10 Modern Classics By Old Bands

As Green Day worked their way into 2016, the band had endured a great deal since their last record. The milquetoast sound of their triple album release in 2012 left fans incredibly underwhelmed and Billie Joe Armstrong was suffering from an addiction to narcotics. After Armstrong go out of rehab, the band hunkered down and brought Revolution Radio, which became a career standout.

Though all the songs on the record are a cut above anything on the trilogy, "Outlaws" stands out as a personal mission statement for the band. The track has an old-time rock and roll sound reminiscent of 60's rock, only fed through loud punk guitars. The song's lyrics tackle the band's nostalgia for the glory days with a wistful somberness. Armstrong sounds like he aches for the glory days to return, but feels content with the paths the band has forged as kings of pop-punk.

This song is a great example of a band maturing with their audience rather than trying to cynically cater to another demographic. With another record right around the corner, let's hope Green Day can continue to bring us these kind of tracks as they grow into pop-punk elder statesmen.