Fuzz Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 I'd like to hear your opinions about why 21st Century Breakdown hasn't been as big of a hit for Green Day as American Idiot was? Promotion? Material? Substance? This is a discussion we'll be having on Wednesday's podcast, and I'd like to include some of your views in our discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AwfulHomesick Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 I really believe it is the material. I had this discussion with one of my friends a few days ago. He personally loved 21CB, but I didn't, because it wasn't the same Green Day. I mean, it's alright for them to evolve and try different things, like piano, but I tried to get into it but I just couldn't. No surprise that I'm a fan of the fast songs on the album. iViva La Gloria!, Christian's Inferno, Murder City, Horseshoes and Handgrenades, etc. Plus, for American Idiot, it was just timing. It was the perfect time to release an anti-government rock opera, with Bush and everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzz Posted August 2, 2010 Author Share Posted August 2, 2010 I really believe it is the material. I had this discussion with one of my friends a few days ago. He personally loved 21CB, but I didn't, because it wasn't the same Green Day. I mean, it's alright for them to evolve and try different things, like piano, but I tried to get into it but I just couldn't. No surprise that I'm a fan of the fast songs on the album. iViva La Gloria!, Christian's Inferno, Murder City, Horseshoes and Handgrenades, etc. Plus, for American Idiot, it was just timing. It was the perfect time to release an anti-government rock opera, with Bush and everything. I never felt like it was the music. There was piano in American Idiot. I guess if anything related to music it would be that it was not something really that new. It was basically in the style of American Idiot with different lyrics and few extra bells and whistles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katarina. Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 The promotion maybe. American Idiot was pretty much everywhere, but 21CB didn't get that much attention. Maybe cause of other things like the AI musical, Green Day Rock Band etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moffie Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 Crap promotion. American Idiot the Musical kinda took away the spotlight. Plus, it seemed like 21CB was "American Idiot: The Sequel." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St. Guro Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 I agree on almost all of the stuff that's already been said. I also think they chose wrong singles. I don't think Know Your Enemy was no way near good enough to be first single, and the video is just too damn boring. The American Idiot single followed by BOBD and Holiday was just one huuge party and also pretty suprising. Warner has promoted the album in a bad way, and also they didn't have the "wow, they're back!"-effect that they had when American Idiot was released. That doesn't mean 21CB is not as good as AI is, it's just different. I mean, they can't make the same album twice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Consuela Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 American Idiot was something completely new Green Day has come up with, it was the beginning of a new era. They changed their image, they made their first rock opera and so on. It was like a completely new reappearance, that's why they became even more popular. With 21CB it wasn't so new any more. I mean, yes the music has slightly changed, but for someone who is not a hardcore fan as we are, they might not be so appealing. Of course I am not saying it was a deciding factor, I wanted to add something that hasn't been said before. E: I never felt like it was the music. There was piano in American Idiot. I guess if anything related to music it would be that it was not something really that new. It was basically in the style of American Idiot with different lyrics and few extra bells and whistles. Turns out Andres just beat me up to it more or less. Damn you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinziLetterbomb Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 Yeah i agree on it being the promo, plus the AI Musical stole the limelight a little Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soo Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 Yeah, I think that lack of promotion has had a lot to do with it as a lot of people I know weren't even aware that they had released another album since American Idiot until I told them. That's pretty strange considering it has been out for over a year now. Although I personally love the album, I think maybe the single choices could have been better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green-day1972 Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 to me, 21st Century Breakdown is too pop-rock. And yeah, the promotion wasn't really good :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smbcf Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 I just simply don't think 21CB was as good. Don't get me wrong, it's still a great album but AI was something completely new and fresh for Green Day. 21CB didn't have any stand-out singles and a pretty much complete lack of promotion hasn't exactly helped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vespertine Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 AI the Musical came out at the wrong time, I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klytaemnestra Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 the promotion for 21cb was shit. and as well as the fact that it's a concept album along with ai, i don't think it was that.. relevant. like, american idiot resonated with so many people because of the political message. 21cb came around after a big change that made a lot of people happier with the situation in america - as far as i could tell. they weren't ecstatic but a lot of people were glad to see the back of bush, including green day themselves. but i just don't think people could relate to it as much. however, that could be because it wasn't as wide spread, which links back to the fact that it was barely promoted, whereas american idiot is still being promoted this year (in the form of the musical). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AfterShock Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 I think it was a combination of a few things. Of course, being the follow-up to an album like American Idiot is tough. The timing of AI was so surprising. But people expected 21CB so it didn't get as much attention. The AI musical also stole the spotlight a little bit too, with the Tonys and all. The promotion for the album was also pretty crappy too. Half of the US-released singles have had little or no attention. East Jesus Nowhere had the potential to be a hit, but the video was crap and I've only heard it on the radio once. Last of the American Girls is getting more airplay, but other than the Fallon performance it hasn't been played nearly enough. American Idiot is a better album though, IMO, so it should've done better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddy. Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 Shit promotion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OliDayyy Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 I agree with what is already said. The promotion has not been really good. Concerning the singles, it's a total mess! And to me the singles are not the best songs of the record, I'd have chosen "Horseshoes and handgrenades", one of the "Viva La Gloria" or "Restless Heart Syndrome". I don't like "21 Guns" and it's too much like ''WMUWSE", so people thought the band didn't really evolved that much with the new record. And that's kinda sad that people make this assumption because I think 21st CB worth more than that. But I'd admit 21st CB is complex, and maybe too much complex. It's a great album, but I think many people are waiting for the band to make some songs less worked with perfection. I don't know how to explain it, I'm sorry, I hope you understand what I'm trying to say... However, I'm happy with this era, because the band isn't everywhere like they were during AI. Like in magazines, TV and stuff, they're less exposed now, (that's how I feel in France anyway). And the band doesn't seem to care about its image. And everything happens live. To me they're currently the best live band that exists. I mean, look at these almost 3-hour long shows and setlists! They also take requests, put a lot a of old songs... Ok, 21st CB didn't do as well as AI (and it was to be expected), but they remain at their best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moffie Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 I think it was a combination of a few things. Of course, being the follow-up to an album like American Idiot is tough. The timing of AI was so surprising. But people expected 21CB so it didn't get as much attention. The AI musical also stole the spotlight a little bit too, with the Tonys and all. The promotion for the album was also pretty crappy too. Half of the US-released singles have had little or no attention. East Jesus Nowhere had the potential to be a hit, but the video was crap and I've only heard it on the radio once. Last of the American Girls is getting more airplay, but other than the Fallon performance it hasn't been played nearly enough. American Idiot is a better album though, IMO, so it should've done better. I don't think the musical stole attention with the Tonys (or LACK of it, so to speak) but it was new and so many thought of AI being a movie but that falling through years ago that it was just unexpected. The only single I've heard anywhere was "21 Guns" ONCE back in April. That's it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PasalacquaBomb Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 I think it was pretty much the songs. I mean, I really love 21CB, but it's not the album. American Idiot is really straight. I mean, songs like Christian's Inferno, Restless Heart Syndrome, Peacemaker, ... never reach the status as the whole American Idiot thing. It was too, I don't know how to say it, it was good they did something else but it was too ~experimental. 21CB got well promotion, too, (I don't talk about the singles - really bad promotion with EJN, 21CB and LOTAG - but the album) but it wasn't only the promotion that made American Idiot such a hit. It was the lyrics, the whole situation in America. All in one, I just think 21CB isn't that strong as American Idiot and I hope the next album will be more like American Idiot than like 21CB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petros Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 to me, 21st Century Breakdown is too pop-rock. And yeah, the promotion wasn't really good :/ This^ And also I think that 21CB has so may great song but american idiot had a few awesome songs. I also think that the musical and rock band didnt let 21cb become a great success...The promotion was shitty. Even the band members weren't speaking about the album in the interviews...OK the first two months after it was announced thats what they were talking about but then they didnt promote the album at all... And also don't forget that after american idiot everyone was expecting something really good from green day and so it's difficult to make a follow up to one of the greatest albums of the decade..American Idiot was a splash because nobody expected such a great record from green day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
November's Storms Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 Things were a lot more fucked up when George Bush was in charge, so there was more to shout about. And compared to Warning this was so new and surprising from a band that everyone thought was dead or dying. The wow factor has worn off . It's sad to say but to most people aside from the real fans its just another band making just another album I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PasalacquaBomb Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 The only single I've heard anywhere was "21 Guns" ONCE back in April. That's it. There were times when they didn't stop playing 21 Guns on the radio. And I recently hear LOTAG a few times a day, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
November's Storms Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 Ok, 21st CB didn't do as well as AI (and it was to be expected), but they remain at their best. Very true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IscoredWaddlesgoals Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 Promotion - I think reverting back to promoting an AI related 'product' halfway through the promotion of this album came across as having a lack of confidence in the material. Singles - songs like Peacemaker sound different and fresh. Songs like Know Your Enemy do not. Videos - yawn. Music landscape - pop is back in a big way with Lady Gaga and Black Eyed Peas been two of the biggest acts on the planet at the minute. After mainstream rock having a cycle arguably starting with AI and finishing with Kings Of Leon, it's come full circle. Pop sounds fresh and relevant, rock is starting to sound stale. Maybe people don't want to be 'lectured' as much as well. The actual album - to people willing to invest time in it, 21CB is a rewarding listen. To others, it probably sounds along the same lines as AI. Plus, the strong points for me on AI are the rock bits, not the opera. 21CB takes the slightly more ludicrous bits of AI and pushes them. Also, AI was almost shocking in the way it burst into the charts and lead a trend, whereas 21CB seems to follow in the same sort of formula so it feels less like a new start and more like a sequel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedestrian9394 Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 I think a lot of it had to do with the space between American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown. I think a lot of people, aside from us die-hards, kind of got distracted with other music in that 6 year span. Plus, the promotion sucked, as you said in the podcast. I hope that Green Day releases another album sometime in the next 2 years, while everyone is still hyped up and hungry for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PasalacquaBomb Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 Singles - songs like Peacemaker sound different and fresh. Songs like Know Your Enemy do not. I think exactly that is the point. Usual people expected some punk rock stuff from GD, like American Idiot was. And 21CB isn't. Songs like 21CB, KYE, EJN, Static Age, American Eulogy, .. are the stuff people wanna hear from a longtime successful punk rock band. Different if you are a longtime GD fan though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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