No Fun Mondays

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No Fun Mondays
Compilation album by
Billie Joe Armstrong
ReleasedNovember 27, 2020 (2020-11-27)
RecordedMarch–September 2020
StudioJingletown Studios, Oakland, California
Genre
Length40:21
LabelReprise[3]
ProducerBillie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong chronology
Foreverly
(2013) 		No Fun Mondays
(2020)
Singles from No Fun Mondays
  1. "I Think We're Alone Now"
    Released: April 17, 2020
  2. "Manic Monday"
    Released: May 29, 2020
  3. "That Thing You Do!"
    Released: August 28, 2020
  4. "Whole Wide World"
    Released: September 4, 2020
  5. "Kids in America"
    Released: September 18, 2020
  6. "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory"
    Released: September 25, 2020
  7. "Corpus Christi"
    Released: October 2, 2020
  8. "War Stories"
    Released: October 9, 2020
  9. "Amico"
    Released: October 16, 2020
  10. "Not That Way Anymore"
    Released: October 23, 2020
  11. "That's Rock 'n' Roll"
    Released: October 30, 2020
  12. "Gimme Some Truth"
    Released: November 6, 2020
  13. "A New England"
    Released: November 13, 2020

No Fun Mondays (stylized in all caps) is a compilation album of cover songs by Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, released on November 27, 2020. The project consists of 14 cover songs released during quarantine for the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the "No Fun Mondays" series of songs, in which Armstrong would release a cover song onto the Green Day YouTube channel every so often usually on a Monday as the title suggests.[3]

Recording and release[edit]

On March 23, 2020, Billie Joe Armstrong released the first song of the series, "I Think We're Alone Now", on the Green Day YouTube channel, announcing the series at the same time.[4] The description of the video reads "Dear friends.. While we've all been in quarantine I've been reflecting on the things that matter the most in my life. Family, friends and of course music. I recorded a cover of Tommy James and the Shondells "I think we're alone now" in my bedroom. I figure if we have to spend this time in isolation at least we can be alone together. Love BJ." The next week, a cover of "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory" was released and, a week after that, a cover of "Manic Monday" featuring a video appearance from Susanna Hoffs. On October 6, it was announced the series would be released as a 14-track album.[5]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic68/100[11]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Clash6/10[7]
NME[8]
Punknews.org[9]
Rolling Stone[10]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, No Fun Mondays received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 68 out of 100 from 7 critic scores.[11] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic calls the album "a bit of a lark, unexpected in its energy but not its contents."[6] Clash editor Robin Murray calls it "a real blast".[7], and Julie River of Punknews.org calls it "a pop-rocking good time."[9] At NME, editor Andrew Trendell says "Armstrong paints a pretty spot-on portrait of what it’s like to be alive in 2020, told through the hidden gems of his record collection and delivered with the heart and energy that you’ve always known him for."[8] Rolling Stone calls the album "a batch of fun covers"[10]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Original artistLength
1."I Think We're Alone Now"Ritchie CordellTommy James and the Shondells2:15
2."War Stories"
  • Liam L'Estrange
  • John Martin
  • Terence Sharpe
The Starjets2:42
3."Manic Monday"PrinceThe Bangles/Prince3:07
4."Corpus Christi"
Avengers3:24
5."That Thing You Do!"Adam SchlesingerThe Wonders2:49
6."Amico"
Don Backy2:28
7."You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory"Johnny ThundersJohnny Thunders3:31
8."Kids in America"
Kim Wilde3:09
9."Not That Way Anymore"
Stiv Bators2:53
10."That's Rock 'n' Roll"Eric CarmenEric Carmen2:59
11."Gimme Some Truth"John LennonJohn Lennon2:48
12."Whole Wide World"Eric GouldenWreckless Eric3:19
13."Police on My Back"Edmond GrantThe Equals3:11
14."A New England"Billy BraggBilly Bragg2:09
Total length:40:21

Personnel[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of No Fun Mondays.[12]

Musicians

  • Billie Joe Armstrong – vocals, guitar, bass guitar, and drums
  • Chris Dugan – drums (tracks 4, 8, 9, and 11)
  • Bill Schneider – bass guitar (track 8)
  • Jason White – guitar (track 8)

Technical personnel

  • Billie Joe Armstrong – production, engineering (including track 11), mixing (track 14), front cover photo
  • Chris Dugan – mastering, mixing, engineering (tracks 4, 8, 9, 11)
  • Chris Bilheimer – design
  • Greg Schneider – design
  • Stephen Walker – design

Charts[edit]

Weekly chart performance for No Fun Mondays
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[13] 20
Scottish Albums (OCC)[14] 71

References[edit]

  1. ^ River, Julie (November 27, 2020). "Staff Review: Billie Joe Armstrong – "No Fun Mondays"". PunkNews.org. Retrieved November 7, 2021. Armstrong found a way to make sound like 70s or 80s pop with a punk edge.
  2. ^ Cardinal, Evan (December 18, 2020). "Album Review: No Fun Mondays (November 27, 2020) – Billie Joe Armstrong". bctv.org. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Yoo, Noah (October 6, 2020). "Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong Announces New Covers Album No Fun Mondays". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  4. ^ Aubrey, Elizabeth (April 13, 2020). "Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong shares new 'No Fun Mondays' lockdown cover". NME. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  5. ^ Blistein, Jon (October 6, 2020). "Billie Joe Armstrong to Release Quarantine Covers Album 'No Fun Mondays'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Billie Joe Armstrong – No Fun Mondays". AllMusic. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Murray, Robin (November 26, 2020). "Billie Joe Armstrong – No Fun Mondays | Reviews". Clash. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  8. ^ a b Trendell, Andrew (November 25, 2020). "Billie Joe Armstrong – 'No Fun Mondays' review: a snapshot of 2020 told through cover songs". NME. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  9. ^ a b River, Julie (November 27, 2020). "Billie Joe Armstrong – No Fun Mondays". Punknews.org. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Quick Hits". Rolling Stone. December 2020. p. 70. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Reviews for No Fun Mondays by Billie Joe Armstrong". Metacritic. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  12. ^ Armstrong, Billie Joe (2020). No Fun Mondays (liner notes). Reprise Records.
  13. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2020. 49. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  14. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 12/04/2020". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
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