Do you think that Green Day's image matters?

[Izzard]

Haha yes..Although sometimes I'm trying to do my style similar to Green Day but I think that the girls are always doing that!

btw I love your ava!!!

haha thanks! Someone else stole it though naa I joke..

I don't see anything wrong with finding them attractive. I'm not one of those who love Green Day only because they're "hot." When I started listening to them, I didn't even know how they look like...

I think I was 12 when I saw BOBD for the first time and I was like "Why can't he smile?" "What's with the eyeliner?" "These are the same guys in that video with the monkey??"

And now for some reason...it all makes me swoon..haha

[Eighty.]

I've seen a couple people here say that people complain too much about things like Billie's haircut or Mike's white pants....yes, people are complaining (although a lot of the time it isn't even complaining, it's just an opinion about, in this case Billie's hair or whatever, that isn't positive. There's a difference), but I haven't seen anyone going all "I don't like them anymore now Billie's hair is short!!!!!!!!!!'. Just saying they either don't or do like it. I understand and agree with it that the discussion shouldn't always be about their hair or clothes or general appearance or whatever.... but you can't even mention any of that without people going either "stop always complaining about how they look!" or "why is everyone always praising them no matter what they do?!".

THIS! it exactly the same that happened to me when Billie appeared with his haircut. I have Tuenti (Spanish Facebook) and there was people talking about him "he's so fucking ugly with his new haircut now I'll have to wait.."

really this is so idiot, it has no sense for me. What's the problem..? If they cut their hair they I'll play worse ?? ..

[Izzard]

THIS! it exactly the same that happened to me when Billie appeared with his haircut. I have Tuenti (Spanish Facebook) and there was people talking about him "he's so fucking ugly with his new haircut now I'll have to wait.."

really this is so idiot, it has no sense for me. What's the problem..? If they cut their hair they I'll play worse ?? ..

that must be it!

[Daughter.of.Rage.and.Love]

THIS! it exactly the same that happened to me when Billie appeared with his haircut. I have Tuenti (Spanish Facebook) and there was people talking about him "he's so fucking ugly with his new haircut now I'll have to wait.."

really this is so idiot, it has no sense for me. What's the problem..? If they cut their hair they I'll play worse ?? ..

That wasn't what I was saying at all

But that's idiotic... it's not like Billie's hair writes the songs or something.

lolol that gave me a nice mental image :lol:

[Bohemian+Scandal]

See, I heard Green Day long before I ever knew what they really looked like. Dookie when I was younger and then American Idiot when my brother brought home the album. It wasn't until after I got into the music that I went and started looking them up like mad and I'm not going to lie I did find them attractive (though just the fact that they're rock stars with music I loved massively rose colored my view on their appearance and I really think this is true with a lot of their fans) .

Still, I think the music matters more. There are a LOT of ugly dudes in mainstream bands that have some kick ass music and therefore popularity. Coheed and Cambria is a good example. Claudio is a BEAST, but I freakin' love him! You don't have to be good looking to be a successful band, but you do have to be good looking to have an army of annoying fantards which Green Day does indeed have.

Sometimes I wish Green Day was still on the fugly side so we'd have less fangirls bawing when he cuts or bleaches his fuckin' hair.

[gdpony]

of course it does, lets face it, big part of the music image is based on image.

it doesnt matter to me though ... I was ten when I started listening to them lol, but I always loved Billie's eyes

[cherrybomb!]

"Sex Sells "

So yeah I don't think they would be as popular without the change of image, I think the new look they had really opened up a new market for them, but I don't think the image revamp alone could have made them more popular, to me, it went hand in hand with how their style of music had evolved.

[Tubbie Head]

It's pretty sad it does. To me it doesn't, but there are many "fan girls" whatever you want to call it, that only care for musicians as long as they are "hot"

sad sad sad..

Not saying I don't like their looks, but I don't love them because of that, I love them because of the music, specially, and the way they are, for their personality. They all have these characteristics that are just unique, it's amazing

[McNavdo]

You just need to go to a gig and see all the screaming girls (that look about 13) just to see that image must be important which is kinda sad especially since most girls in the crowds are young enough to be their daughters. I always get annoyed when i read comments on a video and all the say is how hot they look and the cute face they pulled at a specific time instead of talking about the music and im 99% sure you get people going to the gigs that couldn't care less about the music and just want to see the band close up

[Marlee]

I think any band wants to uphold and have an image, preferably one that will grow a fan base.

I grew up listening to them and not realising it, but i didn't really start to become a huge fan until I was old enough to understand what music is. I never saw what they looked like until i saw one of their music videos on tv or an interview (i was a fan long before then)

(long story short...i liked the music before i saw what they looked like or how they dressed)

The sound and music is more important to me

I was actually thinking about this when they were playing in paris. It was boiling hot but they were all still in skinnies and billie with a longsleeved shirt and stuff cause its part of their image now but they must have been boiling.

Ok I know that's not really saying if it matters or not, but I just thought it was silly they shouldve worn like shorts and tshirts and stuff.

Hahaha I'm thinking about the same thing! I'm going to the one in Arizona in August. it's going to be boiling hot!! i'm worried they'll get heat stroke or something!!

[shit]

The image isn't what matters to me, it's the sound. I do like the image that they put out though, but that's just a bonus. I also think it's good that they aren't completely stuck in one image though, like the Ramones where they wore the same clothes for 30 years.

I listen to a lot of ugly bands, with ugly album art, who project a not all that interesting image. I could care less though, because I love their music. But at the same time if a band goes out and tries to have no image, not having an image becomes their image, and it represents them. But how they present themselves does have a great effect on everything, whether it's influencing other people to base their own image on the band, or attracting people who already have a similar image to their music. But it's always been around in music, like with Bill Haley (the guy who sings Rock Around the Clock) in the 50's. He was some chubby middle aged guy, whose records were up against records from a lot of younger more attractive performers and the record label thought that they were going to have a hard time selling his records based on his appearance, even though he had some great songs. Or even Milli Vanilli, those guys who had the image but lacked the talent, if the real people who actually sang the songs had been the image that they put out there, it would've changed everything. So image will always have an impact, through music videos and other stuff.

So I kind of like the idea of finding music blindly, like listening to the radio or downloading mp3's because then all you have to go on is a bands sound.

[MonsterJude]

I think Green day's image does matter. I mean, i like alot of us , love them for them... But you know, around the AI era, Alot of girls liked them for looks.. Which made them a bit more popular . So, to me, it doesnt matter THAT much, but possibly just a bit.

[Elissa.]

To some people, image does matter. During the AI era, they cleaned up their look by wearing skinny jeans and button up shirts and eyeliner, instead of random clothing that they just happened to throw on. This caused Green Day to get a whole bunch of new fans, most of them female. Girls swooned over Billie's hair and his eyes and completely ignored their music. I'm not saying that this was the case for all fans, but for a lot of new fans, they only listened to Green Day because they're "soooo hawt." I fell in love with Green Day's music before their looks. (I actually thought they were a little creepy the first time I saw them. ) If they weren't so good-looking, they probably wouldn't have as many fans. It's a sad fact of life. A band's image has an impact on their fanbase.

[Izzard]

The fact that they all look good is a nice bonus

[Sharmellow]

Yes, image does count as much as I hate to admit it. We're all shallow people and it's a true fact that style and fashion are important to gain fans. If they still had the same style they had when they still had long stringy hair, then they wouldn't have as many fans as they have today.

Just sayin', but some girls really dig men with eyeliner. Personally, I don't - but there are some guys who pull it off well.

[Pedestrian9394]

It depends on what you define "image" as. To me, image matters a lot, because it's a combination between the the music, the physical appearance, and the attitude towards fans. I think Green Day has a great image. Their music kicks ass, they're incredibly attractive :eyebrow: and they treat their fans like family. So yes, image matters, and it works in Green Day's favor.

[Opezi]

yea i think image matters. now if their image matters to themselves as a band and each individually im not sure. probably not as much as it does to everyone else. especially to the girls who just think they are "so sexxyyy" and how "dreammy billie is" but yknow what ever image they had people always clinged to it yknow. like in dookie era, billie brought out the striped swetshirt or whatever and people where like wearing a lot of those. idk where im getting at i just think its like image matters to a certain group of people. and their peopularity, yes i do think their image raised it and made a significant difference. but um image would only take them so far. their music is whats really got their success and popularity. but if you know any teen girl who swoons for billie only and his eyeliner, they will probably only know songs like american idiot and maybe 21 guns. and i think that proves a point.

i dont think im making to much sense right now am i

lol

[Hermione]

Image matters just like every other aspect of a band. The music is by far the main thing of course, but that's not the be all and end all. The music, the lyrics, the singing voice, their stage presence, the way they come across in interviews, their album artwork, their appearance - many many little things come together to make a band what it is.

The great thing about seeing how their image/choice of clothing changed is that they're wearing what THEY want to wear. They want to get dressed up and wear a bit of eyeliner - good for them! I'm glad they risked losing "older" fans by wearing what they wanted instead of pretending they were teenagers forever in baggy jeans and t-shirts just to keep their fanbase happy. Their new look suits their new music and big, theatrical live show perfectly and if the band's happy with what they look like, I'm happy.

They'd been occasionally wearing eyeliner when they felt like it since they were teenagers anyway so I'm not sure what the fuss was about . It seems like the people who get all pissed off and say "they shouldn't care what they look like, they shouldn't wear eyeliner and I wish they still wore old t shirts wah wah!" are the one's judging the band by their appearance. For me their appearance is a very nice bonus :eyebrow: that comes along with the amazing music.

[Red Lights Flash]

Yes. Their look accentuates their music. Nobody would believe the Dookie-era-style band singing songs like Holiday and Wake Me Up.

At this point, I have a feeling that their look is being used against them though, mainly because of the long wait between American Idiot and 21stCB. It's like they forgot how successful AI was, and all that's left are spin-off songs with the same look. That's the kind of reactions I hear often. However, they've been getting more respect since their shows here again.

[Daughter.of.Rage.and.Love]

I think by now that whatever they do with their image, they'll get criticized for it. Be it the uniforms being too stiff, or baggy jeans and sweatshirts too wannabe-teenager. Or in some cases the uniform and eyeliner too wannabe-teenager. Bottom line is that there will always be critics.

(though just the fact that they're rock stars with music I loved massively rose colored my view on their appearance and I really think this is true with a lot of their fans) .

This is very true. It doesn't do all of it (my mom isn't too fond of Green Day, only likes a select few slow-ish songs, yet she occasionally makes a comment about my posters that Billie looks cute ), but it definitely matters.

[Hanamay]

I personally find that in terms of record sales from the AI era the image makes a definite impact. As we know a lot of younger, teeny girl fans bought the AI records and a bonus of the music for them is that they're attractive looking guys who look all swish in their suits. I do not believe that as many girly fans would have bought the album if they had been hairy biker guys as you say. I personally also love the outfit change they went to during AI as well as I think it's very representative of a few things...and they look damn hot too

I'll personally even admit that the image adhered them to me! I got into Green Day when I was like 13, about six months before the single American Idiot was on the radio and things and so I'd mainly seen videos of them in their punkier / messier look. The reason that I found Billie Joe attractive made me more fascinated by them to want to listen to more. It's shameful isn't it But I found them attractive, liked the music, watched more videos and things and fell in love with them more and more. I'm sure this is the case for quite a few people and I'm just being honest

Nice topic, enjoyed reading everyone's opinions

[Kayfabe]

I personally find that in terms of record sales from the AI era the image makes a definite impact. As we know a lot of younger, teeny girl fans bought the AI records and a bonus of the music for them is that they're attractive looking guys who look all swish in their suits. I do not believe that as many girly fans would have bought the album if they had been hairy biker guys as you say. I personally also love the outfit change they went to during AI as well as I think it's very representative of a few things...and they look damn hot too

I agree, and I'm also glad that GD's image doesn't make them. If justin bieber was ugly, or he cut off his hair, he would have like 4 fans. No one really cared that BJ dumped the red tie.

[Hermione]

I personally find that in terms of record sales from the AI era the image makes a definite impact. As we know a lot of younger, teeny girl fans bought the AI records and a bonus of the music for them is that they're attractive looking guys who look all swish in their suits. I do not believe that as many girly fans would have bought the album if they had been hairy biker guys as you say. I personally also love the outfit change they went to during AI as well as I think it's very representative of a few things...and they look damn hot too

I think that's also true for every other era of Green Day though. In 1994 thousands of people thought their blue hair, funny faces and punky clothes were cool and a lot of girls thought Billie was cute - they were drawn in by the image just the same as teenagers today. And you can see from the number of "older" fans who complain about their suits and eyeliner and say it makes them vain or sellouts etc, that Green Day's casual jeans and t-shirt look was something that attracted them to the band - their favourite band dressed the same as them and they liked that.

Image is always a factor. But I don't think that matters really, that's the way it's always been with bands. Green Day have always been visually interesting and appealing and that's a nice part of the package.

[Pedestrian9394]

I agree, and I'm also glad that GD's image doesn't make them. If justin bieber was ugly, or he cut off his hair, he would have like 4 fans. No one really cared that BJ dumped the red tie.

I agree with this. I think Green Day's image "changed" because their music changed, so the image is because of the music, not the other way around. Bands like KISS base about 95% of their popularity on what they look like, while Green Day just happens to look really effing good as they play really effing good music.

[idiot4u]

I think image matters to a lot of people. We are a very visual world. The unusual, the edgy, the appearances that grab attention will attract people no doubt. The lyrics, however, are what are most important to me--from the playful, to the sad, to the angry, to the topical, I love the way Billie puts words together to make his point. Also, I love their looks through time--I was looking at the GDA piece with the youtube from 1991 where Billie has the dreads and Mike the long hair--love it! But, I was a music/lyrics fan long before I knew what they looked like. I think most die-hard, long term fans, appreciate the whole package--and the way they've evolved over time.