Green Day announce new greatest hits album ‘God’s Favourite Band’ – featuring new song

[Christian's Inferno!]

1 minute ago, pacejunkie punk said:

American Idiot is charting again?! I don’t understand it but I like it. They need to start the hype machine for the movie and 15th anniversary asap.

I'm not sure but I think the UK album chart might only count actual album sales as opposed to the US which factors streaming etc. American Idiot is one of the albums that would still sell a lot of pure albums today which would explain its appearance on the UK chart. Again, I'm not sure how the UK chart works but I'd guess that'd be the reason it appeared.

[tomdsjames]

21 hours ago, Christian's Inferno! said:

I'm not sure but I think the UK album chart might only count actual album sales as opposed to the US which factors streaming etc. American Idiot is one of the albums that would still sell a lot of pure albums today which would explain its appearance on the UK chart. Again, I'm not sure how the UK chart works but I'd guess that'd be the reason it appeared.

UK chart includes streaming also.  Think it was due to vinyls having a bigger impact on the week before Christmas as American Idiot is #17 in the official top 40 vinyl chart

[That Dude]

Just got my copy tonight!  

Anybody find any typos or mistakes in the booklet yet?  I am in the process of sniffing / reading every inch and seeing what I can find.  Overall it is a well put together compilation with all the lyrics and pictures one could hope for.   Also smells good.  

Missing hits are the biggest downside but these are the "greatest" so whatever. It's my Christmas gift to myself. 

QUESTION:   in the lyric book on the page with the lyrics to 21 guns, where is that face from?  It belongs to a woman I can't identify and it's driving me nuts.  Could be a guy but it doesn't look like any of the ones from the band so.....who the heck is it?   

 

[Billie Joe's Fender]

I haven't listened to this yet (although I've heard almost every song that's on it) but looking at the tracklisting the problem i have with this is that it seems to distribute an unequal number of tracks per album. On the large side they include all 5 singles from Dookie and 4/5 from American Idiot whereas on the small side only 2 songs from Nimrod, Warning, and 21st Century Breakdown and 1 song from Insomniac and Uno Dos Tre. The biggest gap is between the 5 tracks from Dookie and having only Brain Stew from it's successor.

Personally, i think they should've done what Queen did and released International Superhits II, including songs only from American Idiot onwards but if they really wanted to compile an album not associated with their previous commercially available greatest hits album then i think they should've compiled a double album because with 10 studio albums (one of them being a triple album), 3 EP's, 2 albums of material previously not on an album, 2 albums under a different name, and a slew of songs never on an album, you can't make a quality greatest hits album and fit it on one disc.

[That Dude]

3 hours ago, Billie Joe's Fender said:

I haven't listened to this yet (although I've heard almost every song that's on it) but looking at the tracklisting the problem i have with this is that it seems to distribute an unequal number of tracks per album. On the large side they include all 5 singles from Dookie and 4/5 from American Idiot whereas on the small side only 2 songs from Nimrod, Warning, and 21st Century Breakdown and 1 song from Insomniac and Uno Dos Tre. The biggest gap is between the 5 tracks from Dookie and having only Brain Stew from it's successor.

Personally, i think they should've done what Queen did and released International Superhits II, including songs only from American Idiot onwards but if they really wanted to compile an album not associated with their previous commercially available greatest hits album then i think they should've compiled a double album because with 10 studio albums (one of them being a triple album), 3 EP's, 2 albums of material previously not on an album, 2 albums under a different name, and a slew of songs never on an album, you can't make a quality greatest hits album and fit it on one disc.

It is very uneven for sure.  Nothing from 1039 and then from the rest it's 

1 song, 5 songs, 1 song, 2 songs, 2 songs, 4 songs, 2 songs, 1 song, 2 songs.  I'm listening to it for the first time now and it's a great listen, but I really miss so much of what should be between the lines.  

 From a band that has 4-5 hits from each release it's got a lot missing.     JAR, Geek Stink Breathe, Stuck with Me, Jaded, Walking Contradiction, Redundant, Nice Guys Finish Last, Waiting, Poprocks and Coke, Maria, Shoplifter, I Fought the Law, Jesus of Suburbia, Saint are Coming, Working Class Hero, Simpsons Theme, East Jesus Nowhere, Last of the American Girls, When It's Time, Kill the DJ, Let Yourself Go, Stray Heart, X-Kid, The Forgotten and Revolution Radio.....that's more than a whole disc right there!   

They could have done two songs from each album, two from the entire trilogy and maybe squeezed it onto one disc but.....really and truly they should have done at least two discs, probably three.   But then there's that whole trilogy curse again and that's probably where the problem is.  Oh no, you guys just released three at once and it went bad.  Can't release a 3 disc hits album, it'll tank too.   Or maybe the band felt that way too.   Too much pressure to have multiple discs, better cram as much as possible into a single disc.    

It's pretty obvious what they've done.   Just like with their live shows, this focuses on their "big two" - Dookie and Idiot.   There's no escaping the 5 singles from Dookie.  They are classic rock songs at this point.   And they excluded "Jesus of Suburbia" for time.  Then they used what time they had left for about 2 songs from each album except for the wrongfully hated Trilogy.   And then kind of gave Rev Rad the slip as well.  Not only did they omit Revolution Radio which JUST came out, but they pulled the rug out from under the whole album.    Like, "oh forget about that last single we released, it's not on here and we don't care if you hear it or not.   Here's this!"

I'm totally with you.  While I really enjoy the songs on this compilation, It kind of feels like "Here's 19 of our 44 singles:  Screw you!"     

 

 

 

 

 

  

[pacejunkie punk]

Um, it’s a greatest hits album not a singles collection. The hits are what makes the cut. Dookie and AI had the most and the biggest hit singles, it’s that simple. Bang Bang and Still Breathing were hits, Revolution Radio was not.

[That Dude]

It took two days of driving to work and back, but I've finished listening to this thing and.....it's rather enjoyable.  They got "Holiday" and "Broken Dreams" in reverse order of how they were released, but I guess that's so they could transition properly.  No big deal.    

So many great tracks here.  Even with the glaring omissions - this is a wonderful collection.   My least favorites are "Brain Stew", "Warning" and the new "Ordinary World".     I would have done "Geek Stink Breath" and "Waiting" in those places, but I understand they picked the 19 biggest hits.  

Sorry I've went on and on about the omissions earlier.  I get it and I'm over it.  Some of their singles weren't hits.   

 some were hits:   "JAR", "Geek Stink Breath", "Jaded".    "The Saints are Coming" is shown as having charted very well across the board, though I've never heard it on the radio. It's technically a U2 song so I guess that could slide and "Jaded" was combined with another song, so really "JAR" and "Geek Stink Breath" are really the two big omissions.  Insomniac and the Trilogy will forever get the short end of the stick, whether it be in concert or on compilations I guess.   

If I were rating this collection, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.  

Well put together with a fantastic new song, but missing a few key tracks and the re-worked "Ordinary World" took up a few minutes that could have been put to better use.

Lastly, my highlights:   Still Breathing and Back in the USA.  What can I say, the band keeps putting out topnotch material and nearly 30 years in - they've still got it!

 

   

  

[That Dude]

Also.   This business about which hits are "the greatest".....it's got me doing research.  It's kind of tricky to determine which songs performed the best from looking at charts.   One song may have been #1 in Iceland but nowhere else.  One song was a huge hit but only charted on this chart or that chart.  And other songs may have charted on EVERY chart but very low......so confusing.  If someone could give me Green Day's 9-10 biggest hits in order with explanations as to how they are so, I'd love it!   Here's my attempt at it:

1.       Boulevard of Broken Dreams

2.       When I Come Around

3.       American Idiot

4.       Basketcase

5.       Know Your Enemy 

6.       Minority 

7.       Oh Love

8.       BANG BANG

9.       Still Breathing

I tried comparing their chart positions to each other, along with awards and such each song received.  I'm fairly certain those top three are correct, but after that it gets a bit hard to tell.  Personally, I don't think I've ever heard "Know Your Enemy" or "Minority" on the radio but they did really well at some point.  

This is a nice slice of Green Day pie to examine.  Their biggest hits could have been all from 1994 and then a steady decline moving forward.  But this list of the biggest songs, it's from 1994.  it's from 2004.  it's from 2009, 2012 and present day!  

International Superhits was amazing, but it was holding the bands place in history as they struggled with multiple problems in the beginning of a new century.  This one feels like the opposite, like they've yet again lit a fire under their own booties and are wanting the streak to continue with more music, more success and more great Rock N Roll.   

I just know that in 2034 when they put out a 3rd Hits record, we'll all be here.   Arguing about "Back in the USA" being on it or not.   

  

 

[Billie Joe's Fender]

This is the best one i came up with, using US chart positions (a mix of the regular and airplay charts):

1. Boulevard Of Broken Dreams (#2)

2. When I Come Around and Wake Me Up When September Ends (tie, #6 (the former used airplay))

4. Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) (#11, airplay)

5. Holiday (#19)

6. J.A.R. and 21 Guns (tie, #22 (the former used airplay))

8. Basket Case (#26, airplay)

9. Geek Stink Breath (#27, airplay)

10. Know Your Enemy (#28)

[Christian's Inferno!]

I don't think chart positions are the sole factor indicating the success of a single or whether they're a "greatest hit". That's obviously part of it, but it also depends on the song's lasting power i.e whether it's still popular years later etc. Which is why the AI and Dookie singles dominate this album so much. Because Dookie and AI were massive, as were the singles. Even today, many many people (especially those into the rock genre) are very familiar with a lot of these songs.

A song like Oh Love wouldn't really have that kind of staying power. A lot of people would've forgotten this single exists despite it being pretty big back in 2012. I mean, I still think it belongs on the album because it did well on charts and in terms of YouTube views, it's done pretty well (around 40m from music/lyric video combined). With Bang Bang and Still Breathing, it's too soon to tell but they've also done pretty well on charts

[The Grohl]

I still think this collection should've been released this year when the band isn't as active. They released the greatest hits collection, the picture discs, and the Nimrod re-release all while they were still touring. You'd think they'd space it out a little bit to keep fans satisfied while they're on break or working on new stuff. 

[Christian's Inferno!]

23 minutes ago, kaylubd said:

I still think this collection should've been released this year when the band isn't as active. They released the greatest hits collection, the picture discs, and the Nimrod re-release all while they were still touring. You'd think they'd space it out a little bit to keep fans satisfied while they're on break or working on new stuff. 

Well we don't know how long the break between the next album is going to be. It could be shorter than we think. They could be working on side projects. 

[pacejunkie punk]

38 minutes ago, Christian's Inferno! said:

Well we don't know how long the break between the next album is going to be. It could be shorter than we think. They could be working on side projects. 

And there could be more surprises coming who knows. At any rate, GFB was the perfect Christmas release and if they waited until next year they might bump up against whatever might be coming late 2018/2019.

[Joe.]

On 29/12/2017 at 10:14 PM, pacejunkie punk said:

American Idiot is charting again?! I don’t understand it but I like it. They need to start the hype machine for the movie and 15th anniversary asap.

But this is Green Day so there might be a coloured vinyl reissue of the album and that'll be that 

[Billie Joe's Fender]

7 hours ago, Christian's Inferno! said:

I don't think chart positions are the sole factor indicating the success of a single or whether they're a "greatest hit". That's obviously part of it, but it also depends on the song's lasting power i.e whether it's still popular years later etc. Which is why the AI and Dookie singles dominate this album so much. Because Dookie and AI were massive, as were the singles. Even today, many many people (especially those into the rock genre) are very familiar with a lot of these songs.

You're right, 2 other very important factors is airplay and how often they are played live. Regardless, Green Day threw in a few unpopular songs on the album, such as Warning (peaked at #114 on the Billboard Hot 100, was only played live 53 times and not since 2001, and I've never heard it on the radio at all in my life).

[That Dude]

7 hours ago, kaylubd said:

I still think this collection should've been released this year when the band isn't as active. They released the greatest hits collection, the picture discs, and the Nimrod re-release all while they were still touring. You'd think they'd space it out a little bit to keep fans satisfied while they're on break or working on new stuff. 

Green Day have had at least SOMETHING every year since 1986, so I don't think we'll have to worry about a dry 2018.  We might not get an album but we'll get a song, a project, a movie cameo, maybe a show or performance, compilation....something.   Here's a list I made to show that they are the busiest band in the world.  It doesn't have everything they've done, but instead at least one thing from each year to show they never really stop.   Looking through, they've put out music a lot of these years.      

•1986 – formed

•1987 – a few shows

•1988 –  a few shows

•1989 – at least 19 shows

•1990, smooth

•1991, rereleased

•1992, Kerplunk and toured through

•1993 (toured kerplunk)

•1994, Dookie

•1995, Insomniac

•1996  “Brainstew/Jaded” and “Walking Contradiction” on radio. 

•1997 Nimrod

•1998, “Redundant”, Touring

•1999, Touring, “Nice Guys Finish Last”

•2000, Warning

•2001, Tour for Warning and Greatest Hits

•2002 Shenanigans

•2003, MoneyMoney2020, Private Hell and SuperMarket

•2004, American Idiot 

•2005 , Bullet in A Bible

•2006. The Saints are Coming and played one show

•2007, Working Class Hero, Simpsons

•2008 – Foxboro Hot Tubs

•2009, 21st Century Breakdown

•2010, American Idiot Musical Soundtrack

•2011, Awesome as F***

•2012, Trilogy

•2013 – Cuarto, “X-Kid”

•2014 – Demolicious

•2015 – Heart like a Hand Grenade, live performance at Geezer thing, Xmas Song

•2016 – Billie, Jason and Jesse Malin played New Years Show, Tre does Motley Video, in the studio working on new album

•2017 – Revrad Tour, Revolution Radio music video, Greatest Hits volume two!

•2018 –

[Thatsername]

12 hours ago, Too Dumb to Die(s) said:

Green Day have had at least SOMETHING every year since 1986, so I don't think we'll have to worry about a dry 2018.  We might not get an album but we'll get a song, a project, a movie cameo, maybe a show or performance, compilation....something.   Here's a list I made to show that they are the busiest band in the world.  It doesn't have everything they've done, but instead at least one thing from each year to show they never really stop.   Looking through, they've put out music a lot of these years.      

•1986 – formed

•1987 – a few shows

•1988 –  a few shows

•1989 – at least 19 shows

•1990, smooth

•1991, rereleased

•1992, Kerplunk and toured through

•1993 (toured kerplunk)

•1994, Dookie

•1995, Insomniac

•1996  “Brainstew/Jaded” and “Walking Contradiction” on radio. 

•1997 Nimrod

•1998, “Redundant”, Touring

•1999, Touring, “Nice Guys Finish Last”

•2000, Warning

•2001, Tour for Warning and Greatest Hits

•2002 Shenanigans

•2003, MoneyMoney2020, Private Hell and SuperMarket

•2004, American Idiot 

•2005 , Bullet in A Bible

•2006. The Saints are Coming and played one show

•2007, Working Class Hero, Simpsons

•2008 – Foxboro Hot Tubs

•2009, 21st Century Breakdown

•2010, American Idiot Musical Soundtrack

•2011, Awesome as F***

•2012, Trilogy

•2013 – Cuarto, “X-Kid”

•2014 – Demolicious

•2015 – Heart like a Hand Grenade, live performance at Geezer thing, Xmas Song

•2016 – Billie, Jason and Jesse Malin played New Years Show, Tre does Motley Video, in the studio working on new album

•2017 – Revrad Tour, Revolution Radio music video, Greatest Hits volume two!

•2018 –

Still praying for that live DVD

[MillenniumFan]

Sure, I just hope we’ll get something live, whatever it is...

[That Dude]

Been listening to Gods Favorite Band in the car lately.  It's a great listen all the way through but after repeated listens, these are the ones I skip to, or listen to over and over again:  

American Idiot (probably one of their best singles, at least according to me, this week)

Wake Me Up When September Ends (haven't heard it in a while and it brings back some feelings, I gotta say)

21 Guns (i sing it like the live version with the long "ooooooh-ooooh-oooh" after the "from a stone" part on Awesome as F(woo). )

Oh Love (haters going to hate, this song rocks! It builds up to that epic point like so many Green Day songs do!)

BANG BANG (fits perfectly with all their biggest hits, congrats on keeping the fire alive all these years!)

Still Breathing (These guys just keep on churning out perfect cuts....one of my favorites.)

Back in the USA (They do it yet again!)

 

Looking at those choices, I seem like a newer fan who got into them when American Idiot was blowing up the world.  That's not the case, folks.  Good Riddance got me hooked back when it was on the radio some 20 years ago.  I love 1039, Kerplunk and Dookie, but for me 1997-2004 was so much better than what came before.  For the most part, I feel like they've gotten better with each release.   

 

 

[pacejunkie punk]

^^^ I agree, unlike other bands I think every Green Day album only gets better in some way. I was doing something similar last night I was watching the GFB video playlist (why was there no video for She?) and I love to both see and hear their musical progression. The album really explodes when it gets to American Idiot. There’s a reason why that album was so successful, what a creative leap forward when you put it in the timeline. All of those singles are outstanding. And I agree, also unlike other bands where you turn off their Greatest Hits album when it gets to “the new stuff”, Bang Bang is one of my favorite GD songs and SB is my favorite video. The album ends as strong as it starts (with the bonus tracks being just that — bonus tracks you can enjoy if you want) 

They are so far from done. 💚

[That Dude]

I wonder if there will be any more promotion for this.   I know hits albums don't usually get a big push but as always, I feel like the latest Green Day project deserves time in the spotlight.

[Billie Joe's Fender]

13 hours ago, pacejunkie punk said:

Why was there no video for She?

They never made one, presumably because it was the last single from the album and was deemed not as commercial as the other 4 singles, especially considering that Insomniac was in the works at the time and was released only 5 months after She was released as a single. They could've did what they did with Welcome To Paradise and synced up the audio to live footage but they didn't feel it was worth the effort.

[Christian's Inferno!]

14 hours ago, Too Dumb to Die(s) said:

Been listening to Gods Favorite Band in the car lately.  It's a great listen all the way through but after repeated listens, these are the ones I skip to, or listen to over and over again:  

American Idiot (probably one of their best singles, at least according to me, this week)

Wake Me Up When September Ends (haven't heard it in a while and it brings back some feelings, I gotta say)

21 Guns (i sing it like the live version with the long "ooooooh-ooooh-oooh" after the "from a stone" part on Awesome as F(woo). )

Oh Love (haters going to hate, this song rocks! It builds up to that epic point like so many Green Day songs do!)

BANG BANG (fits perfectly with all their biggest hits, congrats on keeping the fire alive all these years!)

Still Breathing (These guys just keep on churning out perfect cuts....one of my favorites.)

Back in the USA (They do it yet again!)

 

Looking at those choices, I seem like a newer fan who got into them when American Idiot was blowing up the world.  That's not the case, folks.  Good Riddance got me hooked back when it was on the radio some 20 years ago.  I love 1039, Kerplunk and Dookie, but for me 1997-2004 was so much better than what came before.  For the most part, I feel like they've gotten better with each release.   

 

 

Yeah Oh Love is great. Some people see it as kind of mediocre and in a way, I sort of see what they mean but I think it's great. Has a great build and I think it summarizes the trilogy. It's kind of back to basic but still epic in some ways. I'd put it in my top 3 trilogy songs (with X-Kid and Brutal Love). I'm glad it made it onto the GH album, it definitely deserved to.

[WhiteTim]

Oh Love isn’t a bad song just a bad first single 

[pacejunkie punk]

I would have had a hard time picking a first single off Uno if it were up to me, there are just so many great power pop songs.  Nuclear Family, Carpe Diem, Rusty James, Stay the Night, Oh Love -- any one of those would have made a great first single.