The Goo Goo Dolls are an American rock band based in Buffalo, New York. Formed in 1985, the band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik and bassist and vocalist Robby Takac, alongside various additional musicians who have performed with the group over the years.
The band initially performed cover songs before developing a punk rock sound. They achieved mainstream success with the release of "Name" in 1995. Their 1998 single "Iris" spent 11 consecutive months on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart and remained at number one on the chart for 18 weeks. In October 2012, "Iris" ranked first on Billboard's "Top 100 Pop Songs 1992-2012" chart. Other notable singles include "Slide", "Black Balloon" and "Broadway" from the album "Dizzy Up the Girl" (1998); "Here Is Gone" from "Gutterflower" (2002); and "Better Days", "Give a Little Bit" and "Stay with You" from "Let Love In" (2006).
The Goo Goo Dolls have had seven singles reach the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, including three that reached the top 10. The band has sold approximately 15 million records worldwide and received four Grammy Award nominations.
The band was formed in 1985 by John Rzeznik, Robby Takac and drummer George Tutuska. Takac and Tutuska had been friends since their school years. They met Rzeznik through his involvement with the band The Beaumonts, which also included Takac's cousin Paul Takac and Michael Harvey, a friend who inspired the group's formation. The band name reportedly originated from an advertisement in True Detective magazine for a toy called a Goo Goo Doll, although Rzeznik later said he could not remember its precise origin. He explained that the group needed a name for an upcoming performance.
The Goo Goo Dolls initially played cover songs before developing a punk rock style. Their self-titled debut album, "Goo Goo Dolls", was released in 1987 through Mercenary Records and was subsequently acquired for distribution by Celluloid Records in 1988. During this period, the band performed in Buffalo's underground music scene and toured across the United States, often opening for punk and alternative rock acts. Their second album, "Jed", was released in 1989.
In 1990, the band released "Hold Me Up", which featured Rzeznik as lead vocalist on five tracks, including "There You Are" and "Two Days in February". The album combined elements of punk rock, heavy metal and pop rock. It received support from college radio stations and gained attention within alternative music scenes. In 1991, the band recorded "I'm Awake Now" for the soundtrack of the film "Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare".
Their third studio album, "Superstar Car Wash", was released in 1993 through Metal Blade Records with a larger recording budget than their earlier releases. Parts of the album were recorded at Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, Ontario. The single "We Are the Normal", co-written with Paul Westerberg of The Replacements, received airplay on college and independent radio stations, and its music video appeared on MTV's "120 Minutes". The song "Fallin' Down" was included on the soundtrack of the 1993 film "Son in Law".
Before the release of "A Boy Named Goo", Tutuska left the band and was replaced by drummer Mike Malinin. Tutuska's departure followed a dispute concerning songwriting royalties for "Fallin' Down". Tutuska stated that he had expected royalties to be divided equally among the original members, consistent with the arrangement he understood had been in place since the band's debut album. He also alleged that Rzeznik had received royalties from the song without informing him.
Released in 1995, "A Boy Named Goo" became the first album released by Metal Blade to achieve double-platinum certification. Its single "Name" became a major commercial success and introduced the band to a wider audience. The song's success marked a shift from the group's earlier alternative rock and punk influences towards a more mainstream, adult-oriented pop rock sound. The band subsequently appeared on the television series "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Charmed".
The commercial success of "A Boy Named Goo" was accompanied by a legal dispute with Metal Blade Records. The band filed a lawsuit alleging that the contract they had signed in 1987 was unfair and had prevented them from receiving royalties from album sales. The dispute was resolved through a settlement that led to the band signing with Warner Bros. Records, which distributed their subsequent releases.
In 1997, the Goo Goo Dolls began work on the album "Dizzy Up the Girl", which was released in 1998. Rzeznik wrote "Iris" for the soundtrack of the film "City of Angels". The recording featured session guitarist Tim Pierce, who played the mandolin introduction and slide guitar solo. The song became one of the band's most successful releases, spending 18 weeks at number one on Billboard's Hot 100 Airplay chart and four weeks at number one on its Pop Songs chart. It received three Grammy Award nominations. Rzeznik later explained that he had experienced a period of writer's block before composing the song and had considered leaving the band.
"Iris" appeared on "Dizzy Up the Girl", which received quintuple-platinum certification. The album also produced the top-10 singles "Slide", "Black Balloon", "Broadway" and "Dizzy". In 2001, the band released its first compilation album, "What I Learned About Ego, Opinion, Art & Commerce".
The band's next studio album, "Gutterflower", was released in 2002 and received gold certification. Its singles included "Here Is Gone", "Sympathy" and "Big Machine". On 4 July 2004, the Goo Goo Dolls performed a free concert in Buffalo, New York, during heavy rain. The performance was subsequently released on DVD. The release also included a studio recording of the band's cover of Supertramp's "Give a Little Bit", which reached number one on the Adult Top 40 chart in 2005. The date was later designated Goo Goo Dolls Day in Buffalo.
In 2006, the band released "Let Love In", which included a studio recording of "Give a Little Bit" and the singles "Better Days", "Stay with You" and "Let Love In". The album continued the band's commercial success on radio. The Goo Goo Dolls performed on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on 8 June 2007 and "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" on 22 June 2007. On 27 June 2007, they performed at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado. The concert was later released on DVD as part of a limited-edition version of the compilation "Vol. 2".
On 13 November 2007, the band released "Greatest Hits Volume One: The Singles". The album included a newly recorded version of "Name" and a remix of "Feel the Silence". The group also performed "Better Days" and "Stay with You" during halftime of the Detroit Lions' Thanksgiving Day game at Ford Field in 2007.
In 2008, the Goo Goo Dolls announced that they were recording a new studio album. They also performed at the O2 Wireless Festival in London's Hyde Park that summer. Their next album, "Something for the Rest of Us", was released on 31 August 2010. The album continued the band's pop rock approach while featuring more sombre and serious songwriting from Rzeznik. Its single "Home" contributed to the band's record of 14 top-10 hits on the Hot Adult Contemporary radio format. On 2 December 2010, the band performed a live mini-concert at an Apple Store in Manhattan, New York.
The album "Magnetic" was released on 11 June 2013 and debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200. Its second single, "Come to Me", was released on 19 July 2013. In December 2013, Malinin announced his departure from the band. In November 2014, he filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful termination, claiming that he had been dismissed after requesting paternity leave.
In 2015, the Goo Goo Dolls contributed the song "If the World Turned Upside Down" to the soundtrack of the Broadway musical "Finding Neverland". The band also spent much of the year recording its eleventh studio album, "Boxes", at Bear Creek Studio in Woodinville, Washington. The album was released on 6 May 2016. On 27 November 2015, the band marked the 20th anniversary of "A Boy Named Goo" with a special edition of the album.
On 22 April 2017, the Goo Goo Dolls released a limited-edition vinyl box set titled "Pick Pockets, Petty Thieves, and Tiny Victories (1987-1995)" for Record Store Day. On 12 May 2017, they released the five-track extended play "You Should Be Happy". The band promoted the release with the "Long Way Home" tour alongside Phillip Phillips during the summer of 2017.
In 2018, the Goo Goo Dolls marked the 20th anniversary of "Dizzy Up the Girl" with a tour featuring performances of the entire album. They also released two live albums that year: "The Audience Is This Way" in June and "The Audience Is That Way" in November.
At the beginning of 2019, the band announced that it was working on its twelfth studio album. On 13 April 2019, a limited vinyl box set titled "Topography", restricted to 1,000 copies, was released for Record Store Day.
On 24 August 2020, the band announced the Christmas album "It's Christmas All Over", which was released on 30 October 2020. In May 2021, the band announced "Rarities", a double compilation album featuring recordings spanning the period from 1995 to 2007. The album was released on 25 June 2021.
In June 2021, Rzeznik stated that the band was working on its fourteenth studio album, planned for release in 2022. He explained that the group was approaching songwriting and recording differently from its previous work, drawing on production methods associated with the period before digital recording became widespread. In a November 2021 interview, Rzeznik said he had produced most of the album himself and described its sound as more experimental than the band's earlier releases. He subsequently confirmed that he had produced the entire album.
On 27 June 2022, the band announced the title of the album, "Chaos in Bloom", and its first single, "Yeah, I Like You", which premiered on 1 July 2022. The Goo Goo Dolls announced a North American tour in February 2023. In December 2025, the band announced a tour commemorating the 40th anniversary of its formation.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goo_Goo_Dolls
Studio albums
Goo Goo Dolls (1987)
Jed (1989)
Hold Me Up (1990)
Superstar Car Wash (1993)
A Boy Named Goo (1995)
Dizzy Up the Girl (1998)
Gutterflower (2002)
Let Love In (2006)
Something for the Rest of Us (2010)
Magnetic (2013)
Boxes (2016)
Miracle Pill (2019)
Chaos in Bloom (2022)
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…shrink me down again