The Goo Goo Dolls formed in 1986 in Buffalo, New York, when guitarist-vocalist Johnny Rzeznik, bassist-vocalist Robby Takac, and drummer George Tutuska started playing together as a cover band originally called the Sex Maggots. The name change to Goo Goo Dolls — pulled from an ad in True Detective magazine — was the first of many upgrades on their path from Buffalo punk clubs to international pop-rock stardom.
Buffalo Beginnings
Signed to Metal Blade Records, the band’s early albums were raw, Replacements-influenced punk — a far cry from the polished alt-rock that would make them famous. But Rzeznik’s songwriting evolved rapidly, and by their fifth album, A Boy Named Goo (1995), the breakthrough single “Name” shifted them toward a more melodic, introspective sound. The album achieved double-platinum certification, selling over 2.1 million copies worldwide.
Iris and the Zenith
Everything changed with “Iris,” written for the 1998 film City of Angels. The song spent 18 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart and 25 weeks on the Hot 100, peaking at No. 9 — one of the longest chart runs in history. The album Dizzy Up the Girl (1998) rode that wave to quintuple-platinum certification, selling over 5.3 million copies on the strength of additional hits “Slide,” “Black Balloon,” and “Broadway.” Follow-up singles like “Here Is Gone” from Gutterflower (2002) kept them on the charts.
By the Numbers
The Goo Goo Dolls have sold over 12 million albums, earned four Grammy nominations, and scored numerous hit singles across multiple Billboard charts. On July 4, 2004, the city of Buffalo proclaimed “Goo Goo Dolls Day” in honor of their hometown heroes.
Legacy
From a punk band in a Buffalo bar to the songwriters behind one of the most recognizable rock ballads of the 20th century, the Goo Goo Dolls proved that Western New York could produce music capable of soundtracking an entire generation.