Billie Joe Armstrong has been fighting claims that his band Green Day "sold out" for years, though the singer now appears to be embracing mainstream popular culture - and doesn't care who knows it.
It was announced this week that the rocker would be proudly joining Christina Aguilera as a mentor to her singers in the forthcoming season of 'The Voice'. In a statement, Armstrong said he and his family are big fans of the show and thinks it's proven a success because, "It's not molding artist, it's just giving them a little bit of guidance and direction without giving them a complete makeover". The show announced the surprising news on their Twitter feed on Thursday evening, linking to a publicity shot of Armstrong leaning in toward a smiling Aguilera. The pair began filming sections of the show on Wednesday, though it won't launch until September, 2012. It could prove to be a shrewd move for Armstrong, considering Adam Levine's band Maroon 5 were given a massive career boost after he joined the show as a mentor. Green Day are releasing a trio of albums over the next five months, starting with Uno! on September 25, fifteen days after 'The Voice' premieres.
Reality singing shows are arming themselves with big names for their upcoming series'. The X Factor Usa now boasts Demi Lovato and Britney Spears on the panel, while American Idol have replaced the departing Jennifer Lopez with MARIAH CAREY.