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Cover of Dookie by Green Day
Cover: Dookie

Song · Green Day

“When I Come Around” by Green Day

From the album Dookie (1994)

“When I Come Around” by Green Day appears on 119 radio countdowns from 43 stations between 1994 and 2026. It was first released in 1994 on the album Dookie. Its best result is #2 on the KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1995. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #44 alternative song of 1994, #119 alternative song of all time and #38 of the '90s.

119countdowns
43stations
#2best position
0#1 finishes
5top 10 finishes
1994–2026years charted

Watch

Green Day - When I Come Around [Official Music Video] (4K Upgrade)

Video from YouTube (Green Day). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube

"When I Come Around" is the tenth track on Dookie, Green Day's third album, and the band had been playing it live since as far back as 1992. Reprise sent it to radio in December 1994 and put it out as the album's fourth single the following January.

Where most of Dookie goes off like a string of firecrackers, this one saunters: Billie Joe Armstrong's guitar chugs on a lazy, loping riff, Mike Dirnt's bass struts underneath, Tré Cool's drums keep it loose, and Armstrong and Dirnt share the singing. Armstrong wrote the words, the three of them share the music credit, and Rob Cavallo produced it with the band, mixing it with them and Jerry Finn, while Neill King engineered.

It spent seven weeks at the top of Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart, peaked at number two on Album Rock Tracks and number six on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, and went top 10 in Australia, Canada, Iceland and New Zealand. Mark Kohr directed the video. By August 2010 it had sold 639,000 copies, second among the band's '90s singles only to "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)", and in 2023 Billboard ranked it the 19th-most successful song in the history of the modern rock chart.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

Classic Rock

Hard Rock & Metal

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1994 37 KROQ Los Angeles, CA KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1994 107
1994 9 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 1994 91
1994 88 Live 105 San Francisco, CA Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1994 106
1994 28 Q101 Chicago, IL Q101 Top 101 Songs of 1994 101
1994 30 WHFS Washington, DC / Baltimore, MD WHFS Top 99.1 Songs of 1994 100
1994 6 KISW Seattle-Tacoma, WA KISW 25 Greatest Rock Songs from 1994 25
1995 2 KROQ Los Angeles, CA KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1995 107
1995 15 Q101 Chicago, IL Q101 Top 101 Songs of 1995 101
1995 99 Triple J Australia (national) Triple J Hottest 100 of 1995 100
1995 27 Radio & Records United States (national airplay chart) Radio & Records Top 95 Songs of 1995 95
1995 25 WDRE Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA WDRE Top 103.9 Songs of 1995 104

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
– 21 CRNC 90.1 CRNC Top 90.1 Songs of the '90s 91
1995 30 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1995) 500
1995 114 Live 105 Live 105 Revolutionary 300 (July 1995) 300
1995 441 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1995) 1000
1996 353 Q101 Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996) 500
1996 392 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1996) 1000
1998 408 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1998) 1000
1999 19 KROQ KROQ Top 300 Most Requested Songs of the '90s (Labor Day 1999) 300
1999 19 WHFS WHFS Top 500 Songs of the '90s (December 1999) 500
1999 195 91X 91X Fat 500 Songs of All-Time (July 1999) 500
1999 13 Q101 Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1017
1999 36 WFNX WFNX Top 500 Songs of All-Time (June 1999) 500
1999 19 107.7 The End The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1077
1999 1652 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
1999 323 KISW KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1999) 998
2000 53 Y100 Y100 Top 300 Songs of the '90s (September 2000) 100
2000 12 DC101 DC101 Top 101 Rock Songs of the 90s 101
2000 1652 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2000 63 The Edge KEDJ Countdown 2000 (106 songs) 106
2001 1652 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2001 154 WBRU WBRU Modern Rock Top 500 (2001) 500
2002 228 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002) 500
2002 1644 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2002 283 KISW KISW Top 999 of All Time (2002) 999
2002 665 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) 2002
2003 175 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003) 500
2003 1632 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2004 80 Q101 Q101 Top 300 Party Songs of All-Time (July 2004) 300
2004 31 107.7 The End The End Original Alternative 500 (May 2004) 500
2004 1632 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2004 38 Y100 Y100 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (July 2004) 300
2005 29 96.5 The Buzz 96.5 The Buzz Top 96 of the 90s 96
2005 175 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2005) 500
2005 1628 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2005 46 The Edge KEDJ Top 103 on Independent Radio 103
2005 94 99X 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005) 1000
2006 59 107.7 The End The End Top 107 Songs of the '90s (December 2006) 107
2006 100 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2006 59 Live 105 Live 105 500 Co-Op Countdown (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2007 45 KROQ KROQ Top 500 Most Requested Songs of the '90s (Labor Day 2007) 500
2007 8 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2008 69 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2008) 500
2008 17 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 13 CFNY 102.1 The Edge The Top 200 Songs of the 90's According to 102.1 The Edge 200
2009 11 Live 105 Live 105 Memorial 500 Song List (2009) 500
2009 18 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2009 10 CFNY 102.1 The Edge 102.1 The Edge Top 200 Songs of All-Time (2009) 200
2010 45 CFNY 102.1 The Edge 102.1 The Edge Top 200 Songs of the 90's (September 2010) 200
2010 17 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2011 17 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2013 17 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2013 909 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Grand Jam 1000 (2013) 1000
2014 16 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2014 397 Big 100 BIG 1000 New Year's Countdown (2014) 1000
2014 42 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Firecracker 400 (2014) 400
2014 121 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2014) 500
2014 461 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX 1K Countdown (2014) 1000
2015 479 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Firecracker 500 (2015) 499
2015 119 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2015) 500
2015 917 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Classic Rock Countdown (2015) 1007
2016 569 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Countdown for 2016 1007
2017 340 97.9 The Loop 97.9 The Loop Top 540 Countdown (2017) 540
2018 496 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2018) 500
2019 17 X96 X96's Top 100 Songs of the 90's 100
2019 103 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Big 500 (2019) 499
2019 156 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2019) 500
2019 23 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ 500 (2019) 500
2019 99 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2019) 500
2020 457 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2020) 500
2020 234 DC101 The DC101 Top 500 500
2020 251 Q105.7 Q105.7 Memorial Day 500 (2020) 499
2020 1282 WXPN WXPN 2020 Greatest Songs of All Time 2020
2020 26 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2020) 420
2020 682 102.5 KZOK KZOK Classic Rock Top 1025 (2020) 1025
2020 121 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ 500 (2020) 500
2021 546 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s 908
2021 46 107.7 The End The End Obligatory Top 100 Alternative Songs of All Time (2021) 100
2021 128 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ 500 (2021) 500
2021 65 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Big 500 (2021) 500
2021 492 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2021) 500
2021 1005 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2021) 1043
2021 33 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2021) 420
2022 735 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 900 Songs of the '90s 900
2022 184 102.5 KZOK KZOK Classic Rock Top 1025 (2022) 1025
2022 39 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2022) 420
2022 122 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2022) 500
2022 441 X96 X96 Top 500 Alternative Songs of All Time 500
2022 182 94.1 KRNA KRNA Memorial Day 500 (2022) 500
2022 132 101X 101X 500 (2022) 498
2022 350 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2022) 1043
2023 140 The Current The Current's 893 Essential Songs of the '90s 893
2023 32 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2023) 420
2023 45 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2023) 500
2023 310 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2023) 500
2023 58 ALT 104.5 ALT 104.5 Top 104 of ALT Time 104
2023 793 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2023) 1043
2023 47 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2023) 500
2023 182 101.5 WPDH WPDH Top 1015 (2023) 1015
2024 1042 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2024) 1043
2024 169 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Top 400 of the Last 40 Years (2024) 400
2024 301 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2024) 500
2024 469 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2024) 500
2025 110 WFPK WFPK Top 500 Songs of the '90s 500
2025 613 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2025) 1043
2025 77 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Top 400 of the Last 40 Years (2025) 400
2025 284 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2025) 500
2026 136 101X 101X 500 (2026) 500
2026 263 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2026) 500

Also listed as: What I Come Around.

Charting alongside it in 1994

Best songs of 1994 →
  1. 1Black Hole SunSoundgarden
  2. 2CloserNine Inch Nails
  3. 3Self-EsteemThe Offspring
  4. 4Interstate Love SongStone Temple Pilots
  5. 5Come Out and PlayThe Offspring
  6. 6Basket CaseGreen Day

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