Green Day

Green Day are a Californian punk trio formed in Rodeo in 1987 by singer and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist Mike Dirnt. They began as Sweet Children, took their current name in 1989, and came up through the Bay Area scene around Berkeley's 924 Gilman Street. Drummer Tré Cool joined in 1990, replacing John Kiffmeyer. Their sound sits where punk rock, pop punk and power pop meet.

Early records such as 39/Smooth and Kerplunk! appeared on Lookout! Records. Dookie, from 1994, was the breakthrough and shipped over 20 million copies in the US. American Idiot, a rock opera from 2004, won over a younger audience and later became a Broadway musical. Nimrod. and 21st Century Breakdown are also among the albums fans return to most. The band entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.