21st Century Breakdown

How do you follow an album that completely revitalized your career? The answer? Apparently, you make another rock opera.

Because why make things easy? So in 2009, Green Day released 21st Century Breakdown.

And this album is enormous.

Big production, big guitars, big themes, big arrangements.

And while it doesn't have quite the same immediate impact as American Idiot, there is some outstanding music here as well.

With songs like Know Your Enemy, 21 Guns, East Jesus Nowhere, and Last Night on Earth.

And here's what I find fascinating about 21st Century Breakdown.

It may not be as consistently memorable as American Idiot, but it contains some of the most ambitious music Green Bay ever recorded.

And I've heard that song a hundred times.

The next thing after that was 21st Century Breakdown.

And that had Know Your Enemy as a single, and it had 21 Guns as a single.

It might have had another single, but I can't remember.

I remember seeing that.

Then they made American Idiot into a play that was on Broadway, like a big musical.

And 21st Century Breakdown was one of the other burnt CDs that I listened to on that summer trip.

And the third burnt CD was International Super Hits.

It was American Idiot.

The other options are Nimrod Dookie or 21st Century Breakdown.

But it is American Idiot.

If you recall, American Idiot was a two truths and a lie that I tricked you with.