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American Idiot
Studio album by Green Day
Released	September 21, 2004
Recorded	February 23, 2003 – January 2004 in San Francisco, California
Genre	Punk rock, Pop punk, Alternative rock
Length	57:13
Label	Reprise
Producer	Rob Cavallo, Green Day
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link IGN (10/10) link Kerrang! Pitchfork Media (7.2/10) link PopMatters link Robert Christgau (C+) link Rolling Stone link Uncut link
Green Day chronology
Shenanigans (2002) American Idiot (2004) Bullet in a Bible (2005)
Singles from American Idiot
"American Idiot" Released: 2004 "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" Released: 2004 "Holiday" Released: 2005 "Wake Me Up When September Ends" Released: 2005 "Jesus of Suburbia" Released: 2005

American Idiot is Green Day's Grammy Award-winning and seventh studio album, originally released in 2004. Often classified as a rock opera and concept album, it was the first Green Day album to reach number one in the United States and United Kingdom. Rob Cavallo produced the album, his fourth for Green Day.

This album marked the end of a commercial slump for Green Day. Many had speculated that they would find it difficult to follow up Warning, which itself had proved slightly less popular than Nimrod.^{[citation needed]} This is also hinted at with the long gestation time of this album, filled in with a greatest hits album (International Superhits!) and a B-sides album (Shenanigans). This is likely another reason for the band's decision to completely re-invent their style with this conceptual work. All of the album's singles proved very popular, a feat not matched since Dookie.

American Idiot debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts on October 9, 2004, thanks to the success of the "American Idiot" single. Over 3 months later, around the release of "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," the album returned to the number one position for 2 more weeks.

The artwork on the CD cover is a reference to the line "And she holding on my heart like a hand grenade" ("She's A Rebel").

Contents 1 The recording 2 The Story 3 Awards 4 Movie adaptation 5 Track listing 5.1 B-sides 6 Dates 7 Bonus versions 8 Singles 9 Chart positions and certifications 9.1 Peak chart positions 9.2 Certifications 10 Personnel 10.1 Additional personnel 11 Legacy 12 References 13 External links

After the release of Shenanigans, Green Day started recording an album called Cigarettes and Valentines. However, near the end of the recording sessions, the master tracks to the album were stolen. After this happened, the band was inspired to write American Idiot. They felt their writing process had become mechanical and that they needed to release something more relevant.^{[citation needed]}

The band tried different approaches than they had been accustomed to in the studio.^[1] Other examples include the songs "Jesus of Suburbia" and "Homecoming": multi-movement suites, composed in 5 different parts, that are both more than nine minutes long. In lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong's words, "One day, Mike was at the studio and he wrote a thirty-second song. I don't know, I liked it so I wanted to do one too. The one that I did, I connected to his and then Tré did one and he connected it to mine and so on and so forth until we had about ten minutes. It was just purely out of having a good time."^{[citation needed]} These thirty-second song sessions were started in frustration when the band was trying to decide what to do after the master tapes of their originally planned album were stolen. "This sounds like a rock opera," Armstrong jokingly remarked during this session.^{[citation needed]} The song "American Idiot" has been described by the band as their public statement in reaction to the confusing and warped scene that is American pop culture since 9/11.^{[citation needed]} Armstrong has said that they chose to write this way because the band has obtained respect and sway in the music world, and that this social commentary is part of their natural evolution as a band.^{[citation needed]}

American Idiot tells a story about a teenage boy, who is possibly named Jimmy but is referred to as Jesus. Jesus lives in a small suburb (Jingletown), and the city it suburbs is never named. Frustrated with life in Jingletown, he eventually leaves with a dedicated group of followers known as the Lost and Found, and they move to "the big city", where Jesus adopts the alias "St. Jimmy". Slowly, Jesus and Jimmy become split personalities, and Jimmy turns Jesus into a drug addict.

One night, Jesus meets a prostitute whose name is never stated, and is referred to as Whatsername. They quickly fall in love, but Whatsername becomes angry at Jesus's loss of idealism and his unwillingness to cause change. When the Lost and Found causes a riot, which includes setting a large fire, Whatsername can stand it no longer and leaves him. Jesus attempts to remain a figurehead for the Lost and Found, but the loss of Whatsername affects him deeply.

After several months, Jesus "kills off" Jimmy in his mind and he eventually snaps into conformity and gets a job, abandoning the Lost and Found forever. He begins a mostly normal life but still misses Whatsername and even begins missing Jingletown, where he eventually returns. He never completely gets over Whatsername.

American Idiot won a Grammy in 2005 for Best Rock Album and was nominated for Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Rock Song ("Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, and Best Short Form Music Video ("American Idiot"). The music video for "American Idiot" was voted 'The Greatest Rock Video Ever' in a Kerrang! poll. In the Australian Triple J's Hottest 100 for 2005, "Jesus of Suburbia" entered at #61 making it the longest song ever to place in the chart at 9 minutes and 8 seconds. Green Day also won two Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards Blimps in 2006 for Favorite Musical Group and Favorite Song ("Wake Me Up When September Ends"). They swept the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, winning a total of seven of the eight awards they were nominated for, including the coveted Viewer's Choice Award.^[2] In 2005, the album won the Juno Award for International Album of the Year.

Shortly after the album was released there was speculation that American Idiot might be made into a movie. VH1 quoted Armstrong as saying "We've definitely been talking about someone writing a script for it, and there's been a few different names that have been thrown at us. It sounds really exciting, but for right now it's just talk." [1] Armstrong later stated that shooting would begin for American Idiot: The Motion Picture in 2006, stressing, "We want to see how it turns out first so that it doesn't suck." [2] On June 1, 2006 Armstrong announced in an interview with MTV.com that "it's definitely unfolding" and that "every single week there's more ideas about doing a film for American Idiot, and it's definitely going to happen," [3] but the band later said, "It is gonna take a little while." Billie Joe mentioned that, "This project is currently on hold to work on their music." So whether or not this movie will ever actually get made is unknown-as stated at http://www.greendayauthority.com/projects.php^{[citation needed]}

All tracks by Billie Joe Armstrong (lyrics) and Green Day (music), except where noted.

1. "American Idiot" – 2:54
2. "Jesus of Suburbia" – 9:08
   • I. "Jesus of Suburbia" – 1:50
   • II. "City of the Damned" – 1:51
   • III. "I Don't Care" – 1:31
   • IV. "Dearly Beloved" – 1:09
   • V. "Tales of Another Broken Home" – 2:38
3. "Holiday" – 3:52
4. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" – 4:20
5. "Are We the Waiting" – 2:43
6. "St. Jimmy" – 2:55
7. "Give Me Novacaine" – 3:25
8. "She's a Rebel" – 2:00
9. "Extraordinary Girl" – 3:33
10. "Letterbomb" – 4:06
11. "Wake Me Up When September Ends" – 4:45
12. "Homecoming" – 9:18
    • I. "The Death of St. Jimmy"
    • II. "East 12th St."
    • III. "Nobody Likes You" (Mike Dirnt/Green Day)
    • IV. "Rock and Roll Girlfriend" (Tré Cool/Green Day)
    • V. "We're Coming Home Again"
13. "Whatsername" – 4:12

The following songs were recorded shortly before American Idiot and released as the album's B-sides:

1. "I Fought the Law" (a The Bobby Fuller Four cover released on iTunes only)
2. "Favorite Son" (released on Rock Against Bush, Vol. 2)
3. "Shoplifter" (released on the "American Idiot" single)
4. "Governator" (released on the "American Idiot" single)
5. "Too Much Too Soon" (released on the "American Idiot" single)

In the lyric book that comes with the album, there are dates next to some of the names of songs (as the lyrics are written in notebook style, as if written as a journal).

1. "American Idiot" Feb 23
2. "Jesus of Suburbia" Mar 3 Jingletown USA
3. "Holiday" April 1st In The City
4. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" April 2
5. "Are We the Waiting" Easter Sunday
6. "St. Jimmy" May 7
7. "Give Me Novacaine" June 13
8. "She's a Rebel" July 4
9. "Extraordinary Girl"
10. "Letterbomb" Aug 18th
11. "Wake Me Up When September Ends" Sept 10
12. "Homecoming" Oct 19
13. "Whatsername" January 1

In some countries, bonus versions of the album were released.

• The most common version^{[citation needed]} can be found in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It features "Too Much Too Soon", one of the album's B-sides, at the end of the album.
• In the Japanese version,^[3] there are 14 tracks, the last track is "Favorite Son", another B-side to the album. Another Japanese version includes a bonus CD, recorded live in Makuhari Messe on March 19, 2005. The Enhanced CD contains live footage and behind-the-scenes featurette from the Japan tour.
• In the French version^{[citation needed]}, there are 16 tracks, featuring three of the album's B-sides: "Too Much Too Soon", "Governator" and "Shoplifter". The French version combines "Holiday" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" into one track and does the same with "Are We the Waiting" and "St. Jimmy", "Give Me Novacaine" and "She's a Rebel", and "Extraordinary Girl" and "Letterbomb".
• In some special editions, a DVD featuring a 'Making of' and music videos of "Holiday" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" can be found.
• A very small number of copies were released on vinyl.

Year	Song	Peak positions
		US Modern Rock [4]	US Main- stream Rock [4]	UK Top 40 [5]	Sweden [6]	New Zealand [7]	Canada	Australia	Germany	France [8]
2004	"American Idiot"	1	5	3	18	7	1	7	28
2004	"Boulevard of Broken Dreams"	1	1	5	2	5	1	5	13	19
2005	"Holiday"	1	1	11	25	13	1	24	50
2005	"Wake Me Up When September Ends"	2	12	8	21	10	1	13	22
2005	"Jesus of Suburbia"	27		17	26		1	26	82

Chart (2005/2006)	Peak position
Australia Albums Chart	1
Austria Albums Chart	1
Ireland Album Chart	1
Israel Album Chart	1
Norway Album Chart	1
Sweden Album Chart	1
Switzerland Album Chart	1
U.K. Albums Chart	1
U.S. Billboard 200	1
World Album Chart	1
Finland Album Chart	2
New Zealand Album Chart	2
German Album Chart	3
Danish Album Chart	4
France Album Chart	4
Netherlands Album Chart	4
Italian Album Chart	5
Belgium Albums Chart	1

Chart	Certification	Sales
World	8x Platinum	14,603,300
United States	5x Platinum	5,000,000
United Kingdom	6x Platinum	1,800,000
Canada	8x Platinum	800,000
Australia	6x Platinum	420,000
Germany	2x Platinum	400,000
France	Platinum	375,600
Ireland	8x Platinum	120,000
Mexico	Platinum	100,000
Switzerland	2x Platinum	80,000
Austria	2x Platinum	80,000
New Zealand	4x Platinum	60,000
Sweden	Platinum	60,000
Brazil	Gold	50,000
Denmark	Platinum	40,000
Netherlands	Gold	40,000
Belgium	Gold	25,000
Israel	Gold	20,000
Portugal	Gold	10,000

Note: for all the certification definitions see: Certifications

• Billie Joe Armstrong – vocals, guitar
• Mike Dirnt – bass, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Nobody Likes You"
• Tré Cool – drums and percussion, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Rock and Roll Girlfriend"

• Jason White - Lead guitar on almost all songs. (Later played over by Billie Joe Armstrong.)
• Jason Freese – saxophone
• Rob Cavallo – piano
• Kathleen Hanna – guest vocals at the beginning of "Letterbomb"
• Chris Lord-Alge – mixing
• Satin Manchario – sound management, tech
• Lindsay Cavallo/Freeman-Smith-Keyboard and backing vocals on all songs

In late 2005, Dean Gray released a mash-up version of the album—called American Edit—and became a cause célèbre when the artist was served with a cease and desist order by Green Day's record label. Tracks include "Dr. Who on Holiday" and "Boulevard of Broken Songs". Billie Joe Armstrong later stated that he heard one of the songs on the radio and enjoyed it.^[9]

• GeekStinkBreath.net page on the album
• American Idiot LP on greendaydiscography.com

v • d • e Green Day
Billie Joe Armstrong · Mike Dirnt · Tré Cool Jason White · John Kiffmeyer
Studio albums	39/Smooth · Kerplunk! · Dookie · Insomniac · Nimrod · Warning · American Idiot · Untitled 8th Studio Album
Studio EPs	1,000 Hours · Slappy · Sweet Children
Compilations	1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours · International Superhits! · Shenanigans
Live albums / Live EPs	Live Tracks · Bowling Bowling Bowling Parking Parking · Foot in Mouth · Tune in, Tokyo... · Bullet in a Bible
DVDs	International Supervideos! · Riding in Vans with Boys · Bullet in a Bible
Singles	"Longview" · "Welcome to Paradise" · "Basket Case" · "She" · "When I Come Around" · "J.A.R." · "Geek Stink Breath" · "Stuck With Me" · "Brain Stew"/"Jaded" · "Walking Contradiction" · "Hitchin' a Ride" · "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" · "Redundant" · "Nice Guys Finish Last" · "Minority" · "Warning" · "Waiting" · "Macy's Day Parade" · "Poprocks & Coke" · "I Fought the Law" · "American Idiot" · "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" · "Holiday" · "Wake Me Up When September Ends" · "Jesus of Suburbia" · "The Saints Are Coming" · "Working Class Hero" · "The Simpsons Theme"  ·
Related articles	Discography · Pop Disaster Tour · Cigarettes and Valentines · Pop punk · American Edit · Live Freaky! Die Freaky! · Adeline Records · California punk scene · Skull Ring · Other projects
Bands	The Network · Pinhead Gunpowder · Foxboro Hot Tubs · The Frustrators · The Lookouts

Preceded by Suit by Nelly	Billboard 200 Number 1 Album October 9, 2004 - October 15, 2004	Succeeded by Feels Like Today by Rascal Flatts
Preceded by Encore by Eminem	Billboard 200 Number 1 Album January 22, 2005 - February 4, 2005	Succeeded by The Documentary by The Game