AMAs 2019: Green Day Plays First Chords of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', Fans Flip Out
Green Day did what they always do and tore it up while performing at the 2019 American Music [...]
Green Day did what they always do and tore it up while performing at the 2019 American Music Awards. The band performed their newest single, "Father of All..." before turning back the clock and going into "Basket Case."
It was what they didn't perform — err, almost performed — that left viewers on the edge of their seats. During the transition into "Basket Case," Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool put forth one of the all-time teases by playing the first few chords to a Nirvana classic, "Smells Like Teen Spirit."
"I thought Green Day was about to do a cover of Smells Like Teen Spirit and I got really excited. They're not," one viewer tweeted.
billy joe armstrong playing the “smells like teen spirit” riff is everything. we stan a self-aware band #AMAs
— ashley 🦕 (@shleyOnline) November 25, 2019
Another echoed a similar sentiment, "Not mad at that Green Day moment. The tease of "Teen Spirit" was a nice touch."
.@billiejoe wanted to play “Smells Like Teen Spirit” just now but changed his mind and is playing #BasketCase. 😂 Not one person sitting right now... Celebrating 25 years of #Dookie with rock legends @GreenDay! #AMAs pic.twitter.com/zGIdeorWQH
— RADIO.COM (@Radiodotcom) November 25, 2019
Green Day is set to release their 13th album on Feb. 7. Their breakthrough album, Dookie, is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Armstrong put out a reflective post on the album's success back in February. Among the many things he touched on, the frontman shared all of the many memories he had from producing the album, wrapping up his message by thanking the loyal fans.
"You have to have gratitude for the bad and the ugly too. I hope people keep listening... cause we'll keep playing."
Green Day will be hitting the road in 2020 with a massive stadium tour alongside Weezer and Fall Out Boy in what will be called the 'Hella Mega' tour.
"We talked about how we weren't really wanting to do stadiums and do something that was like throwback to the Monsters of Rock Tour," Armstrong said in an interview with Rolling Stone. "There was, of course, Fall Out Boy and Weezer and now we're stoked."
It was in 1994 when Green Day struck it big as their album success made them a staple on MTV. Weezer also found success that year while Fall Out Boy broke onto the scene in the 2000s.