American Idiot
by Green Day
  • Record Label: Reprise
  • Release Date: Sep 21, 2004
User Score
8.9

Universal acclaim- based on 829 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 757 out of 829
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 829
  3. Negative: 50 out of 829

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  1. flabslab
    Jun 8, 2007
    3
    Gee, there sure must be a load of American Idiots out there. I can only assume that the moonbats who like this simplistic dross were no more rthan a gleam in their mummy's pantie's in the late 70's when true punk bands like the Pistols, Stranglers and Clash were reinventing rock, Listen young guys, when are you going to stop copying my generation and come up with some Gee, there sure must be a load of American Idiots out there. I can only assume that the moonbats who like this simplistic dross were no more rthan a gleam in their mummy's pantie's in the late 70's when true punk bands like the Pistols, Stranglers and Clash were reinventing rock, Listen young guys, when are you going to stop copying my generation and come up with some musical and political ideas of your own. Both the Jim's and John are dead, and so is the mass murdering concentration camp commander Che. Get over it and move on. If you like this you are indeed an American Idiot.… Expand
  2. PhillipR
    Sep 24, 2004
    0
    I was absolutely shocked and disgusted at how disappointing this album was, as this was recommended to me bya friend with normal good taste in music.
  3. WinonaK
    Oct 13, 2004
    0
    Utter shite. do not listen to this crap. I love REM
  4. greendaysucksyuptheysuck
    Apr 6, 2006
    0
    i personally wish i could give a negative score on this vote but unfortently 0 is as low as it gets, green days old stuff was alright but american idiot is exactly that stupid as shit
  5. dex
    May 7, 2006
    2
    This album has no inventiveness, its a typical sell-ot album. There old stuff was reasonable but they have got considerably worse with this album.
  6. Mike
    Nov 3, 2008
    1
    This CD is BAD. Seriously. Have you ever listened to their older stuff? They went from amazing to crap in a matter of a few years. If you like this CD, then you're probably a 10-year-old goth kid who thinks they're being rebellious. There's nothing "hardcore" about this album They went from being smart and catchy to stereotypical and cliche. If you listened to any albums This CD is BAD. Seriously. Have you ever listened to their older stuff? They went from amazing to crap in a matter of a few years. If you like this CD, then you're probably a 10-year-old goth kid who thinks they're being rebellious. There's nothing "hardcore" about this album They went from being smart and catchy to stereotypical and cliche. If you listened to any albums before Nimrod, then you will agree that this CD is just horrible!… Expand
  7. AlexK
    Oct 21, 2004
    1
    This album by Green Day sucks compared to their old shit
  8. benm
    Nov 22, 2005
    1
    it sucked....period
  9. JelloBiafra
    Jan 15, 2005
    0
    GOD DAMN THIS MUSIC SUX. ALL THEY Do is play rock chords they do not work together. if you like to listen to good rock music listen to something b4 1985.
  10. MasonB
    Jul 21, 2005
    0
    It all sounds the same. nuff said
  11. NIC
    Sep 15, 2005
    0
    Green Day is pure trash. You peolpe should listen to decent music for a change.
  12. ACDCritic
    Oct 27, 2006
    3
    I don't understand the great reviews this CD's gotten. Green Day have become political and boring. So many songs on this CD are so slow that they might as well be pop music. Very few intelligent lyrics, and, most importantly, very few catchy songs. The only bright spots on the CD include the epic 2nd song as well as Broken Dreams and Holiday, although even that latter is stopped I don't understand the great reviews this CD's gotten. Green Day have become political and boring. So many songs on this CD are so slow that they might as well be pop music. Very few intelligent lyrics, and, most importantly, very few catchy songs. The only bright spots on the CD include the epic 2nd song as well as Broken Dreams and Holiday, although even that latter is stopped in its tracks by a pace-killing political agenda in the middle of the song. Much of the CD is basically slow songs. Even in the fast ones, though, the lyrics just are not interesting. It's like Blink 182 (their excellent final CD aside,) but without any of that band's hooks or personality. Just...not a good CD. On another note, if anyone thought Green Day was punk, this CD should erase that thought. Songs like Extraordinary Girl, She's a Rebel, Wake me up when September Ends, Are We the Waiting, and Rock and Roll Girlfriend (among others) are practically written for the TRL countdown.… Expand
  13. Ace
    Feb 18, 2006
    0
    A bunch of idiot drugies! A flash in the pan pathetic group!
  14. BrianM
    Mar 2, 2006
    3
    Pretentious, overblown, and boring. You can hear all the chords and harmonies in the music from musicians that pioneered the sound in the 70's. Skip this record, it's nothing new.
  15. Dave
    Aug 28, 2008
    0
    Green Day hate what U.S. soldiers are trained to do, and yet they filmed the "Wake Me Up When September Ends" on a real American military training base. Green Day smoke so much dope that they shouldn't be allowed to have opinions on politics or the military.
  16. TrudiJ
    Sep 21, 2004
    2
    Sorely disappointing. My friends made it out to be something it wasn't, that's the last time I take their word for it.
  17. AndrewS
    Mar 24, 2005
    0
    This album is an absolute joke. I guess you might like it if you're used to listening to any anything written in the last 35 years. Green Day knows nothing of the nature of music, they know nothing about text-setting, and they know nothing about lyric writing. If you love music, you will study it. Green Day obviously does not love music.
  18. dano
    Apr 23, 2005
    3
    complete filth, green day at their worst. the songs are annoying and whiny. very dissapointing, check out any of their previous work, and you can't go wrong.
  19. JonathanH
    Dec 9, 2006
    0
    Do you know what, I would of paid more attention if Billie Joe had written "Brian Stew" and dedicated it to George Bush! Now that would of been dangerous (eh Billie) But i guess whining about not wanting to be an AMERICAN IDIOT does the job and makes people pay attention eh?
  20. BrandonS.
    Mar 13, 2006
    0
    Oh my god, this shit is horrible. I can never trust the critics again.
  21. JA.
    Nov 12, 2007
    2
    It's funny how the people who are praising this album, are the same people being criticised on it.
  22. JonC.
    Oct 28, 2007
    0
    There's so many reasons to not like this album. First off, Green Day is just plain not talented, playing beginner guitar player's style power chords and lazy riffs that turn into the same hooks in every song. Also, it's anti-American. They're basically make a statement that America sucks, and that everybody should just leave it, which is pretty much a terrorist's There's so many reasons to not like this album. First off, Green Day is just plain not talented, playing beginner guitar player's style power chords and lazy riffs that turn into the same hooks in every song. Also, it's anti-American. They're basically make a statement that America sucks, and that everybody should just leave it, which is pretty much a terrorist's point of view. Don't support this trash, or else more and more bands will get political and it'll just ruin music altogether.… Expand
  23. KickerTom
    Feb 14, 2007
    0
    Green Day are an embarrassment to music. The greats are rolling in their graves.
  24. AaronH
    Mar 11, 2007
    0
    Green Day is an embarrasment to Punk. Punk died with Joe Strummer.
  25. marc
    Nov 17, 2005
    2
    Wow..... ............Yet another cardboard cut out punk album with Green Day getting 'all mature' by having a pop at George Bush and his cronies. Punk has all been done before (in the 70/80's and it was much better then too) its about as relevant now as last years lottery results!!!!
  26. Wolfmother
    Dec 29, 2010
    0
    Its quite interesting how alot of the people who give this low scores explain absolutly no detail into their justification of that score and instead just personally insults the band or anyone that listens to it, how can you trust the opinion of a person who believes that enjoying certain types of music is correlated to inteligence? Sometimes, I think metacritic should just keep theIts quite interesting how alot of the people who give this low scores explain absolutly no detail into their justification of that score and instead just personally insults the band or anyone that listens to it, how can you trust the opinion of a person who believes that enjoying certain types of music is correlated to inteligence? Sometimes, I think metacritic should just keep the unbiased reviewer magazine crtics and nothing more. Nothing wrong with this album. The opinion of the public can be quite distorted such as Justin Bieber, Alot of people hate him for his music and perhaps 40% of his haters hate him because the other 60% hate him and want to look cool (peer pressure).… Expand
  27. Treima
    Sep 23, 2010
    1
    Green Day's PR manager walks up to them one day and says "You guys are has-beens, but you're under contract for one more album, and I've got just the thing to make you hits, even at your old age! See, everybody hates President Bush now, and you guys can just ride that to the bank, right?" The band convened and decided they could by ripping off everything that made their 1994 album Dookie aGreen Day's PR manager walks up to them one day and says "You guys are has-beens, but you're under contract for one more album, and I've got just the thing to make you hits, even at your old age! See, everybody hates President Bush now, and you guys can just ride that to the bank, right?" The band convened and decided they could by ripping off everything that made their 1994 album Dookie a success, then loading it with political bullpucky. Kids ate it up, adults praised it, and three men who made their fortunes writing songs about masturbation and marijuana became the sages of the 21st century. God help us all.… Expand
  28. MeeranQureshi
    Nov 23, 2019
    0
    Everything sounds the same.Billie's is terrible as always.He cannot sing and boring political rants.
  29. balloonsnake
    Jul 10, 2021
    2
    nope nope nope nope nope nope boulevard of broken dreams: nope, pretty overrated. Jesus of suburbia is just meh. A song like that shouldn't be 9 minutes long. whenever I hear music from this album, it just makes me want to listen to the vastly superior Dookie, or the raw, aggressive punk style of Insomniac. Remember when green day were punk? (Pre-Warning)
  30. Xbluannax
    Nov 21, 2021
    1
    Complete waste of time to listen to everything is bland and boring and has no feeling to it.

Awards & Rankings

98
#98 Best Album of 2004
3
#3 Most Discussed Album of 2004
4
#4 Most Shared Album of 2004

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
  1. Billboard
    80
    It is exactly what the band needs to boost itself to the next level of pop-punk prowess.
    Read full review
  2. E! Online
    83
    There's still plenty of spunk in to be found in this Sgt. Pepper-lite.
    Read full review
  3. Dot Music
    80
    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.
    Read full review
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