"J.A.R.," Green Day (1995)

It's a eulogy that sounds like a pop-punk thrasher.

Peak: #1 on the alternative chart
Streams: 4.7 million

“J.A.R.” is the only Green Day hit that bassist Mike Dirnt wrote by himself, which already makes it an interesting part of their catalogue. The song’s subject matter makes it stand out even more.

Because even though it’s got the frantic, pop-punk energy of earlier Green Day jams like “Basket Case,” this isn’t a song about being a pissed-off kid who’s rebelling against the world. It’s about Dirnt’s real-life friend Jason Andrew Relva, who died in a car crash when he was only 19. It’s also about Dirnt realizing that he’s mortal and that he needs to figure out how to make the most of his life while he still can. (Billie Joe Armstrong sings on the track, but I think it’s fair to say it’s Dirnt’s voice we’re hearing.)