Every Green Day Album Ranked

Introduction

Since 2017, when an old friend of mine played me "Holiday" on the way to school, I have been a firm fan of Green Day; and in these astoundingly tough times, a dose of Revolution Radio can be just enough to keep me going. So, now that I own all of Green Day's studio albums and have heard their B-sides, singles, and Japan-exclusive releases (as of 2022), I feel I can give my own thoughts on each of them. Hope you find it helpful, or at least interesting.

12 - Father of All Motherfuckers

This is the cover art for Father of All Motherfuckers by the artist Green Day. The cover art copyright is believed to belong to the label, Reprise Records, or the graphic artist(s).

This album wasn't entirely bad - in fact, "Sugar Youth" is pretty awesome. But overall, it just doesn't pack the same punch that Revoltion Radio or even the ¡Uno!...¡Dos!...¡Tré! trilogy did. I mean, I'd still rather it exist than not, but it is by no means at the top of my Last.fm Most Listened.

11 - Nimrod

Two black and white pictures of men in suits and ties are placed side by side with a beige-colored outline atop a black background. The men's faces are obscured by two yellow circles inscribed with the phrase 'nimrod.' At the top of the image, 'Green Day' is written in white lettering.

Nimrod was not an album I expected to see this far down the list, yet here we are. It is the epitome of mid-'90s Green Day, yet I feel it is inferior to the rest of the band's discography. However, it has some great songs on it, including "Haushinka", "Hitchin' A Ride", and "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)", and I would still recommend it despite its placement.

10 - Warning

A black-and-white photo of all the band's members walking on sidewalk with the city in the background. We see the band's name written in green, and the album's title written in yellow.

Warning was the last studio album from what I would describe as '90s Green Day (despite being released in 2000). There was so much less angst and insanity, and more naïve fun. The reason it's so low is because of a handful of songs ("Blood, Sex and Booze" and "Church on Sunday" aren't all that great in my opinion), and the fact that it's just a bit different from "Dookie" and "American Idiot". All the same, its title track "Warning" and its final track (excluding "86 (Live in Prague)"), "Macy's Day Parade" are pretty good.

09 - ¡Uno!...¡Dos!..¡Tré!

This is the cover art for ¡Uno!...¡Dos!...¡Tré! by the artist Green Day. The cover art copyright is believed to belong to the label, Reprise Records, or the graphic artist(s).

¡Uno!...¡Dos!..¡Tré!, like Warning and Father of All Motherfuckers, is a deviation from Green Day's usual pop-punk sound, this time going for more of a power pop style. It's simply the pop-esque sound that I've never been keen on, although the first disc still has some punk in it.

08 - 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours

A photograph of a woman stood in a park with the band's name in the top-right corner and the release's along the bottom

Green Day didn't fuck around, giving us this lovely mix of rough indie punk back in the late '80s. Few people really seem to be into this primordial era of the band, but I can't get enough of "At The Library", "Disappearing Boy", and "16".

Fun bit of trivia, by the way. The unusual title of 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours comes from the album and singles that make up the compilation: 1000 Hours, 39/Smooth, and Slappy.

Overall, this album is a must-have for any Green Day fans.

07 - Kerplunk!

Sort of like a sequel to 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours, Kerplunk! comes in at number seven. It still carries that '80s punk rock vibe, but has started to transition to the classic Dookie-era soubd we all know and love. Notable tracks include "2000 Light Years Away", "Christie Road", and an early version of "Welcome To Paradise".

06 - Shenanigans

This is the cover art for Kerplunk! by the artist Green Day. The cover art copyright is believed to belong to the label, Reprise Records, or the graphic artist(s).

Shenanigans is another unusual album. This is not so much a studio album, but a compilation of previously unreleased content, covers, B-sides, film scores, and other shenanigans (hence the name). It has a different sound to other albums from this time, but I quite like it; especially "Ha Ha You're Dead", which I plan to play on loop when Putin inevitably kicks the bucket.

05 - Insomniac

This is the cover art for Insomniac by the artist Green Day. The cover art copyright is believed to belong to the label, Reprise Records, or the graphic artist(s).

Insomniac is a pretty sturdy album, which also reflects what Green Day was in the '90s. Some excellent tracks are here, including "86", "Brain Stew", and "Westbound Sign". I love this album.

04 - 21st Century Breakdown

This is the cover art for 21st Century Breakdown by the artist Green Day. The cover art copyright is believed to belong to the label, Reprise Records, or the graphic artist(s).

As if American Idiot was the only rock opera from Green Day. 21st Century Breakdown tells the story of Christian and Gloria, as American Idiot did of St. Jimmy, with some great songs like "Restless Heart Syndrome", "Murder City", and the emotional "21 Guns". If you do not own this album, you need to head out to HMV or log on to iTunes and buy it now.

03 - Revolution Radio

The album cover features a boombox that has been set on fire and is burning.

Revolution Radio, released in 2016, is an awesome piece of music. This was another protest album, this time rocking against Donald Trump. Many of the songs look at different fucked-up things going on in the world, from mass shootings (Bang Bang), to nostalgia (Outlaws), to the internal search for purpose (Forever Now). There was not a track I didbn't love from start to finish.

02 - Dookie

This is the cover art for Dookie by the artist Green Day. The cover art copyright is believed to belong to the label, Reprise Records, or the graphic artist(s).

Before American Idiot changed the face of music, Green Day's most notable work was Dookie. This is a fab album with many hits, such as "Welcome To Paradise", "Basket Case", and "When I Come Around". If you are looking for an album to buy, this is second only to...

01 - American Idiot

An illustration of a white hand holding a red heart-shaped hand grenade, set upon a black background.

Of course, this had to be number one. American Idiot is a masterpiece in so many ways, from the angry and rebellious title track, to the more melancholic likes of "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and "Whatsername". Songs such as "Jesus of Suburbia" and "Homecoming", while very long, are well-varied and make up some of the best music I've heard in my life! And it all features that late-'90s and early-2000s sound that I can't get enough of (though this is probably just my constant feeling of sehnsucht talking). If you have not even listened to this before, you are not a true fan of Green Day.

Endnote

Well, that just about wraps it up. Do you agree with my opinions? If not, feel free to say so when you sign my guestbook. ¡Adios!