the Offspring

From: Orange County, California

Active: 1986-present

I first heard them: when Live 105 started playing "Come Out and Play" incessantly

Sound: The Offspring and Green Day were the big hits of 1994, and were treated in the press as interchangeable — at most, articles would specify that Green Day were skate punk and the Offspring were surf punk — but they didn't sound very much alike to me. Count me on Team Offspring. While Green Day played very simplistic and even boring pop-punk (they've since improved a bit), the Offspring offered up a thrashier sound with surf and novelty-song elements. Most Offspring songs sound very similar, yet the minor variations make a huge difference. Some are skippable, but others achieve anthemic godhead.

Further listening: Looks like three Offspring songs made this edition of the top 100. Here are three more that have featured in previous editions; many more easily could have.

			"Smash" (1994)
			"The Kids Aren't Alright" (1998)
			"Want You Bad" (2000)