Green Day to Halsey: Generational Anthems

Many would agree that the defining characteristics of the early 2000s music were punk, the angst-ridden reaction of artists to the uncertainty of the post 9/11 world. There were many defining anthems of this genre for audiences, but one of the most prominent was Green Day’s American Idiot.

The 2010s were filled with a similar uncertainty, but punk faded from prevalence, instead a new generation of pop music came forth, as a reaction to punk and their commentaries. With this new generation, also came new anthems commenting on the state of our nation, and one that mirrors American Idiot is Halsey’s New Americana.

While they have many obvious music differences – Green Day’s guitar riffs and booming percussion vary from Halsey’s hauntingly beautiful voice and march tempo – their commentaries are strikingly similar.

American Idiot criticizes post-9/11 America for the following prey to the propaganda and paranoia of the War on Terror. New Americana focuses on the continuing, and developing, reaction to that propaganda. American Idiot focuses on the anger and tension of America, while New Americana focuses on how the generation that grew up in that tension has dealt with only living in that uncertain society.

They both discuss the similar reaction of trying to sweep all the tension and mess under the rug and present a happy face in public. Green Day says that “television dreams of tomorrow/we’re not the ones who’re meant to follow.” They are commenting on the technicolor dreams that American society had but would include multiple exclusions, not limited to the entirety of the punk scene.

Halsey juxtaposes the “cigarettes and tiny liquor bottles/just what you’d expect inside her new Balenciaga.” There is a stark contrast between the cheap connotation of the cigarettes and tiny alcohol versus the Balenciaga (an expensive brand that commonly runs anywhere from $1,000 - $5,000). She is using this comment on how many in the public spotlight, that are paraded around, yet they mess hidden. She even goes on to say “viral mess, turned dreams into an empire” because younger celebrities (like YouTubers, when the song released, or TikTokers now) are now getting promoted to share their chaotic lives.

While these two songs are not exactly the same, they both are commenting on the state of America. Both artists seem to use these anthems to talk about the uncertainty of life for the American youth, and how the youth are handling growing up in that environment. In Green Day’s America, there was yelling and support of the angst of punk music. In Halsey’s America, there is a more subtle rebellion and a taking back of control by the youth.