3. It Remains Their Greatest Album
Ask any Green Day fan under the age of 20 what their favourite album is and they will probably say American Idiot. It is the band's most recent success and has sold a staggering 14 million copies worldwide. It has also been transformed into the critically acclaimed Broadway musical of the same name which won 2 Tony Awards and sealed Green Day's status as sell-outs in the eyes of the harsher fans. Yet somehow, this album still failed to outsell Dookie. Dookie sold an even more impressive 16 million copies and charted in over 10 countries, topping the chart in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The band controversially signed with a major label for their third album, much to the outrage of their Berkley fans and an act that resulted in them being banned for life from the club they played at in their early years, but needless to say, the move more than paid off. The album is stacked with pop-punk anthems you could sink your teeth into and it's hard to pick a track that doesn't work. From the first lines 'I declare I don't care no more', Dookie takes you on a passionate adventure into the confusion and indifference felt by people everywhere and even when you put it on now, it is still fresh, the recording still has its high quality sound and you can still listen from start to finish without getting bored. It avoids complicated political debate and getting too heavy, instead choosing to acknowledge the silly and pointless chaos that happens around us, which can't really be said for American Idiot. To call yourself a true Green Day fan, and to appreciate the genre, Dookie is essential listening and will probably remain the band's greatest achievement.