10 Best Rock Album Music Covers Of The 2000s
1. American Idiot - Green Day
Green Day's seventh studio album could easily have been called Cigarettes and Valentines.
The band had started recording this album in the early 2000s when disaster struck; somebody stole the master tapes. "Ah well," they thought, "we'll just come up with something new."
That something new was American Idiot.
Released in 2004 to a rapturous reception, this socio-political takedown of George W. Bush's America has stood the test of time as one of modern rock's greatest projects. It has helped define Green Day's legacy more than anything else they've ever done, and it even got its own musical.
You can't argue with the cover, which is a work of genius. The work of artist Chris Bilheimer, American Idiot is adorned with a picture of a white arm gripping a red, heart-shaped hand grenade. Even without discussing how it ties into the album's themes, it's just stunning to look at.
Bilheimer's artwork has taken its place amongst the upper echelon of album covers from across time. It has become a symbol for the band itself and remains a perfect symbol of a turbulent time in American culture.