"21st Century Breakdown" should have been the Green Day musical

[quizking101]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 3:53pm

Don't get me wrong, "American Idiot" is a good concept for a show, but it's not pure (meaning it has a blend of songs from Green Day's discography).

21st Century Breakdown is a clearly-outlined concept album in three acts (like TOMMY). American Idiot, in order to fill a mere 95 minute show, needed to add songs from other albums, and is not just the AI album itself...

[jpbran]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 4:04pm

I'd say "AI" is a better album overall, with a greater number of fantastic, "modern classic" songs than "21CB."

[quizking101]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 4:41pm

Of course it has man omodern punk-rock classics. But the album had to be stretched and rearranged to become a musical. 21st Century breakdown is already broken down into three "acts" and it tells a story...(not saying AI doesn't)

In a few years, it could very well be the next big hit on B'way if conceived as a musical.

Posted: 5/11/10 at 4:50pm

Considering a few songs from 21st Century Breakdown are already used in American Idiot, I don't see it being its own separate show.

[jpbran]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 5:02pm

My point is that AI has a TON of great songs, where 21 has a few. They took the best of both... As much as I love Green Day, I wouldn't want to pay $100+ to hear the entire 21 album, dramatized or not.

There's also the issue of AI selling about 10m albums, about 5x what 21 has sold. That's just a financial and "name-brand" consideration producers would most definitely take into account (and probably did.)

[jpbran]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 5:06pm

And yes, I do see your point about 21 already having more of a traditional "story structure," but many more factors will and do trump that.

[MyChemicalSqueegee]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 5:19pm

As much as I love "21st Century Breakdown," I have to disagree with you. It is technically separated into three "acts," but that doesn't mean that it's clearly outlined. I actually think the story is a bit looser than American Idiot's in a way. Naturally, I'm sure someone could think of a way to tie the songs together, but as jpbran said, the songs on AI are much stronger. I'm not against an adaptation of the album though, for I think it could turn out to be very interesting.