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BRIT Awards 2024: Fans react to Green Day being called “the American Busted”

"Such a slap in the face"

By Tom Skinner
two side by side photos of Busted's Matt Willis, Charlie Simpson and James Bourne (left) and Green Day's Tré Cool and Billie Joe Armstrong (right)
Busted's Matt Willis, Charlie Simpson and James Bourne, and Green Day's Tré Cool and Billie Joe Armstrong. CREDITS: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty (L), Jed Cullen/Dave Benett/Getty (R)

BRITs viewers have been sharing their thoughts on Green Day being labelled “the American Busted” by host Roman Kemp.

Billie Joe Armstrong and Tré Cool attended last night’s ceremony (March 2) to present Jungle with the Group Of The Year award. To introduce the pair, Kemp – who presented the show alongside Maya Jama and Clara Amfo – called them “two genuine rock gods”.

Kemp continued: “They’ve sold 75million records and released 14 albums – they’re very much the American Busted. Please welcome, from Green Day, it’s Billie Joe Armstrong and Tré Cool.”

But many viewers were quick to question the host’s comparison to the ’00s pop-punk group. “Green Day as the American Busted?” wrote BBC journalist Alex Taylor on X/Twitter.

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“A) That’s utterly laughable to anyone who vaguely listens to music, let alone Green Day… if anything, Busted rode the waves of Blink-182 to mask their bubblegum pop B) Not everything needs to be made spoon-fed relative to Britain 🙄 #BRITs.”

He added: “Should say there’s nothing wrong with Busted, nor bubblegum pop, but they were not political, socially aware or the ongoing leaders of a US pop-punk scene like Green Day, who are still headlining festivals after 30 years COMPARISONS MATTER #BRITs.”

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Another viewer said: “I think Green Day being called ‘the American Busted’ might be the most insulting thing I’ve ever heard. Ever. #BritAwards.” Someone else commented: “Who is writing this script? Green Day the American Busted. Am I really THAT old?! #BRITs.”

Elsewhere, a fan commented: “Assuming that whoever wrote the #brits script meant for the ‘Green Day are the American Busted’ line to be delivered as a joke, but it did not land that way. 😬😬😬.”

One X/Twitter user said the comparison between the two groups was “illegal” while another called it “such a slap in the face”. “Yeah. In the early 90s, Green Day aspired to be the ‘American Busted’,” a third wrote.

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Someone added that “Green Day must be insulted” by the line, with another writing: “Green Day have been around since 1987, Busted were formed in 2000.”

See a selection of reactions below.

Busted – comprised of Charlie Simpson, Matt Willis and James Bourne – won two BRIT Awards in 2004: Best British Breakthrough Act and Best Pop Act. They were also nominated in the British Group category that year, but lost out to The Darkness.

In 2006, Green Day won the International Group and International Album (‘American Idiot’) statues. The trio are set to embark on a huge stadium tour this year in support of their Number One album ‘Saviors’. They’ll play a show at London’s Wembley Stadium as part of the UK leg.

Meanwhile, last night’s BRITs saw Raye pick up a record-breaking six awards, including the previously announced Songwriter Of The Year prize. No artist had won more than four BRITs in any one year before, with Adele, Harry Styles and Blur each achieving this feat previously.

Kylie Minogue, who picked up this year’s BRITs Global Icon award, closed the show by performing a medley of hits such as ‘Padam Padam’ and ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’.

Earlier in the evening, Bring Me The Horizon delivered a sweary acceptance speech after winning Best Alternative/Rock Act.

“We really don’t know what to say because we really didn’t think we’d be winning this at all,” said frontman Oli Sykes. “Cheers to the BRITs for making the voting system so complicated that only our fans could be arsed.”

You can see the full list of winners here.

Check back at NME for interviews, news and more from the BRIT Awards 2024.

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