Green Day Media Row

Millionaire American punks Green Day have been left stunned after being heavily criticised for signing a deal with The Sun, despite their apparent opposition to right wing press in the United States.

Ah fickle fame. Green Day released their new album '21st Century Breakdown' recently, and soared straight into the UK charts at number one. The band gathered some stunning reviews for the concept album which takes aim at the political process in America.

However less than a week later and the punk icons have been removed from pole position by Eminem, and face a full on assault from sections of the British press. It turns out that Green Day have signed a deal to stream their new album with The Sun, renowned for being a traditionally right wing tabloid.

The newspaper will stream the album, despite being owned by controversial media mogul Rupert Murdoch. The Australian born NewsCorp boss also owns the Fox News network and The New York Post - both of whom have been criticised by the band.

In an article in The Guardian Green Day came in for some ferocious criticism. "The Sun does paranoia and propaganda better than most. Whether it's celebrating the death of enemy soldiers, vilifying strikers and 'scroungers' or raising a fuss about the perversities of Johnny Foreigner, the tabloid invariably has the first word on the lowest common denominator."

Continuing, the broadsheet states that the new album "will one day be seen as a masterpiece" featuring, as it does "features characters who speak of class war, getting so high they can't stand up, and wearing rubber coats for the nuclear winter."

Sounds like a good listen. However for The Guardian this is all over shadowed by Green Day's deal with the devil.

"This, of course, is not the end of the world, and anybody with sense knows to trust the art rather than the artist. Just like Bruce Springsteen signing an exclusive deal with the militantly anti-union Wal-Mart chain, Green Day sacrificing integrity for exposure is merely a shame."

Oh dear. Green Day's previous album 'American Idiot' was released in 2004 and was a global success, riding a wave of widespread disgust at the action's of America's then President.

However with a new - liberal - President in the White House the album has been seen by some to have missed the boat. Musically lumpen and with a hectoring tone, '21st Century Breakdown' has already faced accusations that it merely panders to the converted.

Click HERE to read our review!

Green Day recently played a number of 'secret' shows in New York, which were organised in conjunction with the social networking site MySpace. Coincidentally (or not, Guardian readers!) MySpace is currently owned by Rupert Murdoch.

Green Day are set to open a massive UK arena tour over the summer.