American Idiot

For my money, this is the last great classic rock album. For an album from the mid 2000's, it definitely has that air of classic rock bombast that comes from bands like Led Zeppelin and especially The Who, even if it isn't really borrowing from the sound (But again, it does have some Who-like qualities, setting aside the rock opera aspect).

I will admit, part of me giving this a perfect score is from nostalgia. I still vividly remember getting the CD for this album for Christmas, and absolutely running it into the ground playing it. But even aside from that, it's just a damn good record that still resonates today.

American Idiot obviously is still the most applicable song on the record to today's political climate, but the record rattles off a string of classics after that with Jesus of Suburbia (Probably my favorite song on the album), Holiday, and Boulevard of Broken dreams.

There are some songs that don't hit those highs such as Are We the Waiting, Give Me Novacaine, and Extraordinary Girl, but they're still fun enough to where I wouldn't consider them skips. Additionally, Wake Me Up When September Ends and Homecoming (With it's 50's vibes) are great tracks. Generally, when the album slows down is when the songs don't hit as well for me. The hardcore punk section of Are We the Waiting/St. Jimmy is great, but the slow part like I mentioned is what brings it down a little. Letterbox is better than Extraordinary Girl.

So yeah, fantastic record, probably my favorite Green Day record and their most cohesive (Although it's definitely a generational thing, as a Millenial who grew up during the Bush years, I'm contractually obligated to prefer this album over Dookie).

And I'll keep repeating this until I start hearing other people say it, Tre Cool is one of the most underrated drummers around. His work on this album is great.

Also, side note, definitely one of those albums where the "PARENTAL ADVISORY EXPLICIT CONTENT" sticker is synonymous with the album, which is always fun, haha. The album art wouldn't be as good without it.

Edit: Despite me going on about it being a 5 due to nostalgia, I am thinking back on this and just seeing the rest of the albums sitting in my 5 rank, and realizing it doesn't quite stack up to those. So yeah, whoops.

This album still bangs! I saw Green Day earlier this year, they played Dookie and American Idiot in full. Probably the greatest concert I’ve seen.

Dookie straddled the line between pop and punk pretty well, this one does not whatsoever. There's hardly any Punk element to it, you can't make a pop album and a rock opera and have it fall under Punk as well. I really didn't like this. The big hits are all fine but I've heard them a million times before without ever putting it on myself. The transitions between the songs are nice but the album tracks don't do it for me. Definetely deserves to be on the list, I just don't like it.

Fantastisches Album mit tollen Songs. Hat die Zeit damals geprägt und war sowohl in der Szene als auch Mainstream beliebt. Auch heute noch ein gutes Album was man sich anhören kann.
Ich fühl trotzdem nicht 5 Sterne zu geben.

Unfortunate for this to come just a few days after maybe the smartest, most interesting political punk record ever released in Gang of Four's Entertainment. Just highlights how tame and basic this all is. Take me back to Dookie.

A 3.5 star album for me but nostalgia made me bump it up. Captures the era very well.

I think it’s pretty good, though a bit long. I think I liked the first half of the album better than the second half, I feel like the second half just sounded a bit repetitive and it was harder for me to follow the storyline. Solid album, though, probably approaching 3.5.

American Idiot is a very enjoyable album. I figured that i would really enjoy it since i do love me some punk music but this one definitely took it up to a whole new level. Songs like the title track, Boulevard of Broken Dreams and Wake Me up When September Ends are all great tracks but that is to be expected when they are the most popular songs of this album but the other songs are no slouches either. The punk sound throughout the album always sounded great but i always liked the emo influences too in songs like Wake Me up When September ends. I don't think i can find a lot of things to dislike about this album so it gets full marks from me.
Best Song: Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Worst Song: Are We the Waiting

Billed as a "rock opera", I hadn't sat down with this album for a number of years prior to this morning, and it's been a welcome nostalgia trip back towards my preteen and teen days.

A bit of an overblown concept tying the album together perhaps, but the songs here are undeniable. I'm still of the opinion that this would only have stood to benefit if "Wake Me Up When September Ends" rounded off the album, but numbers such as the title track and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" have quite rightly earned their status as some of Green Day's most recognisable and widely renowned tracks.

Pretty impressively built and executed album. Good sequencing, varied song styles, catchy hooks, great instrumentals. The only thing holding it back it some of the middle tracks are a tad forgettable and have uninteresting concepts. All around a good album. 4/5

I will get hate from some people that like to gate-keep, but I don't care. I love this album. I have played it countless times, will play it countless more. The whole albums works as a concept and story, and it's a great blend of some of the punk aesthetic that Green Day started out with, blended with an absolute banger of pop sensibilities.

Green Day have several great albums, but this one has to be near the top.

So many power punk classics on one album. It may feel dated now, but what a bomb when it came out. Such nostalgia.

I mean, I know it's not the greatest album ever made, but I was a secret fan growing up and listened to it so many times over the years... Brought up many feelings...

That was awesome! Brings back memories.

So much better than I remembered! :) Nice, really creative musically, catchy and exactly what it says on the tin. :) I know it's not "real punk" or whatever, but I don't remember them saying it was :) I like it, and 14 year old me is pleased by this development. :)

I love that there's finally an album named after me

Jesus of Suburbia started and I thought “oooh, I really like this” followed by “is this song still going?” That basically encapsulates my experience of this album- some really strong tunes but a shade too long.

I am a huge fan of this album!

Formative album for me and still holds up 20 years later. This is Green Day's magnum opus in my eyes. Lots of great commentary but also amazing songwriting. I love the suites in particular.

I saw Green Day at Reading Festival about 10 years ago (it was 2013 - ed!) and they played a lot of this album. I knew the 'hits' of course but the whole set was damn good. I thought then I'd seek out some more of their stuff. Of course I didn't, but I wish I had.