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American Idiot

EMAILPRINTby Green Day

Green Day reviews
79
8.7 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 26 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 347 votes
Read user comments
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Album Info

Label: Reprise

Release Date: 21 September 2004

Discs: 1 disc

Genre(s): Alternative, Rock

Summary

Structured as a rock opera complete with 9-minute-plus songs and a somewhat complicated storyline, 'American Idiot' is the Berkeley punk band's first album in over four years.

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

90

All Music Guide

In its musical muscle and sweeping, politically charged narrative, it's something of a masterpiece, and one of the few -- if not the only -- records of 2004 to convey what it feels like to live in the strange, bewildering America of the early 2000s.

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90

Mojo

It's exhilarating stuff, the kind of record that sets new parameters as to what is possible from a punk rock'n'roll band in the 21st century. [Oct 2004, p.106]

89

Austin Chronicle

American Idiot is one of the most politically volatile albums to come out since the ascension of the Accidental President. It's also the best album of Green Day's 12-year career.

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86

ShakingThrough.net

An energetic, musically ambitious pop-rock record that employs its expanded vistas in the service of animating punk's well-worn thematic underpinnings.

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83

E! Online

There's still plenty of spunk in to be found in this Sgt. Pepper-lite.

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83

Entertainment Weekly

As often happens with concept albums, the disc tends to rely on lyrics over music, so some of the songs are forgettable. [24 Sep 2004, p.105]

80

Billboard

It is exactly what the band needs to boost itself to the next level of pop-punk prowess.

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80

Paste Magazine

As pretentious a concept as that might seem, Green Day pulls it off brilliantly.

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80

Dot Music

Not only does it contain Green Day’s finest songs (and choruses) to date... but it also scratches at the surface of political dissatisfaction with nails sharp enough to leave a nasty scar.

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80

Stylus Magazine

This is the type of album impressionable teenagers fall in love with, crammed with melody and variety and thrill.

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80

Q Magazine

A powerful work, noble in both intent and execution. [Nov 2004, p.110]

80

New Musical Express

An onslaught of varied and marvellously good tunes presented in an unexpectedly inventive way. [18 Sep 2004, p.65]

80

Playlouder

There are several duff tracks, certainly. And, sure, as a whole 'American Idiot' can easily be criticised for its simplistic, occasionally naïve sixth form lyrics, all round pomposity and general adherence to the group's tried and tested formula of punchy three-chord pogo-pop. But it's still a wonderfully entertaining, polemical punk rock record.

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79

cokemachineglow

If the forced lyrical growth is a little stunted, it’s more than made up for by the band’s newfound sonic ambitions.

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72

Pitchfork

For all its grandiosity, American Idiot keeps its mood and method deliberately, tenaciously, and angrily on point.

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70

Rolling Stone

Against all odds, Green Day have found a way to hit their thirties without either betraying their original spirit or falling on their faces.

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70

Village Voice

As a rock opera, Idiot is a mostly three-penny thrill.

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70

Splendid

American Idiot isn't so much meticulously crafted as it is unflinchingly audacious.

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70

Uncut

Fans will be relieved to know that although it pulls few lyrical punches, slam-dancing is still possible. [Nov 2004, p.119]

70

The Onion (A.V. Club)

The observations don't always dig as deep as they're meant to, and buzzwords occasionally stand in for insights, but American Idiot finds Green Day both shaking up its formula and applying it in novel and unexpected ways.

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70

Tiny Mix Tapes

Self-referential, unified, and insanely catchy, American Idiot's positives outweigh its clichéd delivery and ironic medium for corporate America critique.

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70

The New York Times

Green Day trumps any pretension with melody and sheer fervor.

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60

Drowned In Sound

An album that doesn’t sell us short on the pop hooks of albums past, but one that also delivers a healthy dose of politics to the mix without sounding like a six-legged cliché-riddled embarrassment.

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60

Blender

Concept or not, American Idiot is still decent fodder for a mosh pit, a luagh and a sob session. [Nov 2004, p.136]

60

The Guardian

American Idiot is a mess - but a vivid, splashy, even courageous mess.

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58

Village Voice (Consumer Guide)

There's no economics, no race, hardly any compassion. Joe name-checks America as if his hometown of Berkeley was in the middle of it, then name-checks Jesus as if he's never met anyone who's attended church. And to lend his maunderings rock grandeur, he ties them together with devices that sunk under their own weight back when the Who invented them.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 8.7 (out of 10) based on 347 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Andrea P gave it an8:
A well done record, some songs are awesome but one or two aren't so good. Sure one of the best album by Green Day.

Wyatt M. gave it a10:
I think green day put great meaning's for there song's in American idiot.

Barbara S gave it a10:
They grew up. As musicians and people. That's it.

Kevin L. gave it an8:
Of course, American Idiot pales in comparison to the likes of Dookie or Insomniac but it's far from crap. In fact, it's an excellent album. I don't think Green Day wanna live in the shadow of Dookie forever so I welcome their change.

Sid S gave it a7:
When you are an old Green Day fan and are just willing them to bring out another 'Dookie', a bit disappointing.

Jack S gave it a10:
All of the people below will regret the zero's you have given this album when, in twenty years time, it becomes one of the most influential albums in rock history.

Joey gave it a9:
OK, this album is great, Green Day's best album, not IMO, almost a fact. The 0 to 3 ratings on this album are made by 1, frustrated American who does not care about the record itself, 2, people who say they are fans, but honestly and obviously, are not (haters), 3, a tip, before you can say anything, listen to it, I mean, listen to the music, not the lyrics, then, listen to the lyrics. Overall, most of you guys, are all over old punk, seriously, 70's punk, 80's ? It's shit, bad music, I may seem like a hater, but this thing really sounds like... garbage ? No just kidding, it's good, but so is pop punk (Green Day), you're just a freaking hater, you do not know what you're talking about. This album is maybe not a masterpiece, but definitely Green Day's best record, period.

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