American Idiot (2:53)

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“American Idiot” is a song by American punk rock band Green Day, and is the first single from their seventh album, American Idiot.

According to the American Idiot Songfacts, Billie Joe Armstrong was inspired to write this song after hearing a jingoistic Lynyrd Skynyrd song being played on his car radio, whilst driving to the studio.

Released in 2004, the single peaked at #61 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Green Day’s first Billboard Hot 100 chart entry (excluding singles that charted on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart), helping revive the band’s career. However, the appearance of “American Idiot” on the US singles charts occurred just prior to Billboard Magazine’s inclusion of internet download purchases into their Billboard Hot 100 chart data, which would have made a significant difference in the song’s peak had it benefited from the new chart tabulation system. This most recent form of sales assessment has resulted in the far greater successes of “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”, “Holiday” and “Wake Me Up When September Ends”.

“American Idiot” became Green Day’s first Top 5 single in the United Kingdom, reaching #3, and peaked at #7 in Australia. It debuted at #1 in Canada, holding onto the zenith position for five weeks.

In Australia, the song was ranked #22 on Triple J’s Hottest 100 of 2004.

Green Day performed this at the 2005 Grammy Awards. The album won for Best Rock Album.

The song was featured in the trailer for the 2005 film Wedding Crashers.

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punk rock, rock, punk, green day, alternative
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Albums featuring this track

• American Idiot
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• Kerrang! Best of 2004
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• 2004-08-27: Bramham Park, Leeds, UK
  Green Day

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• Live at Zeche in Bochum, Germany
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