Exactly two decades ago, five-time Grammy Award-winning band GREEN DAY forever changed punk rock and popular culture with their conceptual magnum opus, “American Idiot”. Commemorating the Grammy Award-winning record’s 20th birthday this year, the California trio proudly present the definitive “American Idiot” 20th-anniversary deluxe edition out October 25, 2024. They have assembled massive limited-edition super deluxe box sets available in 8-LP vinyl and 4-CD configurations. Each box set also contains two Blu-ray discs. Also released October 25 will be a limited-edition color vinyl of the original two-LP album, plus an audiophile “one-step” release of “American Idiot”. The first three tracks — which include an unreleased demo of “Holiday/Boulevard Of Broken Dreams (Demo)”the fan favorite B-side “Favorite Son” and “Minority (Live From Irving Plaza)” — are available on all streaming platforms now.
Both of these limited-edition super deluxe box sets feature the original album as well as a plethora of essential extras. Among many highlights, this treasure trove consists of 15 unreleased “American Idiot” demos, a rapturous 15-track 2004 concert recorded at Irving Plaza in New York City capped off by nine previously unreleased live recordings (including a cover of QUEEN‘s “We Are The Champions”), and 14 songs previously available only as B-sides and bonus tracks. Plus, it showcases two Blu-ray discs, comprising the film “Heart Like A Hand Grenade”, BBC “Top Of The Pops” “Mini Gig” and “Later With Jools Holland”and finally the brand new, 110-minute, documentary, “20 Years Of American Idiot”. New liner notes penned by Rob Cavallo and Rolling Stone‘s David Fricke complete the package.
In the vinyl box set, each LP has been pressed on its own unique color vinyl. The collection also houses a 36-page book, a large GREEN DAY flag, and the iconic “American Idiot” red tie. If you purchase via D2C, you will also receive a poster. Meanwhile, the CD box set boasts a 48-page book, enamel pin set, sticker sheet, and cloth patch.
Produced by Rob Cavallo and the band, “American Idiot” represented a turning point for not only GREEN DAYbut rock music in the 21st century. Following its release on September 21, 2004, it crash landed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and eventually moved north of 23 million copies globally — with nine million in the United States alone. It was garnered in 2005 Grammy Award in the category of “Best Rock Album.” It even inspired a Broadway musical of the same name, receiving two Tony Awards and a Grammy Award.
Powered by smashes “Boulevard Of Broken Dreams”, “Holiday”, “Wake Me Up When September Ends”, “Jesus Of Suburbia” and “American Idiot”it has emerged as a commercial and critical high watermark for the group. It has graced dozens of “best-of” lists, including Rolling Stone‘s coveted “500 Greatest Albums Of All Time” and “The 100 Greatest Albums Of The Decade,” NPR‘s “The Decade’s 50 Most Important Recordings,” Entertainment Weekly‘s “New Classics: The 100 Best Albums From 1983 To 2008,” and NME‘s “The Top 100 Albums Of The Decade.” Not to mention, Pitchfork hailed it as “the band’s most ambitious record to date,” going on to attest, “there’s something to be said for having the balls.”
Nothing would be the same after “American Idiot”. The revolutionary implications of this punk rock opera masterpiece continue to reverberate from one generation to the next — and that influence shows no signs of diminishing. If anything, it’s only growing.
“American Idiot” 20th-anniversary deluxe edition
CD 1 / LP 1 and 2 (original album)
01. American Idiot
02. Jesus Of Suburbia
03. Jesus Of Suburbia
04. City Of The Damned
05. I Don’t Care
06. Dearly Beloved
07. Tales Of Another Broken Home
08. Holiday
09. Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
10. Are We The Waiting
11. St. Jimmy
12. Give Me Novacaine
13. She’s A Rebel
14. Extraordinary Girl
15. Letterbomb
16. Wake Me Up When September Ends
17. Homecoming
18. The Death Of St. Jimmy
19. East 12th St.
20. Nobody Likes You
21. Rock And Roll Girlfriend
22. We’re Coming Home Again
23. Whatsername
CD 2 / LP 3 and 4 (B-sides and bonus tracks — previously released)
01. American Idiot (Live)
02. Jesus Of Suburbia (Live)
03. Jesus Of Suburbia
04. City Of The Damned
05. I Don’t Care
06. Dearly Beloved
07. Tales Of Another Broken Home
08. Holiday (Live)
09. Are We The Waiting (Live)
10. St. Jimmy (Live)
11. Boulevard Of Broken Dreams (Live)
12. Favorite Son
13. Shoplifter
14. Governor
15. Too Much Too Soon
16. Are The Waiting (VH1 Storytellers)
17. St. Jimmy (VH1 Storytellers)
18. Give Me Novacaine (VH1 Storytellers)
19. Homecoming (VH1 Storytellers)
CD 3 / LP 5 and 6 (demos)
01. American Idiot
02. American Idiot (Alt. Version)
03. Jesus Of Suburbia
04. Holiday/Blvd. Of Broken Dreams
05. Are We Are/St. Jimmy Opera
06. Novacaine
07. She’s A Rebel
08. Radio Baghdad
09. Cluster Bomb
10. Wake Me Up When September Ends
11. Homecoming (Nobody Likes You)
12. Everyone’s Breaking Down
13. Just Another Year
14. Lowlife
15. What’s Her Name
CD 4 / LP 7 and 8 (live Irving Plaza, New York City, September 21, 2004)
01. American Idiot (Live)
02. Jesus of Suburbia (Live)
03. Holiday (Live)
04. Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Live)
05. Are We the Waiting (Live)
06. St. Jimmy (Live)
07. Give Me Novacaine (Live)
08. She’s A Rebel (Live)
09. Extraordinary Girl (Live)
10. Letterbomb (Live)
11. Wake Me Up When September Ends (Live)
12. Homecoming (Live)
13. Whatsername (Live)
14. Minority (Live)
15. We Are The Champions (Live)
Blu-Ray 1
01. Heart Like A Hand Grenade
Blu-Ray 2
01. 20 Years Of American Idiot (New Documentary)
BBC Live
01. St. Jimmy (Live)
02. Give Me Novacaine (Live)
03. She’s A Rebel (Live)
04. Welcome To Paradise (Live)
05. Wake Me Up When September Ends (Live)
06. Jesus of Suburbia (Live)
07. American Idiot (Live in Studio)
08. Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Live in Studio)
Photo credit: Eva Mueller
