James Wilkins 1

Birth of the Idiots of America

From the terrifying comfort behind a screen, a young generation watched in horror as

they realized that their world would forever change. Artists, musicians, athletes, scholars–

Americans, young and old alike–were forced to witness their country falling under attack. The

day is September 11, 2001, when the terrorist attacks upon the world trade center forever

changed American culture. Some felt anger against those responsible for the attack while others

became furious against the administration that allowed such a thing to happen. Yet, in the

division and fear that followed the attacks, a generation of punk rockers saw their home slowly

going up in flames that ravaged politics, media, even homes. In the midst of chaos and

uncertainty, punk rock prevailed with a revolution of art that called for change in America. Of

the most prevalent of these art pieces was Green Day’s 2004 album, American Idiot, which

changed the music world with visceral songs telling the tale of a dystopian America, the America

that the lead singer, Billie Joe Armstrong, believed would come to pass if the injustice following

the war on terror continued.

The album was inspired by a variety of artistic ideas that were shown to be common in

the early twenty-first century. Armstrong felt trapped and oppressed by the fear that was imposed

in America following the war on terror. The title track of the album states in its first verse,

“Don’t wanna be an American Idiot. Don’t want a Nation under the new media.” Armstrong’s

rageful lyrics and violent chords inspired a rebellion in the hearts of many, taking heavy

inspiration from punk revolutionaries of the past like Rage Against the Machine with their most

recent 1999 album, The Battle of Los Angeles. As Green Day performed a broadway-like story of

modern-day messiah complexes, grimy, dystopian love, and rebellion against authority, they also

expressed their fears and sorrows, their dreams and ambitions that were squashed by the
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corruption in America. Listeners of the album soon shared similar perspectives, touched by the

beauty present in the chaos of punk rock.

Green Day was far from the first band to create a concept album. However, American

Idiot was one of the first protest albums that depicted a linear story without directly referring to

the names or events that they were protesting against. As such, Green Day’s entry into the field

of rock opera was able to appeal to a variety of audiences, including those that may have been

indifferent or even in support of the war. Given the popularity and credibility of the album, even

after over nineteen years, American Idiot touched the souls and rebellious spirits of many. Later,

the album’s linear nature led to the creation of a broadway music inspired by the story, although

this musical did not perform nearly as well as the album. Even so, American Idiot remains to be

regarded as one of the best punk rock operas in history due to its beautiful storytelling and its

powerful political impacts.

Prior to the creation of the album, America had been in a state of division regarding the

war taking place in Iraq. Many were in support of the war for fear of Iraq rising up and attacking

American citizens, while others fought against the idea of war because of the turmoil that it

would cause inside and out of America. While many artists attempted to support either side with

their creations, most were met with disappointment from fans that disagreed with the messages.

Green Day ignored this disdain for politics in music, proceeding to record and produce a piece of

art that changed the hearts and minds of many Americans, furthering the movement for peace in

America. Rising up from the terror and turmoil of 9/11 was an era of punk rock that defined a

generation of artists and others alike, creating songs that can still fill rooms with teenagers

singing together in one voice, calling out for peace.