The return of Green Day (1 Viewer)

for a number of years, media has been searching for a rock band to come out and give mainstream rock a caffeine jolt of relevance it's needing. A few years ago, MTV and rock mags really tried to do this with The Vines, hyping them to death, and yet the album wasn't all that big, and by their second album, the hype was over. However, there's been a fairly big wave of pop-punk acts (usually emphasising on the POP side) the past few years, New Found Glory, Good Charlotte, Yellowcard, Simple Plan, etc... all have been doing okay even tho none of them get any critical respect or have hit #1 on the chart. Yet the group who was doing what these guys were doing a decade ago, and BETTER, Green Day released "American Idiot" last September. I think most people assumed it'd probably debut top 10 and then die a quick forgettable death like their "Warning" cd has. But yet it's the opposite. The album debuted at #1, and while it fell, it remained in the top 30 the whole time, and now, in it's 16th week, is back on top, unseating Eminem.

Granted, it was a bad sales week, but how often do you see this type of chart life for a rock album. To top off brisk comeback sales, Green Day's album also received numerous Grammy nominations, being the sole non-r&b/hip hop album nominated for Album of the Year. "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" is so close to making the top 10 singles chart as well, which is largely hip hop dominated.

Is this it? the media has been searching and searching for the band to make rock viable again in a mainstream perspective, lauded groups like The Vines, The Strokes and Jet just couldn't do it, yet a veteran act whose peak in popularity was a decade ago, has been able to do something that hasn't really happened in awhile (sorry, Ashlee and Avril don't qualify) with a rock band.

I think, coincidentally enough, that I bought it last week. I don't really care about sales numbers or any of that stuff (I never listen to radio, I heard about the album from friends and word of mouth), but I haven't stopped listening to it since the moment I bought it. It's an incredible album. Hell, my mom even likes some of it, and she's 55 years old.

I've never been a big Green Day fan but I have to admit there are some choice singles and overall the disc is fantastic. These boys have matured!

As for the next big thing, I dunno. I agree it would be nice if another Nirvana poked their heads through the corporate door as music is in dire need of a big shake up but IMO I just don't think Green Day is the one. But one never really knows, I'll be happy if even the Scissor Sisters become the next big thing.

I love this disk and also heard of it via word of mouth. I'm 43 years old and was in high school during the first punk wave. I liked Green Day when they first arrived and now think they have released a classic disk. I buy virtually no new music, but once I heard it at my brother's house over Christmas, I had to go buy it. I listened to it for two weeks in the car and then loaned it to my wife. I now need to go back and retrieve it for more listening. A big thumbs up for this recording.

Considering that the Grammy people think Jethro Tull is a heavy-metal god, I tend to think that their awards are about as reliable as the academy awards are for recognition of merit in artistic endeavors.

Yea, I've heard nothing but praise for Green Days new CD. I buy about 4-5% of my CDs new and this one is on the top of the list. Maybe next paycheck.

Trust me Chet, American Idiot totally lives up to the hype. How many "punk" (eventhough Green Day isn't really punk) bands have made a concept album? I can only think of one, Green Day.

Mark my words. Green Day will hold the number one spot in the top 10 singles sometime this year. The song will either be Boulevard Of Broken Dreams or Wake Me Up When September Ends.

I wonder what they will do next. Is it even possible to top this album?!

did anyone see Green Day on carson daly a few days ago?they played the 9 minute version of Jesus of suburbia...simply amazing imho

I liked Dookie when it came out but I can't bare to listen to it now. I guess they're music is better than the pop and hip hop crap that dominates the charts these days.

Don, have you heard the new stuff they've done? It's far more evolved and mature than Dookie.

Kevin, I saw them do American Idiot, Jesus Of Suburbia (all 9 minutes), Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Wake Me Up When September Ends, and Longview all in a row on Sessions@AOL on Fuse TV. They were really good, and it was all commercial-free (but the cursing in the songs was censored ).

I actually checked out "American Idiot" based on Stephen King's year end overview in EW. It's a very good album.

I've liked Green Day ever since they first came out. I enjoy their new album a lot and I will conitnue to listen to them no matter what their sales or what the media tries to do.

anyone know if there will be a DVD release of a concert containing some "American Idiot" stuff?

I bet that the band will put something out in the future along those lines. Since they have been doing quite a few shows lately in which they perform the American Idiot album in its entirety, and the album is a critically-acclaimed best seller, they should tape one of those shows and release it! It would be easy money in the bank for Warner Bros. Records and the band.

EDIT: Come to think of it, the only official Green Day DVD out right now is the collection of all of their pre-American Idiot era music videos, International Supervideos. So since Green Day doesn't even have a live DVD out, it would make even more sense to release one!

Billie Joe Armstrong has also mentioned that he would like to adapt the story of Jesus Of Suburbia, St. Jimmy, and Whatsername a full-length feature film. So he wants to make a movie based on the storyline and characters of the album, just like Pink Floyd did with The Wall.

I first heard American Idiot when it came onto the radio, and wasn't overly impressed. I then listened to it again, I'm still not a fan of the song, although it's wicked catchy, the rest of the album is pure genius, I love it, I'm always listening to it. I bought the Sessions @ AOL EP on iTunes when it came out and so forth. I can't wait to hear what Green Day has up their sleeves next.

I've been listening to their cd ad nauseam everyday since I've got it, and it's simply fantastic. Makes the work day pass much better having played it at least once on the spin of the ipod. I honestly thought nothing would top Kanye's CD last year as my album of the year, but this has proven me wrong.

Amen to all the thoughts in the thread. Great album. I've listened to other stuff since American Idiot's release, but I always come back. Right now it's what's queued on my MP3 player and in my car. Definitely my favorite album of 2004.

I finally picked up American Idiot last week fueled by my amazement at how damn good a song "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" is. I can't stop listening to this album. I genuinely believe this is the best rock and roll album in ten years. The last thing I've heard in the same league was Live's Throwing Copper.

Anyone heard of Sugar Bear?