‘American Idiot’ turns 10: Watch Green Day perform right after its release

It’s truly crazy to think that Green Day’s seminal, politically charged album, American Idiot, was released in the U.S. 10 years ago (September 21, 2004). It would go on to become the band’s second most commercially successful album—bested only by the Diamond-certified Dookie—selling over six million copies in the U.S. At a time when illegal downloading was already pulverizing album sales, six million is almost more of an impressive feat than 10 million in the ’90s.

If you were in school during the fall of 2004, you likely remember MTV blasting the video for “American Idiot,” the album’s lead single, every morning. It was a brash, rebellious way to start the day. This was just the start of a musical takeover that would elevate Green Day, a band who had been fairly sleepy for a while, to a new height of global reach.

“Boulevard Of Broken Dreams” would prove to be a huge crossover hit, climbing to No. 2 on the Billboard pop charts. “Holiday” was seething with political contempt and cutting lyrics, taking no-holds-barred shots at George W. Bush. With “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” the band gave a cathartic anthem to a nation still deep in mourning. “Jesus Of Suburbia” was an adventure, sounding like nine songs in one.

The importance of American Idiot cannot be overstated. The political climate in America at the time was a pressure cooker of discontent, and AA was a pesky spark that set the whole thing ablaze—unforgiving and relentless with its lyrics.

In celebration of the album’s 10th anniversary, let’s look back at a time when the band’s creative spark was more like lightening bolt. On September 21 (the day after the album came out), the band played a show at Irving Plaza in New York City. Watch the full performance below and remember the intensity.