Billie Joe's Vocals.

[Opezi]

I really love his voice in 1,039/sosh and kerplunk era. <3

[Bastard of 1967]

Do you think Billie took voice lessons in between American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown? His voice seems less rugged and more sweet. It just seems smoother. For example, compare anything from BIAB to a live version of East Jesus Nowhere. The part where he puts his hand on a kids head and sings the chorus is so much smoother sounding. Sorry, I can't really explain it.

Two words: Butch Vig. It's well-documented that Butch pushed Billie real hard to explore the higher ends of his register when they were working on 21CB together.

[Bohemian+Scandal]

american idiot (recording) > 21CB (recording)

21CB (live) > AI (live)

if you watch live videos from both eras you can tell his voice has improved just in those years.

sounds better live now then he did before imo. but not on the record.

I 100 percent agree and was just going to say this. I think his current live voice is the best he's every sounded, but on the current record it's just too tweaked to have any validity for me and therefore AI's recording wins.

[BringMoreKnives]

I happen to love Billie's vocals on Kerplunk.

More so than 21stCB

[Salmonator.]

I prefer his voice more raw and unproduced. I don't know if this counts, but my favorite vocals are in the Dookie Demos.

[Pedestrian9394]

I prefer his voice on Nimrod, if you're referring only to album preferences. But my all time favorite would have to be his voice in concert.

[V@L3]

his voice HAS changed quite a lot!!!!!! but at the end it's still his voice and still equally amazing!!!!!! i think theyre all great, and it makes me sad that people prefer their old music, because it means theyre losing interest, although i do like both their new and old music

[A_Dog_In_Heat]

Don't misunderstand me, I love every Green Day album, this was just a question to which era of vocals they prefer. Green Day has put out a total of 3 songs or less I don't like, so it's not that I don't like AI or 21st. I love both.

[Zelda]

AI vocals are definitely my favorite

[pasalaska]

I love the way each album's vocals suit the music - on 1039 his voice is a bit dodgy (in a good way) and really high, and it just works with the rawness of the album. In Dookie he sounds snotty and nasal which compliments the 'teenageness' of the album, and in AI and 21CB, it's really strong and angry and developed.

[BombingwithBillieJoe]

I don't really think his voice got higher. I had actually been thinking the other day when watching live clips that it got lower... I could be wrong with that though.

Before reading this thread, I had just assumed his voice sounds higher now because in the earlier records he was kind... not unprofessional but "I'm writing about masturbation and shit" and that kind of reflected in his voice. Like when you're talking about something boring you're kind of lower and flatter. And then later on he was getting more into the emotional side of things and actually trying when he sang. That's just what I assumed the difference in his voice was. I could be wrong though

Also... not to sound totally clueless or anything but.... what does everyone mean by his voice sounding over produced?

[rinu]

I never thought about that.I guess between Dookie and Nimrod.I don't know why but I like his vocals during these eras more.

[-Billiejoezee-]

everything.

[Kaddi.]

Not sure if it's just me, but some of Billie's early vocals (can't think of any specific examples apart from Insomniac) sound like his tongue is swollen or something I love his singing to pieces, so this isn't an insult, just a judgement I've sort of made when listening. I think his diction has got a LOT better over the years.

No, it's not just you. I think so, too.

I really like his voice on AI, but for me his singing on 21stCB is even a bit better. Like, he trys more stuff (falsetto, etc.), but I also agree with you, it's a bit overproduced. I'd say 21CB live = perfect.

[Hermione]

I love the way each album's vocals suit the music - on 1039 his voice is a bit dodgy (in a good way) and really high, and it just works with the rawness of the album. In Dookie he sounds snotty and nasal which compliments the 'teenageness' of the album, and in AI and 21CB, it's really strong and angry and developed.

Well put, I totally agree. The vocals fit each album perfectly, and within that they fit each song perfectly too. All part of the unique vibe/feeling of each album. It's really cool to hear all the differences.

With some bands the singer's voice seems to just stay the same all the time (and is usually boring in the first place ), I love how there's variation with Green Day. Billie's singing is probably one of the main things that attracted me to them, he has a wonderful voice.

[pasalaska]

Well put, I totally agree. The vocals fit each album perfectly, and within that they fit each song perfectly too. All part of the unique vibe/feeling of each album. It's really cool to hear all the differences.

With some bands the singer's voice seems to just stay the same all the time (and is usually boring in the first place ), I love how there's variation with Green Day. Billie's singing is probably one of the main things that attracted me to them, he has a wonderful voice.

thankyou

and yes, his voice is wonderful in its uniqueness

[clairex]

Nimrod & Warning. I love the vocals on Macy's Day Parade, especially at the end of the song.

[ThisIsNotNora]

Here's some Vocals from 1990 @ Gilman

I think his vocals has developed with the music, so I think all is really cool for that time and album. if that made sense

[kods (:]

Nimrod and American Idiot.

I love his voice in Worry Rock.

[darenmay]

Dookie and American Idiot definitely for me.

[Rosie May]

I think his voice has gotten better with time. He sings a lot clearer now and it's easier to understand what he's saying. I love they way his vocals sound on Warning too

[Daughter.of.Rage.and.Love]

I agree with basically everything you said. And yes, I actually agree on that his vocals sound angelic in that recording, which on one side I love. But at the same time, to me it sounds like that song especially was mixed in a tin can or something like you put it. It just sounds weird to me, as you said it is a new vocal style for him. Unfortunately it just sounds so very mixed to me... It may just be me though. I listened to the first recorded live version of it for months, just Billie's voice live alone with the acoustic guitar. And I fell in love with the song that way. So maybe I'll never get the right feel to it, 'cause I simply prefer live versions of it. I'm almost ashamed to say that I was a little disappointed when I heard the album version. But it's still obviously a gorgeous song.

I completely agree with you. I love how his voice sounds indeed so angelic in the recording, but it does sound a little too mixed, a little artificial. Just a little, but I don't really know. It sounds great, but a little mixed. Very polished for sure. I guess, it kind of takes the emotion out of it, which is weird because it's such a sweet song and his voice is so sweet. Don't get me wrong, I still love the pro recording and it's a great song, but it just sounds a little too polished.

Now that you mentioned live recordings... I just realized I don't have any live recording of it on my iPod anymore

I'd love to hear a recording of When It's Time the way John sings it.

Here's some Vocals from 1990 @ Gilman

link

I think his vocals has developed with the music, so I think all is really cool for that time and album. if that made sense

That really kind of sounds as if the pitch of the whole thing was ... heightened? Made to sound more high...

[A_Dog_In_Heat]

If you guys watch Woodstock footage on Youtube or any other show from that time ('94), you can tell even his speaking voice sounds nasally. Like he's talking with the top of his mouth and not using his nose. I don't notice it during interviews of that time though, so I think maybe he changed his voice for his preformances. Like it was an act. Was he trying to imitate anybody in perticular or was it just his style?

[SixtiesJunkiie]

I love it all. And I think each sound he has went perfect with the album/type of music they put out at the time. Love, love, love his voice.

[kate_ochoxx]

WARNING!

and i like AI as well but Warning all the way