Green Day’s American Idiot album is one of 21sts. Released on September 21, 2004, the record recently turned 21, and I’ve turned 21 with it. I was raised with Green Day, especially American Idiot, and this band and its music hold such a special place in my heart that I can’t honestly go without shouting it from the rooftops.

Green Day’s 7th studio album was always a concept album, being labeled as a “punk rock opera” by the band. The central protagonist, coined “Jesus of Suburbia” (also the title of the second track), is a lower-middle-class teen in the early 2000s. The album reflects the disillusionment of a generation that came of age during the events of 9/11 and the Iraq War. The story can be seen in the way the band connected tracks for a smoother listening experience and fostered an idea of long, chaptered compositions to present the album’s narrative.

This Green Day era gave fans the iconic black and red uniforms as well as a larger, politically charged sound. It also broke new records, being one of the most anticipated releases of 2004. American Idiot sold over 23 million copies worldwide, was certified 6x platinum in 2013, had five epic singles, and won two Grammys in 2005, including Record of the Year and Best Rock Album. Alongside these accolades, the band’s second biggest hit inspired a Broadway musical and even a documentary celebrating its 20th anniversary.

The second track is a personal favorite of mine and may be the best Green Day song ever. “Jesus of Suburbia” is not only musically interesting, but lyrically bewitching when you compare it to other singles from Green Day’s previous albums. The nine-minute song is truly a feat of storytelling, introducing listeners to the album’s protagonist. Jesus of Suburbia is a representative of the disgruntled American youth and the influence of drugs in the punk scene. In each song, he slowly loses hope and grows to hate everyone around him. Each chapter of the song is inspired by the lengthy and genius storytelling in Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and Green Day accomplishes the goal of honoring that narrative structure of that track.

Of course, if I’m talking about American Idiot, I have to mention “Holiday/Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” Many of the songs on this album are paired together for a more cohesive listening experience as they blend together. Hearing “Holiday” without “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” directly after is always a little disappointing.

“Holiday” is an anti-war anthem criticizing the Iraq War that sets up the American Idiot’s protagonist. This is the start of Jesus’s departure from his home while also directly referencing the Bush administration and urging listeners to take a stance against the war itself. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Green Day’s lead vocalist, Billie Joe Armstrong, said,

“That was a time when our country was moving into a war for fictitious reasons. A lot of it had to do with politics and oil. It felt like the country was beginning to come apart. I think the catalyst of where we’re at now, really, is with George W. Bush. So this song was just about trying to find your own voice and your own individuality and questioning everything that you see on television, in politics, school, family, and religion. I was jumping into character a little bit. I wanted something that sounded very nasty. I definitely wanted to do something that was provocative. So I was like, ‘Sieg Heil to the president Gasman,’ invoking old Nazi Germany propaganda films, contrasted with the American branches of government.”

Growing up, my favorite part of “Holiday” was the cut to the interlude where Armstrong declares, “The representative from California has the floor” (likely Reagan) because it’s such a stark contrast from the rest of the song. Now, however, I love the lines “Hear the dogs howlin’ out of key/To a hymn called “Faith and Misery”/And bleed, the company lost the world today” in the opening verse. This song directly challenges the propaganda being fed to the American people about the Middle East in a post 9/11 world with its lyricism and angry tone.

“Boulevard” is truly an inescapable song, but that doesn’t ruin it. The Grammy-winning track is an emo anthem telling the next chapter of Jesus’s story, where he leaves his hometown for the city. He quickly loses his excitement to find he’s completely alone now, and stews in his bad habits. This is the emotional peak of the album, where the protagonist realizes he has no one, snaps, and meets/creates his alter ego, St. Jimmy, as an excuse to remove himself from the consequences of his actions. This new persona changes the tone of the rest of the album to be one of saviorism and hope before he comes back down to reality.

From the titular track to the very end, American Idiot is a masterpiece that has resonated with the American people since its release, as the band’s audience grows. With the choice to change lyrics live for relevance (“I’m not a part of a MAGA agenda” vs. “I’m not a part of a redneck agenda”), Green Day has proved to be a pillar in the punk community and stands for the protection of human rights and dignity. Also, these guys are in their fifties and love what they do. They’re still making music and performing like it’s all they’ve ever known. In this day and age, it feels more and more rare to find a group that’s been around for this long (38 years!) and still feels as joyful and true to their core as they did when they had their first hit.

21 Years of American Idiot