Warning vs. American Idiot

[Jack]

So to most Green Day or even just general music fans for that matter, American Idiot was a really pivotal album in the course of Green Day's career so far and in punk music. But, Warning was also a shot in the dark and a step in a new direction for Green Day with it's heavy acoustic guitar use and different overall sound and makeup. Putting aside AI's impact on punk itself, which do you guys think was better for the band to try and release in the end? Reply with thoughts please!

[Katarina.]

Well, you can discuss the albums in the Green Day music section.

As for which one I think is better.. it depends on the day and what kind of music I want to listen to at a certain point. Personally, I prefer listening to Warning most of the time. I don't know if I think either American Idiot or Warning was 'better' for the band to release. I mean, they didn't release them for no reason. They liked the music and the lyrics, and they make an album. Maybe if they didn't make Warning, there wouldn't be American Idiot. And with American Idiot they got better lyrically and musically, and were more into the 'punk rock opera' thing, which led to 21st Century Breakdown eventually. So I think both were good for the band.

[Valkin]

Yeah i don't think this belongs here

[Just Kate]

you should put this in the Green Day section lol

i'm not gonna choose or anything. to me they're both great

[ifmemoryserves]

Which do I think was better for them to release? Well it depends on how you're looking at it. Personally, I like American Idiot better by twenty two miles. So for me, I'm more glad that they released AI. Also, Warning pretty much flopped. BUT, it was cool of them to release it, because like you said, it was a shot in the dark, maybe even more so than American Idiot was. In fact I'm not sure American Idiot would even be in existence today if Warning had never been released.

[captain peroxide]

Moving to Green Day Music...

[green day blink 182]

AMERICAN IDIOTTTTTTTTTT!

Warnig isint a bad album but its like my least favirote album by green day and its still great lolo!?

[justcause]

So to most Green Day or even just general music fans for that matter, American Idiot was a really pivotal album in the course of Green Day's career so far and in punk music. But, Warning was also a shot in the dark and a step in a new direction for Green Day with it's heavy acoustic guitar use and different overall sound and makeup. Putting aside AI's impact on punk itself, which do you guys think was better for the band to try and release in the end? Reply with thoughts please!

I don't think it's an either/or thing. If you think of the whole of Green Day's output up to Nimrod, Warning is like cleaning the slate and taking stock - it's a very spare album, where each song sits pretty separately, there's no drama, no vibrant pulse to it. The best three songs come at the end - Minority, Waiting, Macy's Day Parade - Castaway has a nice little buzz to it, Hold On is sturdy, Fashion Victim doesn't do a lot for me - and there's this sense of ticking-over and doing the work. At one time it was my least favorite album, because it's low-energy and lacking in passion - now I play it often, and I love this vibe of just working on it, keeping on going, progressing the project.

American Idiot comes in the blinding light of inspiration - it's high-energy, ecstatic, overwhelming, idea after idea rushing forward on a tidal wave of vivid emotion. They can seem like chalk and cheese, but Warning laid the groundwork for this superstar.

When people talk to me about Green Day, I've had this thing where they basically 'stop' at Warning - and this has been with guys, so it makes me wonder if it's a guy-thing. It's funny in a way, because Warning is probably the least punk-sounding Green Day album, but I guess it's got that basic, stripped-down feel to it. Warning is also where Green Day still looked pretty much like the Green Day of yore, and maybe that's a part of it. American Idiot unleashed the poetry, the more vulnerable lyrics, and with it came with the image-change and the glossier sound. It gained millions of fans, and it lost some.

[AfterShock]

I don't think it's an either/or thing. If you think of the whole of Green Day's output up to Nimrod, Warning is like cleaning the slate and taking stock - it's a very spare album, where each song sits pretty separately, there's no drama, no vibrant pulse to it. The best three songs come at the end - Minority, Waiting, Macy's Day Parade - Castaway has a nice little buzz to it, Hold On is sturdy, Fashion Victim doesn't do a lot for me - and there's this sense of ticking-over and doing the work. At one time it was my least favorite album, because it's low-energy and lacking in passion - now I play it often, and I love this vibe of just working on it, keeping on going, progressing the project.

American Idiot comes in the blinding light of inspiration - it's high-energy, ecstatic, overwhelming, idea after idea rushing forward on a tidal wave of vivid emotion. They can seem like chalk and cheese, but Warning laid the groundwork for this superstar.

When people talk to me about Green Day, I've had this thing where they basically 'stop' at Warning - and this has been with guys, so it makes me wonder if it's a guy-thing. It's funny in a way, because Warning is probably the least punk-sounding Green Day album, but I guess it's got that basic, stripped-down feel to it. Warning is also where Green Day still looked pretty much like the Green Day of yore, and maybe that's a part of it. American Idiot unleashed the poetry, the more vulnerable lyrics, and with it came with the image-change and the glossier sound. It gained millions of fans, and it lost some.

Couldn't have said it better.

[Vrock09]

Warning is starting to appeal the me more than it did a couple years ago, but American Idiot was just..I dunno how to describe it, it was like I was hooked to every single song, and I remember listening to that album, everyday straight for weeks So I have to go with American Idiot.

But both Warning and American Idiot are monumental albums in Green Day's career, maybe one more than the other, but I dont think without Warning there could have been an American Idiot or 21st Century Breakdown. So both are important in their own way.

[bjrules]

I love both of the albums a lot, but American Idiot would have to be he better one for me. They were both really unexpected albums for the band to go and release, and Warning has a whole lot of awesome songs, like Warning, Church on Sunday, Castaway, Misery, Waiting, Minority and Macy's Day Parade, but American Idiot completely revitailized the band (is that the right word?) and it has a heap of really in your face songs, which Warning didn't really have, but I love it anyway.

[Jack]

I don't think it's an either/or thing. If you think of the whole of Green Day's output up to Nimrod, Warning is like cleaning the slate and taking stock - it's a very spare album, where each song sits pretty separately, there's no drama, no vibrant pulse to it. The best three songs come at the end - Minority, Waiting, Macy's Day Parade - Castaway has a nice little buzz to it, Hold On is sturdy, Fashion Victim doesn't do a lot for me - and there's this sense of ticking-over and doing the work. At one time it was my least favorite album, because it's low-energy and lacking in passion - now I play it often, and I love this vibe of just working on it, keeping on going, progressing the project.

American Idiot comes in the blinding light of inspiration - it's high-energy, ecstatic, overwhelming, idea after idea rushing forward on a tidal wave of vivid emotion. They can seem like chalk and cheese, but Warning laid the groundwork for this superstar.

When people talk to me about Green Day, I've had this thing where they basically 'stop' at Warning - and this has been with guys, so it makes me wonder if it's a guy-thing. It's funny in a way, because Warning is probably the least punk-sounding Green Day album, but I guess it's got that basic, stripped-down feel to it. Warning is also where Green Day still looked pretty much like the Green Day of yore, and maybe that's a part of it. American Idiot unleashed the poetry, the more vulnerable lyrics, and with it came with the image-change and the glossier sound. It gained millions of fans, and it lost some.

yeah i guess i get what youre saying but really even though Warning lacked a general storyline, its hard to ignore (which i know you arent) the sheer difference it had over any other GD album. just like you said about AI, i think it gained some fans and lost some. but i think BJA and the band as a whole kindof opened up on that album. it touched on some styles that can be heard later songs still today. i know its hard to say one or the other especially with AI's success as a whole but once you get past the enormous success of AI its just another album. a great one, but just another album like Warning. i see how each changed GD but i think people overrate AI just bc of hearing about its success. dont get me wrong i love the storyline and the themes and characters but Warning was epic too, even if not as epic out in the non GD obsessed world.

[21st century idiot]

I don't think you can really compare two green day albums with each other because each one has its own sound and gets different review , i wasn't listening to green day when warning came out, American idiot is what got me ionto green day so i'm always gonna be a little more of a fan for AI. But i like warning for different reasons than AI, it has an awesome sound and i rank it up as one of my favorit albums along with AI.

[fadi_7]

i love both but i prefer warning the dunno why but my fave song is from American idiot Jesus of suburbia and warning have a lot of great songs that i love like blood,sex and booze i don't think that there is anyone hate this song

[Guest]

American Idiot, for sure

[petros]

Warning is like my second or third favourite album but American Idiot will always be my #1.

[RhayaOnTheHill]

They are my two favourites actually. Warnings really underated though for sure.

[Adeline.Hearts.You]

Agreed with warning being so underated. But then alot of green day fans i know, dont even own the album.

[gdpony]

well, Warning and AI are totally different albums, both amazing, and both with different importance. Warning was the first album in which GD made political references, and well AI, was AI. Obviously because of the timing, AI did better, and after Warning everyone thought the band was done, it was such an underrated record, but in my opinion just as awesome.

but if I have to choose, I would choose warning

[GloriasInferno]

That's a difficult question.. I love them both! But I think I'd go for American Idiot.. I like those songs better, and the lyrics are great.

[Behind Blue Eyes]

It's very hard to choose, I love both of them. But if i had to pick, I'll say American Idiot. Just because it was in the Amrican Idiot-era that I started to listen to Green Day in the first place.

[BdoneofSuburbia]

For Me.. I love both those albums, Hold On. Misery is one of my favorite Green Day songs ever! American Idiot is probably my favorite over that though because it just was just so wonderful. Maybe for sentimental reasons too. For The American Idiot Tour was my first Green Day live experience.

[Maddy.]

American Idiot 4eva. It just holds so much emotional value for me, the songs I find altogether more enjoyable and I don't skip a single song on it. Warning is just a bit average to me, no song apart from Macy's Day Parade and Waiting stand out for me.

[November's Storms]

Warning had to happen for Green Day to ever dream of doing something like American Idiot. It was the first time they really brought in characters and storylines, especially in Misery. And it was the first time they really got political (Macys Day Parade, Warning)

but even still American Idiot will always be my favourite album, it just kicks Warnings ass I think.

[st.idiot]

well in my point of view a.i. and warning are two totally different albums with a different sound and approach. warning is prolly their most if not the most underrated green day album because it's just so different but at the same time it still has that power of dookie but just with more acoustic guitar. american idiot still has the acoustic guitar throughout the whole album but yet a.i. is sooo totally different.