It was also around this time that bassist Sean Hughes left the band, causing Dirnt to switch from guitar to bass. In 1988, Armstrong and Dirnt began working with former Isocracy drummer John Kiffmeyer, also known as 'Al Sobrante', who replaced original drummer Raj Punjabi. The group's first live performance took place on October 17, 1987, at Rod's Hickory Pit in Vallejo, California. One of their first songs written together was 'Best Thing in Town'. In 1987, friends and guitarists Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt, 15 years old at the time, along with bassist Sean Hughes and drummer Raj Punjabi, formed a band under the name Sweet Children. History Formation and Lookout! years (1987–1993) 1.8 Father of All Motherfuckers and future (2019–present).1.7 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Revolution Radio (2014–2018).1.5 21st Century Breakdown and American Idiot 's stage adaptation (2007–2010).1.4 American Idiot and renewed success (2003–2006).1.3 Middle years and decline in commercial success (1997–2002).

1.2 Signing with Reprise Records and breakthrough success (1994–1996).

Members of the band have collaborated on the side projects Pinhead Gunpowder, The Network, Foxboro Hot Tubs, The Longshot, and The Coverups. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, their first year of eligibility. The musical was nominated for three Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Scenic Design, and Best Lighting Design, winning the latter two. In 2010, a stage adaptation of American Idiot debuted on Broadway. The group has been nominated for 20 Grammy awards and has won five of them with Best Alternative Album for Dookie, Best Rock Album for American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, Record of the Year for ' Boulevard of Broken Dreams', and Best Musical Show Album for American Idiot: The Original Broadway Cast Recording. Green Day has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. The band's thirteenth studio album, Father of All Motherfuckers, was released on February 7, 2020. Their twelfth studio album, Revolution Radio, was released in October 2016 and became their third to debut at No. The trilogy did not perform as well as expected commercially, in comparison to their previous albums, largely due to lack of promotion and Armstrong entering rehab. It was followed by a trilogy of albums, ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, and ¡Tré!, released in September, November, and December 2012, respectively.

Their next album, 21st Century Breakdown, was released in 2009 and achieved the band's best chart performance. Green Day's seventh album, a rock opera called American Idiot (2004), found popularity with a younger generation, selling six million copies in the U.S. Though the albums Insomniac (1995), Nimrod (1997), and Warning (2000) did not match the success of Dookie, they were still successful, with the former two reaching double platinum status, while the latter achieved gold. Alongside fellow California punk bands Bad Religion, the Offspring, Rancid, and Social Distortion, Green Day is credited with popularizing mainstream interest in punk rock in the U.S. In 1994, their major-label debut Dookie, released through Reprise Records, became a breakout success and eventually shipped over 10 million copies in the U.S.

The band's early releases were with the independent record label Lookout! Records. Before taking its current name in 1989, Green Day was called Sweet Children, and they were part of the late 1980s/early 1990s Bay Area punk scene that emerged from the 924 Gilman Street club in Berkeley, California. Touring guitarist Jason White became a full-time member in 2012, but returned to his touring role in 2016. For most of the band's career, they have been a power trio with drummer Tré Cool, who replaced John Kiffmeyer in 1990 before the recording of the band's second studio album, Kerplunk (1991). Green Day is an American rock band formed in the East Bay of California in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, together with bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt.

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