What are Green Day's biggest songs?

7 November 2023, 14:49

With the US rock trio back in the UK this week, Radio X takes a look at their most-streamed and most-viewed tracks. Is your favourite on here?

By Radio X

@RadioX

1. Green Day - Boulevard Of Broken Dreams: release date 29th November 2004

   

   Green Day - Boulevard Of Broken Dreams [Official Music Video]

   Green Day's most popular track is this powerful ballad from the American Idiot album, released in September 2004. A song cycle concerning a character called the Jesus of Suburbia, the record reflected the politically turbulent post-9/11 era.

   The segue of Holiday into Boulevard Of Broken Dreams on American Idiot is popular as a Spotify and YouTube track in its own right, which tips the song's total streams just over the 1 billion mark, while the video had a similarly respectable 961 million views.

2. Green Day - Basket Case: release date 1st August 1994

   

   Green Day - Basket Case [Official Music Video]

   Green Day's big breakthrough hit from the summer of 1994 was the second single from their much-loved third album Dookie. Written about Billie Joe Armstrong's struggles with anxiety, this single made Number 7 in the UK charts and has since been certified double Platinum by the BPI. In the digital era, the track has accumulated over 924 million Spotify streams and over 333 million YouTube views.

3. Green Day - American Idiot: release date 6th August 2004

   

   Green Day - American Idiot [Official Music Video]

   The title track of Green Day's politically-charged 2004 album peaked at Number 3 in the UK charts - and topped the alternative rock listings in the US. A satirical poke at the Iraq War and the George W. Bush presidency, the track has over 831 million listens and over 237 million views.

4. Green Day - 21 Guns: release date 25th May 2009

   

   Green Day - 21 Guns [Official Music Video]

   This song from the album 21st Century Breakdown only made Number 36 on the UK charts in the summer of 2009, but the track was included on the soundtrack to the film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, where it gained a new generation of fans. Since then, its had over 529 million streams and over 517 million views.

5. Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends: release date 13th June 2005

   

   Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends [Official Music Video]

   Written about the death of Billie Joe Armstrong's father when the musician was just 10 years old, this moving ballad was actually the fourth single to be taken from American Idiot. This didn't harm its commercial prospects - it made the Top 10 in both the UK and the US. On digital platforms, the song has been streamed over 662 million times on Spotify and viewed over 222 million times on YouTube.

6. Green Day - Holiday: release date 14th March 2005

   

   Green Day - Holiday [Official Music Video]

   Including the streams for the Holiday/Boulevard Of Broken Dreams pairing that's also popular on digital platforms, the track now has over 676 million Spotify streams and over 121 million YouTube views.

7. Green Day - Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life): release date 2nd December 1997

   

   Green Day - Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) [Official Music Video] [4K UPGRADE]

   Taken from the 1997 album Nimord, this ballad was something of a departure for the band, taking them away from the core punk sound that made their name and included a small string section to bring out the emotion of the lyrics. The track peaked at Number 11 in the UK, while notching up over 600 million streams and over 93 million views.

8. Green Day - When I Come Around: release date 31st January 1995

   

   Green Day - When I Come Around [Official Music Video] (4K Upgrade)

   The follow-up to Welcome To Paradise in early 1995, this Dookie single has had over 452 million Spotify plays and over 121 million YouTube views.

9. Green Day - Jesus Of Suburbia: release date 25th October 2005

   

   Green Day - Jesus Of Suburbia [Official Music Video]

   The final single to be taken from American Idiot, this epic nine-minute song had to be cut down for radio play gained popularity after becoming a highlight of the musical based on the album. On Spotify, the track has been played more than 175 million times, while video views top 82 million.

10. Green Day - Welcome To Paradise: release date 17th October 1994 (re-recorded version)

    

    Green Day - Welcome To Paradise [Live]

    Originally recorded for the band's second album Kerplunk in 1991, this storming track was re-recorded for Green Day's major label debut, Dookie, in 1994. A Top 20 hit in the UK where it was issued as the follow-up to Basket Case, the track has enjoyed over 178 million listens on Spotify and over 20 million views on YouTube.