10 Best Number One Rock Albums Of The 2000s
1. American Idiot - Green Day
Whilst Bruce Springsteen might have got there two years earlier, for many, the definitive post-9/11 rock album is Green Day's American Idiot.
After the master tapes for an album they were working on got stolen, the band pivoted and decided to make a record that would reflect the politically-charged times they were living in. Bush's America proved to be quite the inspiration for the pop punk pioneers, who found plenty of things to talk about on this sprawling rock opera.
For those who like their music to be high concept, American Idiot presents an album-long narrative that was so strong, it got turned into a stage musical. For those who just like to listen to great songs, it has the title track, Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, and Wake Me Up When September Ends. In short, it's a win-win no matter who's involved.
Despite only spending a single week atop the charts in October 2004, American Idiot had sent seismic ripples across the musical pond. Green Day were back in the public eye, punk music had a fresh coat of paint, and the date of September 30th was never safe from memes ever again.