The whole "SELLOUT" Accusation:

[Storer]

Hating a band for becoming successful basically. 100% bullshit. If someone at work busts their ass and works hard to get a promotion, everyone says "ahh well done, you really deserve it". If a band makes it big "Fuck them, they sold out".

I really don't think Green Day care what the haters have to say. Whilst they're sat at their PC posting hate, Green Day are rocking sold out stadiums.

[Kayfabe]

Hating a band for becoming successful basically. 100% bullshit. If someone at work busts their ass and works hard to get a promotion, everyone says "ahh well done, you really deserve it". If a band makes it big "Fuck them, they sold out".

On the contrary, people bumlick and or sex their way up to promotions.

[Valkin]

They're 'sellouts' because they opted to join a major label and make money, tbh if my band had a chance to make a living from music then i would take it in a second!

What would you rather be doing, being like Rancid, Stiff Little Fingers, etc, etc and making albums that don't get widely noticed and then touring small(ish) venues or being signed to a major label where you make decent money?

[Angela.]

I don't care if people call GD sellouts. I love them, and that's not ever going to change. People can have their own opinions about GD, but it doesn't affect mine.

[bollard_11]

I would never say Green Day sold out.

Back in 1994 they were given an oppertunity to make music their life rather than a hobby by signing to a major label for Dookie

In 2004 American Idiot yes it was a popular album but I still would not say they sold out, Green Day recorded the music that they felt was right for them, they just got lucky that it was so well received in my opinion, because it could have been a massive flop.

[dawn71]

Green Day isn't a sale out!! I'm sick of hearing that. There are several punk bands that signed to major labels before Green Day did,

any they never caught as much of a shit storm as Green Day has. The Clash (signed to CBS), The Sex Pistols (signed to EMI), Social Distortion

(Epic), and I could go on. Green Day has to work for a living just like the rest of us. If you weren't born with a silver spoon in your mouth you have

to work for a living in this world if you want to survive, but if you love what you do it will never feel like work. Fortunately, for Green Day they have special

talents that most of us do not possess. They were able to do what they loved and were able to make that their work. You can call it what ever you want but its

still work and Green Day is one of the hardest working bands in the world. I really don't know that many bands that wouldn't have signed when made an offer

like Green Day got. They got to play their music their way. If anyone would have came to them to sign with a major label but the condition would be that they

had to do it the major labels way, Green Day would have told them in no uncertain terms to go to hell. Actually they did basically that many times when they were

approached by several other major labels before they signed with Reprise. Green Day wanted to get their music out there for the whole world to hear. It has

always been about the music to them. If it was about the money they could have quit a long time ago. Because I am sure they have enough money to live more

than comfortably for the rest of their lives if money was the reason. They are the same band they have always been! All of Green Day's music has their unmistakable

sound. When I listen to their earlier work and their most recent work and I know in a heartbeat that it was the same band. The topics may have changed but that

unmistakeable Green Day sound has remained the same. When they were in their late teen and twenties they sang about girls,masturbation, tell your parents

and other authority figures to screw off and go to hell, and other topics that affected them at that time. As they grew topics started to slowly changed as they were

affected by everything going on in their life by the people, situations, and with society as whole. So, that's what they sing about. They sing about what they know, how

they feel, and what they think. They have stuck together over 2 decades, way longer than most bands have. Its the music that that keeps them together and Its bigger

than any one person. It's always been about the music with Green Day. I have been a huge fan of Green Day since a high school friend of mine played me the vinyl of 39 Smooth.

Finally, music I could understand that understood me. I am so grateful Green Day did sign to a major label because then I had easier access to their music and it was out

there for everyone to enjoy. What a waste it would have been if a rare talent like Green Day's had not been put out there for the whole world to hear. Also I am tired of the people

saying Green Day isn't punk anymore. That is such total bullshit. Green Day is the very definition of the word punk. They did what they wanted to do no matter what others said or

what others thought about it. Green Day has always done their music their way. They didn't do what was expected of them. They have always thought outside the box and they

don't allow anything or anyone box them in. They let the music lead them and not what other people say or think. In other words they do what they want to do when they want to

do it and they don't give a fuck what others think about it. That was their attitude when they first started and that attitude has never changed. I have said this before and I'll say it

again, to call them Sell Out's is just Fucking absurd.

[Alan86]

When the sellout arguement comes up i always just think about something mike once said, it was along the lines of, lots of his favourite bands were on major labels too, the beatles, the clash, the ramones. Being on mojor label does not make them sell outs at all. The sell out arguement is pointless. Just because they have had 2 massively successful eras with dookie and American Idiot does not mean they are sell outs, it means that the are fucking brilliant at what they do and if some people dont like it, thats their own problem.

[EffigyQueen]

They must be really good actors if they made all those things just for money and they still seem to be so real.

[Blu]

This is like my friend arguing with me the other day (he greatly dislikes Green Day) saying they aren't Rock whatsoever, especially after we saw "Get Him to the Greek". He said that the music in the movie "now that was Rock 'n' Roll." I think he was blurring the line of what is "Rock" and what is "Rock 'n' Roll' and what is 'Pop' or 'Punk' or any of the like. People don't care about something enough to really notice the differences in what they are talking about or really discussing and just dismiss things as stupid and decide to hate them because they aren't something they think they should be. All along, it's just a misconception of words. If people would take the time to understand and actually listen to some things, maybe they wouldn't make the quick judgments that they do.

[liquorhill]

I would think sellout means...

you have a particular style... and when a major label approaches you and says... we like what you do, we'd love to sign you...but let's tweak your music a bit so it's more radio friendly and appealing to the masses...we'll give you gobs of money for it.....

and you agree to do so.... you've sold out..

[Whatsername90]

when did it start, anyway? because i think you could've accused them of "selling out" with dookie already. so i don't get why people keep bringing it up.

[Armstump]

I won't call them "selling out".

Maybe they came more and more a top 40 band (well, that's what people make them, actually), but they are still hot in the underground too.

But.

I just really hate it when people are talking like: "Oh, Green Day changed, why all those stupid cloths, where are the good shows gone?"

I'm like: "Well, people grow up and change? You won't like it either to live in the some kind of cloths you lived in like 10 years ago don't you?"

And of course, it was their clothingstyle. But like I said. People grow up. Even Green Day.

[Bastard of 1967]

What do you guys think? Why is this? This kind of attitude is petty and useless, where is the gain? Why are Green Day sellouts yet other bands aren't?

My usual response to the "sellout" question is: LTFS. Short for: "Life's Too Fucking Short" (to get one's underpants in a knot over this). Like what music you like for whatever reason you like it -- you're just as entitled to your opinion as your friends, etc. are entitled to theirs.

[Trotsky]

The fact is that Green Day are a mainstream and fairly corporate band. They have been since Dookie. Take it or leave it, listen to what sounds good to you.

The only thing Green Day ever did that made me cringe a little was play on American Idol. As long as Billie Joe Armstrong doesn't do a PSA against illegal downloading or something ridiculous like that, I'm not disappointed or dissatisfied with Green Day as a whole for being on Warner or anything like that.

[_all_is_well_]

I love how people think that bands like the devil wears prada, chiodos, modest mouse, and all of those tpyes of bands are indie or in someway less of a sell out then Green Day... I mean lets face it, all of the bands mentioned probably have shirts at hot topic haha.

BUT the difference is those other bands are so new no one has seen them evolve (and they started of they way green day ended up.. with eyeliner and skinney jeans), with Green Day on the other have people have seen them change and some people dont like it. I still tink Green Day makes good music and those other band suck, so whatever.

I also think that those other bands wont last nearly as long as Green Day, in fact i think chiodos has pretty much died already.

[Hermione]

I would think sellout means...

you have a particular style... and when a major label approaches you and says... we like what you do, we'd love to sign you...but let's tweak your music a bit so it's more radio friendly and appealing to the masses...we'll give you gobs of money for it.....

and you agree to do so.... you've sold out..

I agree, and Green Day never did that. I'd say out of all their albums, the two most simliar are Kerplunk and Dookie. Their sound's evolved and changed because they're ambitious and talented and their music's grown with them as they've grown older, but they never changed their music to get a record deal.

[heeygloria]

I think that people consider Green Day to be "sellouts" simply because , for quite some time after Dookie , Green Day was pretty in the shadows . If you knew them , you knew stuff like Shennanigans and Nimrod etc... if not , you really didn't . and i think after so many years of just , really , not being all that popular and whatnot , to suddenly come out with American Idiot , an album that was completely different from anything Green Day had ever written before, just more mature , in their message and their songwriting in general , it made some people step back and think that they had just changed to be what people wanted to hear , to get back on the radio and get more money and publicity out of it.

That's just my look on it , i personally don't think they're "sellouts" i just understand that they matured , as most people tend to do in their life. but let other think what they want , we'll listen to real music , while they listen to their justin bieber and other assorted crap

[Dry_Ice]

Green Day truly did reinvent themselves. Yes they did, in a way, sell out. But they did that a soon as they signed onto Respire after Kerplunk was released. They went from an Indie label to something mainstream (or a label that would actually give them fame and success). For whatever reason they tweaked their sound and their look between Warning and Ai, is also still a mystery. Some say it's Warner and others will say they were trying to find themselves and were trying to find an older, more mature sound. You can't sing about masturbation forever you know! Their agenda changed, along with their lives. I do love Green Day a lot, hence being apart of this forum. But I don't believe you should constantly throw the 'sellout' card in Green Day's face. Because it's overused and it's done and over with. They did sell out from their old school punk roots. They are now an Alt/Rock band that has been influenced by Punk. But in most ways, they are Mainstream's version of what Punk is. They are doing what they want but on a mainstream level. Punk is dead, I love it to death, but no one can duplicate it. Green Day is doing a great job of keeping some of punk's ghost alive on the mainstream, and I give them props for that. Green Day's just trying to have fun, make money, make music and party it up. Leave them alone and don't listen to them if you don't like them, that's all I can say. They're doing their own thing and us Green Day fans that have been faithful for the longest don't give a fuck what happened. All we care for is the music and what Green Day stands for.

*Maybe the word sellout shouldn't be used anymore. I'm just not even sure. They've matured. That's all I've seen.

[dawn71]

The Clash (signed to CBS), The Sex Pistols (signed to EMI), Social Distortion

(Epic), and I could go on and on. No one called those bands sell-outs. I don't

for the life of me understand why Green Day is the only band that caught

such a shit storm for signing to a major label. When Green Day signed to a major

they did it on their own terms and they played their music their way! Green Day turned

down several majors because they wouldn't compromise their music to suit the major

labels. When Reprise approached them and let them do Green Day the way they wanted

they signed. I don't know many bands out their that wouldn't have taken the same deal if offered,

Green Day wanted to get their music out there for the whole world to hear. It has

always been about the music to them. If it was about the money they could have quit a long time ago.

Because I am sure they have enough money to live more than comfortably for the rest of their lives

if money was the reason. Green Day is the very definition of the word punk. They did what they wanted

to do no matter what others said or what others thought about it. Green Day has always done their music

their way. They didn't do what was expected of them. They have always thought outside the box and they

don't allow anything or anyone box them in. They let the music lead them and not what other people say

or think. In other words they do what they want to do when they want to do it and they don't give a fuck what

others think about it. That was their attitude when they first started and that attitude has never changed.

Green Day still has that unmistakeable sound that many have tried to imitate but failed miserably. I think

the whole sell-out thing is a lot about jealousy in my opinion. If they are such sell-outs why are so many bands

out their trying to sound like them? I have said this before and I'll say it again, to call them Sell Out's is just

Fucking absurd! Thank God they signed to a major otherwise many of us may have never gotten a chance

to hear their music and that would be a waste of such awesome talents that Green Day possesses that

very few bands have ever possessed. They have become mainstream because they are that great. They

have brought Punk to the forefront of music. I'll stop my ranting now because I could go on and on about

this subject because it pisses me the fuck off!!!

[gdpony]

I hate this discussion

I love Green Day, their music is awesome, every album is so different, that it is impossible for me to get bored of their music, and that is what I love about them! So whatever, I dont care if people think they're not punk, or they're sellouts, whatever, THEY dont even care what people think, why should I?

and even if they're in a major label, how come they've never put out a record like dookie again? they could've just done that all over again, and then probably people would've forgotten about them by now, but they didnt, so in my opinion, they cant be sellouts.

[benhww]

I don't think Green Day sold out, no band can anticipate whether their music will appeal to people.

I think Green Day are making the music they want to make and its totally out of their control that it appeals to a mass audience.

Why should something as good as punk or green day's music be underground or not be able to be listened to by everybody?

[JohannaRaeRamone.]

I feel like everything already been said here. According to the ethics of punk rock yes they sold out. However Green Day have never pranced about saying theyrre the becons of punk, they'ev just done whatever they wanted, and that in itself is punk. Punk ethic is a vicious circle designed to implode and contradict itself; so why miss out on an amazing band that TRANCENDS punk for them???

[Silverlight]

Its not their fault for being called 'sell-outs', so what? Just because their direction on the music changed from angst to political doesn't mean they 'sold-out', it means they got out all their anger and sorted out problems of the past, and just 'cause they changed their look, doesn't change the mind behind the sound, to be truthful, I think if they didn't care what they looked like, people wouldn't call them sell outs. People who grew up with Green Day from the beginning need to learn, people change.

And just cause you become popular with the people who listen to mainstream doesn't mean anything, it means your better, and that you can be the best in the underground and the mainstream world.

People who they the sold out are just jealous that they become so successful.

[St. Banana]

My cousin likes to accuse them of being sellouts. I'm not sure whether it is just to annoy me, or if she truely believes it...either way it's a bit irritating.

She says stuff like "Oh they right all these political songs about rebellion and stuff but they are just corporate sellouts/just in it for the money/posers etc"

To a point I tried to explain/defend, but it's really not worth the effort.

[Ally]

Someone said on one of my facebook pages the other day "Green day are totally selling out, but there still good" to which i replied "yeah, selling out STADIUMS" which i thought was very witty for me, especially since it was late on at night.