History of Green Day in Timeline
Green Day, formed in 1987 in California by Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt with Tré Cool joining in 1990, is an American rock band. Their major-label debut album, Dookie (1994), achieved significant success, selling over 20 million copies in the U.S. Green Day is credited with reviving mainstream interest in punk rock music.
1983: "Another State of Mind" cover as Bonus Track
Green Day would cover Social Distortion's song "Another State of Mind" from their 1983 debut release, Mommy's Little Monster as a bonus track for 21st Century Breakdown.
October 17, 1987: First Live Performance
On October 17, 1987, Sweet Children performed their first live show at Rod's Hickory Pit in Vallejo, California.
1987: Influence of Turn It Around!
Billie Joe Armstrong cited Turn It Around!, a 1987 compilation record put out by Maximumrocknroll, as a significant influence.
1987: Green Day Formation
In 1987, Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt formed Green Day in Rodeo, California. Green Day is credited with reigniting mainstream interest in punk rock.
1987: Desecrated Youth Formation
In 1987, Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt formed the band Desecrated Youth with Sean Hughes and Raj Punjabi.
1988: Signing with Lookout! Records
In 1988, Green Day was signed to Lookout! Records after Larry Livermore saw them play.
1988: John Kiffmeyer Joins
In 1988, John Kiffmeyer replaced Raj Punjabi as the drummer, and Sean Hughes left the band.
April 1989: Release of 1,000 Hours
In April 1989, Green Day released their debut extended play, 1,000 Hours. Before the release of the EP the band changed its name from Sweet Children to Green Day.
1989: Band Name Change
In 1989, the band changed its name to Green Day, before that it was known as Blood Rage, then Sweet Children.
1990: 39/Smooth Album Release & John Kiffmeyer Replacement
In 1990, Green Day released their first album, 39/Smooth, with Lookout! Records. Also in 1990, John Kiffmeyer was replaced by Tré Cool as the band's drummer.
1990: Tré Cool Joins
In 1990, Tré Cool joined Green Day as the band's drummer.
1990: Release of 39/Smooth
In early 1990, Green Day released their debut album 39/Smooth.
1991: Kerplunk Album
In 1991, Green Day recorded their second studio album Kerplunk.
1991: Re-release of 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours
In 1991, Lookout! Records re-released 39/Smooth as 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours, adding songs from previous EPs.
1991: Side Projects Since 1991
Since 1991, Green Day members have engaged in side projects with various musicians, including Pinhead Gunpowder with Jason White, the Longshot with Jeff Matika, the Frustrators with Mike Dirnt, and the Network, which is a collaboration with friends under fake stage names.
1992: Touring for Kerplunk
In 1992, Green Day went on tour to promote the album Kerplunk.
September 3, 1993: Last Show at 924 Gilman
On September 3, 1993, Green Day played their last show at 924 Gilman under the pseudonym Blair Hess before being banned permanently due to their major label signing.
1993: Opening Act for Bad Religion
For most of 1993, Green Day supported Bad Religion as an opening act for their Recipe for Hate Tour.
February 1994: Dookie Album Release
In February 1994, Green Day released Dookie, which became a commercial success.
September 9, 1994: Mayhem at Hatch Memorial Shell
On September 9, 1994, a Green Day performance at Hatch Memorial Shell in Boston ended in mayhem, with injuries and arrests.
1994: Dookie Album Release and Recognition
In 1994, Green Day released Dookie, which became a highly influential pop-punk album. It was cited by Fuse as the most important pop-punk album of all time and as the best alternative album of the year by Rolling Stone.
1994: Dookie's Success
In 1994, Green Day released their major-label debut album, Dookie, through Reprise Records, achieving breakout success.
1994: Inspiration for a Comedy Film
In 1994, the exploits of Green Day before their mainstream breakthrough served as the inspiration for the comedy film New Years Rev.
1995: JAR Release and Insomniac Album
In 1995, Green Day released the single "J.A.R." and the album Insomniac.
1995: Insomniac Album Release
In 1995, Green Day released their fourth studio album, Insomniac.
1995: Grammy Win for Dookie
In 1995, Green Day won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Album for Dookie.
August 1996: Armstrong Discusses Ramones
In August 1996, Billie Joe Armstrong said bands like the Ramones are bands he listened to later.
August 1996: Billie Joe Armstrong Interview in Guitar World
In August 1996, Billie Joe Armstrong told Guitar World about discovering punk rock through D.O.A., Dead Kennedys, and T.S.O.L.
1996: Hiatus
Following a brief hiatus in 1996, Green Day began working on their next album in 1997.
1996: American Music Awards and Canceled European Tour
In 1996, Green Day was nominated for multiple awards at the American Music Awards and abruptly canceled a European tour due to exhaustion.
October 1997: Nimrod Album Release
In October 1997, Green Day released Nimrod, an experimental deviation from their standard punk rock sound.
1997: Nimrod Album Release
In October 1997, Green Day released Nimrod, an experimental album.
1998: Nimrod Tour
In late 1997 and most of 1998, Green Day embarked on a tour in support of Nimrod.
1999: Armstrong Quote on Punk Scene
In 1999, Armstrong expressed his feelings about leaving the punk scene after signing with Reprise Records.
1999: "Espionage" Featured in Austin Powers
In 1999, Green Day's song "Espionage" was featured in the film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.
1999: Jason White Joins Concerts
In 1999, Jason White began supporting Green Day during concerts as a guitarist.
November 2000: Free Concert at San Francisco City Hall
In November 2000, Green Day performed a free concert on the steps of San Francisco's City Hall to protest the eviction of artists.
2000: Warning Album Release and Warped Tour
In 2000, Green Day released their album Warning and participated in the Warped Tour.
2000: Warning Album Release
In 2000, Green Day released their sixth studio album, Warning.
2001: California Music Awards Wins
At the 2001 California Music Awards, Green Day won all eight awards for which they were nominated.
2001: Armstrong's Thoughts on Band Name
In 2001, Armstrong stated that he considered Green Day to be "the worst band name in the world".
2001: Independent Tour
In 2001, Green Day launched an independent tour to support the album Warning.
2002: Pop Disaster Tour with Blink-182
In Spring 2002, Green Day co-headlined the Pop Disaster Tour with Blink-182.
2002: Writing Material for Cigarettes and Valentines
In the Summer and Fall of 2002, Green Day wrote and recorded material for an album tentatively titled Cigarettes and Valentines.
August 2003: Cigarettes and Valentines Release
Green Day originally planned to release Cigarettes and Valentines in August 2003.
2004: American Idiot Album Release
In 2004, Green Day released American Idiot, a rock opera album.
September 2006: Collaboration with U2 for Music Rising
In September 2006, Green Day collaborated with U2 and producer Rick Rubin to record a cover of "The Saints Are Coming" by the Skids. The collaboration on September 2006 was a benefit for Music Rising, an organization helping musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina.
December 2006: Partnership with NRDC for Oil Awareness
In December 2006, Green Day partnered with the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) to launch a website raising awareness about America's dependency on oil.
2006: Noel Gallagher's Claim of Song Rip-off
In 2006, Noel Gallagher from Oasis jokingly accused Green Day of ripping off his song "Wonderwall" with "Boulevard of Broken Dreams".
July 23, 2007: Release of The Simpsons Movie Theme Song
On July 23, 2007, Green Day's rock version of The Simpsons' theme song was released as a single.
2007: Kerplunk! Ranked in Greatest Indie Albums
In 2007, Green Day's 1991 album, Kerplunk!, was listed in a ranking of the 100 greatest indie albums by Blender.
May 20, 2008: Release of Stop Drop and Roll!!! as Foxboro Hot Tubs
On May 20, 2008, Green Day released the album Stop Drop and Roll!!! under the alias Foxboro Hot Tubs, which they used to book secret shows.
2008: Grammy Nomination and Simpsons Movie Cameo
In 2008, Green Day's cover of John Lennon's "Working Class Hero" was nominated for a Grammy Award, but lost to The White Stripes' "Icky Thump". Also in 2008, the band made a cameo appearance in The Simpsons Movie.
September 15, 2009: Premiere of American Idiot Musical at Berkeley Rep
On September 15, 2009, the stage musical adaptation of Green Day's rock opera American Idiot premiered at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre.
October 2009: Green Day Art Project Exhibition in London
In October 2009, an art exhibition featuring artworks inspired by the songs from Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown was held at StolenSpace Gallery in London, supported by the band and led by their manager Pat Magnarella.
2009: 21st Century Breakdown Release
In 2009, Green Day released the album 21st Century Breakdown.
June 2010: Armstrong Cites Ramones as Influence
In June 2010, Billie Joe Armstrong cited the Ramones as an influence and mentioned his range of favorite songwriters extends from the Sex Pistols to Lennon–McCartney.
2010: American Idiot on Broadway
In 2010, a stage adaptation of American Idiot debuted on Broadway.
2010: Broadway Debut of American Idiot
In 2010, a stage adaptation of the album American Idiot premiered on Broadway.
April 13, 2011: Confirmation of American Idiot Film Adaptation
On April 13, 2011, it was announced that a film version of American Idiot would be produced. However, the project was later scrapped.
December 2011: Formation of the Boo
In late December 2011, Billie Joe Armstrong formed a family band called the Boo, which recorded a Christmas record for friends and family, with a few copies available in a local store.
2011: Voted Best Punk Rock Band by Rolling Stone
In 2011, Green Day was voted the best punk rock band of all time by Rolling Stone.
September 21, 2012: Armstrong's Outburst at iHeartRadio Festival
On September 21, 2012, during Green Day's performance at the iHeartRadio music festival, Billie Joe Armstrong stopped performing "Basket Case" and ranted about their set being shortened, smashed his guitar, and walked off stage. Following this incident on September 21, 2012, a representative for Green Day apologized for Armstrong's behavior and announced that he was entering rehab for substance abuse.
December 2012: Tré! Album Release
In December 2012, Green Day released their album Tré!, the third in a trilogy of albums released in quick succession.
January 23, 2013: Announcement of Broadway Idiot Documentary
On January 23, 2013, the documentary Broadway Idiot, which focuses on Armstrong's journey from punk rock to Broadway and the production of the American Idiot musical, was announced.
January 30, 2013: Release of Broadway Idiot Trailer
On January 30, 2013, a trailer for the Broadway Idiot documentary was released.
March 15, 2013: Premiere of Broadway Idiot at SXSW Film Festival
On March 15, 2013, the documentary Broadway Idiot premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival.
April 2015: Induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
In April 2015, Green Day was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility, marking a significant career milestone.
2015: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction
In 2015, Green Day was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
2016: Lyrical Changes to Criticize Trump Administration
In 2016, Billie Joe Armstrong began altering Green Day's lyrics during live performances to criticize members of the Trump Administration. He later did this to JD Vance and Elon Musk. Other live lyrical alterations include references to the Israel-Gaza War, which voiced support for Palestine.
2016: Amends with Clear Channel
In 2016, Green Day made amends with Clear Channel, the company behind the iHeartRadio Festival, and played an album release party for their album, Revolution Radio.
2016: Revolution Radio Release
In 2016, Green Day released Revolution Radio, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
2016: Armstrong's Appearance in Ordinary World
In 2016, Lee Kirk, who later wrote and directed New Years Rev, had previously worked with Billie Joe Armstrong on the film Ordinary World, in which Armstrong made an appearance.
2016: Profanity Study Results
In 2016, a study by Musixmatch found that Green Day used profanity the most among rock music artists included in the study. The most frequent swear words used by Green Day were "fuck", "fucking", and "shit".
July 7, 2017: Tragedy at Mad Cool Festival
On July 7, 2017, shortly before Green Day headlined the Mad Cool festival in Madrid, an acrobat fell from a cage above the stage and died. The band was unaware of the incident before their set and expressed they likely would not have played if they had known.
2017: Executive Producers of East Bay Punk Documentary
In 2017, Green Day served as executive producers for the documentary film Turn It Around: The Story of East Bay Punk, which explores the San Francisco Bay Area punk scene from the late 1970s to the 1990s.
January 2018: Formation of the Coverups
Since January 2018, Armstrong, Dirnt, and White have played in the band the Coverups, along with Green Day audio engineer Chris Dugan and tour manager Bill Schneider. The Coverups band sporadically performs one-off shows, usually in small clubs, covering songs of classic rock and alternative rock bands.
April 13, 2019: Woodstock 1994 Performance Vinyl Release
On April 13, 2019, Green Day released their Woodstock 1994 performance on vinyl for Record Store Day. This release included all nine songs performed live at Woodstock, along with audio from the subsequent mud fight.
September 10, 2019: Hella Mega Tour Announcement and "Father of All..." Release
On September 10, 2019, Green Day announced the Hella Mega Tour with Fall Out Boy and Weezer, featuring the Interrupters as the opening act. Simultaneously, they released the single "Father of All..." from their upcoming thirteenth album, Father of All Motherfuckers.
September 30, 2019: Agreement with the National Hockey League
On September 30, 2019, Green Day signed a two-year agreement with the National Hockey League (NHL).
October 9, 2019: "Fire, Ready, Aim" Release
On October 9, 2019, Green Day released "Fire, Ready, Aim" as the second single from their album Father of All Motherfuckers.
2019: Return to iHeartRadio Festival
In 2019, Green Day returned to the iHeartRadio festival to support their album, Father of All Motherfuckers.
January 16, 2020: "Oh Yeah!" Release
On January 16, 2020, Green Day released "Oh Yeah!" as the third single from their album Father of All Motherfuckers.
February 7, 2020: Album and Single Release
On February 7, 2020, Green Day released their album Father of All Motherfuckers. On the same day, they also released the single "Meet Me on the Roof" from the same album.
February 2020: American Idiot Film Adaptation Scrapped
In February 2020, Billie Joe Armstrong revealed that plans for a film adaptation of the stage musical American Idiot had been "pretty much scrapped".
April 6, 2020: Armstrong Reveals New Music Plans
On April 6, 2020, Billie Joe Armstrong revealed he had written six songs and intended to record new music with Green Day once the COVID-19 pandemic passed.
May 21, 2020: Blondie Cover Release
On May 21, 2020, Green Day released a cover of Blondie's song, "Dreaming".
October 30, 2020: The Network Teaser
On October 30, 2020, The Network, Green Day's secret side project, teased upcoming activity with a video titled "The Prophecy," hinting at a sequel album.
November 2, 2020: The Network Releases "Ivankkka Is a Nazi"
On November 2, 2020, The Network released a music video for their first song in 17 years, "Ivankkka Is a Nazi".
November 20, 2020: Trans Am EP Release
On November 20, 2020, after hints on social media and Green Day's denial of being The Network, the band released an EP titled Trans Am.
December 4, 2020: Money Money 2020 Part II: We Told Ya So! Album Release
On December 4, 2020, The Network released their second album, Money Money 2020 Part II: We Told Ya So!
2020: Father of All Motherfuckers Release
In 2020, Green Day released the album Father of All Motherfuckers.
February 21, 2021: "Here Comes the Shock" Release
On February 21, 2021, Green Day released the single "Here Comes the Shock".
May 17, 2021: "Pollyanna" Release
On May 17, 2021, Green Day released the single "Pollyanna".
November 5, 2021: "Holy Toledo!" Release
On November 5, 2021, between legs of the Hella Mega Tour, Green Day released the single "Holy Toledo!", which was also featured in the 2021 film Mark, Mary & Some Other People.
December 10, 2021: BBC Sessions Album Release
On December 10, 2021, Green Day released BBC Sessions, their fourth live album.
2021: Armstrong's Dislike of 'Pop-Punk' Label
In 2021, during an interview with Vulture magazine, Billie Joe Armstrong expressed his aversion to Green Day being labeled as 'pop-punk' by critics.
October 26, 2022: Innings Festival Headliner Announcement
On October 26, 2022, Green Day was announced as a headliner for the fifth annual Innings Festival in Arizona.
July 16, 2023: "1981" Played Live
On July 16, 2023, prior to the album's release, Green Day played a new song titled "1981" during their live performance at Festival d'été de Québec.
September 30, 2023: Grey Cup Halftime Show Announcement
On September 30, 2023, Green Day was announced as the halftime show performer at the 110th Grey Cup.
October 19, 2023: "The American Dream Is Killing Me" Played Live
On October 19, 2023, before the album's release, Green Day played the first song, "The American Dream Is Killing Me", during a live show in Las Vegas, Nevada, and announced the Saviors Tour, which first North American leg was joined by the Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid, and the Linda Lindas.
October 22, 2023: "Look Ma, No Brains!" Played Live
On October 22, 2023, Green Day played another song, titled "Look Ma, No Brains!", from the upcoming album during the When We Were Young Festival.
October 24, 2023: Saviors Album Announcement and "The American Dream Is Killing Me" Release
On October 24, 2023, Green Day announced their new album title as Saviors and released the album's first single, "The American Dream Is Killing Me".
November 2, 2023: "Look Ma, No Brains!" Release
On November 2, 2023, Green Day released the second single "Look Ma, No Brains!" from the upcoming album, Saviors.
December 4, 2023: "Dilemma" Announcement
On December 4, 2023, Green Day announced the upcoming release of the third single "Dilemma" from their album, Saviors.
December 7, 2023: "Dilemma" Release
On December 7, 2023, Green Day released "Dilemma," the third single from their album Saviors.
January 5, 2024: "One Eyed Bastard" Release
On January 5, 2024, Green Day released "One Eyed Bastard", the fourth single from their album Saviors.
January 16, 2024: Surprise Subway Performance
On the evening of January 16, 2024, Green Day performed a surprise show in the 47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center station of the New York subway system, joined by Jimmy Fallon, to promote their upcoming album and tour. They played songs including "Look Ma, No Brains", "Basket Case", and "American Idiot."
January 19, 2024: Saviors Album Release and "Bobby Sox" Video
On January 19, 2024, Green Day released their album Saviors, along with a music video for "Bobby Sox".
July 23, 2024: "Corvette Summer" Music Video Release
On July 23, 2024, Green Day released a music video for their song "Corvette Summer".
September 20, 2024: Controversial Concert in San Francisco
On September 20, 2024, during a concert at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Billie Joe Armstrong vocally criticized the Athletics' relocation to Las Vegas, calling Las Vegas "the worst shithole in America" and denouncing A's owner John Fisher. As a result of Armstrong's statements on September 20, 2024, two Las Vegas radio stations, KOMP 92.3 and X107.5, banned Green Day's music from their playlists.
2024: Record Sales and Grammy Wins
As of 2024, Green Day had sold approximately 75 million records globally, establishing them as one of the best-selling music artists of all time. By 2024, they had also garnered 20 Grammy Award nominations, winning 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.
2024: Saviors Album Release
In 2024, Green Day released the album Saviors.
2024: Elon Musk criticizes Green Day
In early 2024, Elon Musk criticized Green Day on X (formerly Twitter), calling their commentary "milquetoastedly raging for it" and labeling the band as hypocritical for their anti-"machine" rhetoric. Bassist Mike Dirnt defended Green Day in Rolling Stone.
January 2025: Protest Against Elon Musk
In January 2025, while touring in South Africa, Green Day adapted the lyrics of "American Idiot" to criticize Elon Musk during their Calabash Festival performance, changing "I'm not a part of a redneck agenda" to "I'm not a part of the Elon agenda."
January 30, 2025: FireAid Benefit Concert Performance
On January 30, 2025, Green Day opened for the FireAid benefit concert, co-hosted by Intuit Dome and the Kia Forum. The band started their set with a duet of "Last Night on Earth" with Billie Eilish, followed by performances of "Still Breathing" and "When I Come Around".
February 10, 2025: Announcement of 'New Years Rev' Comedy Film
On February 10, 2025, Live Nation Productions announced the comedy film 'New Years Rev', a coming-of-age story inspired by Green Day's early experiences. The film, with Green Day members as producers and making an appearance, is about three friends traveling across the U.S. after mistakenly believing they'll be opening for a Green Day concert. It stars Mason Thames, Kylr Coffman, Ryan Foust, Jenna Fischer, and Angela Kinsey.
April 9, 2025: Saviors Deluxe Edition Announcement
On April 9, 2025, Green Day announced the deluxe edition of Saviors, titled in French Saviors (Édition De Luxe), with "Smash It Like Belushi" released as the first single.
May 1, 2025: Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
On May 1, 2025, Green Day received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
May 2, 2025: "Ballyhoo" Release
On May 2, 2025, Green Day released "Ballyhoo" as the second single from the Saviors deluxe edition.
May 23, 2025: Saviors Deluxe Edition and Music Video Release
On May 23, 2025, Green Day released the deluxe edition of Saviors and an official music video for "One Eyed Bastard".
September 12, 2025: Premiere of New Years Rev at Toronto International Film Festival
On September 12, 2025, the film New Years Rev premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.
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