Cover Story

Green Day's Bid for
Rock Immortality

The scrappy punks, who became superstars 15 years ago with Dookie, are now America's most ambitious rock band. At home in Oakland with the tightknit trio on the eve of releasing their epic punk opera 21st Century Breakdown. By David Fricke

Video: Behind the scenes of the band's Rolling Stone photo shoot in Oakland.
Q&A;: More from David Fricke's interviews with Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool.
Photos: Green Day poses for RS.
Through the Years: Green Day's history, in photos.
From the Archive: Classic moments from the band's Rolling Stone interviews.
Green Day Live: Reviews of the band's secret gigs in Oakland and New York.

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

The GOP Jihad

No leaders. No ideas. No clue. Post-Bush, the Republican Party is purging its sensible middle and letting Rush Limbaugh take the wheel. By Tim Dickinson

FEATURES

Cornel West, Blues Philosopher

The pre-eminent intellectual of our generation has gone from the Black Panthers to the Ivy League. Now he's determined to be Barack Obama's conscience.
By Jeff Sharlet

Steve Earle and the Ghost
of Townes

The country rocker almost died emulating his damaged mentor, Townes Van Zandt. On a new tribute album, Earle looks back. By Joe Hagan

Television

American Idol's
Glamboyant Savior

How Adam Lambert — a flamboyant glam rocker with a sex-god persona — single-handedly saved Idol.
By Rob Sheffield

Adam Lambert Photos: Shots of the season eight singer on stage and off.
American Idol Central: Check back May 20th for Rob Sheffield's live blog of the Idol finale, and head over now for weekly round-ups of the show's highlights, plus interviews with this season's cast-offs.
Photos: Season Eight, from the top eight to the end of the line.

Special Section

Summer Tour Guide

From U2 and No Doubt to Phish and Kings of Leon, the lowdown on the summer's hottest tours.

RS's One-Stop Guide for Summers Tours: What you need to know — dates, ticket info, key tracks — about the season's 20 biggest tours. Plus, live-photo galleries.

Rock & Roll

Recession Blues

The bad economy is inspiring the music of everyone from Neil Young to Fall Out Boy.

Tribute: Pete Seeger's All-Star Birthday Bash

Celebrating Seeger: Reports and photos of the action onstage and behind the scenes as Springsteen, Mellencamp, Matthews and others celebrate the folk icon's 90th birthday.

In the Studio: Paramore's Grown-Up Pop Punk

Flashback: Woodstock Celebrates 40th Anniversary With Movies, Music

Chart Watch: Street Musicians Score Top 10 Hit

In the Studio: Tom Morello Debuts Heavy New Duo, Street Sweeper

Breaking: Brooklyn Pixie St. Vincent Sings Like an Angel, Shreds Like a Monster

RECORDS

Slim Shady Returns

On his first album since 2004, Eminem beats down his biggest target: himself

PLUS: Passion Pit, Jarvis Cocker, Beck, Cage the Elephant, Micachu and the Shapes, Marilyn Manson, Cam'ron, White Rabbits, Steve Earle, Phoenix, Mika Miko, Grizzly Bear, Ciara, Black Moth Super Rainbow, A Camp, Tori Amos, Pete Seeger, The Field, Mims and Zee Avi

FRICKE'S PICKS:
Joe Krown, Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Russell Batiste, Jr.; Astral Project; and High Ground Drifters

MOVIES

Hell-Raising Hooey

Back in Da Vinci mode, Tom Hanks reignites the battle between Angels & Demons.

The Travers Take: More movie news and reviews from our movie critic.

Travers Hits Twitter: Tap in for daily Twitter updates — juicy interview tidbits and knee-jerk reviews — from our film critic.

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES

Chickenfoot Live: A report from the Seattle debut gig of the new supergroup featuring Van Halen vets Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, guitar god Joe Satriani and Chili Pepper Chad Smith.

Revisiting 'Paul's Boutique': Mark the 20th anniversary of the Beastie Boys' groundbreaking album with a free download of Continuum books' 33 1/3: Paul's Boutique.

No Doubt's Comeback: Check out live pics from the band's first gig in five years, in Atlantic City.

Patrick Stump Solo: Fall Out Boy's singer enters our studio for a solo acoustic performance of FOB favorites "America's Suitehearts" and "What a Catch, Donnie" — as well as a cover of Prince's "I Wanna Be Your Lover."

Katy Perry Interview: The breakout hitmaker on following up her 2008 debut album, One of the Boys, her unconventional religious upbringing — and her ex-hippie mom's friendship with Jimi Hendrix.

Rock on the Range: On May 16th, Slipknot, Mötley Crüe, Alice in Chains and 35 other hard-rock heavy hitters descend on Columbus, Ohio, for this two-day festival. Video, photos and reports from the Rust Belt's rowdiest party.

Of Montreal Live: Kevin Barnes and his experimental Athens, Georgia, band strip down in the Smoking Section for an acoustic performance, including their new tune, "Teenage Unicorn Fisting."

Coldplay: Live Tweets, pictures and our report from Florida for opening night of Coldplay's tour.