10 Greatest Comebacks In Rock History
1. American Idiot - Green Day
It was impossible to escape anything that Green Day put out in the mid-'90s. After the tragic death of Kurt Cobain in 1994, Dookie arrived and set the music world on fire, with songs that would embody the pop punk aesthetic. The band had reached one of the greatest heights a band could hope for, but the next few records saw diminishing returns across the board.
Though there would be the occasional hit like "Geek Stink Breath" or the ballad "Good Riddance," Green Day were on shakey ground after their folksy album Warning met a deaf ear. Going into the studio to record a new album, the band were dealt another blow when their masters were stolen. Any band would just re-record their old album, but Green Day ended up hunkering down and making some even bigger.
Becoming their second act as pop punk juggernauts, American Idiot became the band's magnum opus, telling the story of a punk kid living through the chaos of 21st century America. While the sound abandoned punk altogether, the record became a must-listen for any rock fan, with songs like the title track and "Wake Me Up When September Ends" becoming staples of modern rock.
Green Day seemed destined to be damaged goods in the rock scene, but only the strong are able to conjure up a comeback this epic.