50 Years, 50 Albums 2004: Green Day ‘American Idiot’

50 Years, 50 Albums 2004: Green Day ‘American Idiot’

Stolen recordings led to one of Green Day’s best albums! While working on a new album (Cigarettes and Valentines) master tapes were somehow stolen, so the band decided to start from scratch leaving C & V behind. American Idiot, a “Punk Rock Opera”, was born. With the anti-hero “Jesus of Suburbia”, as “Tommy” from The Who spoke to a 1960s generation, American Idiot spoke to a newer generation about the troubled times of the early 2000s, 9/11, etc. The album won a Grammy for best rock album in 2005 and Tonys for the production on Broadway. We welcome Green Day’s American Idiot to the 99.1 PLR Hall of Fame.

Learn more about the album:

The Making of American Idiot

Track-by-Track Album Review

Why American Idiot is Green Day’s greatest album

Essential video:

Listen to the album:

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