5th Anniversary of the release of American Idiot

[Trina]

American Idiot is the seventh studio album by our beloved Green Day. It was co-produced with Rob Cavallo and released on September 21, 2004 through Reprise Records.

It marked a turning point for Green Day, both in their fan base and in their music.

Every year, on this day I stop and reflect on how much this album affected me. It changed my life. Forever. And I always wonder how thing's would have turned out, if I hadn't found Green Day. I know for sure thing's would be worse.

I first heard this album when I was 11 years old. I had seen the American Idiot music video, right when it came out and I became obsessed. I fell in love. I found something that I could call my own. I found myself. I found my identity. My neighbour had bought a pirated copy off of someone (affectionatly known as "DVD guy" or "Marble Mouth"!) who used to call around to our houses selling stolen and pirated discs. I remember she asked me did I want to listen and I jumped at the chance. She put the disc on and I sat in awe at what I was hearing. Finally, after all these years I related to something. I didn't feel disconnected. These people were singing about thing's that affected me. They weren't singing about being rich, nice bling and hot girls. I was amazed.

My neighbour switched off the cd after Give Me Novacaine and suggested me went and played outside and I was so dissapointed but I could hardly say no.

Afterwards I went in to my house and I asked could I get the cd for xmas. I wrote it on a piece of paper and stuck it to the fridge. For now, I'd have to do with the music video which was played quite alot on tv. I'd flick constantly though all of them just waiting to see my Green Day.

On xmas morning, I came downstairs to find the cd wrapped up. My brother had got a cd walkman(remember those?) with portable speakers and we stuck it in straight away. I just lied on the floor playing the disc over and over.

Anyways that's how it all began for me. This album means so much to me. So very much.

What do you think of American Idiot and what impact had it on you?

[Kaddi.]

There's no other album that's as important to me as American Idiot. It sounds cheesy, but it changed my life and also my taste in music. And it was the first (and the last so far) album of which I liked every single song. There's really no bad song on AI, it's amazing.

It's still my favorite album, because it means so much to me, but also because the music is simply awesome.

Sorry for my weird English, I have some struggles to express myself today

[emmaILGD!]

I was 11 when this album came out. I'd known of Green Day since Warning, but I never really considered myself a real 'fan' back then. I remember not having very high expectations of AI, I don't know why, but I didn't think you could do much better than Warning. When I first saw the American Idiot video I knew I was an idiot to think Green Day couldn't do any better. I felt like I fell in love with them all over again, which I obviously did, or I wouldn't be posting this right now. I got the actual album about a week after it was released, and sat in my room for nearly a whole day just playing it over and over again.

To cut a long story short, I fucking love everything about this album, thankyou Green Day <3

[BIBARAGURORIA]

American Idiot was the album that got me into Green Day.

There, I said it, it's out there. I wasn't really into politics back then (I was 10 when I bought the record, man), but I knew that Bush was an idiot, and I loved the fact that this band, this band with the catchy lyrics and kickass music, were basically telling Bush to go fuck himself. Songs about how the most powerful man in the country is a dumbass? I thought it was the coolest thing in the world.

I remember only listening to the songs I knew, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," "American Idiot," and WMUWSE for a while, but then I started actually listening to the rest of the record, not just the singles, and man...I wanted more.

Also, who thinks they should have released HLAHG for the fifth anniversary of AI? I'm hoping they'll release it later this year, at least.

[Mellyboots]

That makes me feel old...

I was in first year of secondary school when it came out. And now I'm in first year of college, crazy...it doesn't seem that long ago to me.

AI was basically the soundtrack of my school years.

[Trina]

For me, it will always be my all time favorite album. Not because I listen to it the most or because I way prefer it over other Green Day albums (that'd be Warning, Insomniac, Nimrod and Kerplunk) but because it was the first time I got into Green Day. Because it just means soo fucking much words can't describe. I'd listen to it every single day over and over. I still listen to it, almost every day. It's the greatest record ever. It's a real fucking record. they don't make them like that anymore.

I've always felt so disconnected from everything. The lyrics to this album are incredible. it's such raw honesty and I relate to them so much.

God, I just love this album to death.

I just can't express what it means to me.

I'm so proud of them and what this album achieved and how much it helped people and now it's finally a musical. They spoke out, when nobody else was willing to. They made this album, knowing that it could completely backfire. That they'd lose lots of fans and that people would turn on them. They knew how much shit they would get and they still did it. Because it was right, because it was them.

They better do as they said to mtv back years ago and cast Tim Armstrong as Whatsername if they make a movie of it!!!

[simone18]

There's no other album that's as important to me as American Idiot. It sounds cheesy, but it changed my life and also my taste in music. And it was the first (and the last so far) album of which I liked every single song. There's really no bad song on AI, it's amazing.

It's still my favorite album, because it means so much to me, but also because the music is simply awesome.

Sorry for my weird English, I have some struggles to express myself today

I feel exactely the same way about AI.

Before the album was released (and i didn´t get to "know" GD) i was listening to shitty pop music that didn´t make any sense and as AI came out i was totally blown away.

I still love every single song, i´ll never get tired of them, it´s amazing.

[Marie_GD]

Words can't describe how it changed my life, and I mean it

[Anja]

There's no other album that's as important to me as American Idiot. It sounds cheesy, but it changed my life and also my taste in music.

This.

I connect so many memories and experiences with this album. It changed me as a person on many levels, inspired me to do new things I´ve never done before, without it I wouldn´t know of the band of course and especially not of this place. I never would have gone to the East Bay probably, getting to experience eight amazing months and meeting other Green Day fans who are still some of the nicest human beings I´ve ever met (but that´s prolly because it´s the only side I get to know of you )

Also, the album introduced me to rock music (thank god aka Jesus of Suburbia) and inspired me to pick up a guitar and start to play! I must admit though, that after three years, "Wake me up when september ends" is still the only Green Day song I can play

Happy Anniversary American Idiot! You´ll always have a special play in my heart

[Metanoia]

i thought of that today the whole time in school so i couldn't concentrate XD but it was funnier to think of that XD happy birthday american idiot !

[Chelsea Hotel]

I have nothing but love and admiration for American Idiot. Without that album, I wouldn't be here. It changed me so much.

[Farah]

wawee..

5 years already, hah..

i can't really say this album changed my life... but i love it. <3:P

[mechanicalman]

It has the same birthday as my school. How exciting.

[jenni]

Happy Birthday to you, American Idiot!!!

this album has changed my life, I'm on GDC thanks to it and I've found out what I want to do for a living thanks to it (and thanks to Green Day too of course!)

[ChelseaDagger]

Wow, 5 years! I still remember driving to the mall after work on Sept. 21/2004 to buy it, I was so excited!!!

I admit that AI didn't really change my life, I had been listening to Green Day for 10 years before AI came out (Dookie did, however, change my life) but my love of Green Day was intensified a little, and it was pretty exciting to see a whole new wave of people become Green Day fans!

Happy Birthday, American Idiot! XOXOXOXOX

[elisa]

This album changed me life.

I am the person I am today because of this amazing record, it is definitely one of the most important and greatest things that happened to me.

I can't even remember how my life was before Green Day!

I owe this album so much.

Happy birthday!

[Minority_GD]

Happy birthday to you , American Idiot, album that changed my whole life.

[chaoschloeshesarebel]

Happy birthday to you , American Idiot, album that changed my whole life.

indeed!

it changed my life to.changed my perspectives of life, of everything.

I'mlistening to the title track as i write...

[Moz]

This is the album that got me into Green Day, and I think it's the most amazing album ever written. I always feel totally satisfied after listening to it. Happy B'day AI!

[.Militza.]

It's the first album that I've listened from beginning to end.

And I haven't skipped a song.

[KCoyote]

I wasn't a big Green Day fan before American Idiot because I hadn't heard of them. (Crazy, I know)

It definitely is one of my favorite albums of all time, and it made me more interested in politics, which I think was a good thing.

I loved it, no matter what anybody said about it.

[Velocity]

I was in first year of secondary school when it came out. And now I'm in first year of college, crazy...it doesn't seem that long ago to me.

AI was basically the soundtrack of my school years.

Same here. Well, I was in my last year of middle school, and American Idiot has gotten me all the way through to college.

I've had so many memories and good experiences connected to the album. I remember first hearing Boulevard of Broken Dreams on the radio on the school bus and falling in love immediately. I remember desperately trying to scrape up the cash to buy the album and the bliss that followed when I did. I remember all of 2005, constantly watching MTV just so I could see any of Green Day's videos, seeing Driven and Storytellers. I remember finding more about them through reading interviews and articles in the newspapers. I remember trying to get my friends into them, everything that we did together outside that summer involved a boombox and blasting American Idiot, no matter what we were doing. Those were some really good times.

Up until today, the lyrics of American Idiot have helped me through a lot of bad times, and they've changed me so much as a person. I've become more open-minded, more outgoing, and just a better, more mature person. American Idiot (& Green Day as a whole) helped me get into a lot of the music I'm into now. If it weren't for them Linkin Park would still be my favorite band and I would never have gotten into bands like The Who, The Clash, or The Replacements. I'm so glad it changed me, because I'm such a better person now than who I was before.

So thank you American Idiot, and happy birthday. I still can't believe it's been five years already.

[Laura!]

I found Green Day because of this album, before this I've heard of them but haven't really listened to them much at all. Then I heard Boulevard of Broken Dreams and everything changed. This album means a lot to me because it helped me find my all time favorite band and it changed my perspective on a lot of things.

Thanks AI and Happy 5th birthday.

[green_melly]

happy birthday american idiot!

one of the best records ever!

[Angie-Marie]

Happy anniversary, American Idiot! I can't believe it's been 5 years already. It's one of those albums that I love so much that whenever I listen to it, it brings back a lot of memories of what was going on in my life at the time. It's kind of like a time capsule for me. I remember seeing the American Idiot video for the first time when I was getting ready for class one morning and seeing it pretty much made my day and made me fall in love with Green Day all over again. I remember when Boulevard of Broken Dreams was huge and it felt like I couldn't go anywhere without hearing it or seeing the video. Some of the TVs in the dining hall always had music videos on and about half the time I went in there, there was Boulevard of Broken Dreams. One day I was having lunch with a friend, talking about what we wanted to do at karaoke that night and when that video came on again, he said he wanted to do that song. Holiday and the whole rest of that album remind me of what was going on during that summer. It's one of my favorite albums and I think it always will be.