Billie Joe Armstrong was just 17 years old when he formed Green Day, the Bay Area punk band whose wide-ranging success — including 75 million album sales, 20 Grammy nominations, a Broadway musical, and a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — would make him one of the most successful frontmen in American history. Born in Oakland, California, on February 17, 1972, he formed his first band at 15 years old and recorded Green Day's debut EP, 1,000 Hours, while still in high school. It was 1994's Dookie that transformed Green Day from an underground success into a mainstream act, with the band releasing multi-platinum albums like Insomniac and Nimrod during the decade's latter half. American Idiot, a concept album released in 2004, rejuvenated the band's career and was later made into a Tony-winning Broadway musical. While continuing to write, record, and tour with Green Day, Armstrong also made time for a number of side projects, including the Longshot, Foxboro Hot Tubs, Foreverly (his 2013 collection of Everly Brothers duets with Norah Jones), and the 2020 covers album No Fun Mondays.
