Hairy Dog Nads added...
Truer words were never spoken my friend!
06.29.09 4:55 am
A naked guy says...
06.26.09 7:12 am
Agreed. Green day sucks a–. THey are the worst “Punk” Band in the whole world!!
U2 and Green Day Both Suck Hairy Dog Nads added...
You were right to place the word “punk” in inverted commas. The sooner Green Day’s dimwitted fans realise that this crap masquerading as music is NOT punk, the better. This shit is about as punk as Celine Dion.
06.29.09 4:57 am
grouchpunk08 says...
06.26.09 5:04 pm
Of course everyone is entitle to their own opinion, but I really like Green Day. They aren’t my favorite band, but they do rank up there pretty high. But I will say this, I don’t think 21st century breakdown was as good as some of their older stuff.
Sonicsrule says...
06.26.09 11:08 pm
Dookie was okay everything they did after was pathetic and now there all poltical and crap acting like there rage againts the machine.
maggie says...
06.28.09 9:52 am
this is what i think happened here: green day got huge, “punk kids” say “oooh i cant like popular things, therefore i must come up with reasons i hate them,” and you get posts like the ones above.
as far as this album being a sell-out album, i have to disagree. just because a band evolves and a larger population of people come to know their name does not mean they sold out. i mean, c’mon. people grow up and with that aging comes different moods, different influences, different feelings, and different writing styles. so green day is not writing songs about smoking weed, masturbating, and being an outcast. thats because they have grown beyond those feelings in their personal lives. to expect a band to continue writing in the same style they did 20 years ago is completely ridiculous (and in my opinion THAT would be selling out). and for those of you that say they still ARE writing from a 14-year-old perspective obviously dont understand the message of the album. just because a band has a shit lode of money, doesnt mean they still dont see things that are wrong with the world (theyre not on the hills for gods sake) and want to voice frustrations.
in response to joshroxx (bitch’n name by the way): you say: ["stops dressing like a modern 17 year old and looks around there is a lot to make fun of or be pissed about and jam some power cords"] (im taking direct quotes from you because it was such a run-on sentence, i had to read it like nine times to try to understand what you meant). green day has ALWAYS played power chords. on every album, ever. ALL of their songs are easy to play. and its been like that since day one. why is it just now everyone is dismissing their credibility due to the simplicity of their power chord structures? if you would have said that like 20 years ago when they first started out, then maybe your statement would have some validity. (and i apologize if i misunderstood what you were saying and rambled on for a paragraph about it, but like i said, i had to read it over and over to try to come to some understanding of what it meant). (oh and a side note: ["Know your Enemy was and is better when Rage Against the Machine did it"] doesnt make any sense because rage never did that song. it was a different song with the same name, and im sure you know that, so im not exactly sure where you where going with that comment. if you would have said “the man who sold the world was better when david bowie did it, THAT would have mad sense.)
the only person that seems to have some sense in these posts is SomeGuy says…: ["Green Day has been absolute sh!t since Dookie, but even that has lost its value"] if you loved green day before dookie, and then dookie changed your mind, great! if you loved green day before warning, and then warning changed your mind, wonderful! but if you have loved green day and all of a sudden 21st century breakdown changes your mind… you might want to re-think the things that make you enjoy music in the first place, because this album is littered with hints of warning, american idiot, nimrod, and insomniac, and hating it because its “popular” reflects more on you than it does the band.
i might be the only person who thinks “14-year-old teeny boppers” listening to green day is a step in the right direction. music has really been at an all-time low, and if green day can get a few kids listening to something besides the hip-hop rap garbage that is rotting away our youth, then im all for it. personally i would rather have my kids listening to songs of revolution than lyrics like “wait till you see my d—,” and songs about f—— mad bitches in the clubs while throwing hundred dollar bills around. and people might say, “but there is so much better REAL punk out there,” and maybe thats true. but thinking back to my childhood, it was bands like green day that caught my attention and dragged me away from the music about, “rolling down the street smokin endo, sippin on gin and juice.” i had no idea about underground punk. i was a fucking KID. i heard what i was exposed to. you cant expect grade school kids to spend their time researching “real punk bands” while their friends listen to top 40 radio.
in conclusion, (thats right my post has an intro (kinda), body, and conclusion, english majors) just because a band gets big, doesnt mean they sold out. it has happened, yes, but green day is not one of those cases. this is a simple story of a band growing up, evolving, getting big, and then being castrated by their fans for getting big. if the tables were turned, im sure you would LOVE it if your band broke out and started selling albums like penicillin to frat boys. and if you would hate that and would rather work a minimum wage job and play your less-popular “true punk rock” at local dive bars to a crowd of three sleeping 50-year-old townies, then maybe you are on a different level than me, and i have more respect for you than you will know. but if your “true punk rock” songs all of a sudden become noticed by the mainstream and you say “fuck that, we are only gunna let the 3 50-year-old drunk townies listen to us instead of doing the same thing weve been doing for years, and make lots of money doing what we love (this run-on sentence is for you joshroxx), then you are an idiot. so is 21st century breakdown my favorite green day album? i would have to say no. is it still a respectable album? yes. everyone is entitled to their own opinion and this is mine. for those of you who read my entire post, i thank you. i probably would have stopped at paragraph two. for those of you who DID stop at paragraph two: i have nothing to say because your not reading anymore anyway.
ps if anyone does have a “true punk” band they are in and would like to share it, please post a link, because i would love to listen to it. too much time is spent by people bashing bands they hate and not enough time on saying what they like and why. i wont bash your band. i just like hearing new music.
Nicholas O'mahen added...
“Punk is whatever we made it to be”
and to put it simply, I don’t like what Green Day is making it.
Had I liked this album I promise I wouldn’t be on here bitching, chili peppers sell a lot of albums, but I love their newest album.
AND it sounds nothing like their old stuff ; which I’m totally okay with.
You are killing the generation gap… I hope you’re happy bitch.
06.29.09 2:42 pm
Yelo Fink added...
Can I give you an award? You are amazing. I agree. Everybody changes. Who says Green day can’t change, too?
They haven’t sold out, they’ve just evolved. Why should we condemn them because their music is now appealing to more people?
I’m a diehard Green Day fan, and I prefer the old stuff, but I respect everything Green day do because they are a fantastic band. Full stop.
11.8.09 12:24 am
matt says...
06.28.09 8:26 pm
yes, green day maybe once had potential. until they thought they needed to go overboard and make a album that tells a story (american idiot). might i add, a very bad story. give up please green day. you’re outdoing yourselves. you preach all this f— the media stuff, and u decide to stream your piece of s—music video on mtv. epic fail, very very much so. and if u really wanna get your voice out to the REAL punk rock community, get off a major label. maybe go indie for a change. the way u used to. but no, u decide to sign to “reprise” (i dont know when, and dont really care). so instead of having a good old punk rock show at a small club in new york, or chicago. you play at stadiums, for overpriced tickets, overpriced shirts, and for a overpriced (sold out), piece of s— band. and play for 10 year old boys and girls, who really dont have a clue what your music is SUPPOSED to be about. but go because they like your new 3 note riff that sounds the same in every song, they pay a hundred bucks to see billy joe give absolutely no credit to the OTHER guitarist on stage that no one has heard of. AND, that guitarist who plays the riffs. this only makes him look worse at guitar. so please green day “fans”. I know you’re going to think im a jerk for saying what ive said, and oh well if you do. this band you love really doesnt care one bit about you. save yourself the money, and see a band that actually sticks around after the show to say hey. and u wont be digging for money either. ive said what i need to. good bye.
Green Day Sucks says...
07.6.09 1:54 am
Is there any Green Day fan out there who can actually give an argument as to why Green Day is good? All you do is get mad at us for presenting logical and analytical explanations of the content of their music, without any sensible arguments in return. Their music is just intrinsically bad. I could probably compose a song with as much creativity as their songs while taking a $hit. You can’t just pull 2 or 3 notes from a scale and repeat them in a continuous cycle and call it creative. Green Day sucks -fact. It seems so obvious that I can’t even call this a matter of opinion.
Tyson says...
07.6.09 3:39 pm
Green Day is a bunch of whiny little bitches, They suck a–. All they do is complain about the world’s issues in all of their songs. They are a bunch of F—! Complaining about the the Government in every f—— song is just annoying. When did musicians become politicians. They are a bunch of uneducated whiny little bitches that are totally untalented. Any underground band from anywhere can play their music better than they can themselves. They aren’t even punk music , they market to teeny-boppers now. Green day and the jonas brothers should go on tour together —-. Singing “Do you know your Enemy” for 5 min Isn’t a f—— song, it’s a f—— pile of s—.
grouchpunk08 says...
07.6.09 3:58 pm
I don’t really see the point in people arguing about this kind of stuff on the internet anyway… Green Day fans won’t start not liking them because of what someone says, and someone who doesn’t like green day won’t start liking them because of what a fan says. Its really kind of pointless. Some people like Green Day, some people don’t. its not really this big of a deal…
Kat says...
07.11.09 5:09 pm
I cannot even try to defend Green Day anymore. I even feel guilty listening to their earlier stuff. I listen to the radio at work all day, and every time one of the singles comes on, I have to change the station. I never considered them to be a punk band, and with this new album I’m embarrassed for people who think they are.
Chris says...
07.13.09 3:08 pm
Ok, for all the people who dont like Green day, thats fine, your own opinion. Perfectly ok. BUT, when you call them SELLOUTS, then thats just taking it too far. I am 14 years old, btw, and dont even hold that against me, because ive listen to A LOT of music, all the way back to the 60’s, so there is no reason for you to say i dont know a thing about music. So anyways, when you call Green day sellouts, you mean how they changed there music to make money.
Well first of all. If they kept on playing there pre-AI music (which although im a HUGE Green day fan, i think sortof lacked depth,) I can guarantee you would be getting bored of it, maybe not yet, but in an album or 2. I think Green days choice to evolve there music was more about getting a new more broad fan base, then it was about making huge amounts of money. but really people, if you had a chance to play great music, AND make a large sum of money, wouldnt you pick that choice? Oh, and the fact that you started calling Green day’s post-AI shit, means you guys were never true fans. you have to learn to enjoy there new sound, and be happy it was a successful album.
Chris says...
07.13.09 3:20 pm
Oh and 1, Green day always recognized the other musicians, jason white, jason freeze,ronnie blake, jeff mitika, to name a few, 2nd, im going to a GD concert thursday, and the tickets were 60 bucks each, for fairly good seats. thats a fair price for tickets to a concert.
and 3rd, before the 21st century breakdown tour, they played quite a few small venues that held about 200 people. so stop whining about how they got popular, and how they dont have original songs and whatnot, listen to “viva la gloria” thats original. And if you all think Green day sucks so much, why is there new album so popular huh?
Patty says...
07.14.09 8:48 pm
I just started a new web page for all the haters… its gof—yourself.com……do you seriously have nothing better to do thank slam some pretty f—— awesome music? And honestly, to each his own!! Just because you like or dislike something doesn’t mean I have to! Do you feel so superior that your crappy opinion is suppose to change my mind?!?!
Man!! Get a f—— life!!
To all the Green Day fans….ROCK ON!!!
Karen added...
To quote your comment: “Do you feel so superior that your crappy opinion is suppose to change my mind?!?! ”
Good question, haha.
07.15.09 7:49 am
Patty says...
07.15.09 8:55 am
Hey Karen….I spent a few minutes of my life wasted on your idiotic website….now, I’ll refer you to mine….as stated before….www.gofuckyourself.com….it was designed with people like you in mind!
Don’t bother replying back….people who try to instill their beliefs on others should congregate and start a cult or something….oh, wait!! That’s already been done hundreds of times over!!
THAT is proof of how small your mind is, Karen!! I’ll say it one last time and then will never return to this sad, little website you have spent so much time on in a failed attempt to bash Green Day….GO FUCK YOURSELF!!
John says...
07.16.09 7:04 am
Even though this new album is pretty shit, ( i think their best years were 1990 - 1994), the unfortunate thing is that, even though in your eyes they suck, they have a LOT more money than any of us will ever have.
Chris says...
07.16.09 11:03 am
And i dont get how you can come up with the line
“Green Day’s new concept album, 21st Century Breakdown, is a melodramatic blast of political-pop that comes up sounding more like Disney pop than Clash-y revolutionary rock.”
Are you really so close-minded that you would compare Green day to someone like the jonas brothers or Miley cyrus.
Karen, Go f–k yourself, and come back when you sell as many albums as Green day
K thanks alot 
pwn’d
Chris says...
07.16.09 11:17 am
So “Green Day Sucks” I posted some stuff, why dont you comment back? oh man i love a good debate ;P
Karen added...
Sorry, I wasn’t spending my morning obsessing over a sucky band. I think I made my opinion on this horribly boring album perfectly clear.
And I stand by the Disney rock comparison.
In 10 years, Billie Joe will probably be collaborating with Joe Jonas, off Broadway.
PS “pwn’d” Seriously? Do people still say that? Nice try.
07.16.09 11:20 am
classic punk is real punk says...
07.17.09 2:52 am
Well first things first. That one English major or whatever chick had a very impressive argument. The only flaw was that green day sucks and she argued in favor of them. To the comparison between jonas bros and green day, kudos. I’m 16, and I’ve been exposed to green day since I can remember. But I don’t like what I’m exposed to like that chick said kids like what they hear. I was exposed to s–t. So you know what I did. THE SMART THING. I looked for real music! Music like Subhumans, Lower Class Brats, The Adicts, The Germs, Dead Boys, Bad Brains. If you are one of those sad excuses of humans who don’t go beyond what they are told is “punk” or “cool”, then you shouldn’t type your argument, but if you were smart and DID go further than KIIS FM, then you should be the one who’s on the anti green day side (they don’t deserve capital letters). But for those who say “rock on” to a band like green day, you are so incorrect with your statement. They are pop. Not punk rock. Pop is for popular, they are wildly popular as our human population sinks to lower levels, more people think they are good and hardcore rockers and submit to the effects of mass media propagating them to buy their albums. last time I checked, punks didn’t wear eyeliner, emos, gays, and scene kids do. REAL punks don’t care about their image like clean cut green day does. Real punks don’t care if they’re pants are holey and are made of patches. They don’t care if their many piercings are infected and flow of pus. Punk is about whatever the hell happened at last nights show, or how you’ll never sell out. It’s about not giving a rats hat (I just said that) about what anybody else thinks about you. And yes, to confirm opinions, green day HAS evolved into a big, corny, green, coiled up pile of DOOKIE (get the reference?)
I would respect the band at least a little if they left the industry or at least claimed to be pop, which is what they are, instead of giving the whole lifestyle of punk a bad image.
Rule of thumb:
If it’s on KIIS, it’s POP.
IF ITS ON KIDZ BOP, it’s pop
Their music? Bland. Uninspiring, predictable, monotonous, manufactured.
Why make music on rebellion and revolution, when conformity and mass media is what feuls their existstence as a band? Also “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” nothing was wrong with the sound they went for in their demos, so why did they change to this bubblegum pop band? And to the person who said they changed their music to reach a broader audience, rather than to make more money. THE REASON THEY WANT A BIGGER AUDIENCE IS TO MAKE MORE MONEY!!!! it can’t be more obvious!!
We played their song “Holiday” in marching band once
Why? Because the whole marching band of 100 hated it, as it was green day.
Madonna’s “Holiday” was a much more enjoyable choice.
So I’m very tired of people who like green day, u2, jonas brothers, miley cyrus, high school musical, twilight, all that crap.
I end my writing with a quote from Subhumans “Mickey Mouse is dead!”
Karen added...
Dead Boys! Great choice
The idea of Green Day as music for HS marching bands is pretty funny, too.
Good way to punish the opposing team.
07.17.09 8:21 am
classic punk is real punk says...
07.17.09 2:57 am
Also, for those who support true punk, (as in not green day)
Rock the hell on!!!
coleman says...
07.21.09 3:26 am
Heres the thing. Let me get this out of my system. I love Green Day, but i do have to admit that they aren’t “punk”, their just american teens, or grown ups playing good music, now to the important subject.
21st Century Breakdown is amazing, seriously, some people don’t have great taste, it may not be exactly like Dookie and American Idiot, but still their trying new things. I do admit, I like American Idiot a little better, but still this album is the kind of music I can enjoy from different perspectives. Its almost sorta like the beatles a bit if you think about, but still with rock/green day style. This may just be my oppinion, but still, i like the album.
coleman says...
07.21.09 3:29 am
Ok, after reading Matt below. I do admit, Know Your Enemy is a pretty lame song, that just repeats itself, but who cares. Just move on, and don’t like the song
Chris says...
07.21.09 1:23 pm
finally, someone who understands what i mean
coleman, i think that deserves some props too you ;P
but, I think Green days attitude is punk, I just think there overall sound has progressed past it, musically and lyrically.
and yes, know your enemy was pretty lame, but
first of all, they play it AMAZINGLY live
and second, it is a catchy song, and the parts besides the
“do you know your enemy” parts were although similar, they sounded good.
lydia says...
07.24.09 2:44 pm
i have to agree that Green Day just sucks now. I am a Green Day fan, but let me define “Green Day.” I exclude American Idiot and this new BS 21st Century Breakdown in my definition. Any one who doesn’t think they have sold out hasn’t listened to albums like Dookie, before the politics became 95% of everything they wrote about. Political songs are fine, but only when you don’t obviously depend on it for subject matter. It’s old, it’s uninteresting, it’s boring, it’s the new and improved Green Day! Please note my sarcasm in that last part. The fact that they up-priced the songs on 21st Century Breakdown on itunes simply furthers the sell out argument. Sure, lots of bands develop and change their sounds though their careers, and that’s a good thing, but only when they upgrade! Green Day is just downgrading now. If any one out there really thinks this new album is better than what they were doing in the 90’s with songs like Welcome to Paradise and Longview, I really can’t respect you. Jesus, they’re still whining about the Bush administration. All politicians suck, there’s nothing new to say about it, we’ve heard it all! Move on and sing about something that has feeling.
Chris says...
07.24.09 6:09 pm
One, Yes, I have every one of green days album on either Hard copy or itunes.
And second of all, I agree that Green days music in the 90’s was good, but really, 21st century breakdown isnt just about politics, its about what the world is coming to, in the 21st century. Hence the name
P.s., lydia, you arent a green day fan if your dissing them up, and I dont really care if I have your respect.
chucko says...
09.1.09 10:59 pm
i don’t like green day’s new stuff. i don’t agree at all with the people who try to defend them. i’ve read every comment and every detailed, well thought out, concise argument they tried to make. can’t take any of the defenders seriously. especially maggie.
insomniac=awesome
new stuff=crap
it is possible to mature musically and not sound like a bunch of whiny little wuss bags, by the way.
it’s fine if you other people like it and all, i don’t really care what your musical tastes are. it doesn’t bother me that you actually believe them to still be awesome. as for me, i just can’t get into it.
it probably has to do with what genres we’re really into. i’m into a lot of metal. i like hard, abrasive music. so of course i’m not going to like their new stuff. others may not be into metal but instead are into more softer type music, so they’ll probably find their new stuff enjoyable.
i’m just really disappointed that they can’t be the band that i once knew them to be anymore, that’s all. oh, well. life goes on i guess…
one more thing, take a song like “Geek Stink Breath” and then a song like “Know Your Enemy” or “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” I mean, come on. what the hell happened? i’m done. bye now.
Little Johnny says...
09.4.09 12:58 am
These guys have evolved to the point of pure crap. The once fun and rebellious band take themselves way too seriously now, and they expect long time fans to do the same. Its not happening.
I Saw them perform live in ‘09 and they blew so hard I had to leave the arena. Billy Joe tried to turn every song into a sing a long and the mindless rubes in the audience followed his every command. Nobody paid 100 bucks a ticket to sing karaoke they came to see his punkass sing but thats not what they got. The crowd was so stupid and or drugged up they didn’t even realize how they were fleeced by these idiots for 2 hours. It wasn’t even close to punk, it wasn’t even good arena rock, it was totally disappointing limp wristed corporate rock. Good Riddance GreenDay you guys suck…
pugmalion1 says...
09.5.09 3:56 pm
I just happened across this while looking for funny pictures to post about the awfulness that Green Day has proliferated and vomited upon us throughout their entire careers as musicians, and I have to say, I couldn’t agree more with all of your sentiments.
With every release, every simpering attempt at staying relevant with the next generation of high school angst, I find myself even more disgusted with the puppetry being psychological perpetrated by Billie Joe and Co. on the youth of the world. Green Day personify what is wrong with the music industry today. They are a boy band, a commercial construct developed in order to take advantage to the fullest possibility of a niche market ripe for exploitation while expending as little innovation and creativity as possible. They create bland, uninspired hog slop, an unfortunate and sick perversion of the genre they claim to emulate, and it’s holding back actual talent.
I’m glad Joe Strummer isn’t alive to witness such a travesty.
PlayPretend says...
09.6.09 5:56 pm
So, aside from the fact that I’m most likely risking being called “a fourteen year old girl”, I don’t agree with the bashing. And I feel insulted about -as a fan of Green Day- being compared to Jonas fans. Stop judging people for what they like just because you don’t for once in your music-elitist life. It bad enough that people are even allowed to make a living out of telling people there’s something wrong with them for what they may or may not enjoy.
So, go ahead, say what you want to me, insult me, you’ll just be proving that I was right.
Have a wonderful day.
Hunt says...
09.6.09 8:31 pm
Green days sucks. If this album is about what the 21st century is coming to, it should be about their music, and the drones who are breast fed this tumultuous crap everyday from the media and equally monotonous friends. It is like a disease, spreading throughout. Yeah, they made a lot of money, and their album is super popular, and a lot of people like them. It is NOT because they were good, in any respect. It is because the majority of people today are just too manipulated and dependent on being told what to like, therefore they fall prey to actually believing Green Day is considered music. That is why they are popular, not because their good, but because we are dumb. I remember a Pink Floyd song called “sheep” that compared average humans to sheep. We are all just mindless sheep waiting to be slaughtered, and that is the sad truth.
alleycat says...
09.7.09 1:50 am
wow..
what a bunch of bitter f— faces
why does it bother you so much that someone may get some form of pleasure out of their music.. holy f— you act like your FORCED to listen to it .. if its so bad turn down the volume
yes their music is diffrent from what it used to be and i have to say that American Idiot was better than 21cbd and i do agree that some of the songs sound alittle similar but all in all i find it to be a decent album and american idot was pure genius … loved every track
and i have another point to make (though im not sure iv made any yet)
why the hell do you ppl keep calling a bunch of men in their mid thirtys Middle aged … isnt that for like .. mid fourties?
w/e green day is da shyt biatches … stick that in your juice box and suck it
Slappy says...
09.14.09 5:28 pm
Lemme start by saying both that I adore Green Days first 2 albums and I liked but honestly anyone who believes any of the last 3 “albums” that Green Day have spawned is in anyway musically competant is under some serious illusions not only are they bland and lyrically handicapped but there also plaguerised from their back catalogue take east jesus no where hmm sounds an awful lot like holiday american idiot and know your enemy separated at birth? in fact speaking of american idiot (the song ) it itself is ripped off “doublewhiskeycokenoice”. I’m a pretty open-minded person whith music I judge everything fairly but thats the way things are meant to be taken not biased by elitism but also not biased by extreme hype created by the media, also for all those morons saying “itz coS u r sooo oldz and middle agezd” I’m 17 douchebag anyone above the the age of 12 is perfectly able to judge music just because a lot of us “young’uns” are braindead media zombies means nothing. There are SOME good “pop punk bands” out there by the way such as Screeching Weasel (mike dirnt actually played in) The Queers , Mr T Experience , The Lillingtons etc. So if your into pop punk try some of these guys out light years ahead of the bullshit factory made Fall Out Boy , All time low etc crap harvested to score cash off idiots. Also I’m curious to hear from a Green Day fan why they like the newest piece’o'crap thats been released.
Karen added...
Cool! And thanks for offering some suggestions of good pop-punk bands Green Day fans should check out.
09.15.09 9:41 am
jim says...
09.18.09 12:39 am
I’m having a hard time trying to understand the band “Green Day” that’s spouting comments about serious world issues.
They obviously don’t understand.
I have a personal friend that came from Afghanistan and still has family there.
He say’s the Taliban government was a completely murderous band of despot thugs that killed
children and families and teachers in the streets simply because the girls posed as boys in the classrooms to get an education - which was forbidden.
they forced people to worship A religion against they’re will-many times at the fate of a death penalty.
completely suppressed any Ideals of democracy.
They totally forced the Ideals of theocratic antiquity-at the end of a sword and more recently An AK47.
They continuously recruit,brainwash and train suicide bombers that kill many innocent men,women and children to further an agenda that was set in motion so long ago that most people involved don’t even know the reason why.
They suppress art,music,dance,joy of any kind,personal expression is forbidden.
Yet people like “Green Day” would have our fighters “throw down they’re arms”!
“For Evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing”
As for “green Days” music-it was never original - Just a rip off of “Stiff Little Fingers”
From Ireland.
Hannah Simpson says...
10.10.09 11:45 pm
huh….dont shoot me down for this, but i kinda like green day. While i’d rather listen to The Clash or The bad Brains or somthin, they really aren’t that bad. Even joe strummer said that he liked to listen to green day when they came on the radio. but hey people - everyone likes different shit right? No one is wrong here…we just have different taste.
ugh says...
10.14.09 4:06 pm
Greenday was never really any good. They were the worst out of all the gilman street bands. Anyone who says that they are evolving is a moron. Now don’t get me wrong bands should evolve and should not put out the same album over and over. But come on now they havent evolved. Theyre just making the same crap over and over, and presenting it different. The only reason they are getting recognized now is because there is a huge gap for new bands who truely are dangerous. Labels wont sign them and or promote them like they have in the past, and Greenday is a safe, and sure thing. Advertising and marketing is what makes them popular not their music. I feel like the art of writing lyrics or telling a story is lost on the past few generations. Would anyone put american idiot in the same league as quadrophenia? That would be foolish. Music is just so straight foward nowadays its sickening. Its really the death of sublty. Like reading a book if you didnt have to imagin things or if there wasnt word play in poetry where would the genuis be? People really dont wanna think anymore its intsant gratification. They want things presented so simply that they dont have to think about it. lastly Greenday being political is a joke. The Clash got it right, and kept it interesting. Greenday as well as U2 both wish they were the clash. I forget who said it but the Clash is what U2 wished they could have been. Same goes for Greenday cover a song the Clash covered and made famous.
mike says...
10.14.09 6:54 pm
Un-listenable Green Day has become ~ yoda .
Classic punk is real punk says...
11.9.09 8:07 pm
I like how that one person said put that in your juicebox and suck it. Sounds like all greenday fans, still with their juiceboxes. How infantile. Just to clarify my stand point. I hate all greenday music, I liked their old albums, but I consider it alternative, not punk. As punk, it’s shit. As alt, is alright (old albums only). This neo punk movement is bugging the crap outta me. You know your a wannabe punk if you wear tight red plaid pants with faggotass suspenders hanging off them. That ain’t punk. That’s whack. Also if you straighten your hair or have a fauxhawk. You fags make me sick. There should be a show where it documents the life of green day versus the life of real punks from the 70s. There’s such a difference it’ll make green day fans speechless. Billie Joe is retarded and has the mentality of a stupid high school dropout who lives with his mother. The drummer who I don’t care fir his name is a lame who’s just following what the record companies want from him, he has no pride. The bassist looks like a real punk and is staying with them because he mistakenly signed a life contract and is screwed. They all suck. I was reading an antigreenday blog on myspace and an Australian punk (he was the real thing) said some awesome words. “Green day is a bunch of bullocks. Their old stuff is unpolished whiny crap. Their new stuff is polished whiny crap.” truer words have never been said.
Karen says...
06.29.09 8:29 am
Wow, you’re having quite the argument with yourself…
matt says...
06.29.09 8:56 am
i wasnt arguing with myself. i said what i needed to say about this garbage band. and maggie, if this band can get across to more people. they should at least have people know their message. which may mean they should put it out their more in their music. and when someone says their msuic is only evolving, its evolving into crap. hearing the words “do you know your enemy?” for 3 and a half minutes is not much fun. if they actually get out a little more of thier views maybe ill like them. maybe other people feel the same, and would give them another chance. but when you only hear a sentence of their views for a entire song. i sure as hell wont be listening.