Dookie, Green Day's 1994 album, brought a faster, more melodic punk sound to the mainstream at a time when grunge dominated rock. Written mostly by singer Billie Joe Armstrong from his own experiences, it covers boredom, anxiety and relationships, and it was promoted with singles including Basket Case and Longview. The band left its independent label for Reprise, which angered some early fans who called them sellouts. The album went on to sell over 20 million copies and won a Grammy for Best Alternative Album.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.