Nimrod (album)

Nimrod. (stylized in lowercase) is Green Day's fifth studio album, released on October 14, 1997, through Reprise Records. The band started work on it after canceling a European tour that followed their previous album, Insomniac. Recorded at Conway Recording Studios in Los Angeles, the album was written to be a collection of standalone songs rather than a unified work. Looking back, Nimrod is recognized for its stylistic range, blending folk, hardcore, surf rock, and ska. Its lyrics explore maturity, personal reflection, and fatherhood.

The album reached number ten on the U.S. Billboard charts and earned double platinum certification from the RIAA. It also went triple platinum in Australia and double platinum in Canada. Critics gave Nimrod generally positive reviews, praising Billie Joe Armstrong's songwriting. The acoustic single "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" appeared in many pop culture moments, including the second-to-last episode of Seinfeld. To support the album, Green Day toured extensively. It was reissued on vinyl on June 16, 2009, and saw anniversary and deluxe editions in 2012, 2017, and 2023.

After Insomniac sold less than Dookie, Armstrong said it did better than he expected, though the band knew it wouldn't match Dookie's sales. The group toured arenas in early 1996, a shift from the small clubs they were used to. The members grew uncomfortable with their fame; Armstrong recalled they were becoming the things they hated, and playing big arenas stopped being fun. Homesickness set in as touring kept them from their families. They canceled the late 1996 European leg to take time off at home, during which they wrote over three dozen songs by early 1997. Despite their last album with producer Rob Cavallo being seen as a disappointment, they never considered anyone else, viewing Cavallo as a mentor.

Recording took four months at Conway Recording Studios, with the band staying at the Sunset Marquis Hotel. Armstrong partly blamed the long sessions on spending too much time playing pool and foosball. The daily schedule, from noon to 2 a.m., frustrated the band, who started drinking heavily. Bassist Mike Dirnt recalled one member walking naked down the hotel halls, and drummer Tré Cool threw his TV out the window. Armstrong noted that such an arrogant lifestyle was necessary sometimes.