The Offspring formed in Garden Grove, California in 1984 and carried skate-punk hooks to the masses. Smash (1994) sold over 16 million copies — still the biggest-selling album ever released on an independent label — and Americana (1998) kept the run going. Shop The Offspring vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
The Offspring formed in Garden Grove, California in 1984 (initially as Manic Subsidal, renamed The Offspring in 1985). The classic lineup of Dexter Holland, Greg K., Noodles, and Ron Welty (drums) solidified in 1987. They signed with Epitaph Records and released their breakthrough Smash (1994), which sold over 16 million copies worldwide and is widely cited as the highest-selling album ever released on an independent label. Their commercial trajectory continued with Ixnay on the Hombre (1997, their first major-label release on Columbia) and Americana (1998). They have continued releasing material across multiple decades. Greg K. was dismissed from the band in 2018 amid litigation. Pete Parada was dismissed from the band in 2021 after refusing the COVID-19 vaccine on medical grounds (public controversy). Dexter Holland completed his PhD in Molecular Biology at USC in 2017 - studying microRNA in HIV - while continuing his music career.
The Offspring's sound combines punk rock, skate punk, alternative rock, pop punk, hardcore punk, and melodic hardcore with Holland's distinctive vocal delivery, Noodles's signature guitar work, and arrangements drawing on classic 1980s hardcore punk alongside contemporary alternative rock and pop punk influences.
Epitaph Records and Columbia Records pressings of The Offspring catalog have been issued in extensive color variant editions and limited deluxe pressings, with collector demand.
Listeners new to The Offspring typically start with Smash (1994) or Americana (1998).
