How did Green Day make AI such a success?

[dharmafox]

How did American Idiot explode so much and sell a ton of copies, unlike albums this year that haven't nearly sold as much? What is the secret to American Idiots success?

[DeJennsitized]

I think the timing was perfect for it. 2004, a few months before the election, and also kind of the cusp of a new era, with how people get music, and hear music. The songs were tight and coherant, their 'uniform' and album colour scheme was a super strong image, alternative music was still pretty popular around that time, it was just extremely marketable. 

In short: I think it was a combination of things, really. I do think luck was one of them. (Not that AI isn't a masterpiece but it had to be heard before people bought it and I think luck came into it a bit.)

[Bronni]

I think it was a perfect combination of the timing it was released and quality of the album. The political climate around the time was uber fucked (especially with all the fuckups caused by the Bush administration) and the album represented a lot of what people were thinking, and sales show it really struck a chord and hit home with people. The guys were also at their creative peak (in my opinion) at the time.

[DookieLukie]

Crazy to think that Blvd of Broken Dreams was the best-selling digital song until around 2007.

[Haushinka!]

Perfect timing. I think rock still had a place in the music scene back then. Sadly, nowadays it seems rock music in general is just not as popular to the mainstream audience. Plus, it was the "cool" thing to be anti-Bush at the time, so the political elements helped. Overall, American Idiot was very marketable at the perfect time. I can't help but wonder if the album would be as successful if it was released today, or released during a potential Trump administration. 

[21guns&novacaine]

I think it's because they had the guts to talk about the shit no one else wanted to. 2004 being the time when people were scared shitless to defy power, talk about 911 publicly or do anything, really. It came along at the right time. It's also one thing to have great lyrical content, but also to match it with catchy, ground breaking instrumentals that are memorable, and keep people thinking about the song. 

[Second favourite son]

• Excellent music
• Excellent timing
• Nothing to lose

[inthehallwaynow]

jesus christ blessed the album

[UNICORN VOMIT]

Just now, inthehallwaynow said:

jesus christ blessed the album

Bejeezus you're good😜

[inthehallwaynow]

2 minutes ago, Tinkle said:

Bejeezus you're good😜

Not as good as JC he walked on water! I can only tread on pudding. 

[UNICORN VOMIT]

2 minutes ago, inthehallwaynow said:

Not as good as JC he walked on water! I can only tread on pudding. 

There is a big conversation on pudding in the food thread🙃

[The Great Saiyaman]

cuz its good

[BraedonHorbacio]

Besides the timing of the lyrical themes, there was also better sales in the music industry in general. Rock music was in-style and a high seller, radio could make or break a single - unlike now when social media is a HUGE factor. Green Day also appealed to the average pop-loving teenager during American Idiot through branding - red and black, hints of the emo trend etc.

[Virtuous Xman]

The reason AI did so well was because of timing.  The fact that there was a younger generation that had never heard of green day outside of time of your life and the song american idiot was pretty much calling out a lot of people in this country.  I remember when AI premiered on Kroq, stryker was so blown away that he said "im playing this song again, I don't care".  And at the time I never heard a song be put on repeat immediately after just airing but the response to a lot of people was ridiculous.  Even before the album came out people were shocked that Green Day came out with a song such as that.

[zeldachick14]

When green day speaks with their music people listen.

[ZSebs]

I was only 8 when AI came out, but I do remember my dad got extremely hyped over this album, and he would play the CD in the car all the time. I know now that he was really into Dookie when it came out, but he never got into the albums following, and the songs he did hear from the albums were not memorable to him. Once AI came out though, he was turned onto Green Day again, so I can definitely see them not only attracting a bunch of new fans, but also regaining old fans as well.

[greendepent]

Eyeliner was the most fashion thing on 2004-2005 on TV. Then all the people who listened the record realised that it was a good thing, but Green Day did a lot with that teenage costume.

[Sarcasm]

I think the timing just hit a magnificent homerun. The music being really good as well didn't hurt at all either.

[Eldoon]

I agree with the general consensus everyone's come to in the thread - the songs, the message, the state of the music industry and America at the time, and the whole aesthetic from the music videos to cover art and unified eyeliner/tie look was all a perfect storm that coalesced into the major success of American Idiot as a whole. It was a really fun and exciting time to participate and be a fan of the band!

but I think it's important to note that GD and Cavallo were definitely angling for a huge hit to bolster both of their careers. I don't think that's a bad thing at all - how many of us wouldn't be here if it wasn't for AI? - but it was definitely a calculated and expertly executed move on their parts. The singles, in particular, have a particular sheen and sound that would guarantee they were gigantic radio and MTV hits. And it was influential, too! You can hear shades of the AI guitar tone in pop hits throughout the rest of the Aughts.

[Hermione]

7 hours ago, Second favourite son said:

• Excellent music
• Excellent timing
• Nothing to lose

This, plus a killer image makeover 

[Josh100_3]

Simple. They just had a perfect batch of songs with a theme running all the way through to connect them.

[RoosterTeeth]

15 hours ago, Jenn. said:

I think the timing was perfect for it. 2004, a few months before the election, and also kind of the cusp of a new era, with how people get music, and hear music. The songs were tight and coherant, their 'uniform' and album colour scheme was a super strong image, alternative music was still pretty popular around that time, it was just extremely marketable. 

In short: I think it was a combination of things, really. I do think luck was one of them. (Not that AI isn't a masterpiece but it had to be heard before people bought it and I think luck came into it a bit.)

Definitely. The simple color scheme and style made it marketable as hell. Shirts, stickers, posters, all sorts of merch, fairly easy to mass produce with the stylistic direction they went with.

[Alan86]

The illuminati helped make it happen of course

[DeJennsitized]

4 minutes ago, DrunkFunk said:

Definitely. The simple color scheme and style made it marketable as hell. Shirts, stickers, posters, all sorts of merch, fairly easy to mass produce with the stylistic direction they went with.

Basically, you could put the hand grenade heart on every piece of merchandise imaginable. Notebooks, pens, lanyards, shirts, necklaces, belt buckles...

[xXRustyJamesXx]

I wonder what would have happened if they released AI in 2016..