Hi friends, welcome to Peanut Gallery. Every Wednesday here at MusicOlogy, we'll be presenting two classic albums from the same iconic band or artist and asking you... the smart, savvy, blindingly attractive Ology readers... to debate amongst yourselves over which record reigns supreme. Individual songs, concepts, music videos, lyrics, album artwork—everything's on the table here, folks. Give us your best argument in the comments section below—we'll announce the winner at the beginning of next week's Peanut Gallery face-off.
Last Week's Winner: Radiohead's OK Computer
We pitted Radiohead's two masterworks, OK Computer and Kid A, up against each other in a battle to the... well, not death, but something definitely painful. It was more than a close-call, but with five votes to Kid A's three, OK Computer emerged as your clear favorite for Greatest Radiohead Album of All Time. Better luck next time, Amnesiac.
This Week's Match-Up
Green Day's Dookie (1994) vs. American Idiot (2004)
Green Day's major label debut, Dookie became a massive hit throughout '94 and '95 on the strength of its five hit singles and music videos, peaking at number two on the Billboard charts and eventually selling upwards of 16 million copies. Punctuated by relentless three-chord punk riffs and Billie Joe Armstrong's snide sense of humor (not to mention his prodigious ear for pop melody), the album is an undisputed punk and alternative rock classic and undeniably one of the most important, popular and influential records of the '90s and beyond.
Classic Songs: "Longview", "Welcome To Paradise", "Basket Case", "She" and "When I Come Around".
Evoking the spirit of The Who's Tommy and Quadrophenia, Green Day's punk rock opera American Idiot was a massive critical and commercial hit, selling more than 6 million copies in the U.S. alone (14 million worldwide), taking home a Grammy for Best Rock Album, and even appearing on stage as an acclaimed Broadway musical. The album tells the story of Midwest burnout Jesus of Suburbia's journey to New York, but the real narrative of American Idiot went something like this: a full decade after their first creative breakthrough, the band captured the imagination of an entire new generation of fans with arguably their best album to date.
Classic Songs: "American Idiot", "Jesus Of Suburbia", "Holiday", "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" and "Wake Me Up When September Ends".
Okay, ladies and gentlemen... it's in your hands now. Hit up the comments section below and let us know why Dookie or American Idiot should be definitively and unquestionably declared the greatest Green Day album of them all.
For more news, reviews, videos and tunes from your favorite artists, be sure to join our Music and Indie Rock Ologies. (Green Day fans—talk amongst yourselves right here.)
James Dillon:
Dookie. I got the cassette for my 8th birthday. And I still really like that record. Now I feel old.
April 25, 2012
Sharon Tharp:
Dookie, no contest. And just because you don't vote for American Idiot doesn't make you pretentious (ahem). The album is just far inferior musically and culturally.
victoria sebring:
Dookie. end of discussion. boom.
This decision might be purely based on my "teenage-hood"... good good memories when i hear this album
April 25, 2012
Carmen Bojanowski:
The only Green Day fans more pretentious than those who bash "new Green Day" are those who love both eras. As tough as it it, I might have to say American Idiot.
April 25, 2012
Nancy Allen:
Gotta go with Dookie but AI is also epic
April 25, 2012
Gabriel Hayes:
Definitely Dookie. Love both albums but Dookie is one of my favorite albums by anybody
April 25, 2012
Jonah Gardner:
Not only is Dookie amazing, but American Idiot is extremely overrated. One U2 is plenty, Billy Joe .
April 25, 2012
Emily Cheever:
No contest. American Idiot became a shitty musical, Dookie is still fun to play in the office. Plus that "When September Ends" song is the most awful in the world.
Comments (13)