Album
American Idiot
American Idiot is Green Day's seventh studio album, released on 21 September 2004 on Reprise Records. Rob Cavallo produced it with the band, and it was recorded between 2003 and 2004 at Studio 880 in Oakland and Ocean Way Recording in Hollywood. It follows Jesus of Suburbia, a lower-middle-class American teenager, across what the band called a punk rock opera, capturing a generation's disillusionment in the years of 9/11 and the Iraq War.
It came after the disappointing sales of Warning, and after the master tapes for their planned follow-up, Cigarettes and Valentines, were stolen. Starting afresh, they made a sharper, more political record that went back to their punk roots. It gave them a first Billboard 200 number one, and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" won Record of the Year. It also took the Grammy for Best Rock Album and later inspired a Broadway musical.
American Idiot: tracklist, credits and charts
13 tracks · 57:17Tracklist
- 1American IdiotGreen Day and Billie Joe Armstrong2:54
- 2Jesus of SuburbiaGreen Day and Billie Joe Armstrong9:08
- 3HolidayGreen Day and Billie Joe Armstrong3:53
- 4Boulevard of Broken DreamsGreen Day and Billie Joe Armstrong4:21
- 5Are We the WaitingGreen Day and Billie Joe Armstrong2:43
- 6St. JimmyGreen Day and Billie Joe Armstrong2:55
- 7Give Me NovacaineGreen Day and Billie Joe Armstrong3:26
- 8She’s a RebelGreen Day and Billie Joe Armstrong2:00
- 9Extraordinary GirlGreen Day and Billie Joe Armstrong3:34
- 10LetterbombGreen Day and Billie Joe Armstrong4:06
- 11Wake Me Up When September EndsArmstrong, Dirnt, Cool4:46
- 12HomecomingDay, Armstrong, Dirnt, Cool9:19
- 13WhatsernameGreen Day and Billie Joe Armstrong4:12
- Produced by
- Rob Cavallo, Green Day
- Recorded at
- Studio 880, Oakland, Ocean Way, Hollywood, Capitol, Hollywood
- Recorded
- April 2003 – March 2004
- Mixed by
- Chris Lord‐Alge
- Mixed at
- Image Recording Studios
- Engineered by
- Chris Dugan, Doug McKean, Reto Peter
- Label
- Reprise Records
- Length
- 57:17
Line-up
- Kathleen Hanna · vocals · guest
- Billie Joe Armstrong · guitar, lead vocals · guest
- Mike Dirnt · bass guitar, background vocals · guest
- Tré Cool · drums (drum set) · guest
Singles
- “American Idiot” · 6 August 2004
- “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” · 29 November 2004
- “Holiday” · 14 March 2005
- “Wake Me Up When September Ends” · 13 June 2005
- “Jesus of Suburbia” · 14 November 2005
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart · 2004–2006 | 1 |
| US Billboard 200 · 2004–2006 | 1 |
| Australian Albums (ARIA) · 2004–2006 | 1 |
| Austrian Albums · 2004–2006 | 1 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard) · 2004–2006 | 1 |
| European Albums (Billboard) · 2004–2006 | 1 |
| Ireland 2 · 2004–2006 | 1 |
| Norwegian Albums · 2004–2006 | 1 |
| Scottish Albums · 2004–2006 | 1 |
| Swedish Albums · 2004–2006 | 1 |
All 36 charts
| Swiss Albums · 2004–2006 | 1 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums · 2004–2006 | 1 |
| US Catalog Albums · 2016 | 1 |
| Finnish Albums · 2004–2006 | 2 |
| Greek Albums (IFPI) · 2004–2006 | 2 |
| New Zealand Albums · 2004–2006 | 2 |
| Argentine Albums (CAPIF) · 2004–2006 | 3 |
| Dutch Albums · 2004–2006 | 3 |
| German Albums · 2004–2006 | 3 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon) · 2004–2006 | 3 |
| Danish Albums · 2004–2006 | 4 |
| French Albums · 2004–2006 | 4 |
| Italian Albums · 2004–2006 | 5 |
| US Top Rock Albums · 2004–2006 | 5 |
| Belgian Albums (Flanders) · 2004–2006 | 6 |
| US Alternative · 2024–2025 | 6 |
| Mexican Albums (Top 100 Mexico) · 2004–2006 | 7 |
| Belgian Albums (Wallonia) · 2004–2006 | 8 |
| Taiwanese Albums (Five Music) · 2004–2006 | 9 |
| US Tastemaker · 2004–2006 | 9 |
| Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) · 2004–2006 | 14 |
| Hungarian Albums · 2004–2006 | 15 |
| Portuguese Albums · 2004–2006 | 15 |
| Polish Albums · 2004–2006 | 24 |
| Czech Albums · 2016 | 57 |
| Portuguese Albums (AFP) · 2024–2025 | 146 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification |
|---|---|
| Argentina | 2× Platinum |
| Australia · 2006 | 6× Platinum |
| Austria | 2× Platinum |
| Belgium · 2007 | Platinum |
| Brazil · 2005 | Gold |
| Canada · 2023 | Diamond |
| Denmark · 2025 | 5× Platinum |
| Finland · 2005 | Gold |
| France · 2006 | Platinum |
| Germany · 2023 | 4× Platinum |
| Greece | Platinum |
| Hungary · 2005 | Gold |
| Ireland · 2005 | 8× Platinum |
| Italy · 2022 | 2× Platinum |
| Japan · 2005 | 2× Platinum |
| Mexico | Platinum |
| Netherlands · 2005 | Gold |
| New Zealand · 2025 | 7× Platinum |
| Portugal · 2005 | Gold |
| Spain · 2006 | Gold |
| Sweden · 2005 | Platinum |
| Switzerland | 2× Platinum |
| United Kingdom · 2026 | 9× Platinum |
| United States | 6× Platinum |
| Europe · 2007 | 4× Platinum |
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
96.8
Popularity (0–100, vs the whole vault)
23k
ListenBrainz listeners
474k
Wikipedia views, last 12 months
313k
Deezer fans (all editions)
Released the same week
Also released on 21 September
Every year →
More from Green Day
Full discography →
1,000 Hours
1989
Slappy EP
1990
39/Smooth
1990
Sweet Children
1990
1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours
1991
Kerplunk!
1991
Dookie
1994
Insomniac
1995
Bowling Bowling Bowling Parking Parking
1996
nimrod.
1997
Warning:
2000
Tune In, Tokyo…
2001
International Superhits!
2001
Shenanigans
2002
Bullet in a Bible
2005
21st Century Breakdown
2009
Last Night on Earth: Live in Tokyo
2009
American Idiot: The Original Broadway Cast Recording
2010
Awesome as Fuck
2011
Oh Love E.P.
2012
¡Uno!
2012
¡Dos!
2012
¡Tré!
2012
Revolution Radio
2016
Greatest Hits: God’s Favorite Band
2017
Father of All Motherfuckers
2020
BBC Sessions
2021
Saviors
2024
The best of 2004
All of 2004 →
Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)
Slipknot · 2004
Collision Course
Linkin Park · 2004
Reise, Reise
Rammstein · 2004
With the Lights Out
Nirvana · 2004
Com Lag: 2plus2isfive
Radiohead · 2004
Greatest Hits
Guns N’ Roses · 2004
The System Has Failed
Megadeth · 2004
Sliver: The Best of the Box
Nirvana · 2004
Live in Buffalo: July 4th 2004
Goo Goo Dolls · 2004
Underground 4.0
Linkin Park · 2004
Queen on Fire: Live at the Bowl
Queen · 2004
Inferno
Motörhead · 2004
More on Reprise Records
The label →Dookie
Green Day · 1994
21st Century Breakdown
Green Day · 2009
nimrod.
Green Day · 1997
Insomniac
Green Day · 1995
Warning:
Green Day · 2000
Diamond Eyes
Deftones · 2010
Revolution Radio
Green Day · 2016
Father of All Motherfuckers
Green Day · 2020
Saviors
Green Day · 2024
Koi no Yokan
Deftones · 2012
¡Uno!
Green Day · 2012
The Real Thing
Faith No More · 1989
Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + wikidata; also seen: 2004-09-20 (musicbrainz)
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 20 September 2004 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 21 September 2004 | |
| Wikidata | 21 September 2004 | |
| US release | 21 September 2004 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 20 September 2004 | earliest UK or European date |
29 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | ZA | Reprise Records | 6001212082536 | other |
| 2004 | CA | Reprise Records | 093624877721 | other |
| 2004 | TH | Reprise Records | 093624877721 | other |
| 2004 | AU | Reprise Records | 9325583025525 | other |
| 20 September 2004 | GB | Reprise Records | 093624877721 | original |
| 21 September 2004 | XW | Reprise Records | 093624877769 | other |
| 21 September 2004 | US | Reprise Records | 093624892526 | other |
| 21 September 2004 | US | Reprise Records | 093624877721 | other |
| 23 September 2004 | JP | Reprise Records | 4943674052356 | other |
| 4 October 2004 | XE | Reprise Records | 093624877714 | other |
| 2 November 2004 | FR | Reprise Records | 0093624897224 | other |
| 2005 | XE | Reprise Records | 093624939122 | deluxe |
| 25 May 2005 | JP | Reprise Records | 4943674057184 | other |
| 10 January 2006 | XW | Warner Bros. Records | 093624410560 | deluxe |
| 10 January 2006 | XW | Warner Bros. Records | deluxe | |
| 11 April 2006 | US | Adeline Records | 655223003316 | other |
| 17 March 2009 | US | Reprise Records | 093624410669 | deluxe |
| 3 November 2009 | US | Reprise Records | 093624979890 | other |
| 2012 | US | Reprise Records | 093624947301 | other |
| 1 January 2012 | US | Reprise Records | 093624978558 | other |
| 4 September 2012 | US | Warner Bros. Records | 093624947301 | other |
| 2014 | XW | Reprise Records | 093624947813 | other |
| 13 November 2015 | XE | Reprise Records | 093624922315 | other |
| 7 October 2016 | US | Reprise Records | 093624947301 | other |
| 21 September 2024 | XW | Reprise Records | 093624839088 | other |
| 25 October 2024 | XW | Reprise Records | 093624862703 | deluxe |
| 25 October 2024 | US | Reprise Records | 093624840473 | other |
| 25 October 2024 | XW | Reprise Records | 093624862680 | deluxe |
| — | — | — | other |
Cover art sources
coverartarchive · upscaled: minor: best source 1448x1448, upscaled to 1500 (x1.04)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| coverartarchive ✓ | 1448×1448 | upscaled: minor: best source 1448x1448, upscaled to 1500 (x1.04) |
| deezer | 1200×1200 | upscaled |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |