VOTE: Green Day (2) vs. Simple Plan (15)
February 24, 2020
Here at the NEIU Independent, we’ve organized a tournament to determine which band ruled the mid-to-late 2000s, otherwise known as the MySpace Era. A generation that gravitated toward rock and its various subgenres, the mid-2000s were defined by the emergence of punk, pop punk and emo, three subgenres that experienced peak commercial success. While rock and its subgenres no longer monopolize the airwaves, the bands that propelled punk and emo to the tops of charts possess a resiliency that keeps them near and dear to the hearts of listeners. This first round matchup is between Green Day and Simple Plan.
Green Day
Self-described as “God’s favorite band,” Green Day is credited with helping popularize the punk scene in North America.
Following the commercial success of 1994’s Dookie, the 2000s saw Green Day furtively mature their sound, reaching No. 1 on Billboard’s Active Rock Charts with their seventh album, American Idiot. Featuring hit singles such as the eponymous “American Idiot” and the introspective “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” Green Day became a cultural icon, solidifying their spot atop the rock mountain and embedding their name in the very soul of punk rock.
Simple Plan
Simple Plan’s debut effort No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls is intrafamilial angst condensed in to pop punk form. Interrogating the struggles of a parental disapproval and the teenage social realm, No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls became an overnight sensation among teenagers and young adults alike. Peaking at No. 2 on the U.S. Catalog Charts, the Canadian rocker’s debut album featured hit singles “Perfect,” “I’d Do Anything” (feat. Mark Hoppus of Blink-182), “Addicted” and “I’m Just A Kid.” Simple Plan followed the commercial success of No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls with 2004’s Still Not Getting Any, featuring “Crazy,” “Shut Up!” and “Welcome to My Life,” the latter being the band’s most streamed song across digital platforms to date.
Enjoy this article? Vote in our other first-round matchups!
My Chemical Romance vs. Coldplay
Logan • Apr 20, 2020 at 3:32 pm
Gotta say Green Day
Melissa Blasdell • Feb 25, 2020 at 10:16 pm
I love ❤️Simple Plan!!!!!! Pierre ,David , Chuck, Jeff & seb r my all time fave band I love ❤️ those guys 🙂 ever since perfect an I’m just a kid came out in 00s Simple Plan was the first concert I hav ever seen live in a SP fan for life babe ???????
Wayne Howard • Feb 25, 2020 at 2:48 pm
Simple plan is helping me get through life on a day to day basis. Their songs capture life and how people face challenges. Without them I can truly say I wouldn’t be here or be the person I am today. Struggling now but they are there for me.
When they are touring in the UK I will always go as when I see them live, it makes me feel soo happy and life stops for me and nothing matters but them.
Love you guys x
Momma3boyz • Feb 25, 2020 at 1:35 pm
Love them both!
Limón • Feb 25, 2020 at 12:01 am
Creo que ambas bandas son clásicas en este tema pero si me dan a elegir prefiero a Simple Plan. Sus letras son muy buenas y a los astronauts nos identifican
Pas Si Cool • Feb 24, 2020 at 11:39 pm
Green Day has SO MANY AWESOME SONGS! With songs like Reject, Take Back, Do Da Da, I was a Teenage Teenager, Road to Acceptance, Who Wrote Holden Caulfield, Chump, Panic Song, and so many more Green Day is the best band ever any way so their isn’t much competition except maybe for Metallica MAYBE
Mike • Feb 24, 2020 at 7:04 pm
simple plan ruined pop punk for me for years. them and good Charlotte
Uh...Naw • Feb 24, 2020 at 6:36 pm
Both of these bands suck…