Customer Reviews
An unfortunate imitation of actual punk / hardcore. 
2008-07-21
When your band has hit the skids and you want to be taken seriously as an "artist" (after ripping off the Ramones for years), you can always do what Green Day does here - create an anti-American "concept" hardcore/punk album. The media will help cover for all of your resultant and inevitable flaws and lack of actual creativity, because in the process of trying to be political you help reinforce said media's own prejudices, which they seem to like. Unfortunately for Billie Joe and company, mixing Pink Floyd and the Descendants in the same blender doesn't work, and the only thing they ended up with was a (charitably described) mess. The only tolerable track is "Holiday". The rest of the album is suitable for only those who breathe the rarefied air present within the state of California. Because there are still a fair number of us who remember proper examples - Ramones' "Bonzo Goes to Bitburg"; Sex Pistols' "Bodies"; Stiff Little Fingers' "Alternative Ulster"; just about anything from Suicidal Tendencies' or Fear's first albums. Hilariously, the album was originally released with DRM and its associated root-kit. In doing so Green Day rather hilariously "Spoke truth to Power" by forcing DRM up the collective alimentary canals of its fans on behalf of the RIAA. So much for sticking it to the Man.
New Sound, and New Fans... 
2008-07-17
I remember rushing to Target to buy this album when it was first released, playing it over and over again till the songs were imbedded into my brain and than went to school to discover that everybody else was listening to it. It really annoyed me, seeing that all these people who never listened to Green Day before are suddenly fanatic about it, especially the preps. I than cast the CD aside to collect dust till a couple years later when the Green Day fanatical episode died. The CD is very enjoyable, like a punk pop opera of the millennium. But some of the songs bore me to death, others are a tad-bit annoying since I heard them re-played on the radio so many times and others I cherish and love. My favorite song on this album is Jesus of Suburbia and my least favorite is Whatshername. American Idiot is a good track, but pales in comparison with Jesus of Suburbia, at least for me. Holiday is awesome as well, and I adore Are We the Waiting. Boulvevard of Broken Dreams is okay, but since I heard it so many times sung by others and played on the Radio it is somewhat distasteful now.
Shes A Rebel and Letterbomb are a nice accommodation of this album. Wake Me Up When September ends, as a lot of the fans of Green Day know, is not based on September 11th. Its actually about the death of Billie Joe's father, and the reason why he gets tearful while singing this song. Homecoming is similar in build of Jesus of Suburbia and Give Me Novocain is one of my top three favorites from this particular album.
If you an oldie Green Day fan, this is a nice new sound to you. For anybody who has never heard Green Day before except from this album, and have purchased Bullet In A Bible, try listening to Dookie which is actually far better than this album will ever hope to be. Sure, this album is popular and the best of 2004, but don't proclaim this the best. Dookie has always been the best album of Green Day, American Idiot is second best.
I' am really looking forward to Green Day's new album, which should come out later this year. If you want to re-visit the "Sweet Children," days of Green Day, try listening to 1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours and Kerplunk! to get an original taste of Green Day. Don't just stick with American Idiot, try all the other albums as well.
almost forces you to grab your guitar and blast away 
2008-07-13
completely deserving of every accolade. Just a rock tour de force that makes you want to grab your guitar and blast away. not one false note here, changing tempos, walls of crunching riffs, great vibes that escalate as you get deeper into the record. it will go down in history as one of the best rock albums ever.
New Favorite of an Old School Rocker 2008-07-06
I've been listening to rock of various stripes since my teens in the mid-60's. While I still get a kick out of the classics, my greatest thrill (musically speaking) is finding a fresh twist on rock traditions...a sound that doesn't simply re-tread old ground or wander off into experimentation for its own sake.
American Idiot is, in many ways, an old fashioned album, with strong echos of The Who, Pink Floyd and other great stadium bands of the last half century. But Green Day rejuvenates the form with inventive rhythms, unexpected melodic changes and a 21st Century political and social sensibility, making American Idiot a completely contemporary piece of musical art. If you're looking for an example of the best of today's mainstream rock and roll, you could hardly do better. Give the album a listen; start to finish, it's a blast!
THIS ALBUM SAVED ME FROM SUICIDE!!! 2008-06-25
You're probably thinking I'm some sort of psycho now, but I was going through a lot. Pink Floyd's the Wall and the Donnas' Gold Medal were also albums that helped, but at that time, I thought it was just American Idiot.
Each track on this album is incredible. I don't really pick favorites, but when I did, I considered this the greatest album of all time. This is my interpretation of the rock opera.
"American Idiot," the first track, is a typical Green Day song. It also is a great opener. It introduces the concept of anti-authority, and what America was like back then (and it somewhat still is).
"Jesus of Suburbia" is one of two five part suites on the album. It's really the opening song of the story, and it really makes you feel like you know the Jesus of Suburbia, who is a young teenager trying to make his way in his home town, but he feels a lot of pain. It ends where he runs away from home. This song has such beauty but such anger as well.
"Holiday" is what "Amazing Journey" was on the Who's album, Tommy. It's where the story really begins. The Jesus of Suburbia ran away from home, and this is a song about what America was like at the time, and it works as the Jesus of Suburbia's journey to the big city. It's a very agressive tune as well.
"Boulevard of Broken Dreams" is where the Jesus of Suburbia has arrived, but he feels alone. "Holiday" was referred to as the night you're drunk and having fun, and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" was referred to as the hangover. This song really shows the loneliness of the Jesus of Suburbia. It was the big hit single, and it's a beautiful song.
"Are We the Waiting" is where it's realized that the city has problems as well, but there are others here who question as well. These people are all ignored by the high authority as well. It shows such beauty and such questioning about the authority.
"St. Jimmy" is about the Jesus of Suburbia's alternate identity. He is like a spokesmodel for all of the people who question the authority. This is a tough rocker tune about rebellionism, but it's also an uplifting and happy song.
"Give Me Novacaine" is about being in a lot of pain, but using drugs to forget that pain. This is one of the most popular songs on the album from most people I've talked to. It is a very beautiful song.
"She's A Rebel" is where we first meet the girl known as Whatsername. She also becomes St. Jimmy/Jesus of Suburbia's girlfriend. It's a song that describes who she is. She's called Whatsername so it could be anyone, and there's a part about having forgot her name at the end. Like St. Jimmy, it's an uplifting but still agressive rocker.
"Extraordinary Girl" is about the relationship problems that St. Jimmy/Jesus of Suburbia and Whatsername are having. It also has a bit of influence from East Indian music. It's almost sad in a way.
"Letterbomb" opens up with a recurring melody sung by a woman, the opening of the song is reprised later on the album. It's about Whatsername leaving St. Jimmy/Jesus of Suburbia, telling him that he isn't the person he was when they met, and that he has become someone that he swore to never be. Also, things are happening to the group that they would all hang out with. It's a hard rocker that shows fear and anger. This song is like the climax of the story.
"Wake Me Up When September Ends" was written even before they recorded their album, Warning, a few years earlier, but September 11th gave it a second meaning, this album gave it a third meaning, and the video gave it a fourth meaning. When listening to this beautiful song as part of the album, it's about things looking hopeful for others, but not St. Jimmy/Jesus of Suburbia. He feels lonely without Whatsername. It really works as part of the album and is right after the climax, but it isn't the resolution.
"Homecoming" is the resolution of the story. It's the second five-part suite. It also reprises the opening melody of "Letterbomb," probably sung by the Whatsername earlier, and is a voice in the mind of her. The song starts where the Jesus of Suburbia decides to proclaim that St. Jimmy died, but the idea of who he truely was had died much earlier. Jesus of Suburbia then realizes that he isn't who he used to be, and is upset about the loss of Whatsername. Soon later, he gets a letter from one of their friends, who seems to be doing well (that segment is called "Rock and Roll Girlfriend," written by Tre' Cool; I think the rock and roll girlfriend was Torry Castellano of the Donnas). After that, Jesus of Suburbia realizes that there isn't anything for him where he is, so he goes home. That's how the story ends.
"Whatsername" is the final song. It really is a conclusion of the story. The Jesus of Suburbia is remembering the part of his life that the story is about, but he's forgetting Whatsername. However, he's still curious about her.
To conclude, this is a great progressive punk album. It really shows such deep emotion. This is probably the best album that Green Day will have ever done.
The Revival of Punk 2008-06-21
The first original album since 2000 from modern rock superheroes Green Day, American Idiot is one of the most anticipated and controversial albums of the year. Scathing yet self-effacing as it tells the tale of Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, American Idiot is the punk rock epic. "A bold, polished punk opera." (Entertainment Weekly) "They're the biggest, most successful, punk band the world has ever seen. What's more, Green Day's next album may well be their masterpiece." (Kerrang!)
A polished blend of bland 2008-05-27
I love how many levels of stupidity are at play on this dummy projectile. It's bad enough that this uninspired, self-congratulatory cacaphony is closing in on 15 million units sold worldwide and has fooled scores of itchy, calloused critics into dishing out kneejerk-positive responses -- but on this crock opera, these sots rail against the very things they represent as a band in this marketplace: corporate scum, imitation, ennui. And excuse me ... the "media" Armstrong blasts on the title cut includes his watered-down trash of a concept album. The lyrics are bland; the whole thing has the stink of bandwagonry. They came across as lazy, ivy league dropouts on "Dookie," and now they're grown-up "American Idiots." Congratulations, boys.
1 Step Forward, 2 Steps Back 
2008-04-30
Artistically this band takes a huge stride forward with this album, and I applaud them for that. I've been a fan of Green Day's since there were 5 members (and Billy Joe wasn't yet with them) back in their early days in the Bay Area in the mid 80's. This was before they had done much of anything in the way of original music, and a few years before 1000 Hours, 39 Smooth, and Slappy were released. I watched them break up and reform with Billy Joe as their lead singer and only Mike and Tre remaining of the original group.
I loved pretty much every song they ever released up through Warning. I didn't mind that they were a 1-trick pony, and I was glad when they said they were proud of only knowing 3 cords. They were living proof that there was more to music than simply technical talent with the instrument or a pretty voice. They knew how to write good melodies with great hooks, and make people want more, and their sales proved they could do it. They sold out, yes. They were no longer an underground favorite, they were no longer real punk. But they were great none-the-less.
With American Idiot they changed though... they became pop-culture musicians. The type that care about their appearance, and doing something new to 'satisfy their fans', if it hadn't been for their return to raging at current day politics which has always been a staple for real punk rock they'd have left it completely behind. I'd never been a fan of Green Day's political rants and I was sorely disappointed to see that facet of their music return.
It completely turned me off from them. Now I love Green Day still, they're the best mainstream punk band out there (Though Ignition and Smash by the Offspring were better than the best of Green Day) but I dread hearing anything more from them, and I can't tolerate anymore than just a song or two from this CD.
Bands that want to spout off about their political beliefs, especially those that don't try to educate themselves in the field, do nothing but shoot themselves in foot... that or endear themselves to other people that like to do the same. No, I don't like our president either, but the last thing I want to listen to in my music is someone ranting about our culture as if they know what they're talking about.
Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Give Me Novacaine, and Wake me up when September Ends are great songs, but the rest I would be happy never listening to again.
BEST GREEN DAY CD EVER!!! 2008-04-26
i use two not listen two GREEN DAY but i seen AMERICAN IDIOT i said ok so get home and listend and i loved it and now i listen two it all the time best cd ever!!! so you need two buy it today BOUIEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS is the best song on the cd
Greatest Rock Album Of The Last 10 Years 2008-04-18
Above the likes of Metallica, Kid Rock, System of a Down and many others Green Day triumphs in releasing simply the greatest rock album of the past 10 years. This mixes political satire with a thoughtful and powerful message of how we all must band together as a society. This is very anti-establishment and as Green Day have stated publicly very anti-War on Terror. They live up to their "punk" label in my eyes as they spread the word of anti-establishment and not believing everything you're told or buying into this media frenzy and this notion of celebrity. Some people will always criticise a successful band such as Green Day, but the fact is they make music that makes us think, and personally I see nothing wrong with that.
One of the best songs on the album is Jesus of Suburbia, for a number of different reasons. It is not just a song but more of a story about, well... a Jesus of Suburbia which is simply believed to be the saviour of the rebels of society. The song runs just over 9 minutes long which lead to it being cut down for radio air play. It's literally a short story told in song and it's told in 5 parts.
I. "Jesus of Suburbia"
II. "City of the Damned"
III. "I Don't Care"
IV. "Dearly Beloved"
V. "Tales of another Broken Home"
The story is about Jimmy who is the saviour and also known as Saint Jimmy which we see in the video for the song.
The most special thing about this album is that is seems to follow an entire story and focuses around this Jimmy character. It's something that is unprecedented in any album I've ever heard and yet seems to go unnoticed by many people.
My Top 5 are
Jesus of Suburbia
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Holiday
American Idiot
Wake Me up When September Ends
Buy this album, you won't be disappointed
