SO...whats next?

[AlissaGoesRAWR]

My bet is on a new album in 2016.

Is it weird of me to think that still might be too early? I guess I just don't understand how long it normally takes them to write/record/promote. If you look at their early albums, when they were on fire, the gaps weren't that long. Even the long gap between AI and 21CB was broken up with side projects, etc., so I guess it really isn't normal for them to be delaying a new album this long, but at the same time, they haven't really been dealing with "normal" circumstances...

[Billie Hoe]

Is it weird of me to think that still might be too early? I guess I just don't understand how long it normally takes them to write/record/promote. If you look at their early albums, when they were on fire, the gaps weren't that long. Even the long gap between AI and 21CB was broken up with side projects, etc., so I guess it really isn't normal for them to be delaying a new album this long, but at the same time, they haven't really been dealing with "normal" circumstances...

I actually hope it won't be anytime soon. I think the more time passes the better the record will be in the end... because 1. we will be so desperate that we will like everything (with an exception of a few GDClers ) and 2. they will have more time to actually rethink everything

[AlissaGoesRAWR]

I actually hope it won't be anytime soon. I think the more time passes the better the record will be in the end... because 1. we will be so desperate that we will like everything (with an exception of a few GDClers ) and 2. they will have more time to actually rethink everything

It could go either way, though. Because I could also see them being so inspired right now by everything that's happened that they could put out something awesome quickly.

I'd love for any future album to be a combination of true happy/sad feels though. I think part of the problem with the trilogy, besides the production, was its forced "WE'RE CAREFREE!!!" vibe that just didn't translate well. I'd rather have something genuine, whether that's inspired by recent happy moments or the less enjoyable events of the past two years.

[Billie Hoe]

I'd love for any future album to be a combination of true happy/sad feels though. I think part of the problem with the trilogy, besides the production, was it's forced "WE'RE CAREFREE!!!" vibe that just didn't translate well. I'd rather have something genuine, whether that's inspired by recent happy moments or the less enjoyable events of the past two years.

Yes! My thoughts exactly. The trilogy (or most of it but definitely the way they acted) didn't feel genuine at all... I can't explain this any further because I would only be copying your post, but it really seemed forced like "okay fuck it we wrote about important stuff so often already, now it's party time, fuck ya'll"

[iScottie]

Maybe they'll finally get around to doing that VH1 Storytellers on Kerplunk.

[BilIie Joe Armstrong]

I don't think they're going to be as big as in the past - or rather planning to. They decided to cut down on the press - they don't seem to be about to change that. They didn't try to draw any attention to the HoF induction besides the interview months prior to it, even though it was a fantastic opportunity to make the world acknowledge them. And the next album might be dropped out of nowhere - or as least it won't be promoted so massively as 21CB or the Trilogy.

I assume that the plan is to focus on the music rather than on the trademark and let the art speak for itself. Needless to say that I'd approve of that. It would be a way of becoming a more "serious" and generally accepted band. Such a change of direction or rather next step forward is crucial for the future.

[BucksCoEric]

or as least it won't be promoted so massively as 21CB or the Trilogy.

the trilogy was promoted massively? lol in what world?

[WhiteTim]

the trilogy was promoted massively? lol in what world?

It was in the beginning

[BilIie Joe Armstrong]

the trilogy was promoted massively? lol in what world?

Before rehab. Tons of articles, interviews, TV appearences, snippets of quatro on the Internet, Instagram accounts, gigs. It was meant to be huge.

[ZSebs]

the trilogy was promoted massively? lol in what world?

They had a bunch of TV performances scheduled. I know they were supposed to be on Ellen the day UNO was released, and they were going to be at that Voodoo festival (or whatever it's called).

[Cath]

and before iheart they went to good morning america also

[Libertine Angel]

I don't think they're going to be as big as in the past - or rather planning to. They decided to cut down on the press - they don't seem to be about to change that. They didn't try to draw any attention to the HoF induction besides the interview months prior to it, even though it was a fantastic opportunity to make the world acknowledge them. And the next album might be dropped out of nowhere - or as least it won't be promoted so massively as 21CB or the Trilogy.

I assume that the plan is to focus on the music rather than on the trademark and let the art speak for itself. Needless to say that I'd approve of that. It would be a way of becoming a more "serious" and generally accepted band. Such a change of direction or rather next step forward is crucial for the future.

I think it was mentioned before, but yeah, Billie said once that they wanted to keep the next release quiet, just getting on with it and then putting it out rather than giving it loads of hype before anything's actually released like with the Trilogy.

[BilIie Joe Armstrong]

They had a bunch of TV performances scheduled. I know they were supposed to be on Ellen the day UNO was released, and they were going to be at that Voodoo festival (or whatever it's called).

Now I wish they would be on Ellen so much... it would be pretty cool

I think it was mentioned before, but yeah, Billie said once that they wanted to keep the next release quiet, just getting on with it and then putting it out rather than giving it loads of hype before anything's actually released like with the Trilogy.

yeah, but I mean it goes deeper than that. It's not only Billie's comfort. If they go in that direction Green Day will no longer be the band you see in Bravo, they won't be loved by masses of 11-year-olds. It's a change that will trasition them into a more estabilished and widely recognised band. (If it goes well). Growing up in this regard is a part of the purpose.

[Backyard Skulls]

I did like the trilogy but I definitely didn't 'connect' with it like most of the previous albums.

A perfect gd album for me would have the sound and production like American idiot and their old self-depreciating lyrics

I think as long as they don't over hype the new album too much or divulge too much it won't flop as much as the trilogy. Personally I enjoy all the teasers and snippets though, but having a new album randomly release one day would be cool too!

Obv a tour as well, I'm dying to see them live again. After the hob show it seemed they were at the top of their game. A club tour in the winter and massive stadiums in the summer would be perfect

[jakdokinori]

As always I look forward to whatever the band has to offer, however here are some of my hopes for the next album:

1) No new songs played live before release - I kinda hope the band don't play anything new live before we hear the studio version. It's just a thought but maybe if your initial reaction to a song is drawn from a bad quality YouTube video you could say it's not the best representation of that song. Plus maybe some of the fun of hearing the studio version is that you get to think 'I bet this will sound amazing live!'. As for the band I remember Billie saying in Cuatro something along the lines of 'It makes you freak out when they don't freak out' in regards to playing new songs that nobody knows yet, maybe this could affect how the band sees the song while they're working on it?

2) More mystery - I remember an interview about Foreverly where Billie mentioned making a album and not telling anyone - I personally hope that's how the next Green Day album gets made. Don't get me wrong I loved how much they shared during the making of the trilogy, I just think I'd rather they put up a date on the website or something, maybe with some unclear audio in the background or a snippet from a new song...something to stir up a lot of excitement and discussion but without revealing too much.

3) A darker album - I liked the light-heartedness of the trilogy and I don't blame the band for wanting to let their hair down after American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, but next time I'd love to hear a darker album more along the lines of either of those albums, but with the classic Green Day taste to it.

Whatever happens I can't wait to follow it and for things to start happening!

[dirtyapathy]

Personally, I wish they'd just get on with it and tour. Do they really need a new album to promote, in order to play shows? Maybe, but it feels like they don't at this point. Obviously they are exceptional artists, but I think their talent, first and foremost, is live entertainment. Just a young girl's opinion.

[That Dude]

I did like the trilogy but I definitely didn't 'connect' with it like most of the previous albums.

A perfect gd album for me would have the sound and production like American idiot and their old self-depreciating lyrics

I think as long as they don't over hype the new album too much or divulge too much it won't flop as much as the trilogy. Personally I enjoy all the teasers and snippets though, but having a new album randomly release one day would be cool too!

Obv a tour as well, I'm dying to see them live again. After the hob show it seemed they were at the top of their game. A club tour in the winter and massive stadiums in the summer would be perfect

It would be nearly impossible, but it would be awesome if they kept the next album completely hush-hush until the day it was released, then WHAM BLAM! Green Day media Blitz!!!!

[AlissaGoesRAWR]

I don't think they're going to be as big as in the past - or rather planning to. They decided to cut down on the press - they don't seem to be about to change that. They didn't try to draw any attention to the HoF induction besides the interview months prior to it, even though it was a fantastic opportunity to make the world acknowledge them. And the next album might be dropped out of nowhere - or as least it won't be promoted so massively as 21CB or the Trilogy.

I assume that the plan is to focus on the music rather than on the trademark and let the art speak for itself. Needless to say that I'd approve of that. It would be a way of becoming a more "serious" and generally accepted band. Such a change of direction or rather next step forward is crucial for the future.

I do wonder though, just because they seem to have stalemated mainstream media coverage (with the exception of Rolling Stone exclusives and Rob's comment in Kerrang!, we really haven't seen much of anything), does that mean they won't be doing self-promotion at all? The world is just so different now compared to when their careers started. As much as it pains me, a reporter, to say it, someone who's as well-known as them doesn't necessarily NEED the mainstream media to create a buzz amongst their fans. They can easily just Instagram and tweet and do it themselves. Granted, it's not as conventional, but it ensures you're still getting the word out and telling your message in the way you want to do it.

Also, after witnessing both Sweet Children and Green Day play, I realize now more than ever how large the label of "Green Day" has become. It's almost bigger than the boys themselves. I feel like they think they have this huge reputation to uphold, and I can't imagine how overwhelming that is, so they result to the "what works" formula for fear of messing it up if they diverge otherwise. Sweet Children was just so laid back and cool. But once Green Day came on, it was all business as usual. I'd like to see more of the genuine carefree attitude in their new music, but I know we can't have both if we want more Green Day. I just don't think it's possible.

[AmyxLongview]

I did like the trilogy but I definitely didn't 'connect' with it like most of the previous albums.

A perfect gd album for me would have the sound and production like American idiot and their old self-depreciating lyrics

I think as long as they don't over hype the new album too much or divulge too much it won't flop as much as the trilogy. Personally I enjoy all the teasers and snippets though, but having a new album randomly release one day would be cool too!

Obv a tour as well, I'm dying to see them live again. After the hob show it seemed they were at the top of their game. A club tour in the winter and massive stadiums in the summer would be perfect

Totally agree with that!

I'm hoping they complete and announce a new album by the end of this year.

[Cori]

I do wonder though, just because they seem to have stalemated mainstream media coverage (with the exception of Rolling Stone exclusives and Rob's comment in Kerrang!, we really haven't seen much of anything), does that mean they won't be doing self-promotion at all? The world is just so different now compared to when their careers started. As much as it pains me, a reporter, to say it, someone who's as well-known as them doesn't necessarily NEED the mainstream media to create a buzz amongst their fans. They can easily just Instagram and tweet and do it themselves. Granted, it's not as conventional, but it ensures you're still getting the word out and telling your message in the way you want to do it.

Also, after witnessing both Sweet Children and Green Day play, I realize now more than ever how large the label of "Green Day" has become. It's almost bigger than the boys themselves. I feel like they think they have this huge reputation to uphold, and I can't imagine how overwhelming that is, so they result to the "what works" formula for fear of messing it up if they diverge otherwise. Sweet Children was just so laid back and cool. But once Green Day came on, it was all business as usual. I'd like to see more of the genuine carefree attitude in their new music, but I know we can't have both if we want more Green Day. I just don't think it's possible.

To add to this, sometimes I forget just how massive Green Day is. I mean, I always have it in my mind that they're a wildly popular band, but then something reminds just how big they really are. A good example was this past weekend and not only watching them being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but also seeing all of the media there to cover them just walking down the red carpet, not to mention all of us fans who had come from all over and were waiting to watch them. At this point I think of them as just Billie, Mike, and Tre (and Jason), which they are that, but in a lot of ways they're a lot more than just that.

I think of songs like Boulevard of Broken Dreams and 21 Guns (which has almost 109 million views on YouTube, by the way) and think how much of a cultural phenomenon they really are. It's truly incredible what they've accomplished. 75 million records sold over the course of their career? That's insane.

What I'm trying to get at is, if they were to drop an album tomorrow, plenty of people would still go nuts. While I don't think they'd choose to go that route, I do think that they're going to try to keep the recording process more hush-hush this time around. Then, I think they might wait until a month before the album comes out to announce it and possibly release the lead single simultaneously, and then start promoting it. Not like a media blitz type promotion, but more along the lines of doing things that just put their name back into people's minds. Like somebody else said, a promotion that would fit a more mature band with a hugely established fan base. At this point in their careers, they don't really have anything left to prove. They're in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, for Pete's sake. Now I think they should focus on doing something, perhaps not as political as American Idiot or 21st Century Breakdown, but something more akin to the style of those albums.

I don't know. This is just baseless speculation, but I do have this feeling that when they come back they're going to be amazing. We're going to enter the Third Great Age of Green Day.

[AlissaGoesRAWR]

To add to this, sometimes I forget just how massive Green Day is. I mean, I always have it in my mind that they're a wildly popular band, but then something reminds just how big they really are. A good example was this past weekend and not only watching them being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but also seeing all of the media there to cover them just walking down the red carpet, not to mention all of us fans who had come from all over and were waiting to watch them. At this point I think of them as just Billie, Mike, and Tre (and Jason), which they are that, but in a lot of ways they're a lot more than just that.

I think of songs like Boulevard of Broken Dreams and 21 Guns (which has almost 109 million views on YouTube, by the way) and think how much of a cultural phenomenon they really are. It's truly incredible what they've accomplished. 75 million records sold over the course of their career? That's insane.

What I'm trying to get at is, if they were to drop an album tomorrow, plenty of people would still go nuts. While I don't think they'd choose to go that route, I do think that they're going to try to keep the recording process more hush-hush this time around. Then, I think they might wait until a month before the album comes out to announce it and possibly release the lead single simultaneously, and then start promoting it. Not like a media blitz type promotion, but more along the lines of doing things that just put their name back into people's minds. Like somebody else said, a promotion that would fit a more mature band with a hugely established fan base. At this point in their careers, they don't really have anything left to prove. They're in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, for Pete's sake. Now I think they should focus on doing something, perhaps not as political as American Idiot or 21st Century Breakdown, but something more akin to the style of those albums.

I don't know. This is just baseless speculation, but I do have this feeling that when they come back they're going to be amazing. We're going to enter the Third Great Age of Green Day.

I wish I was as optimistic as you! But I completely agree with basically everything you said. I tend to live in my own little Green Day bubble, where people rip on me for enjoying their music and tell me they suck. When, in actuality, their fanbase and influence is so fucking massive that it's incomprehensible. Granted, the media was there to cover all the celebrities walking in (I mean, c'mon, what else happens in Cleveland?) but it was clear from the beginning who was the popular inductee this year. I think even the media in the city was surprised when they found us all camping on the streets before Thursday's show, or standing in droves hours before they walked the red carpet. I could tell the reporters on Thursday were like "What the fuck are you doing?" in a way that combined confusion with respect. It was great seeing that affirmation in many forms this weekend.

Hell, I think the band was even surprised. They didn't once come across as conceited or even moderately goofy on the red carpet... they seemed humbled and genuinely in shock by what was happening.

A few months ago, before all this happened, I was pretty convinced there wouldn't be much going on in Green Day land. Fuck, if they announced tomorrow that they were taking a little break, I still wouldn't be necessarily surprised or blame them after all Jason, Billie and Mike and their families have been through. But now, after this weekend, seeing how happy and awestruck they were, I just don't believe that's the next step. I really think they're going to try to do something great, not necessarily to prove anything to anyone but themselves and their fans.

[That Dude]

I personally think they SHOULD promote the F(woo) out of the next album. Go all out, like they originally planned with Uno, Dos and Tre!

[BilIie Joe Armstrong]

Alissa and Cori, I agree with both of you 100%. By the way, my experience is that Green Day fanbase is almost invisible most of the time. It's like mycelium. Nobody, including ourselves, doesn't know how huge is it until something happens and we show up.

[Chin for a Day]

I wish I was as optimistic as you! But I completely agree with basically everything you said. I tend to live in my own little Green Day bubble, where people rip on me for enjoying their music and tell me they suck. When, in actuality, their fanbase and influence is so fucking massive that it's incomprehensible. Granted, the media was there to cover all the celebrities walking in (I mean, c'mon, what else happens in Cleveland?) but it was clear from the beginning who was the popular inductee this year. I think even the media in the city was surprised when they found us all camping on the streets before Thursday's show, or standing in droves hours before they walked the red carpet. I could tell the reporters on Thursday were like "What the fuck are you doing?" in a way that combined confusion with respect. It was great seeing that affirmation in many forms this weekend.

Hell, I think the band was even surprised. They didn't once come across as conceited or even moderately goofy on the red carpet... they seemed humbled and genuinely in shock by what was happening.

A few months ago, before all this happened, I was pretty convinced there wouldn't be much going on in Green Day land. Fuck, if they announced tomorrow that they were taking a little break, I still wouldn't be necessarily surprised or blame them after all Jason, Billie and Mike and their families have been through. But now, after this weekend, seeing how happy and awestruck they were, I just don't believe that's the next step. I really think they're going to try to do something great, not necessarily to prove anything to anyone but themselves and their fans.

I think they are in a great place, similar to the place they were at right before AI. Before AI, they were actually at the bottom of their career and they took the attitude that I'm going to do what I want and fuck it if no one likes it. That attitude produced brilliance. Now they are in a similar position. They have two massive albums under their belt and others that were more successful than alot of other bands can dream of. They have been the biggest band in the world. They have had one of their albums become a broadway musical, etc. Now they are considered amongsts musics elite by being inducted in the rock hall. What else is there for them to prove? Right after AI, I think they still thought they had to top it. Now, think they are going into the studio with the same attitude before AI, fuck it. If people like it great, if they don't who the hell cares. Look what happened last time they had that attitude.

[.Holly]

I don't know. This is just baseless speculation, but I do have this feeling that when they come back they're going to be amazing. We're going to enter the Third Great Age of Green Day.

I agree with this, I think that the next album will be one of their best. I have a feeling that the things Billie has gone through over the past few years will lead to some of the best lyrics he's ever written, plus Mike and Jason have been having an extremely rough time too so I think they will make a real go of it.

I would be very surprised to see a new album this year, I think they'll take their time over this one, plus Jason is still recovering. I think later next year is far more likely.