10 years of American Idiot

[Undómiel]

My favourite Green Day album. I can't believe it's been 10 years! It is just such a magnificent piece of musical craftsmanship. Every single bit works.

[Libertine Angel]

My parents (mainly my mum) were already dedicated Idiots, so I'd grown up with Green Day, and when AI arrived (preordered, of course), we sat and listened to it together like some kind of holy ceremony. I was too young to properly understand the political context (I knew George Bush was bad, but I didn't really know why), but that's not essential to love the music. And there was Saint Jimmy, the song that influenced (still influences, in fact) what I call myself since I heard it. I didn't know he was a drug dealer back then, and now I don't really care. Saint Jimmy, to me, represents freedom - it's simultaneously glorious and dangerous, rage and love. It's the gateway to infinity. Freedom.

[Hermione]

Happy birthday American Idiot!

It's totally crazy that it came out ten years ago, and nine and a half years since I heard it and fell in love with Green Day. I've posted about hearing it for the first time millions of times but always happy to again! I was 19 and my musical diet had been almost purely rap music for several years so it was unusual that I'd even think of listening to it, but I'd heard from my brother that it was good and I was borrowing a bunch of CDs from my dad (to tape ) so I included it with them. Sat and listened to it as I taped it while reading the lyrics, and was blown away. Instant love for the band and craving to hear the rest of their music which continues to this day. It's a beautiful and genuinely epic album.

Seeing them play it on Storytellers a couple of weeks later was amazing too, being the first time I'd seen footage of them performing. What a great introduction to a band

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTwKZ3S_tGQ

[iScottie]

Prior to American Idiot's release, I was familiar with a couple of the band's songs, specifically "Good Riddance". However, I did not start actively listening to the band until the album was released.

I purchased the album at an F.Y.E. a couple months after it's release after a friend at the time showed me the music videos for both "American Idiot" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams". They seemed like a great band and nothing would have been lost. I remember it was nearing New Years as we were going to Florida the next day with some family friends to Disney World and I remember listening to it and listening to it and eventually I kept listening to it more and more and more. To this day, I still listen to it religiously.

After purchasing the album, I purchased all of the other albums, all of the b-sides and whatever else I could find, saw the band live three times in concert, bought a shit ton of merchandise, and I was even inspired to learn how to play the guitar.

Green Day will forever be my favorite band and American Idiot my favorite album.

[CemeteryDrive]

I've just listened to it in full, haven't done that for a long time. I remember first hearing it and just being obsessed with Holiday, it's still my favourite off AI. I can't believe its 10 years old!

[spark in the night]

I'll try to compose myself and post my story

[AlissaGoesRAWR]

I actually knew today's Timehop trivia! This made me so unbelievably happy this morning!

Happy birthday, American Idiot. Words fail me at the moment, as I still can't comprehend how this beautiful piece of art is already 10 years old. A true masterpiece that influenced me during a significant time of my life, and now for the rest of my life I'll never be the same. In my mind, no album will ever top this one.

[Cath]

i remember the first time i heard jesus of suburbia i was blown away

[Angela.]

10 years. Wow. I didn't discover them until 2005, but this was the album that did it for me. Saw a girl at my middle school bus stop wearing a GD hoodie one morning. Liked the artwork on it, felt intrigued. Looked them up when I got home, heard a live version of Extraordinary Girl and bam. Instant love. I don't listen to them nearly as much as I used to (couldn't tell you the last time I chose to put on a song or album), but they still hold a special place in my heart for being the band to get me into music.

[Ian1234]

This album pretty much inspired me to play instruments, and it also made me a big music fan as well. I don't think I would be into music like I am today.

[spark in the night]

I started to draft a really long post that basically told my life story during 2004/2005, but I can't even put all my thoughts into words and it's turning into a novel

So basically:

• This album is an absolute masterpiece, a work of fucking art. It was and always will be.
• It was written and released at the right place, at the right time. It shook the music world with an earthquake filled with political disillusionment juxtaposed with a tale of an average American teen living in suburbia with a deadbeat life that resonated with real people (am I even making sense right now).
• Chinese astrologers should make 2005 the Year of the Green Day. They thrived, they were all over the place: TV, magazines, radio, awards (which they dominated), world-wide tours. What a time to be alive for a Green Day fan am I right?
• I would listen to this album constantly. I played it in the car, in my walkman, and as I went to bed. I couldn't stop listening to it.
• This album, and furthermore, this fucking band changed my world. They introduced me to a new area of music, a new style, a new way of thinking and living. They introduced me to music and opened a new world for me that I never want to leave.
• If it wasn't for American Idiot and Green Day, I would not have joined GDC
• Had I not joined GDC, I would not have met amazing people, most importantly the love of my life.
• GDC and its members also influenced me with my career. It was around 2005/2006/2007 that there was a community of graphic designers who were making and posting their awesome wallpapers, signatures, avatars, etc. I thought these were so awesome that I wanted to make my own too. So I got photoshop on my computer and started playing around with graphics and eventually I think I got pretty good at it. These series of events led me to the decision of going to school to become a Graphic Designer. Without this, I don't know what other career choice I would have made. And for this, I am grateful.
• All in all Green Day has influenced and continues to inspire my life, music, love, and career. And for that, I will always love Green Day. They will always be my favorite band. Number one always and forever.

You taught me how to live

[21guns&novacaine]

I first bought American Idiot in 2011. It was the second Green Day album I'd bought, Warning had been the first. I had heard how "Beloved" This album was among Green Day fans, but when it came down to it, the only songs I'd heard on the album beforehand were American Idiot, Boulevard of Broken Dreams and Holiday. So I was sort of buying it for those.

Let me say this right now, I was blown away with every song. Though I established a closest connection to Jesus of Suburbia and Whatsername, it reminds me of my sister. Especially now, so it's become that much more meaningful to me. I didn't dislike any of the songs, I was just so enthused with St. Jimmy's story and how he ended up committing suicide in the end. Those lines "Jimmy died, today. He blew his brains out into the bay. In the state of mind, it's my own private suicide." Are like the height of Homecoming, they send you into a craze like "What's gonna happen now?" You know? This album is very meaningful to me. I have a lot of good and negative memories that come with listening to it, as does everyone else I'm sure. So when I listen to it, It's like looking through a scrapbook of the past. There's something about it that makes you both want to scream and punch a brick wall in frustration, and sing to the heavenly Lords because it feels like everything you want to say to everyone is right there in those songs. It is definitely in my top five GD albums. Not because of it's overall popularity, but because of it's meaning. Other GD albums in my five are 21 Century Breakdown, Nimrod, 1039/smoothed out slappy hours and Warning. Can't believe it's been ten years already now, crazy

[loveblondiebilliejoe]

Well since I'm only a teenager, AI was the first Green Day album of "my generation". I remember the day 4 years ago, ( I was 12 ) when my dad brought home a copy of Green Day Rock Band, I was excited about a new game but didn't really know anything about them.Once I played through some of the songs, I was instantly hooked, with the songs from AI being my favorite. After that, I started to branch out on some of their other music (pre AI) and fell in love with Nimrod. So basically if it wasn't for my dad, I woudn't be the dedicated GD fan I am today. I think I going to watch Bullet in a Bible tonight (for the 3rd night in a row) just to celebrate the anniversary.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AI!!!!!????

[Webb_2011]

I was in 6th grade at the time. I actually didn't even know about the album until around the time of the 2005 Grammys because they were showing clips from the "American Idiot" video in the commercial for the show. Previously, my only exposure to Green Day was "Brain Stew" on the Godzilla movie soundtrack. I had no idea that this album was getting the response that it had gotten. I bought the album in May of 2005. My mom, like most parents, was concerned with the parental advisory sticker and in order for me to "earn" the album, I had to display a good attitude in my next few Little League Baseball games. When my mom finally decided that I had earned the album I remember I ran home as fast as I could (meaning I sat in my mom's car as she drove us home) and ripped off the packaging for the album. I was so excited to finally hear this album. From the time of me first hearing about the album that January up until this point, I had only ever heard "Dookie" because my dad bought it back in '94 because Rolling Stone gave it so much praise. He barely even listened to the album so he gave it to me. But "American Idiot" was MY first Green Day record. Before listening to the album, my mom gave me some important instructions: "Don't listen to any songs that have the F-word in it!" So which songs did I listen to? I think you get the picture (take that, parents! Punk rock!) I still remember very vividly me sitting on my couch with my Walkman cd player and listening to the album start to finish for the very first time. I didn't know it then, but that album changed my whole perception of music, and even helped shape me into the person I am today as I'm sure it did for many of you. At the time I didn't understand any of the political statements that were in the album. What 12 year old would? All I knew was that this record was freaking powerful. What I loved most about it was the storyline. Growing up and dealing with all of the BS that takes place in middle school and high school for many kids, this album was always there. It blows my mind that I can still relate to some of these songs now as a 22 year old like I did when I was 12 and throughout my teenage years. I didn't come from a broken home or a troubled family situation like the characters in the album (which I'm incredibly thankful for), but I always had that feeling of being lost and not able to fit in with the world around me. Like so many kids, I turned to music to cope with that feeling and "American Idiot" was always there and I know it always will be. This album is timeless and that's what makes it great. It evolves with us as we evolve in our everyday lives.

Thank God for Green Day!

I love reading all of your posts! It's so awesome to see how much my favorite album means to other people. Puts the biggest smile on my face!

Happy Birthday, American Idiot!

[Oxymore]

As I am probably amongst the youngest members on GDC, the only thing I can share is that it amuses me to think about 2004, when I was 6 and knew absolutely nothing about music. If I only knew... !
I discovered AI about five years later actually, and it's just to me the most perfect Green Day albums. Nothing to criticize, the lyrics, the music itself... Of course at the beginning I used to dislike a few songs, Extraordinary Girl, Letterbomb... Then I got into the lyrics, into the story, and now I never skip one.
Simply one of the best.
Happy Bday AI !

[StuckWithDom]

I'll pretty much die if billie posts something on Instagram about American Idiot.

[Spike]

I didn't actually hear the album in full until I got it for Christmas that year, and I'll never forget the first time I listened to it all the way through. It's just one of those moments in my life where I remember exactly where I was and what was going on - ironically, the same kind of thing as remembering 9/11.

I'd got an mp3 player for my birthday in the June of that year, and when the first single came out I didn't listen to anything else at all for weeks. Maybe months. I remember being struck by how punchy and up-front the drums were. Up to that point I'd been really into The Darkness and RHCP, where for the most part the drums are barely even noticeable, so it was really something new to me. I couldn't get enough of it, and I remember skipping at least one lesson at school so I could go hide in the field and just listen to the song on repeat. Then BOBD came out and suddenly everyone knew who they were in an even bigger way, and in general it was just a surreal experience. I can't believe it's 10 years already, it makes me feel so old. Obviously I'll be giving the album at least one listen today.

[Cath]

I'll never forget the first time I listened to it all the way through. It's just one of those moments in my life where I remember exactly where I was and what was going on - ironically, the same kind of thing as remembering 9/11.

this

[JOE THE X-KID]

This reminds me, AI was the first album I ever purchased. I'd only ever heard songs from it on the radio/had a few of them on a mix CD a friend sent me. It was a big purchase for 14 year old me, I don't remember the exact cost but it was definitely more than $15, which seemed ridiculously extravagant at the time. It was amazing to hold it in my hands though and read the lyric book and all that jazz.

it's weird I love to own the actual cd but for some reason never picked it up, I think I was kinda hoping for a tenth anniversary special edition.

[DatsNoMoon]

Righty-o, this could be fun.

So, the first time I heard the song American Idiot was a little while before the album's release. I was 9 years old at the time (jeez, 10 years, that really puts things in perspective) and living in Barbados. On that particular day, I'd just finished a crappy day at school, and I got in my dad's car to head home. As we were pulling away from the school, the guy on the radio started saying something along the lines of "Here's a new song from the punk rock band Green Day, it's called American Idiot", and as the first verse progressed, it just so happened that the version of the song that the radio was playing was the uncensored version. So the line "the subliminal mindfuck America" blared through the radios of thousands of people, and I thought it was hilarious. Not only because of that, but because I was 9 and "haha they're saying Americans are idiots", which I now know isn't what the song is about, but y'know, 9 years old. The DJ came on the radio and started apologizing for the cursing in the space between the verse and chorus, and did it again at the start of the second verse with "Maybe I'm the faggot America". It turned around the day a little bit, was pretty nice.

From then on, I saw Green Day everywhere. Any time I was near a TV, if the news or a celebrity news channel or a music channel was on, Green Day was there. In that time I heard the famous stuff from the album, because the music videos were always playing, and I just thought Green Day was the coolest band ever (which they are).

2008 came along, I was in a Target in Florida while on vacation, and I saw that album for like $5, and I said "hell, I liked these 4 super famous songs, sure, let's get it", and so American Idiot became the first album I ever bought with my own money.

It wasn't until around 2010 when I finally sat and listened to the entire album. I did so because, well, I'd just played through the whole thing on Green Day Rock Band, and the album interested me (along with the rest of the songs on the game), and I decided to actually sit and listen to them. I sat down and listened to the entirety of American Idiot, and I thought the entire thing was brilliant. As everyone knows, the album tells a story, and I loved that, it was incredible. To this point in my life, I'd never really 'listened' to music, as in, sat down with the intent of just listening. So now that I had, I wanted to make my own music, and I started playing guitar and singing.

Now in the present day, I can simultaneously sing and play over 200 songs, nearly half (or more) of which are Green Day. Here's a list in order by album:

1039 Smoothed Out Slappy Hours - Paper Lanterns, Knowledge (if it counts, cuz it's a cover). 2
Kerplunk - 2000 Light Years Away, Christie Road, Dominated Love Slave, One of My Lies, 80, Who Wrote Holden Caulfield, My Generation (if that counts). 9

Dookie - Whole fucking thing. 24
Insomniac - Brat, Stuck With Me, Geek Stink Breath, 86, Stuart and the Avenue, Brain Stew, Jaded, Westbound Sign, Walking Contradiction. 33
Nimrod - Nice Guys Finish Last, Hitchin' A Ride, The Grouch, Redundant, Scattered, Worry Rock, Uptight, Last Ride In, King For A Day, Good Riddance (first song I learnt, I spent like 4 months on it). 43
Warning - Warning, Blood Sex and Booze, Church on Sunday, Castaway, Misery, Jackass, Waiting, Minority, Macy's Day Parade. 52
International Superhits - Poprocks and Coke, JAR. 54
Shenanigans - Ha Ha You're Dead. 55

American Idiot - Whole fucking thing. 68
21st Century Breakdown - Whole fucking thing. 86
Broadway American Idiot - Whole fucking thing. Notably, both versions of When It's Time, Favorite Son, Too Much Too Soon. 90
Uno - Nuclear Family, Stay The Night, Let Yourself Go, Rusty James, Oh Love. 95

Dos - Fuck Time, Lazy Bones, Stray Heart, Wow That's Loud, Amy. 100

Tre - Brutal Love, Missing You, 8th Avenue Serenade, X-Kid, Sex Drugs & Violence, 99 Revolutions. 106
Demolicious - State of Shock. 107

So to tally, that's a lot of songs. 107 not counting the Broadway versions of the American Idiot songs and the 21st Century songs. 105 if you want to take out the 2 covers. So if it wasn't obvious, I fucking love Green Day.

I went off on a tangent here, away from American Idiot and more into Green Day in general, but truthfully for me, that's where my love of music started, was with American Idiot. So honestly, it'd be wrong to just talk about the album rather than where the album took me as well.

So that's my story I guess.

[Angela.]

So after listening to this album for the first time in ages, I still stand by the opinion that Whatsername is one of the best songs this band has ever made. Perfect closure to an album.

It's funny to think that without this album and without GDC, I wouldn't have met one of my best friends. It's truly special how one band has ultimately created countless friendships and relationships.

[Z J]

American Idiot is essentially the album that brought me to Green Day. The only GD song I had heard til that point was Good Riddance, except I didn't know who it was by and wouldn't for a while after i got AI. Anyway, the WMUWSE music video was my first exposure to Green Day ever, really. I was 9 and for some reason I thought the video was really emotional (the guy getting shot, etc.) so I kind of grew attached to it. This led me to get the full album. American Idiot the song became an obsession of mine for a while. Weirdly the only songs i ever listened to from the AI album were American Idiot, WMUWSE, BOBD, and Holiday. I didn't hear any other songs for years to come (despite owning the CD).

The album is a testament to GD's resiliency. I think it also reflects American's resiliency post-9/11. The songs became anthems for the kids of post 9/11 America. Even though many of the songs weren't intended to have that effect, it's a sign of Billie's incredible writing that the songs can mean so much to different people for completely different reasons. AI was the album of the decade, it captured a moment in time that can never be re-created. So thank you Billie Joe and thank you Green Day for creating something so incredibly special.

[Ross_19]

An amazing album in every way, happy anniversary American Idiot!

[November's Storms]

First time I ever heard AI was doing this group art project in the school gymnasium. Someone had it on in the background on some cheap stereo. We were all talking and working and messing around as schoolkids do. Even through all that and the shitty speakers I still liked it and that day never really left my brain.

First time I saw the AI video and when Billie "blew his brains out" was awesome. Figuring out Holiday was a political anthem and not just a cool rock song. Being happy that the radio played good rock music for a change. Being an idiot in 2005 and thinking Bullet in a Bible and American Idiot were the same thing. My then-girlfriend putting Give Me Novocaine on a mix CD for me and I named it Basket Case. Waking up one morning to St. Jimmy playing way too loud in my headphones, but I never touched the volume.

It's funny reminiscing on all those little moments that make you fall in love with something.

Now 10 years later it still gives me chills.

[iScottie]

I sort of have a feeling that the guys will have a secret show tonight and play the album in full.