Super Bowl LX is bringing hometown heroes to its biggest stage, and they’re not exactly known for holding back.
Green Day will kick off the festivities at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara with an opening ceremony performance that celebrates six decades of championship football.
The Berkeley-born rock legends will perform their biggest hits while multiple Super Bowl MVPs are honored on the field before kickoff.
But this selection comes with a backdrop of controversy, given the band’s long history of political activism and their frequent criticism of current U.S. leadership.
A Homecoming Performance Decades in the Making
The trio of Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool formed their band in 1986 in Berkeley, California, just across the bay from where they’ll take the Super Bowl stage. The five-time Grammy Award winners and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees have spent nearly four decades building a legacy that transcends music.
Armstrong expressed his excitement in a prepared statement about performing in their own backyard.
We are super hyped to open Super Bowl 60 right in our backyard! We are honored to welcome the MVPs who’ve shaped the game and open the night for fans all over the world. Let’s have fun! Let’s get loud!
The performance represents a full-circle moment for a band that started in East Bay garages and went on to sell millions of albums worldwide.
Politics and Punk Rock: Green Day’s Activist Legacy
Green Day has never shied away from political commentary, with frontman Armstrong leading the charge. The Trump administration has become a frequent target of the band’s criticism, both in their music and during live performances.
During concerts, the band regularly alters song lyrics to include explicit phrases criticizing President Trump and U.S. policies. These impromptu modifications have become signature moments at their shows.
As recently as June 2025, Armstrong delivered a stark warning during the Download Festival in the United Kingdom.
He stated that the U.S. was “slipping into fascism,” making this comment just one day before the nationwide “No Kings” protests swept across America.
American Idiot: The Album That Defined Political Punk
The band’s 2004 album American Idiot remains one of the most politically charged records in modern rock history. The concept album challenged blind patriotism and took direct aim at the political establishment of its time.
Critics and fans alike recognized it as a major critique of the George W. Bush administration, particularly its handling of the Iraq War and allegations of media manipulation.
That album transformed Green Day from pop-punk icons into voices of political dissent, proving that arena rock could still carry a message of resistance.
A Super Bowl Lineup Stirring Controversy
Green Day joins Bad Bunny as the top music headliners at this year’s Super Bowl, creating what might be the most politically outspoken artist lineup in the game’s history.
Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican rap superstar born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, will headline the halftime show. His selection drew criticism from President Trump and some supporters due to his vocal opposition to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and immigration policies.
The rapper has publicly stated he avoids booking shows on the U.S. mainland because of concerns about ICE potentially targeting his fans.
Complete Pregame Performance Roster
Beyond Green Day’s opening ceremony and Bad Bunny’s halftime performance, several other artists will grace the Super Bowl stage:
- Brandi Carlile will perform “America the Beautiful”
- Coco Jones will sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing”
- Charlie Puth will deliver the national anthem
When Sports and Politics Collide
The NFL’s selection of politically vocal artists represents a calculated risk in an increasingly polarized cultural landscape. Sports have traditionally served as neutral ground where Americans from all backgrounds unite behind their teams.
Yet the league appears willing to embrace artists who openly challenge government policies and leadership.
Whether Green Day will modify lyrics or make political statements during their Super Bowl performance remains to be seen. Armstrong’s track record suggests the band rarely misses an opportunity to voice their convictions, regardless of the venue’s size or prestige.
Super Bowl LX promises unforgettable football, but the pregame and halftime shows may generate just as many headlines as the game itself. When the lights shine brightest at Levi’s Stadium, Green Day will do what they’ve always done: play loud, speak their minds, and represent the Bay Area with unapologetic authenticity.
For better or worse, this won’t be your typical sanitized corporate Super Bowl experience.