User Score
Generally favorable reviews- based on 391 Ratings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 323 out of 391
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Mixed: 31 out of 391
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Negative: 37 out of 391
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TruterRJul 1, 2009Well, it's nothing I haven't heard. Same riffs, but if you're new to Green Day you should try it...I feel a fan of the band would be disappointed. To compare it to American Idiot is harsh. You're either gonna love this album or hate it.
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DarrylCOct 20, 2009Simply a great album. You can listen to this album over and over and not get tired of it. I would rate this album superior to American Idiot only because every track is superb. They are able to vary their sound and see be Greenday. Richer melodic material and deeper tonal texture woven together to form a satisfying epic album. Viva La Green Day!
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DaveRMay 18, 2009Amazing. Absolutely amazing. It's such a fun album to listen to, so epic. The powerful guitar riffs just make you want to jump in the air in excitement everytime you listen. Good job Green Day, you've outdone yourselves this time.
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AllenDMay 28, 2009
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LeeKJun 2, 2009
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AnonyMousJun 24, 2009
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NathanGJul 10, 2009I really like Green Day's older stuff. 21st Century, like American Idiot, is simply better than the older stuff. But it is certainly not American Idiot 2. It is actually quite different. Green Day just keeps getting better and better, and this album is simply a masterpiece.
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AndreaAug 4, 2009Great record with great songs. If only there isn't the piano, it would be better.
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Ikarus14Oct 9, 2009Makes American Idiot look mediocre in comparison.
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JoeTMay 16, 2009American Idiot + higher production value - musical and lyrical hooks & overall Omph! = this album It took all these years to come up with this?!
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MichaelMay 16, 2009
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PBMay 16, 2009Not only is 21st Century Breakdown more ambitious than American Idiot, but genuinely a better album in general, with more ambition, more accessibility, and more depth than it's slightly 2D predecessors. An truly excellent album of stellar proportions, it blew away my scepticisms and exceeded all expectations.
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BrandonMay 20, 2009
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ThomSJun 25, 2009Great album. Truly is. It has more diverse instrumentation than previous albums by Green Day. Also it does deserve its praise. When the worst critic review simply calls it average, it's a sign that you have something good. Besides critics have In Rainbows 40%, so no loss with a few bad seeds.
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RolfGJun 27, 2009A collection of great songs, it's an album with a song to everymood! It's probobly going to be a classic one, it's not punk rock any more it's classic rock. A masterpiece with ambition and very good written catchy rock songs!
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MikeWJul 2, 2009I'm not a Green Day fan, but I was really hooked by 21 Guns; I'll admit, it sound similar to most of they're stuff, but hey, they've found what works and they're running with it. It's not the most original sound, but it's good.
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PatrickBJul 7, 2009Not as good as American Idiot, but very close. I love putting this on and rolling through the whole thing in a sitting.
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AaronYJul 9, 2009
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StefanoAug 29, 2009Great album for one major's rock band in the world!!!!
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TysonB.Sep 21, 2009It is really good.
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PissFishSep 6, 2009
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MariahLNov 4, 2009How can you not love this album if you don't fine but you cannot see the musical genius behind it and the complexity it is truly a masterpiece leave it to create two of the most influential and memorable albums of the decade deal with it sorry if you miss old Green Day but they have moved on and are great STILL.
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CraigEOct 2, 2009
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EddMMay 15, 2009A masterful album! A brilliant narrative throughout the album and hugely enjoyable from start to finish!
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KevinMay 15, 2009I'm enjoying this album right from the first listen. Does stay along the same vein as American Idiot but if it ain't broke, why fix it? Worth picking up if your a fan of the band for sure.
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SeanRMay 15, 2009
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GreenHeadMay 16, 2009Remarkable Album and ambitiously delivered. Those who say this album is subpar need a history lesson in rock music. Go back to school kids. Green Day rocks with this album. Truely one of their best.
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MattMay 17, 2009Incredible. Of course, one could argue the band are losing direction - but that does not mean this is not an epic album, simply that it is what the world is described as in Armstrong's lyrics at the moment - in chaos, varied, and downright screwed up. This is what fans of American Idiot will have been waiting for.
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JonnyNMay 17, 2009The songs are superb, but I just can't understand why they have to use such a bothersome and terribly noticeable auto-tune...so annoying...He's a great singer! doesn't even need it!
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CameronSMay 23, 2009Sure they've strayed from their punk-stoner roots and drifted way into the alternative rock realm, but, hell, this new Green Day formula works, and it works well. Oh yeah, and the title track is by far the best song I've heard in years.
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RockyLMay 24, 2009
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ChrisKJun 12, 2009
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ChingWJul 14, 2009What a sweet album. The thing about it is, unlike American Idiot, people all around the world can feel with and agree with the lyrics, coz the songs could be talking about any hardship. A very mature album, definitely looking forward to what Green Day has to offer in the future.
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WyattMJul 24, 2009I think 21st century breakdown has great songs and great lyrics.
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BRaftisJul 3, 2009Boring. Anti-Climactic. It seems as thgoug Green Day didn't even try to make the songs work half as well with each other as they did on American Idiot. It gets better the more you listen to it but not much. I gave it a zero for as large a drop as possible on my vote to lower the average rating...this album should be at about a 6.
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BarbaraSJul 9, 2009Who knows what lyrics and good music really is about, will understand.
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OrlandoMAug 17, 2009All though the ten is just to try bring the rating up I was still very impressed by the album the beginning to the songs may not be that great but by the end I'm hooked.
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RudeBoyAug 28, 2009Class of 13? WTF? Basically i was in the class of 2007 and this CD makes me feel like an old fart. Aren't the guys who made this 40 or something so theyd be in the class of 1989, yet by goin on and on about the class of 2013 all the time they make anybody over the age of about 14 feel like an old fart. This annoys me Musically this album is a bit pretentious, sum41 and blink 182 are better.
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JakeSep 22, 2009Better than idiot one truly for the ages.
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LoveMusicMay 15, 2009
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MarcWMay 15, 2009Great, ambitious album. Better than American Idiot. Impressive stuff.
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GerogeSMay 16, 2009
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MichaelCMay 16, 2009Green Day has lost complete focus and direction. This isn't even Green Day. They need to drop the make up, and the demographic of 12 year old rich girls who are angry at their parents. Furthermore, rolling stone gave this a 90 and Merriweather post pavilion only got a 70 from them? Total faith lost in rolling stone.
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KurtL.May 16, 2009I don't know why but this album isn't blowing me away. There isn't a single song that I don't like, but there are only two that I love: 21st century breakdown and 21 guns. A lot of the songs sound very familliar too. In my opinion, it doesn't even come close to American Idiot.
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AlexAdMay 17, 2009Great album, first listen didn't rock me the way I thought but after really listening it truly sounded great.
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ZackSMay 17, 2009A band without direction? Don't listen to Sputnikmusic or most of the reviews on here. Im not that much of a green day fan but omg i cant stop listening to this album. Buy it end of story.
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JPMay 17, 2009Something both Melodic and Bold. That is what 21st Century Breakdown has achieved. Truly a master piece in the long winding road that is Green Day. This is a must for both long time Fans and those just joining the party. Great album all around.
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JalexDMay 18, 2009
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sameMay 18, 200921st century breakdown is green days best album!!! It sounds bigger and stronger than any rock album to come out this decade.the vocals are outstanding along with the lyrics.This band has grown so much with a little help from legendary producer butch vig.
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JamesRMay 22, 2009Are you kidding? Who are you people who think it is "masterful" and "ambitious." It's a hollow, rehash of a great album... Nothing to say, but speaks anyway. Terrible.
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RyanSMay 24, 2009This album is exactly the same as before. Furthermore, it is tiring, repetitive and nothing new. Green Day repeated the formula of the previous album and has not brought anything new. The sound "emo" band that continues to influence will only please some fans.
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ChrisNMay 28, 2009Rocky L - I hope you are being sarcastic. This is a good album, but it's far from 'top 100 Rock Albums of all time" territory. It certainly seems like you've got an impressive music collection, but that doesn't exactly qualify you to make statements like that. Time will tell, I suppose.
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BryanMJun 11, 2009
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QuayTJun 17, 2009Green Day's bast days are well-behind them, as I think the pre-breakthrough youthful energy of Dookie cannot be recaptured. That being said, this album is much better than American Idiot, a fact which much surprised me, given the banality of the lead single, "Know Your Enemy." I only wonder why they would choose such a blatantly repetitive song to lead a much more creative album.
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CedricJun 27, 2009It's a good with album with excellent instrumentation. My only concern is all the word crammed into one line on some of the songs.
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mikecJul 14, 2009awesome
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JoshHJul 18, 2009This is an amaZing album with some amazing riffs and lots of catchy songs " know your enemy " maby not as good as American idiot but still very good also the album style has changed has more piano sections all in all 10/10
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MirthMAug 31, 2009Seriously. This is one for the ages. Great album.
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MikeBNov 27, 2009A modern-day masterpiece.
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Aug 11, 2010Another excellent album that has a lot to say while intertwined with great music!! Green Day still has what it takes to make you lose yourself in the lyrics and rock out to the beat! Thank you Green Day.
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Jul 29, 2011
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Aug 18, 2010Eh, could have been better..I only liked three songs out of the whole album. Sooo, this album was kinda disappointing. but the songs were good..only the thee I liked. Good rock n roll, but not good enough.
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Aug 27, 2010Enjoyable to say the least. Not quite as good as American Idiot, but still very enjoyable. The great lyrics of Billie-Jo Armstrong really shine through in this one with ballads such as "21 Guns" and "Know Your Enemy". With the hard pounding guitar and sing-along choruses, this album is a definite crowd pleaser, but can leave older fans slightly disappointed.
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Dec 14, 2010
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Feb 1, 2011This album is amazing! I feel its better than American Idiot in every-way. Don't understand all the mixed reviews. Its like they took what they did on American Idiot and made this album even bigger. The songs flow together perfectly and its such an epic feel on every song! My favorite album of 2009!
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Feb 10, 2011Following American Idiot, Green Day have done it again with another brilliant album and story accompanied. But unlike American Idiot it is not as good. With American Idiot each song had its own specific style and personality where as with Breakdown several of the songs have the same style even to the point of sounding similar.
Not as good as American Idiot but brilliant none the less! -
Feb 15, 2011
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Feb 19, 2011A thoroughly lackluster and unoriginal effort from a band who've outstayed their welcome.
American Idiot was the only thing that was passable everything before and since then has been complete trash -
Feb 22, 2011This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
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Aug 26, 2011
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May 12, 2011its awesome and touching and full of hate. green day creates a story so powerful it makes me wanna rebel against drinking coke and loving america. green day was killing this album. i love this album. the lyrics were great. i hate America just like they do.
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May 15, 2011Most Green Day albums are awesome, but this one album changed the world for the course of 1 billion years. So epic, cool & awesome. Anyways, this makes Insomniac feel like a dictatorship. Its a great album, really.
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Jun 22, 2011Not only is every song good, but they made a whopping 18 of them. Rarely do albums have this many songs, and definately not as good as these. Green day really took their time with this album, but once you hear it, u will see why
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Sep 21, 2011Sounds like b-sides of American Idiot and Warning. Complete lackluster display of songs.from such a great band.
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Jul 26, 2011This album makes American Idiot seem like the opening act. Set in three acts and eighteen songs, it tells another story about Christian and Gloria, as well as a bit of America thrown in for good measure. This is Green Day at its finest.
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Sep 10, 2011Green Day's songs are now at the point where they are all beginning to sound quite similar in almost every possible way. At least these are enjoyable, intense pieces from another great concept album.
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Aug 7, 2011I'm not sure whether a good punk rock song should be called 'catchy' (sounds too commercial?), but I know that every song from this album is nothing less than... catchy. Sometimes "21st century..." is noisy and powerful, but you can also find ballads. I expected something much more worse after "American Idiot" and I'm pleasantly surprised.
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Aug 23, 2011
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Nov 10, 2011Greenday's "21st Century Breakdown" is unpredictable and epic in every sense. The songs are good and has a smell of rock. Overall a great package, but "American Idiot" was better.
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Mar 1, 2012
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Nov 8, 2011Green day seems to have grown up too much I preferred green days old material like their unproffessional childish style like Older albums Kerplunk and Dookie and the more hardcore sound in American idiot and Warning. Good stuff back then but this album is very weak, winey, and mellow-dramatic.
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Jan 6, 201221st Century Breakdown isn't American Idiot, and won't ever live up to the standards set by Dookie, but it still exceeds at tearing down the walls of the 21st century.
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Apr 9, 2012Better and more songs than American Idiot, but it doesn't have any of the great plot elements of American Idiot, and feels sort of bland. Overall it's an OK album, but after the masterpiece of American Idiot, this really is a bit of a disappointment. It lacks the energy and political commentary of American Idiot, but I would still recommend it if you are a Green Day fan.
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Jun 5, 2012A great follow-up to "American Idiot", this album proves to yet again succeed convey Green Day's brilliant messages. "21st Century Breakdown" proves to be no disappointment.
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Oct 27, 2012
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Mar 8, 2013Another masterpiece by Green Day. No bad songs, only good tracks and many great songs (21 Guns, 21st Century Breakdown, Know Your Enemy, Viva La Gloria, The Static Age). Green Day do it again.
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Nov 6, 2012
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Mar 26, 2013This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
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Jan 4, 2014I wasn't exactly sure how to feel about this album. Sure, some of the songs in it were hits that i still listen to, like '21 Guns' or 'See The Light' but I felt that Green Day slipped a bit on this album. It's not good, but it's not bad either. It's not American Idiot for sure, but it still deserves recognition.
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Dec 22, 2013I seem to have an unpopular opinion when I say that 21st Century Breakdown is superior to American Idiot, and I think one reason for this is that "21st" has more.
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Apr 4, 2016......................................................................................................................... An Another Masterpiece Album of Green Day, Too Masterpiece like American Idiot (2004)
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Dec 16, 2017................................................................................................................................Excellent record by Green Day Another one
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Oct 17, 2016...Masterpiece...... 70% is a shame critics always have been dumb this album deserves more than 79% And American Idiot too................................................................................
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Nov 15, 2019
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Apr 4, 2016..............................................................................................................................................................................................MOPUS..........................LIKE American idiot
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May 1, 2016Is not a punk album, but it's still catchy, 21st Century Breakdown would probably be the laziest album of the band, arenas will be a bit disappointed, but some tracks will return the powerful crowd as Bullet In a Bible or as the breakout Dookie
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May 11, 2016....................................................................................................................................................................Album of genius
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Oct 11, 2016
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Aug 5, 2016
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Feb 22, 2017Green Day's second rock opera release was absolutely amazing. Almost every song is incredible, and with a mix of harmonized vocals, layered guitars, pop rock influences as well as their usual punk rock rage, 21st Century Breakdown is easily one of the best rock albums of the decade.
Awards & Rankings
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The performances are blandly professional, because any major-label rock band of Green Day's abilities could shit this stuff out in their sleep, and emotionally inert. This is the crafting of a modern epic as a dreary day-job routine.
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21st Century Breakdown is far from a bad album, and, like Idiot, will likely be the best release this year from such a popular band.
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It could have easily gone any of several wrong ways, but Green Day's punk has long since been tempered with pop's most attractive attributes, and 21stCentury Breakdown, like its predecessor, is unapologetically accessible and relentlessly exhilarating.