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Early in their career, the Goo Goo Dolls were frequently dismissed by critics as mere imitators of the Replacements; however, they refined and mainstreamed their sound to become one of the most popular adult alternative rock bands of the 1990s, selling millions of records to audiences largely unfamiliar with their influences. That's no knock on the band, either -- the music simply improved in craft and accessibility as the years progressed, and radio happened to be receptive to a style that, one decade earlier, would have been considered collegiate power pop. Thus, the band landed two huge hits with the acoustic ballads "Name" and "Iris," followed by a string of Top Ten singles. The Goo Goo Dolls formed in 1985 in Buffalo, NY. Guitarist/vocalist Johnny Rzeznik, bassist Robby Takac, and drummer George Tutuska initially banded together under the name the Sex Maggots, and their new moniker was chosen from an ad in True Detective magazine at the behest of a local club owner. Originally a ...