Reviews (page 13 of 16)
so much childhood angst favorites: holiday
One of my wife's favorite albums. I missed this one growing up, but knew all the singles and a lot of the other songs, just never gotten to listen to it front to back. When you think of "concept album", Pop-punk is probably one of the last genres to come to mind, but it works pretty well here. I probably have the gift of hindsight due to the musical that was birthed from this album, but the punk sound really goes well with the story telling of the lyrics. You can feel the 2004-ness of this album if you grew up around that time. A lot of anxiety in post 9-11 with the war in Afghanistan and other political movements coming to the forefront. Green Day really distilled the feelings into ~1 hour of music.
Heard of green day before but never really listened to them before but it was actually really fun. Slightly weak end though
This is Green Day’s best album. Even though it came out in 2004, it still works in today’s world.
Like a time machine, listening to this sent back to the past, when I was a long haired stoner sitting in my friends car. Smoking weed out of a seashell pipe, I can taste the slight saltiness from the ocean on the pipe. He turns to me and says "hey man, have you heard the new green day album, dude, its actually pretty good" He connects his no-brand discman into his 92 corollas tape deck, I hear the slight click of the disc being placed the snap of disc lid closing over the ocean waves as the sun begins to set and for the next hour I ignore a stunning, glowing tropical sunset as I sit enthralled by what comes out of the speakers. I really feel like this album captures the impotent rage of newly politically conscious suburban teens in the early bush era. Production is nicely polished. Having the balls to come out with a direct attack on American warmongering, anti- intellectualism and jingoism in the climate of post 9/11 America has to be noted. Despite what the 'hardcore' punk fans think, this is punk. 9/10 but 5 stars because I know it'll piss off a NOFX fan.
Not nearly as good as Dookie. Unnecessary in this list.
Undeniably efficient and serves as a solid entry point into (pop) rock. The musicians are quite good, but overall the album seems somewhat bland.
Uno de los álbumes más importantes del pop punk. Con un sonido que definió a una generación completa de músicos, los californianos a cargo de Billie Joe Armstrong se lucen con una pieza conceptual y narrativa que critica al status quo norteamericano de la época. Si me tuviera que quejar de algo, es que a veces se siente demasiado largo y su sonido no envejeció del todo bien.
Quite like the title track but otherwise I found this a little dull. Lack of variation and at times it comes across as a Clash tribute act
Why are all these songs twofers. Seems like 2004 and 1967 are big years on this list. Yeah this is a good album. It's past its expiration date tho sadly. Might come back to it if I need to. But it doesn't hit so hard 20 years after the culture it was written for.
If you were to ask me for my favourite Green Day album, I would probably pick this...unless I was to say Dookie. Both albums, are two pivotal albums for this band, Dookie making them 90's pop-punk icons, while American Idiot was a new direction and possibly more influential. This was the blueprint for future concept albums, a rock operas, and a political/anti-war albums. I think this might be one of the best rock opera's of the 00's (it doesn't beat The Black Parade). One of the biggest problems with this album is the way so many songs appear on a single track! Just separate them for fuck sake! Like I would listen to Give Me Novacaine more if I didn't have to listen to She's a Rebel. Standouts: American Idiot, Jesus of Suburbia, Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Wake Me Up When September Ends
I hate green day - I won't listen.
Favorite Songs: boulevard of Broken Dreams; wake me up when September ends Not my favorite Green Day album but two of my favorite songs. Boulevard is one of my favorite running songs. Perfect tempo.
I have this one. I always really liked the hits. I think it's overall quite solid. I'm just not really a fan of the "Nobody likes you" part that comes up a few times. They have a good sound.
Lowkey forgot how much of a "singles band" Green Day are, but it's American Idiot. An album that was a key part of the childhood for pretty much anyone born in the 90s for a reason.
Ridiculously good album. Contains several bangers, anti-war messaging, and an awesome punk/pop/alt rock sound. It’s no wonder why this album is so loved.
I liked the singles the best. It’s a nice time capsule of some antiwar thought from the Bush years.
Way more consistent than I remember. Well written with a diverse sound. Very happy to hear that it’s still a relevant album and sound.
For the genre of that kind of pop relevant punk sound this is a perfect album.
This album was full of bangers, I definitely understand why people were obsessed.
Nice to listen all the way through, also liked reading how the album came together!
Le premier album que j'ai demandé à mes parents d'acheter. Le go-to exemple pour un résumé du rock des années 2000. Les chansons ne vieillissent pas.
Nostalgic
Rebelling against a tedious, pedestrian way of life by writing tedious, pedestrian music.
Album of my childhood
Absolute drivel. It's like Herman's Hermits tried to make a Clash album.
Pretty good, when September ends was very nostalgic
Hey, I’m familiar with this one! This one brings back some memories. It was released after I started high school and at the time, I wasn’t heavy into music. I had a few bands I enjoyed but I didn’t have a familiarity with Green Day. However, most of my friends did and were anxiously awaiting this album’s release. Due to that, I’ve heard this one quite a few times when I was younger and it brought my attention to GD. The album starts strong and keeps the momentum going. I don’t typically enjoy songs longer than 4 minutes, but they work in here and don’t slow the album down any. I’m not sure I’d pick them to listen to in a solitary context. This album is comfort music to me. If I’m sad, it can make me happy, if I’m bored, it can energize me, and if I just want to relax, I can just sit and enjoy it.
Oh man, this album was my life as a teenager. I’m sure if I’d gone the Nu Metal route instead, then this review would have been similar to the Linkin Park one. But I was a punk, so here we go. Todd In The Shadows is on record saying that he thinks the political stuff is the weakest part of the album (which I know other reviews have pointed out, but I quote professional sources dammit 😂) but it’s only really the title track and Holiday that have anything explicitly political to say, and I personally think Holiday is really quite a good political statement. But if we ignore the political stuff, we’re still left with a lot of pretty solid character pieces and representations of disaffected and alienated youth, who in the story are left behind by the Bush presidency and the aftermath of the war or terror, but are actually representative of people from Billie Joe Armstrongs own youth left behind by the Reagan presidency and the aftermath of Reaganomics, but could equally be applied to youth left behind by the Obama presidency, and the aftermath of the 2008 recession, the Trump presidency and the aftermath of *gestures vaguely* or, in my own case various increasingly conservative Tory governments and the aftermaths of austerity and Brexit. The theme of disaffection is universal, and obviously resonates with the young people that the album is marketed towards. But I do think that there’s a lot here that can be enjoyed by everyone. Billie Joe is great at hooks, and a sharp smart lyricist. There’s a really strong showcasing of classic pop sensibility presented within a rock context. It makes a lot of sense that this reminds me more than a bit of The Who. American Idiot is a fantastic album. There is a reason why it continues to be listened to and loved by subsequent generations of young people left behind by an uncaring callous and cruel political system. When you hear it at the right age, it just changes your life
★: \"Jesus of Suburbia\", \"Holiday\",
When Dookie came out, I thought it was pretty good, bringing some energy to the wasteland that was MTV. I won’t call it punk sensibility though. By the time this album came out, I was in my early 40’s and just couldn’t muster the cynical anger that defines this music. Yeah, you think America sucks…. I just can’t care. I do like the Weird Al reinvisioning of Canadian Idiot, at least that’s good humored. Anyway, I don’t hate this, I just can’t muster the energy to share their anger. 3/5
A real nostalgia trip as this was the first album i ever bought and listened to fully when i was about 10/11. Most of the album was still super familiar to me even though I very rarely give it a full spin nowadays. The quality drops a little towards the end, Homecoming being as long as it is doesn't keep my attention the same way all 9 minutes of Jesus Of Suburbia does at the start of the album, and Whatshername is a pretty forgettable closer. When it's on point though, it's a super fun listen, and pretty diverse for a band that was just a fun pop-punk band until then.
Recognisable hits, the rest kinda disappeared into the background.
Love! Amazing drumming! Really sad guy though. Tough lyrics.
I wish I could give this one 4.5 stars because I feel like it’s a standout compared to some of the others we’ve heard recently; however, I’m holding my 5’s for albums that I connect with a bit more. Overall, American Idiot is solid. I love that it’s a concept album, but I never really followed the through line until I saw the theatrical production performed. Even then, the plot is… quite loose. Still, the music is great, including standouts like “Holiday” and “Wake Me Up When September Ends.”
Not a huge Green Day fan but this is a solid album their second best behind Dookie in my opinion.
I think it's a good rock album, kind of middle of the road with some really cool moments! Boulevard of Broken Dreams was great!
This was a good album from my high school days was not as much of a fan back then but it has grown on me over the years.
I liked Green Day back in the day, but never checked this album out beyond a few of the hits. I enjoyed this and listened to it several times. 4.5/5
A trip down memory lane! Not the best album-- or band-- but this record sure does unleashes the inner teen in me.
New to me, and quite good
Album iconique d´un groupe iconique. Malheureusement pas vraiment à mon goût et ne correspond pas à mon besoin de calme du jour 😅 mais à écouter au moins une fois dans sa vie bien sûr
✨ICONIC✨ Il y avait des titres que je ne connaissais pas dans l'album. Ça faisait longtemps que je n'avais pas écouté Green Day !
Les chansons que je connaissais sont toujours aussi bien (Holiday, Boulevard of broken dreams, wake me up when september ends) et j'en ai découvert quelques nouvelles qui sont aussi bien ! Ce sont des chansons que j'écoute de temps en temps car elles m'ont beaucoup plu adolescente et certaines donnent de l'énergie ! J'aime bien le mix de moments plus énergiques avec d'autres plus mélodiques, comme si on volait en serpentant dans une vallée xD
Génial et très nostalgique de mon adolescence. La moitié des chansons sont iconiques.
Lots of nostalgia for this one but it doesn’t hold up as well as it did when I was 12. Production is so clean it hurts my ears and doesn’t have much interesting going on musically. Still an ok album.
No thanks
5555 ****
Super good! I can’t believe how much has changed and how much has stayed the same since this album came out. Their commentary on war, imperialism, indoctrination still rings true today!!! Especially given the current iteration of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Also, I now hear so much more of the Beatles influence that I definitely didn’t catch before. I’m sad that I didn’t listen to this album as a tween/teen because it would’ve been right up my alley then, if nothing else because of the sound.
The nostalgia!!!!
Idiot album
I did not expect to give this four stars, but it won me over.
5/5
Not my cup of tea. But while I like it a lot less than I did two decades ago, I appreciate its anthemic and arcebic bite.
I liked this album when it first came out, but it was way over played on the radio
Very nice album, a classic, has sometimes a rock and roll vibe, many iconic songs
Best geinige dwarse punkrock of hoe dit ook maar heet. Cees-muziek zullen we maar zeggen. Met de nodige terechte kritiek aan het toenmalige Amerika, vraag is of het allemaal veel beter is geworden.
Ik kende Green Day uit de jaren '90. Eentonige meuk. Dus hier had ik eigenlijk helemaal geen zin in. Maar ik word verrast. Het is een heel volwassen en gebalanceerd album met volwaardige nummers. Ik had het wellicht kunnen weten met een hit als Wake Me Up When September Ends. 3,5 ster.
Vroeger luisterde ik al veel naar oa Dookie en Nimrod, de eerdere albums van Green Day. Nadat het een tijdje relatief stil was rond Green Day, kwam ineens dit album uit en het was een absolute gamechanger voor de band. Ik ben naar een concert van ze in Ahoy geweest destijds en ze hadden met dit album een compleet nieuwe set fans aangeboord, ik voelde me voor het eerst in mijn leven oud zo ongeveer. Ze hadden zichzelf ook een nieuwe stijl aangemeten met strakke rood en zwarte pakken. En in de muziek hoor je ook ineens een andere stijl. Tuurlijk, het stemgeluid van Billy Joe Armstrong blijft karakteristiek, maar de opbouw van de songs was niet meer het standaard 3 minuten punkpopgeluid. Hier zat ineens een compleet andere opbouw in, Bohemian Rhapsodyesque, meerdere nummers in 1 nummer tegelijk, tempowisselingen, noem het maar op. En je kan het nu zonder probleem weer op zetten, het heeft niets aan kracht ingeboet. Een tijdloze plaat en toch weet je precies uit welke periode hij komt. Fijne 5 sterretjes
I liked Extraordinary girl, boulevard of broken dreams, wake me up when September ends. Another good album! Sound like something that would play at the old welly lol 27/10/2023
Starts pretty good, I get bored of it by the end though. Will I listen to again: 60%
saw it live
Too cheesy for me
Just the best concept album I’ve ever heard. So many poignant songs - like a love-letter to a punk rock kid written by the jaded, older version of the same. It was the album that made me realise my adulthood.
Green Day at their peak. Jesus of Suburbia is like the bohemian rhapsody of punk rock. Other albums like Dookie might have better songs, but this album is just miles ahead of their other projects.
I remember when this came out. I don't think I listened all the way thru. First time today and I think it kicks ass for what it is. I thought Dookie was great. I like my pop punk like this, short, catchy and I can sing along. It doesn't have to be a classic for me to appreciate it. Solid 5 star pick for me dawg.
A slice of nostalgia from my days as a teenage skateboarding wannabe punk. The opening half of the album is still great and the latter half still kind of falls flat. Not going to find anything too deep or profound here. They knew their audience - angsty, anti-establishment teens.
corny ass stem. ik snap dat het voor de pop punk scene een belangrijk albums is. maar niet voor mij.
dit album duurde minstens 1 uur en 45 min en niet 1 uur
Nothing really offensive, just nothing to get excited about either.
It had some feels attached to the 90s, and listening to this a teen. However, it soon became noise 😬 and droned into the background.
Nostalgia bait. Good album, bunch of great songs on here. Don't like the storytelling approach bundling 2 songs together and some of the worse songs also seem to be the longest. Still really like a bunch of tracks though so easy 4 stars.
very happy this came up, although I forgot it had two 9-minute songs and a bunch of others are combined into a single track - still fun!
The mix is a bit overwhelming for me, especially the guitar (as someone who enjoys Oasis)...
Some decent music, interspersed with unbelievable amount of cheese. Jesus of Surburbia was brilliant though. Worth listening to the album just for that.
Great album. Loose concept, but great songs. Took the pop-punk format to a higher level. The song structures, guitar work, and drums are all top notch. Great songwriting and unique melodies and transitions. Too many highlights.
An album that will always likely remain frozen in time, but may never “sound old.” That churning guitar and BJA’s voice are about as 2004 as it gets. Very nostalgic for myself, especially a poignant tune like Wake Me Up When September Ends. Really enjoyed finding the album tracks as good as the hits.
i rly liked the singles from this album as a tween but i’ve never listened to the full album! pretty good. the bush administration was crazy. jesus of suburbia goes so hard
Have heard 1000 tiems ill pass
rocked 6 year old me's world
Classic punk rock album 👍 Was my shit when I was 14 but not something I would go for now. An album choqued full of nostalgia for me, relistening to it I know exactly where I was when I first listened to these songs. Listening to it now, I think up until track 5 the album is pretty solid then it kind of falls off. Faves: Give Me Novocaine, Jesus of Suburbia, American Idiot
one star is just for jesus of suburbia. kind of the jesus of suburbia of our generation
I’m sorry for being a sucker for edgy concept albums
one of my favourite albums, and something that defined my early years of getting into music.
fun, punchy, love how clear the theatrical style and structure is even on first listen. from a purely sonic perspective it's a no-skip album; i do understand the critiques that say as far as protest music goes it's a bit limited in scope and in some songs the anger can seem directionless.
Great: Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Give Me Novacaine Very Good: American Idiot, St. Jimmy, She's a Rebel, Wake Me Up When September Ends (borderline good/fine) Fine: Jesus of Suburbia, Extraordinary Girl, Letterbomb, Whatsername Bad: Are We the Waiting (bad in a way that genuinely pisses me off), Homecoming (not great in a way that brings the rest of the album down) Overall: I've already heard many times and I didn't change my mind on any tracks really. Just a very front-stacked album that gets noticeably less good as you hit the second half.
What McDonalds did to the hamburger, Green Day did to punk rock. I mean this in a good way! Some of my earliest memories are watching the music videos for some of these tracks on MTV with my older brother and sister (particularly Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Holiday, American Idiot, and Wake Me Up When September Ends). Now I work on music videos for a living - reengaging with this every few years helps me measure how much my understanding of the medium has grown. It feels really cool to be able to grow up and appreciate this in the cultural context of post-9/11 Bush-era America. It's perversely stuck in its time, and I can't help but love it for that.
One of the earliest memories of music albums in my personal brain. What McDonalds did to the hamburger, Green Day did to punk rock. Not necessarily a bad thing - accessible, all over the radio, lots of youths clutched onto it. In particular I remember the music videos on MTV the most vividly Hearing my older brother and sister play these tracks growing up was my cultural insight into the post 9/11 Iraq War early aughts (I was five!) Holiday / Blvd of Broken Dreams is a masterpiece
6/10
Incredible album. I know every song by heart.
Bangers! Holds up surprisingly well.
👍🏻
oof.
Not bad, very energising. I don't know why songs were joined together though. I mean you can do flawless transitions without doing that too, right?
So many singles off this album
Few classic songs on there but whole thing sounded similar too each other to really enjoy them separately. Few songs in there that are definitely worth a re listen
Jet fuel can't burn steel bars
My review is going to be a bit meta. I feel like Green Day was pushed pretty hard by the record label. They aren't bad, but they aren't as good as they should be for the amount of attention they got. Tons of stuff I'd rather listen to, including real punk from the 70s. Now, that said, this gets three stars because it's oddly subversive. I think it's funny they sold their label on a concept album punk opera called "American Idiot" and then managed to tour all over the world on the record. It's even more funny that they got tons of label support and radio airplay. The sense of irony is off the charts.
I liked Green Day a lot as a young teenager, but when this came out I had moved on to \"cooler\" stuff... so even though I recognized it was pretty good, I never really listened to it. Very well recorded, and super catchy! American Idiot was a huge hit... Jesus of Suburbia also really great song! Also Holiday... And Boulevard of Broken Dreams... this song was huge too. Ok this one is really hit after hit. Very ambitious album! Are We the Waiting sounds like a U2 song... a little much. St. Jimmy brings things back to more classic Green Day! A bit of a dip... Extraordinary Girl sounds like a Beatles song. Interesting. Letterbomb is just a catchy pop punk song, could be on Dookie. Wake Me Up When September Ends is a classic Ballad. Homecoming is not great... it's trying to be a counterpart to Jesus of Suburbia but is kind of cheesy and lame. Should have ended it with September. This is at least a 4... it's a super solid, well written, catchy, well produced album. Dookie is more of a personal favorite, but this one is right up there. I feel like it could really have been trimmed down. There are some weird inconsistencies and run-ons as the album goes on. It's ambitious, but gets a little full of itself.
green day is one of the bands that helped usher in the “pop punk” movement of the 1990’s. the early 2000’s brought uncertainty to the band with disappointing album sales, so they tried a different approach… a concept album with more rock influences. while the punk influences are still there, they’re not as prevalent as previous albums. after all, songs over 9 minutes with distinct movements are definitely not “punk”. neither is the concept of deliberately trying to reach a mainstream audience. having said that, “boulevard of broken dreams” and “wake me up when september ends” are two quality rock songs from the 2000’s. this is a solid effort and the album that helped launched the band further into the mainstream.
This album is great. Green Day is like the band that grew up with us. The music has become more refined and sophisticated but the same angst and disobedience remain. The melodic harmonies presenting dystopian lyrics are buying a latte while the world burns. It's the life of their generation.
So, for some reason this one brings me back to 04 and my political history. I was born in 82 so turned 18 in time to vote in the now infamous 2000 election of Bush vs Gore. As a young person growing up with liberal damn near hippie like ideals (in Illinois) I voted for the Green Party candidate Nader justifying my protest vote of sorts as not really mattering as Gore would easily carry IL. So Bush "wins" the 2000 election, I'm bummed but not too worried as what could really go wrong and surely there won't be any giant crisis to be dealt with. 9/11/01 I'm a college freshman and suddenly it matters allot. As a 19 year old I was pretty sure I'd be drafted into the military for the upcoming World War III, luckily that didn't happen. So the chance to use the Goodwill and cooperation of the entire world is quickly squandered as Bush and Co decide that oil and revenge for Daddy is the plan. The misguided and terrible Iraq war is not happening and some "punk rockers" from California decide to write a concept album about it or something. That's American Idiot which I haven't listened to all the way through since that tumultuous era of 2003-2006.
Viele Klassiker, krasses Album auch wenn nicht meine Musik
A classic of course
The soundtrack to me starting high school, picking up a guitar and a skateboard. A diverse album full of catchy tracks which you can't help but sing along with. I still love the angsty teenage tale of Johnny/Jesus of Suburbia. However the 'political commentary' is a bit corny and paper thin. Biased bonus points for being a hugely nostalgic album for me.
I remeber buying this album in middle school. Almost 20 years later and it has stood the test of time. An older green day managed to capture teenage angst without sounding preachy or overly angsty themselves. Personal favorites include "Jesus of suburbia", "extraordinary girl", "st. Jimmy", "whatshername"
I guess I should preface this by saying that Wake Me Up When September Ends might be one of my most hated commercially successful songs. Add in my mostly negative opinion if pop or post punk, and I just can’t enjoy this album. But, I’ll grant it a few solid tracks and it has aged relatively well.
These guys were more subversive when they wrote songs about jerking off.
Man, remember when this album came out and everyone thought George W. Bush was the worst president in history? How naive we all were. Very high nostalgia points for this album, it was a frequent repeat on my iPod mini back in grade 10 and it still holds up decently well. 3rd best Green Day album and a solid 4.4 rounded down
3.8 lots of radio hits on the album. Not my favorite Green day album but for many it is.
some bangers not great overall
A classic and the songs I hadn't heard, live up to the mega hits
I found it mostly generic. It's not bad music, but to listen to the entire album became repetetive and boring, then annoying, because it's very "simple" music. These are songs to play on a party to create the corresponding undertone.
Punk musical?
A punk-rock concept album. Why? Why not?
Green Day consegue manter o vigor punk e adicionar outras camadas sonoras.
first listen i had no idea this was a pop punk rock opera and it's great
3.5
One of my favorite albums, hit me when I was still a kid. Great on a re-listen.
I LOVE GREEN DAY!!!!!!
Not their best but it's a good album.
Not a huge Green Day fan.
it's been a while since i listened to this album and it's a classic for a good reason
HELL YEAH MORE MY STYLE, i like that green day sound!
One of my favorite pop punk albums.
So much nostalgia and some really great songs. Cohesive, and one of their best works.
Juhuuu
Good, fun punkish rock.
Not amazing but way better than I expected
The production is too much. It sounds hot, bright, and overly sweet. The songs are decent. These Bush-era protest songs are not nearly as good as the Thatcher-era produced but the rock opera format is honored by this album -- for whatever that's worth.
American idiot and holiday/boulevard are amazing as always. Jesus is too long St Jimmy is way too rock opera for me. The first three songs rock but it's quite downhill from there for me personally. Other Green Day albums are way better for me.
Nostalgic, quintessential teenage pop punk, ambitious if still undercooked. Protesting the general state of American life without having any idea what kind of life would be better. Angsty. Production sounds good though.
I love this album. Have listened to it since it's debut. It's hard to put into perspective how much of an impact this album had on music at the time. Not just the album, but the performances Green Day put on for this album were amazing. Great album.
This has all the Green Day songs I know
SYNOPSIS: Very good album, one of my all-time favorites. Listened to it a lot when I was younger so it is rather nostalgic. TOP TRACKS: 1. Holiday 2. Wake Me Up When September Ends 3. Boulevard of Broken Dreams FINAL RATING: 8.5/10
First album (1/1001) Best song: she’s a rebel
Am I the American Idiot?
One of my favorite albums of all time. I grew up on greenday.
Great instrumental; the vocals could be annoying, and it doesn’t need nine minutes because of two songs together. I don’t feel anything about this one. 4/10
what an icon of culture, even me who lives under a rock away from popular music is well aware of this whole album. though, i only really care about the title track, "boulevard of broken dreams", and "wake me up when september ends". the rest ranges from boring at best to making me forget that i like long songs at worst.
I know this probably comes from nostalgia, but after so many years I still find this album impeccable
Love this album. I remember when it came out, back when music used to drop on Tuesdays. I had recently graduated from college and used to meet my friends at a bar in Westwood every Tuesday because they had 50¢ beers. I bought this album on the way and sat in my car listening to the entire thing before heading into the bar. I was instantly enthralled.
Big angsty vibes. A classic
I don't know what's wrong with me, I used to love Green Day and this type of sound. Now it sounds repetitive even if the message still resonates today. Idk. Just get bored listening.
Typical Radio 2 Top 2000 band, and for some reason this particular album is their most appreciated one, and it also shows up in this list. Sounds ok, as in the way I remembered it: some very catchy pop songs while some of the rock songs are a bit draggy, and the album is too long. Cannot say I like it better or worse than Dookie, so 3 stars again.
These are some elaborated - or even epic - songs, which I find relatively boring compared to the more compact stuff on Dookie.
High school. A classic. Wake me up when september comes.
Nogle af trackene er bare larm. American idiot er fin. Boulevard of broken dreams er en banger.
Green Day's Dookie was my 1st experience with this iconic crossover band. They mixed pure punk, rock and added a dash of speed metal to create their unique sound. I'm an instrumental fan at heart and rarely listen to lyrics. While I understand American Idiot is considered a classic for their message and critique of the current state of America it is somewhat lost on me. What I can say is the classic "3 chords" formula is in full force and the band sounds tighter that ever.
The people who said that this didn't age well can shove it. Musically, this album is unbelievable. Just epic from start to finish. The statements made on suburbia, people just going through life existing, American government propaganda, etc are all arguably even more prevalent today than when it was written. Just because it's not treated with the same eloquence as somebody like Rage Against the Machine doesn't mean that the album didn't age well or had a pointless message. Okay rant over. Back to the music. Billy Joe Armstrong really sets himself apart from the rest of the field in terms of songwriting on this album. The fact that Green Day has had *several* eras of relevance and styles is enough evidence of it, but American Idiot was what got that statement to the mountaintop. Jesus of Suburbia is one of the greatest songs ever written. Holiday and Boulevard of Broken Dreams are timeless classics. American Idiot was an unbelievably huge opener. But every other song on the album is special too. The double tracks all work, even when they're wildly different styles. Just an awesome, awesome album that I will never hesitate to listen to. Favorite track: Jesus of Suburbia
The second half is really quite bad.
Better album than I expected, though I honestly can’t listen to American Idiot without wanting to sing the Weird Al parody lyrics.
Just a few days ago I claimed that U2’s The Joshua Tree has one of the best 1-2-3 punches in history, but the first three songs of Green Day’s American Idiot are superior. The opening and title track is as sobering as it is funny with its not-so-subtle callout of the Fox News media machine, and it’s only grown more relevant in the nearly two decades since its release ahead of Dubya’s 2004 showdown with Democratic challenger John Kerry. I have to say I appreciate the algorithm gifting us this album the day after Rupert Murdoch announced he’s stepping down as chairman. In the words of Logan Roy: Fuck off! The second song, “Jesus of Suburbia,” is to Green Day as “Bohemian Rhapsody” is to Queen, chronicling the collective plight of those who live in broken homes through an amalgamation of what could be several different songs. As far as songwriting goes, it’s the best work the band has ever done. “Holiday/Boulevard of Broken Dreams” rounds out the legendary trio, and is a personal favorite of mine for getting fired up. Unlike The Joshua Tree, however, the album goes much deeper than the first three songs. “Wake Me up When September Ends” may have been the first YouTube video I ever saw when the platform launched in 2005 (I explicitly remember seeing “Hello Goodbye” by the Beatles and “Crazy Frog” by, uh, Crazy Frog, around the same time). Songs like “St. Jimmy,” “Give Me Novacaine,” and “Letterbomb” give us a little more context around the protagonist of the album, and would be the top tracks on most of Green Day’s other albums. American Idiot is one of the greatest albums of the 2000s, and shows that the rock operas of the seventies can transfer over to the rock genre of the 21st century. As the magnum opus of a band that served as a cross-millennia bridge, the record gets an easy five stars from me.
3.5 stars. Solid rock album, but more mainstream/poppy than the more punk earlier version of Green Day. More made for radio than I'd prefer, but still a decent listen. Production/mixing isn't my favorite, sounds like Billy Joe Armstrong is really trying to sing over the guitars. Hard to detangle my nostalgic memories of "Holiday", "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", and "Wake Me Up When September Ends" as they were inescapable during middle school years.
Great album So many amazing songs on here that aren't even American idiot that make this an iconic album Fav song: Jesus of suburbia 8/10
biased aber teenage classic hehe
21st September 2023 Listened on the drive home from Norfolk. One of the albums of my teenage years!
Pretty classic, don't think I've ever listened to whole thing through before. Some bangers and a few skips.
Nice album with Nice sound!
Punk Rock Opera Loved it. Some classics in there. Was an ambitious album for Green Day given their earlier stuff before this. But nailed it!
Nice album
I am not a big fan of punk rock but Green Day are the exception + boulevard of broken dreams is so iconic that I feel like everyone knows it (for good reason)
Just a fantastic rock opera. Such a fucking great, energetic album with some of Green Day’s best cuts
Not a fan of the genre, but there were a couple good hits. Rest of the album didn't change my opinion of the genre.
Man, 13 year old me felt so cool listening to this album! One of those albums where my nostalgia is helping it out. But I think it rocks! Especially Jesus Of Suburbia, I always liked that one. This is peak post-9/11 punk
When Green Day decided to “reinvent” themselves and came out with all this black and red branding/dress, high school me was like - fuckin posers. I hated on this album, I won’t lie. I was short sighted. This album is awesome. Although I’d say their second best, it is still a latter day punk classic, and one of the best of the 00s. The punk rock suites they created on a number of tracks are some of the best explorations of the genre and proved that punk was not one dimensional. I get chills every time I hear the “hurricane of fucking lies” line in Jesus of Suburbia, it’s a powerful build-up. For a west coast band it also has a very east coast feel, with a number of songs written or conceived during Armstrong’s time spent in the East Village. It trails off a little on the back end, but it’s probably one of the most enjoyable front to back punk records ever. I’m torn between a 4 and 5 here.
a pop punk masterpiece. its a perfect album from american idiot to whatsername.
One of my faves
I was in 7th grade when this came out. Prime demographic. I didn't like it then and I still don't like it now. Old Green Day is still the best Green Day.
-I KNOW THIS ALBUMMMM -AND this band! -i have only listened to american idiot tho -so very excited to have a fresh listen -forgot how good this song is -remembering the cover 5sos did of this song -liking the switch up in jesus of suburbia -i do really like his voice i’ll be honest -i Do know wake me up when september ends -i honestly think the slurs are the only reason this album isn’t a 4 or a 5, but a 3 (but also because idk if this album is that amazing but it is legendary and very good
kom mér nokkuð á óvart. hélt að þetta væri líkt og hattar, yfirvaraskegg og skata ekki fyrir mig. talsverð áhrif af seventies rokk/poppi. býsna gott bara. 3,5.
There was a time when Green Day was one of my favorite bands. Dookie, Nimrod, and Warning were heavily in my rotation and I still think they're good but I've gotten so sick of hearing half this album everywhere I go to this very day. I'm not even going to listen to it again. Don't need to.
post punk pop. very dynamic
Structurally brilliant. Songs flow in and out of each other, production is incredible. Politically still relevant, and seemingly will be for the foreseeable future.
Pretty good tbf
wake me up when september ends
This isn’t a bad album, just not for me. The constant power chords and unsubtle social commentary got boring after a couple of tracks. The album is too long and I didn’t like the rock opera elements. They never produced anything better than Dookie in my opinion.
Probably one of if not the best rock albums of the early 2000s, extremely political in a way that rock music needs to be
Not my style
When this came out I worked with a guy who was a massive Green Day fan and he loved this album (he generally had very bad taste). We had some similarity in the music we liked, so he used to try and convince me that this was a good album. In the end I agreed to listen to it twice, end to end, uninterrupted and not while I was working. He was sure I would change my mind; I didn't, it was bubble gum pop/punk of the worst kind. My purist mind just couldn't see anything redeemable here. Stupid American 30-somethings pretending to be angry and sounding like Avril Lavigne. Well almost 20 years later and I figured I would have the exact same opinion, but I actually enjoyed this, once I got over the annoying first track, which still grates. It's not really that the music is improved, but I think I must have mellowed a bit. Also, I now understand that this isn't an affront to rock/ punk, it's just soft-rock/ pop that's been mislabelled. Treating it as music with no particular genre, it's actually pretty tight and melodic. So I'm giving it 4 stars.
Not sure how to rate this really, when I was a teenager I would have given it an easy 5, but I've mellowed on Green Day a lot since then, and I find a lot of these songs fairly cringe inducing now. Some of the deeper cuts (Give Me Novacaine, Extraordinary Girl, Letterbomb) though still hold up, maybe because they weren't played to death! A 3 seems appropriate,but maybe I'll round it up to 4 for the sake of nostalgia and cultural pact (which can't really be denied).
Mainly for the nostalgia, but man that first half slaps
Nostalgia <3
I've heard quite a few of the songs in this album already but still enjoyed it. Some good bangers in here!
Fantastic album resonating coming of age album for a society shaped post 9/11 and the Iraq war which still feels relevant today.
This was THE album of my teenage years. Still a hit today and almost time to wake up when September ends
Great comeback album, hangs together well and all the tracks are good
I remember when this album came out, and I wanted so badly to dislike it because it was the Green Day sell out album. But man, it was catchy and cool and I wanted to fit in. Does it hold up nearly 20 years later? Eh, it’s a good time if you’ve never grown in your music tastes since its release. It’s definitely a hit machine if nothing else. I think it’s been talked into the ground, and I have nothing new to say about it. Armstrong’s voice gets pretty grating after a few tracks. You like Green Day and haven’t heard this album? I’d go ahead and do that.
This feckless, pseudo-protest bullshit can fuck all the way off.
Obviously they know how to write good songs, still really annoying to my ears though
I must sheepishly admit that I never listened to this album in its entirety, even during its peak when I was younger. While I've found select favourites within the punk rock/pop genre – with tracks from bands like The Offspring, My Chemical Romance, Paramore, and Fall Out Boy resonating with me – I'm admittedly quite picky. Green Day has always been a more mixed bag for me. Nevertheless, of all the tracks on this album, 'Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams' stands out as my favourite. But I'm also not likely to revisit it anytime soon.
Iconic pop-punk. I love a good concept album and the big, sweeping centerpiece tracks on here really anchor all the shorter, punchier hits that you know and love.
American Idiot been one of my favorite albums since I first heard it in middle school over 15 years ago. It's cohesive, consistent, self-referential, emotional, and just brilliant. I love every song. This might be my personal favorite entry on the list so far.
Kyllä ovat kovan levyn tehneet, kunnianhimoisen mm., kun on sidottu biisit yhteen niin tauottomuuksilla kuin sanoituksilla. Ei ole niin naiivi kuin odotin. Mutta liian siloiteltu, liian stadion kuulostaakseen ns. aidolta, mitä levy jää kaipaamaan.
Taitavia biisintekijöitä; karmaisevia esteetikkoja. Ei (aina) niin epäpunkkia, kuin kaikki haluaisimme uskoa, mutta haluaa itse kuulostaa siltä, kuin olisi. Eikö ole jännä kuvio?
Track ratings: 1. American Idiot - [8/10] 2. Jesus of Suburbia - [9/10] 3. Holiday - [8/10] 4. Boulevard of Broken Dreams - [7/10] 5. Are We the Waiting - [7/10] 6. St. Jimmy - [6/10] 7. Give Me Novacaine - [7/10] 8. She's a Rebel - [7/10] 9. Extraordinary Girl - [6/10] 10. Letterbomb - [7/10] 11. Wake Me Up When September Ends - [6/10] 12. Homecoming - [7/10] 13. Whatsername - [7/10] I haven't listened to this album front to back in years. Very strong first half, but I kind of lose interest as the album progresses. There isn't any song I actively dislike, but Wake Me Up... just annoys me at this point due to the years of hearing it ambiently so much. 4/5
Yeah, this album is very well known and much loved by me already.
strong ablum
Great start
how dare you send me from Dookie to this shit 1/5
This one has a lot more nostalgia than Dookie for me. I do think it is the better album, too. Love how the songs leak into one another. It’s got a little bit of rock opera going on. Much more varied in sound, even if some of the ballads are a little cheesy
Good stuff
SO GIVE ME NOVACAINEEEEEEEEEEEE
I love this album so my review is going to be a teeeeeensy bit biased. I hope teenagers for generations will continue to find this one because it captures so many feelings I had at that age so perfectly - informed but powerless, surrounded but lonely, angry at nothing and longing for something better. Its play/singability lend it well to passionate and sloppy jam sessions. I think I'd enjoy it but wouldn't connect with it nearly as deeply if it came out now. 4/5 stars.
- American Idiot: Banger, don't really love the f-slur but it's a product of its time. - Jesus of Suburbia: The GOAT, each part is so fun to sing and they're all so different but all fire. - Holiday: Another banger, very 2004-pilled politically but it's kinda based. - Boulevard of Broken Dreams: I defy anyone to not sing along to the chorus. - Are We the Waiting: Great one to sing along to, prepares me for the upcoming uptempo jam. - St. Jimmy: Has there ever been a "1,2,3,4!" that went harder? - Give Me Novacaine: I'm not normally an emo guy but I feel this song, maybe due to nostalgia but we ball. - She's a Rebel: Not an extreme banger but but fun to sing and pretty catchy melody. - Extraordinary Girl: Pretty interesting musically but I feel like it's not as fun to sing along to and this album really lends itself to singing along. - Letterbomb: I really like this song but I honestly never listen to it because I have to listen to Extraordinary Girl and the weird mean nursery rhyme thing. - Wake Me up When September Ends: I still like this song but I think I've heard it too many times. I used to love it but now I feel it's kinda just a nothing song like it shouldn't even be around in the area. - Homecoming: Another banger, I think I'm still taking JoS over this but it's close. - Whatsername: Nice little ditty to close out the album, not my favorite but it's nice.
A rock opera chock full of classic punk rock tunes and worthy of a place on the list, will come back again for some nostalgia.
incredibly nostalgic simplistic pop punk. the sound of my childhood playing Tony Hawk games on the DS, except I was too young to truly notice all the punk themes. 3.75/5
Great songwriting and extremely catchy tunes. Definitely need to be in the mood to listen to the high energy delivery and at times anxiety inducing vibes.
I found it very interesting how different songs were recorded as one track, forcing you to listen to certain songs back to back
8.2/10
I think the hit rate on this is pretty damn good. It's fairly consistent across the board too. Really upbeat, nice catchy songs. I always thought of Green Day as super quick, pop-punky songs, but there's plenty of longer ones on here too that still work well.
Oh man, I remember really liking this album as a kid. My sister had the CD in a little blue case, and we listened to it all the time. Most of the songs on this album are bops too. What is strange is that this version of the album has some tracks merged together into one ex: Holiday/Boulevard of Broken Dreams. This is a solid 4/5 I just have too much nostalgia for the album. I'm glad this still holds up for the most part aside from their use of the f slur in one track
it was pretty nice! i couldn’t rlly tell if it was repetitive or just consistent but i think i could definitely tell the differences between most songs. i’ve never listened to greenday so this was very different. overall, pretty alright :)
catchy but no great shit
Not my personal favorite, but it does take me back.
-didn’t write a BL, retroactively reviewed on 24/08/23, generated on 7/08/23- AL: I like Green Day, this album was an anthem throughout my childhood. Nowadays when I’m older and can look at it under a more mature eye I can see that it maybe wasn’t the political statement I might’ve thought it was when I was 10. This Bush era political album sort of has points and ideas that reflect disdain for the wars in the Middle East that were going on but I think it kind of distracts a lot from the other stuff that’s going on. While it’s still a perfectly solid album I would argue it has not aged super well, still a fun listen and very catch pop punk but not much more than that these days in my eyes. FT: “Jesus of suburbia”, “Give me Novocaine”, “Wake me up when September ends” 3/5
i was really not looking forward to this. i do not like green day and i told myself i would never listen to an album of theirs. it's not as bad as i thought it would be, but jesus fucking christ its so corny. im 18 and i feel like im too old for this album. best track is whatsername 6/10
THE VIDEO CLIPS AREN'T BAD FOR THE THEME THE ALBUM TELLS, BUT I ISN'T SOMETHING THAT YOU LOOK AND "WOW HOW COOL" NOOOO otherwise, the songs are good, actually. Some of them have cool transitions like "Holiday" with Boulevard one. There are also the counterparts wich show how the songs can get different with a simple change, like "Give me Novacaine" with "She's a Rebel". EXTRAORDINARY GIRL BEST SONG
The first album I ever bought as a young teenager. Masterpiece. All the singles are awesome. Boulevard of broken dreams was on the radio every single day and I don't think I got sick of it. St. Jimmy is underrated, great punk tune.
Heard before: 'American Idiot', 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams', 'Wake Me Up When September Ends'. I can't really understand him between the loud instruments and his accent, except on songs I already know. Isn't this pop-punk? Maybe not, according to this website. I love love love 'WMUWSE' but it could not save this thing. 'American Idiot' and 'WMUWSE' are absolute bangers. I also think if I had got this on a different day I would have loved it, given that I quite enjoy pop-punk. However, today I was not feeling it and I doubt I'll listen again. It was on the side of meh that's closer to bad. Thus, I'm giving it a 3 and a 5/10. I was going to give it 4 after hearing 'WMUWSE' again but after the album limped on for 13 more minutes I think the original rating was good.
european heare...Europe has fallen behind America and the gap is growing. ei ollakaan niin idiootteja nyt vai häh... 20 years fly by incredible lyric (foreshadowing...its now 20 years from the album..) konflikti, sisäinen konflikti sisälläni velloo. paskimmat biisitt ehkäpä koskaan mutta hyvä albumi silti.. jesus of suburbia...
I guess what appeals to me most about this album, other than the catchy-as-hell pop punk, is the rock opera feel of the whole thing. This is the story of Jimmy, a suburban kid from Jesusland trying to make his way in a world of rock n roll and politics, trying to live in a divided America where everyone is drawing lines in the sand.
Best rock album of the 00s
This is by far Greendays best record. People will argue dookie, but this album is nearly a masterpiece. I can't give the album a FIVE (because I didn't give ratm a 5) but it's as close to a 5 as possible. The album is somewhat frontloaded, Jesus of Suburbia possibly their best ever song. While listening through the City of the Damned bit, I thought to myself that it may be greendays best part of any song they've written. The low point of the album is She's A Rebel. That song could be on any greenday album, whereas the rest of the tracks could only be on this record. The album is held together by the two long songs, I would have preferred the album end on Homecoming. Some of the hits are overplayed to the point where its harder to evaluate how good they are. One of the other negatives of the album are the solos, I don't want some rip roaring technical fast solo, but I theres something about them that haven't aged that well, it may be the guitar effect on the solos, but it's a minor gripe. Upon listening to the album, it's easy to see how it lends itself to being a musical, its a rock opera and clearly a heavy influence on the Black Parade. I heard elements of Joshua tree. The sad part about the greatness of the album is that after it, theyve not released any albums that are even vaguely listenable. This was their peak, and everything after has lived in the shadow of this superb album VERY VERY HIGH FOUR
This album was such a good one to look back on, so good
Nothing but bangers
4.25
Sjov historie at følge med i under hele albummet Skal høres flere gange
I can see why they made this into a Broadway show
a bit boring
Heard before Saved 9/9 Top track: Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Don't even need to listen to know where I rate this - a solid 4.5 - just due to the 100 times I listened to this as a teenager. But I'm re-listening just to see if anything strikes me this time around... Still really enjoy this album but some of the croon-ey, mopey, singing parts just rub me the wrong way to this day. Thus the .5 point docking for me.
Having established themselves within the genre of chucklehead power punk, American Idiot was a complete surprise from Green Day. It has intelligent social commentary, much of which is sadly still true, coupled with a more sophisticated power pop (not punk). Easily the best album from Green Day and a classic of the early 2000s.
Love this album. One of my all time favourites. Instant classic.
2-3
I'm not a pop punk devotee but this album stands out.
AJ: some tracks are excellent. Couple snoozers. Cool piece of punk rock art overall. Appreciate what they were doing. Stayed fast for the most part, with much more to say. America. Idiots. Idiots as far as you can see. Jesus of Suburbia clocking in at 9+ minutes… not exactly Dookie. Quite a ride. Holiday is such a great song.
Pretty much a modern classic. 4/5 Singles: ------------------------------------------------------- "American Idiot" (US ALT #1, UK #3) "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" (#5 UK, #1 US ALT, #1 US Pop 100) "Holiday" (#11 UK, #1 US ALT and Mainstream Rock) "Wake Me Up When September Ends" (#8 UK, #2 US ALT) "Jesus of Suburbia" (#17 UK, #27 US ALT)
I was never a Green Day fan so it colors this.
Listened to this album a lot when I was younger
I mean it could be subversive if you were the most middle American person possible. I am not and so it seems more like a corporate put together mainstream bland "punk". All guitar riffs sound the same throughout. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" is the stand out which shows it's not really punk at all but middle of the road rock.
Still great
I really like those old rock vibes and it's mighty impressive how long some songs are. But I have to admit, I have a music class trauma due Wake me up when September ends😂
4.4 13 year old me would be proud that I still remember all the lyrics to every damn song. This entire album is one of the best (if not the best) pop punk albums, every song fits with the entire theme but also stands up on its own. Fave songs: Jesus of suburbia, Homecoming, Are we the waiting, St. Jimmy
For my generation it’s kind of classic
Super strong album.
hmmmm appreciate the message but wouldnt really listen again, i think
Day 96 A heart-shaped grenade bleeding in a hand? The poetry of that cover art should be enough to bring a tear in your eye. Or maybe not, but it is for me. I was aware of Green Day (but then again, who wasn't?) but didn't listen to American Idiot when it came out. But I have a very precise memory of that moment in time: Green Day came to Montreal and played a show in a huge open air venue; it was summer and I was broke, I didn't go to see the show, but I remember seeing the kids around the city on public transportation heading to the venue; there were thousands, millions of them and It was a beautiful spectacle to see: suddenly the city was filled with punk kids in their black clothes, each with their own version of a punk haircut, hair dyed in different colours, wearing their face piercings and make up; tattoos weren't that common yet so there weren't many of those, thank you. This is exactly the image I view whenever I listen to Green Day. This, and Billy Joe Armstrong. I love that chap, I think he's awesome cuz he looks exactly like one of those kids even if he's decades older than them. Whenever I see a picture or video with Billy Joe on it I just wish I could give him a warm hug, he really looks like this fragile, shy and sensitive teenager who gets pissed off about the injustices in the world and speaks out without becoming a pedantic asshole; the kind of teenager who asks questions and doesn't assume they have all the answers; the kind of teenager-adult who looks sort of innocent but takes no bullshit and believes in integrity. Are you reading this, Bono? With American Idiot, Green Day took pop punk to a whole new level and gave it the substance it was lacking; many of the songs have a Phil Spector feel, or sort of. Some have written that American Idiot was Green Day's attempt at being The Who and recording Tommy; although I can see where they are coming from, they clearly need to listen closer. Rating: all the bombs pumping blood through my heart.
Okay... Dookie, I understand, but why in the hell is this album on here? Post relevant Green Day cashing in on a popped up version of the sound that made them great on their 1994 breakout. The fact that there is not only one, but four song weighing above the 6 minute mark does not bode well. Doesn't help that I never actually have the focus to care about a rock opera; they feel like things that musicians make for their own ego rather than for the listener. All that out of my system, I do have a soft spot for American Idiot. Like I recognize it as a not very good song, but I have a certain nostalgia associated with it. Perfect song for being 13, white, and believing yourself to be edgy. Never before have I heard a GD song and said "you know, I wish this was 3x as long." Having listened now to Jesus of Suburbia I feel justified in this sentiment. It's actually not godawful, but its kind of a schizophrenic mess. Holiday is actually a solid, catchy pop song. And while it pains me to say so, so is Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Had Extraordinary Girl / Letterbomb in the background, but found myself tapping along to the back half. I really did not like Wake Me up When September Ends on its own, but it is surprisingly, somehow better in the context of the album. Okay... Having just completed the album I will say that it isn't nearly as terrible as I expected it to be going in. I did not particularly enjoy it, but it is an honest and respectful entry into Green Days catalog. The songs err on the pop-punk / emo spectrum and probably have something to do with teenage love and being an outsider or something. To be honest I wasn't paying much attention to lyrics. I won't come back for another listen, but I didn't want to gouge my ears out. This is a soft 3 for me.
Klassiker.
Like relevant nå som for 20 år siden...
When this album came out, I listened and to it a bunch and I am a fan of Green Day. I think they are used ironically, but the f bombs are still shocking to hear. If I could give this half stars, I’d give it a 4.5/5 or a 9/10. So many hit songs on here and the ones in between are pretty good too.
Very much of the zeitgeist. Sounds hoary now (certainly didn't expect to recognise the slightly reworked chords of Bryn Adams' 'Summer of 69' amidst this...
One of the biggest albums I can remember as a school kid. Seemed to hit the mainstream proper big time. As a result I really can’t stand American Idiot (song) but there’s a few belters in there. Even songs I’ve heard so many times. I like all the songs but stars are getting dropped for the title song and ‘Extraordinary Girl’
I’d rather undergo nine years of medieval torture than ever listen to this shit again
American Idiot is the The Wall for millennials but with less hopelessness and even more political dissatisfaction. An anti-US, anti-consumerism and anti-capitalism monument, this record ended up defining large parts of the 00's music scene post-9/11. The album and Green Day themselves became synonymous with criticism of the Bush administration, and 'Wake Me Up When September Ends' was used in everything from protests of the Iraqi war to memorials after Hurricane Katrina. The songwriting is top notch, melodies are catchy but never boring, and the production on the guitar is otherworldly. It makes me want to bring out the eyeliner and the red tie, and I would not change a single thing about this teenage-angst ridden phenomenon.
It’s hard to overstate the impact American Idiot had on the music scene in the years following its release. Green Day outperformed themselves and delivered an era-defining record that gave a voice to millions of angsty teens longing to be heard under the post-9/11 Bush administration. It’s been a few years since I heard this album last but nothing seems to have aged badly. Hit after hit after hit of perfectly written punk rock songs - and an especially honorable mention to the fantastic “Letterbomb”. I remember growing into my music taste with American Idiot. I don’t think I will ever outgrow it.
3.5
Probably the weakest Green Day album. No idea why this is here and not Dookie or Nimrod.
South Harmon Institute of Technology theme song! Go SHIT heads.
I feel like Green Day has to be my favorite pop punk band for a genre I generally don't love. Lots of classics on this one with some lyrics that are more politically charged than most pop punk.
Very different than Dookie, and not as good personally, but still a great album with some nice hits. Holiday going into Boulevard of Broken Dreams is a great transisition. Something about Green Day just gets me going. Billie Joe is an awesome frontman
Highs are super high on this one but it still ain’t no Dookie. Still an enjoyable listen I just think some songs could be halved. Soundtrack to middle school
"American Idiot" is the seventh studio album by American rock band Green Day. After the master tapes of their upcoming album "Cigarettes and Valentins" got stolen, the band decided to start over and rewrite another album since they weren't really impressed with the result of the finished album. They landed on a concept album of sorts, a "punk-rock opera." The main character Jesus of Suburbia is the lower-middle class anti-hero from suburbia who decides to escape to the city. The song themes tend to go into the dissolution and dissent of a generation that came of age with 9/11 and the Iraq War. It also takes aim at giant corporations and George W. Bush. The album was a big success reaching #1 in the US and UK and winning the 2005 Grammy for Best Rock Album. The guitar right into their punk-pop rhythm opens "American Idiot." It's melodic. Great drumming by Tré Cool. Leader singer Billie Joe Armstrong going after the mass media (cable news) and their orchestrated paranoia and idiocy among the public. "Jesus of Suburbia" starts the story of our anti-hero. It's broken into five parts, each with a different melody. There's a ballad in there, a bass-heavy song and ends with the most rockin' song. Maybe, my favorite Green Day song and one that typically is at the end of their shows. Along with "American Idiot," "Holiday" is the most political of the songs on the album. The guitar chorus with the band kicking in. Armstrong with his most aggressive vocals taking aim at American conservatism and Bush and their alienation of a group of people. The guitar reverb and a slower pace highlight their US chart topper "Boulevard of Broken Dreams." Armstrong wrote this while taking a break in Manhattan and it's about feeling alone in a city. Nice vocals and lyrics. Their rock-pop anthem. "Wake Me Up When September Ends" was written in the aftermath of 9/11 and is based on Armstrong's Dad dying from cancer. More acoustic guitar but goes electric. Drums added. A guitar bridge. Somebody always still mentions to wake Billie Joe up on October 1. Bille Joe begins the closer "Whatsername" in a more deadpan voice. Catchy melody and chorus. The soft-loud-soft-loud dynamic. Melodies abound in this album. The band is tight and the music sounds great and rocks at times. Anthem after anthem. Green Day's best album in my opinion.
A pop/punk/rock band makes a concept album and it doesn't suck? I didn't see that coming.
Much better than I remember. Could this be punk rock at its peak?
Achieving successfully a pop/punk rock opera in 2004 is a master move. This album contains many important hits from the 2000s and one of Green Day's finest cut : Jesus Of Suburbia, an unexpected 8 minutes track with movements, killers riffs and awesome drum parts. On a personal level, this is one of the most important album from my teenage years. It changes everything.
+ for nostalgi
4 (3) radio hits: American Idiot (hard punk rock); Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams (did not realize that was a pair songs on one 8:13 track... 2 completely different vibes); Wake Me Up When September Ends
I know this was a big album when it came out but I’ve never been a fan. Just never sat well with me. Giving a two as there is likely something I’m missing.
I’m all for the idea of a “punk rock opera” and while it has the risk of coming across as gimmicky, they were really able to pull it off. This album started off really strong but wasn’t able to maintain that in the second half. Still a great listen. 4.5 stars
This brings me back. American Idiot, Boulevard of Broken Dreams and Wake Me up When September Ends were on constant repeat. Going back and listening to this album I would say it still holds up and is a great album but my taste has changed and this wouldn't be my first choice to play. Who knows, maybe in a few years I'll go back and listen to Green Day more.
The 2000s were kind of a wasteland for american art. Compared to previous generations, music wasnt the great communicator and rallying of a generation that it had been. This was one of the like 20 albums of the decade that was something that everyone had heard and tended towards liking it. 4/5
Didn't age well, but some slaps.
I still enjoy this album, although not to quite the same extent as when it first came out.
I was in middle school when this album came out and a bunch of people were going nuts over it. It's marginally better than fine.
Probably a 4 but I like it so a 5. I listen to a lot of the songs in this album all the time. This was the first CD I ever got to pick out myself so maybe I'm a little biased and nostalgic but I don't care. GOOD ALBUM
1. American Idiot - absolutely love this song so catchy and very upbeat, love the lyrics, the vocals and guitar interlude-10/10 (added to playlist) 2. Jesus of suburbia- love the rhythm of this song, especially in the first part of this song, vocals on point, love the switch up when the piano and acoustics come in, not too keen on the backing vocals. i love how this song has the different sections like its moving along with a scene in a theatre or film, very theatrical, love how it switches from a fast angry pace to an almost innocent instrumental, love the bass switch up too 8/10 (liked the song) 3. Holiday/boulevard of Broken dreams- (holiday)- love the guitar on this one, very good consistency, Armstrong vocals again killing it, chorus very catchy, love the lyric "another protestor has crossed the line" love the monologue type bit ( bobd) love the switch up to this song, my fav green day song, love the guitar effect throughout the song, lyrics are very relatable vocals amazing, catchy , love the piano notes after first chorus, love how the song gets heavier near the end- 10/10 (added to playlist) 4. Are we the waiting/St. Jimmy- ( awtw)- love the guitar, Armstrong vocals are strong, strong rhythm, love the echoed voices too, chorus is very catchy, love the reference to "Jesus of suburbia", however i did feel like this one did drag a tiny bit, became a bit repetitive ( st jimmy)- love how this song was more faster than the other song, this did feel very pop punk, rhythm was good, however was a bit too fast to keep up with, overall this one did drag a bit- 7/10 5. Give me novocaine/She's a rebel- (gmn)- love the acoustic on this very very nice rhythm, loved the vocals on this, guitar effects were brilliant, loved the guitar solo- (rebel)- again loved the switch up to this one, very upbeat, love the lyrics, love the references to the other songs on this album, loved the drums- 8/10 (liked the song) 6. Extraordinary girl/Letter bomb- (extrod girl)- not too keen on the drums at the start of this song, however I loved the guitar and drums had amazing consistency, loved the lyrics, again was relatable for aspects (no I'm not a prozzie), (letterbomb)- loved the little singalong at the beginning, the build up was good, however was not too fond on the little screech billie let out, I did get a bit bored of this one, found it a little bit weaker than the others-7/10 7. Wake me up when September ends- another green day classic, love Armstrong vocals, a bit of a sad turn for the album, considering the background and lyrics to the song, love the guitar picking, love the gradual build up too, it was fucking amazing, very catchy tune. - 9/10 8. Homecoming- found the start a bit boring, vocals were ok, love the instrumentals, drums and guitars were brilliant, found this one a bit boring, as i thought it did drag a bit- 5/10 9. Whatsername- nice lyrics, loved the rhythm, vocals were on point, love the guitar build up, 6/10 overall this album is truly a masterpiece, being one of my top 10 albums of all time, I have always been amazed by green days work.. the songs are very consistent and love how they all compliment on another, lyrics and theme on post 9/11, American culture and war really show you the real world in just a matter of an album. fav song: holiday/boulevard of broken dreams, least fav: homecoming overall average rating:7.8/10
Listen to Green Day mature since Dookie to this album is like seeing your drug dealer buddy who’s all grown up with a house, family and job. I’ve always liked this album. Great to be reintroduced to it again. Still love it.
Nastalgic
Some parts were better than I remembered, others feel a bit tacked on. Still, this is a foundational memory album for my musical history. I’ve probably listened to this album 100 times. 3.5/5
Dude, the Johnny Test theme song!!! I'm kidding, obviously. It's funny how similar they are, though. Was not excited for this one. Don't have the nostalgia for it that a lot of people have. I also don't really like his voice. I don't really know what to feel about this. It could have been worse. I'm sure that there's some important themes in this album, but I can't really focus on them. There were parts I dare say were okay, and I didn't absolutely hate my time with it like I suspected I might, but I got pretty annoyed and tired of it by the end... I'm left feeling empty. I expected to come out of this experience angry, but there's nothing. I guess my favourite song was Give Me Novacaine/She's a Rebel. but even that song annoyed me at parts.
Pop Punk - not as bad as I expected. It's not awful
An good album for sure. Wouldn't listen outside of the singles but I did enjoy it.
Well well well, it's been a long time since I've listened to this! I remember enjoying it when it first came out, until radio got a hold of it!
Never knowingly listened to any Green Day and, having seen the name in loads of places, was quite looking forward to this. It's OK, in a bit of a generic sort of way. It reminded me of something, but for the life of me I can't remember exactly what it was. Perhaps a bit of the Saw Doctos, which is a bizarre thing for it to sound like. But then Davy Carlton was in a punk band so maybe it does sound a bit similar. It's certainly radio friendly enough and, I'm afraid, a little bit bland for me. I probably need to listen to this a few more times to get a true impression. Perhaps it's absolute genius, I don't know. It's not really punk though is it? Alt-rock, sure. College radio friendly I imagine.
Today’s album will be very easy to review! Not only because of my familiarity with it, but also because I reviewed it on my YouTube only a couple of months ago. I don’t want to be someone who spans their own stuff, so just let me know if you want a link to that. Songs I already knew: all of them Favourites: Give Me Novocaine, St Jimmy I remember the first time I heard American Idiot. My parents had a PC under the stairs and I watched the music video on YouTube. I was hooked from the beginning. I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve listened to this album but it’s definitely a lot. It has some angstiness, but is still melodic and poppy enough to stick in your head. I wouldn’t say it’s perfect (I never really liked Holiday, and I don’t really see the point of Are We The Waiting) but it’s still a very good album overall.
oh baby. The songs I don't know are so much better than the ones I do know... I think it's because the ones I do know are just too cringe?
i feel like this is probably the best 2000s punk rock album out there, has variety interesting topics great singalong and nice riffs. its the complete package
Love it. Might be the only Green Day album I've ever bought actually, definitely a maturity to it that I wasn't expecting from them at the time. Playing is tight, and it holds a consistent theme throughout. Not a weak track IMO. 5/5
Sometimes you have to check your biases. This was not as bad as I expected it to be. Actually quite enjoyable and more so with each listen. Even the singles started not to annoy in context.
Huh, a Green Day Rock Opera, and it's much better than it ought to be! Ignoring the songs that got played to death on the radio, this is actually a very good album with some excellent songs, especially the longer medleys. Glad I heard this in the end! 3 / 5 stars.
good memories, and this kinda holds up, but most of it is only ok
Good about 4 stars
meh
Pakko olla hyvä levy kun on niin paljon hyviä kappaleita. Mahdollisesti kuitenkin se Green Dayn paras levy
Het verbaasde me echt hoeveel nummers ik kende, niet helemaal mijn ding maar keek dit soms toch ook wel op youtube om hip te zijn rawr xd
Ik mag het eigenlijk niet zo hoog raten maar ik vind dit gewoon een top album. Green Day op hun best, en voor mij mega nostalgisch. Uit de tijd dat ik thuis kwam na de basisschool en ‘green day rsmv’ op YouTube intypte (ik was 10)
A gem through and through. The Led Zeppelin of our time.
The defining musical work of Bush-era America. Angry, snotty, melancholic, a blast.