On their third major label release, Green Day began experimenting more in the studio, weaning themselves a tad from their tried-and-true three-chord punk-pop. While tight, catchy melodies still form the foundation of their music (single "Hitchin' A Ride" is as infectious as they come), the band throw in a surf song ("Last Ride In") and a wandering ballad, "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)," that not only became the album's biggest hit, but also a song that would become synonymous with high school graduations, TV series finales and other vital moments of nostalgia, not to mention the band itself.