Fan poll: 5 most underrated Green Day songs of all time
Green Day appear on the cover of the Winter 2023 Issue — head to the AP Shop to grab a copy.
Green Day’s catalog is extensive. Having just added their latest album, Saviors, to the fold, it marks another triumph for the band, as the Bay Area punk trio have been releasing music for over two decades. In fact, the band have put out so many records over the years that it’s easy to forget how great some of their songs are. Some have flown under the radar since release, while others received popularity early on and then faded out. In honor of their new music, we asked our readers to name the most underrated Green Day songs of all time. The answers were, of course, diverse and overwhelming, spanning early deep cuts to more modern tracks.
Read more: Every Green Day album ranked
From Warning classics to an unexpected American Idiot track, find the top fan picks ranked below.
5. “Misery”
Arguably, any song off Warning is underrated, but “Misery” is the most unique. The song is experimental and theatrical, especially considering where they were in the punk canon at the time. Billie Joe Armstrong’s vocals are in top shape here, with the band leaning into their strangest impulses — Mike Dirnt plays Farfisa organ, whereas drummer Tré Cool takes up accordion. It’s undoubtedly one of the weirdest songs they’ve ever written, which makes it even more beloved by our readers.
4. “Waiting”
“Waiting” is another Green Day song that doesn’t get enough credit. The song is instantly loveable, employing a more ’60s pop feel in the vein of the Byrds and the Kinks. Like a lot of the songs on Warning, “Waiting” had a hopeful message and uplifting sound, which was a pivot from their earlier work, especially Insomniac. Either way, fans agree that this song deserves a lot more recognition.
3. “J.A.R.”
Here is where things take an emotional turn. “J.A.R.” — named after Dirnt’s childhood friend Jason Andrew Relva — is about hearing that he committed suicide through a car crash. Appropriaely, it serves as his remembrance and a meditation on his life so far. The song was originally a Dookie outtake but got a chance to shine when it was used for the Angus soundtrack in 1995. It’s heartfelt, compassionate, and has a message that matters.
2. “She”
Dookie is one of Green Day’s greatest albums — they’ll even play it in full during their stadium tour that kicks off later this year — but there will always be underappreciated tracks. Though “She” was released as a single, it never reached the same sky-high popularity as “Basket Case” or “Long View.” Even so, it’s a short-and-sweet burner that was written in response to a feminist poem of the same name. As soon as the chorus kicks in, enveloped in thick distortion, it’s tough not to thrash along.
1. “Whatsername”
It was a close vote, but fans deemed “Whatsername” to be the most underrated Green Day song in their discography. As the closing track to American Idiot, a defining moment in the band’s career, “Whatsername” features the Jesus of Suburbia reflecting on an old love — the same woman who inspired “She” and “Sassafras Roots,” according to Armstrong. What’s most striking is how much softer and melodic it sounds compared to the rest of the record, which explodes with blunt, barbed wit. The track is a standout from an album that’s filled with them.
