The Goo Goo Dolls

Formed in Buffalo, New York in 1986, The Goo Goo Dolls initially developed a sound straddling punk rock and power pop around singer-guitarist John Rzeznik and bassist-vocalist Robby Takac, alongside drummer George Tutuska, later replaced by Mike Malinin. The band’s early albums — “Goo Goo Dolls” (1987), “Jed” (1989), and “Hold Me Up” (1990) — were rooted in the American alternative and college-rock scene, before “Superstar Car Wash” (1993) and “A Boy Named Goo” (1995) signaled a turn toward more melodic rock, driven by the single “Name.” With “Dizzy Up the Girl” (1998), which features “Iris,” written for the soundtrack to the film “City of Angels,” The Goo Goo Dolls broke through with a blend of pop rock, acoustic ballads, and radio-friendly electric guitars. The group’s trajectory continued in the 2000s with “Gutterflower” (2002) and “Let Love In” (2006), consolidating a style built on sing-along choruses and polished arrangements, followed by “Something for the Rest of Us” (2010) and “Magnetic” (2013), which maintained the balance between their alternative roots and pop songwriting. Now essentially a duo centered on Rzeznik and Takac, The Goo Goo Dolls have continued to record and tour with albums such as “Boxes” (2016), “Miracle Pill” (2019), the seasonal release “It’s Christmas All Over” (2020), and “Chaos in Bloom” (2022), securing the band’s longevity on the contemporary American rock scene.