I don't think 21 First Century Breakdown is as good as American Idiot because while that album came out of nowhere and captured the feeling of the time (2004) perfectly, we already know the General formula for this album. Plus, people will complain that many of the guitar riffs are not that original and sound like everything from Queen to past Green Day songs. That being said, with the help of Butch (the most important producer of the past 25 years not named Andre Young) Vig and Billie Joe's great voice, the album sounds great from start to finish.  Lyrically, sometimes Billie Joe comes up with great lines that capture the world in the current economic mess that it is in" " We Are The Class of 13-Born in the era of Humility-we are the desperate in the decline-raised by the bastards of 1969"  In the final track Green Day seems to even acknowledge that they are not completely sure what they are fighting for: " I Need To Know Whats Worth The Fight"  Some have been critical of Green Day who are in their mid 30s, Grammy Winners, and have a shit load of money still writing songs with lyrics of teenage rebellion. I find that line of reasoning silly because we can say stuff like that about pretty much every rock or rap or pop act ever. Overall Grade B+