The whole "SELLOUT" Accusation:

[NickD]

i hate when green day are called sellouts, too.

and muse aren't looked at as sellouts because they didn't come from such a strong underground punk scene like green day did.

[Peace and Rainbows]

i trie to ignore it

[Are We The Waiting?]

it's really stupid how people say green day are sell outs. ultimate success is bad? no. anyways, green day might have been 86'd from the gilman because they broke the rule about signing to a major record company, but that was the most punk rock thing you could have done. they signed and didn't give a shit, so that makes them substantially more punk than any other band at the gilman that listened to that rule. besides, if they didn't "sell-out" (as most people would put it) i wouldn't be typing on this website about this right now because nobody would know about green day.

[21st century idiot]

Who cares. I'm still a fan, half the band that are called sellouts really aren't.

[deadair]

To me a sell-out is someone who goes against their own personal beliefs. My argument when someone calls Green Day a sell-out is "why isn't there a clean version of 21st Century Breakdown at Walmart"? They didn't go against their beliefs and sold their CD other places.

[BraedonHorbacio]

Doesn't selling out just mean going against what you believe in to get money?? How would other people know what Green Day believes in??

[Rock-man]

GD never sold out.

They just kept on going the best way they knew.

Just love their music.

Best there is.

Yadda yadda all you want.

-R-

[Coffee409]

I've been debating this argument for 15+ years for fucks sake.

[Tiffx]

Green Day isn't the only band that cops the 'sell out' accusation.

Get over it.

[mandajane]

well the punk community they came out of (Gilman St) is kinda snobby (elitist punks are a pain in the ass) and one big policy there is no major labels. so when Green Day singed onto Warner they couldnt play there anymore. A lot of people who were there from the Sweet Children days were dissapointed that they were making all this money from their music. Because in the Gilman scene, people dont play music to make money. They play music because thats what they love doing.

[Guest]

people just want an excuse to not like green day.

as for me personally, i could give a shit less about whether they sold out or not, or how "punk" they are or what the fuck ever.

[Insomniac186]

Billie Joe's goal is to have Green Day be the biggest band of all time, and he has done a great job getting them there. I've always defended them against haters but in recent years they have done some questionable things, things I thought they'd never do, like playing on American Idol, ect. (it presents a challenge when debating whether or not they're "sellouts") and then they put out 21CBD, which was the most unoriginal album they ever put out, and now I'm left here scratching my head. However, they are among the most down-to-earth rock stars on the planet and do a ton of good things. I've met Billie Joe and Mike in person.

They don't need to do half the stuff they do, their rock n' roll legacy is secure. They don't need more exposure or even need to put out anymore records, but they do because they enjoy it and all of us still want new music. There are tons of unreleased studio and live recordings they could release and milk to death (Dookie demos, anyone?). They don't even need a major label anymore. I'm sure they already know all that stuff. but they will do what they want because they believe it's best for them. All I care about is the quality of their music. I am really shocked they didn't get busted for plagiarism with 21CBD, but now I'm getting off topic. I just hope the next record is higher quality...

[21 guns for you]

Why do people say that green day aren't punk and that they sold out and everything when you look at a punk band like the clash (signed to CBS) no one says :oh they aren't punk there just posers.

[**kookai**]

the whole sellout accusation is redundant... they just have nothing better to say about the greatest band evvveerrr !!!

[Eighty.]

Bands evolve, Green day had to became a bigger band because people liked them and bought their records and stuff.

I think the people who call them sell out it's because this is the only argument that come to their mind and in some way is "debatable".

If a band is successful they always are a fucking sell outs or what?

[Katie86]

I always though that selling out was when you stop doing what you believe in, and what you want to do to make money.

Its not like there was a drastic change in how they sounded between Kerplunk and Dookie.

they've always seemed to make the music that they wanted to make.

that doesn't sound like a sell out to me.

[St. Jimmy 7234]

I always though that selling out was when you stop doing what you believe in, and what you want to do to make money.

Its not like there was a drastic change in how they sounded between Kerplunk and Dookie.

they've always seemed to make the music that they wanted to make.

that doesn't sound like a sell out to me.

I agree completely... Green Day has always liked what they've been making so why accuse them of selling out?

Does not make sense....

[Homicidal_llama]

I always though that selling out was when you stop doing what you believe in, and what you want to do to make money.

Its not like there was a drastic change in how they sounded between Kerplunk and Dookie.

they've always seemed to make the music that they wanted to make.

that doesn't sound like a sell out to me.

I 100% agree with this. Green Day are most definitely now a lot more poppy than they used to be but they absolutely haven't stopped writing/playing what they believe in. Billie still writes lyrics from the heart and the music they play still touches a nerve. This isn't just mindless, junky pop songs we're talking about here, it's good solid music that has evolved over the years.

Personally I think a lot of Green Day haters who state the only reason for disliking them as 'selling out' secretly like them they're just to far up their own asses to admit it.

[Mommy's Little Nightmare]

I wrote this a few years back:

The Great Sell-Out Debate

It's been going on since Green Day signed to Reprise. It will probably continue to go on through their entire career. But I'm going to put my two-cents into the matter and argue every reason I've ever heard for them to be called sell-outs.

They Signed To A Major Label:

So what? They didn't do it to become arrogant rich jerks. They did it because they felt it was the right thing to do. After the release of the Kerplunk! Album, they were selling more records than the label could process and sell. It was time to move onto something bigger- something that could handle the demand they were getting. They also didn't just sign to any label who wanted them- they heard a lot of offers, and only when they met Rob Cavallo and heard what their offer was, did they agree to sign. Not to mention the fact that they allowed Lookout! To keep their first 2 albums, and continue to profit from them. Which brings me onto my next reason…

They Pulled Their Pre-Dookie Albums from Lookout!:

The label hadn't been paying the royalties that Green Day was owed for quite a while, and they allowed it to continue, until eventually, it just got to the point where it was ridiculous, and they pulled the plug. However, they weren't alone in that matter- many other bands left the label as well. Larry Livermore himself had even given a statement saying that Green Day had done the right thing, and he didn't blame them. (Mind you, Larry doesn't run Lookout! Anymore but he still agreed with their decision to pull the records, none the less.)

Dookie:

Lots of people say that they changed themselves when they signed to Reprise Records, and Dookie was a drastic change from their previous albums. They started cursing in the music, etc. They did, in fact, change with Dookie. However, they've changed, expanded, matured, and experimented with new sounds on every single one of the albums. Their career wouldn't have the longevity that it has had, and probably will continue to have if they made the same album over and over again. Not to mention how boring that would be. They had also probably written a lot of their songs from that album before they switched to Reprise. Remember how Haushinka was on the Dookie demos but never made the cut? Written way before Nimrod, but never made the album until then. Who's to say that all the songs from the album were written after their signing to a major label?

Insomniac:

People say they sold out with Dookie, and Insomniac was their backlash that tried to prove they were still punk, and this in itself, was selling out. I think they definitely were trying to prove something here, but that's not the only reason it was so angry. It was angry because they WERE angry. And who could blame them? They had friends turning their backs on them now, people that they'd used to associate with calling them sell-outs, and saying all sorts of hurtful things to them. Seeing things like "Billie Joe must die" written in the bathroom stall at Gilman Street? Being unable to play there anymore, and being shunned when it had been their home for so long? Of course they were pissed off. Anyone in that situation would be.

Nimrod/Warning:

The use of more than just the classic guitar, bass, and drums came in here, and that caused people to call them sell-outs yet again. Their sound drastically changed from their fun melodic 39/Smooth (Since that was what it was called back then), Kerplunk!, and Dookie, and their anger-charged Insomniac. They'd matured. They'd finally reached a stage where they were comfortable enough to branch out and experiment with different instruments and sounds. Billie Joe said himself that they were now making the type of music they'd always wanted to make. Now onto the big one…

American Idiot:

This album was massive. It took a completely new direction for them. We heard a new politically charged side of the guys. Not to mention the fact that it was a rock opera. This is what they were accused of being sell-outs for this time. But here, it had been 10 years since Dookie, when they had very first been accused of selling out, and for almost every new release, there had been backlash, when all the guys had done was mature, and write about what was important to them and they were feeling at the time. That's always been what Green Day had done- and what they did with American Idiot. People will argue that it was less personal than their other albums, but I don't see that being true either. Billie Joe has said that everything he writes comes from a feeling he's had at some point in his life. And he was feeling angry about the president, the war, the way the media handles things, the way the youth was being brainwashed, and he wrote the album surrounding that. Even if it wasn't his personal experiences, it was all sparked from feelings he'd had, and portraying his view of the current times. You can hear the emotion behind each song on this album. Not to mention the fact that they used the attention brought upon them to do good. Instead of just bitching about the state of the world, they put their fame and their money to use to help out and to do good. When the tsunami hit, they played a benefit show, and the donated their profits from Boulevard of Broken Dreams itunes sales to the tsunami victims. They played the Live 8. They teamed up with the NRDC to bring about Global Warming awareness. When Katrina hit, they teamed up with U2 and Music Rising to earn benefits for the victims, as well as the Armstrong and the White family going down to New Orleans with Habitat for Humanity to help out personally. Billie Joe is a part of Emily's Army. Now they've covered Working Class Hero for Instant Karma in order to raise awareness and earn money to help save Darfur. Instead of taking all their fame and their profits and doing nothing- they chose to use it positively to help bring about awareness, change, and to help people. Besides the fact that when American Idiot came out, they didn't know if people would like it or if they would hate it, and they weren't sure what was going to happen. They never expected it to blow up the way that it did. It could have been a complete and utter failure, and they knew that… yet they released it anyway, because they felt that it was amazing, and had exceeded anything they'd ever done.

American Idol:

Now, I have to admit… I was quite iffy on this one. I was one of the people that wanted to peg them as sell-outs for playing it, but in the end- it was done for a good cause again. Think of the millions of people that watched the finale of American Idol that might have known nothing about the horrors going on in Darfur that have an idea of what's going on now. Maybe there are better places they could have done it- but maybe there weren't. Think of how many viewers the season finale of Idol raked in. All those viewers might be a little more aware now, may be inspired to want to help, when they weren't before. Think of the good that playing that show had the potential to do.

To be classified as a sell-out, a band or artist would have to be in it for the money and change themselves to stay popular, and clearly, this is not the case with Green Day. They've changed, but not to stay on top. They've changed because they're not the kids they used to be… they've grown up, they've got kids of their own now, they're adults, the world has changed as well as their views on it, and the things they care about along with it. Green Day has never changed themselves for popularity… they've always done what they wanted to do. They don't make music for the fans, they make it for themselves, and if we as fans like it- that's great, but they aren't going to stop making it if we don't like it. Take a look at the period from Insomniac to Warning…probably even International Superhits and Shenanigans… their sales decreased with each album. They were getting less and less received, yet they continued making their music, because it's what they loved to do. And that's what they'll continue to do.

Besides that- they've never let their fame go to their heads. They've never acted like their better than people because they're famous or because they're rich. They're good to their fans and to people, they use the fact that they're famous and have money to help. To a sell-out, it would have to be all about being rich and famous, and not caring. Screw the world! Is that the attitude that the guys have? Is that what they're in this for? I think not.

[Kerplunk!!!]

The classic sell out debate, people say they sold out after the amazing lookout albums and while dookie was obviously more mainstream tracks like burnout and the first single longview had as much A raw sound and energy as a lot of their songs from the previous album so i'd hardly call it selling out. Personally i think they did with AI, the music was good dont get me wrong but after a zillion radio plays and the fact that they wore the same stupid suits and fucking eyeliner every performance just made me resent them and i had no time for 21st cb (bar before the labotomy). Obviously alot of fans like their new stuff and old stuff but for some it does just boil down to whether you'd rather watch... lets say a blue haired Billie joe starting a mad fight a woodstock while playing paper laterns or if youd rather see some 40 year old men wearing eyeliner who write concept albums and play dirge like 21 guns on their signature guitars.

Flame away if you wish, but i guess everyone will always have different opinion on this debate.

[Hermione]

^ Well some people judge a band on their music and some people judge a band on how they look. If you wanna pick the shallow second option it's your loss and no one else's.

[Storer]

I'd rather spend my time listening to a "sellout" band than waste my time pretending to like some shitty underground band that nobody really cares about. Green Day make good music, always have done

[Nele]

I'd rather spend my time listening to a "sellout" band than waste my time pretending to like some shitty underground band that nobody really cares about. Green Day make good music, always have done

This! I don't understand all these people who won't liste to a certain band because they "sold out", are "mainstream" or whatever. If the music's good I'll listen to it.

[jake0911]

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!!!

Wow, I love that you said this. I have never heard such it explained so well. I fucking loved it!

[GufcHeno]

Im hoping green days next album won't be like 21st century brake down,it was a bad album and it sold out!

It was American Idiot but they tried to maximise profits!Total sell out!