10 Perfect Albums That Started Rock Genres

After the grunge wave faded, most rockers didn't have a lot to believe in anymore. This was supposed to be the genre that was going to lead us into the next generation, and the death of Kurt Cobain collectively took the wind out of our sails, casting a shroud over the rest of the rock scene. We needed something to help us lighten up from everything, and three guys out of the Bay Area had just the ticket.

Released a few months shy of Kurt's passing, Green Day's major label debut was the moment where the rock scene started to pivot, with fans gravitating towards this more melodic side of punk rock. Even though there was a punk aesthetic across the entire record, this was more along the lines of the bratty kid down the street than someone who could kick your ass, with songs like Longview and She celebrating what it's like to be a teenager and be totally bored with the world around you.

While punk had been around for years at this point, Dookie was the first time punk could own the charts, as other bands started to copy the formula that Green Day had started with, from Blink-182's skater kid mentality to the pool party antics of a band like Sum 41. Punk was always a genre that was known for its hard edges, but there was no shame in being fun either, and Dookie was the punk record that felt like one big party.