For example, when I posted about Green Day and punk, a friend quickly scoffed, "Pop-punk, maybe." That qualifier was clearly meant to demean and undercut any credibility of the band is being somehow inanthentic and truly "punk." In that regard, the slight seemed to be about the melodic, radio-friendly, and pop-based tone to the music. So, I countered: is Green Day's sound any more melodic than the Ramones? Or the Sex Pistols? Or the Clash? I'd argue not.
The primary criticism of a punk band not being authentically punk is rooted in the idea of "selling out." And that criticism is primarily based on the decision to sign with a major record label, which Green Day did in 1993 when they left Livermore's Lookout Records, where they recorded two albums, for Reprise Records whose release of Dookie went on to sell more than 20 million copies.
However, Green Day's roots in coming up the DIY way, cutting its teeth in the historic Gilman Street, discounts the petty criticism of major label signing. Obviously, the seminal punk bands like the Ramones, Sex Pistols, Clash, and more all worked with and released on major labels. And while the indie label scene wasn't as developed then, it still existed. And, of course, I think the definitive position on that issue comes from NOFX singer and founder of Fat Wreck Chords Fat Mike who asserts:
"Green Day didn't sell out. None of those bands did. They were playing their style of music, and it finally got popular. There was no selling out. Selling out is when you change your style to play music that people might like."
Finally, I would argue that Green Day put down one of the most politically charged punk rock manifestos when it released the pivotal 2000's protest LP American Idiot, which is nothing short of a scathing indictment of the hollow actions of the W Bush administration.
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