PENEMU KERTAS 

Setiap orang pasti membutuhkan secarik kertas untuk menulis. Tanpa kertas, apalah arti sebuah pena. Dimana ada pena disitu ada kertas. Melalui

kertas kita menulis sesuatu yang ingin kita ungkapkan, kita bisa menulis sesuatu yang sangat penting dan tak mungkin bisa kita ingat selamanya.

Kertas adalah bahan yang tipis dan rata, yang dihasilkan dengan kompresi serat yang berasal dari pulp. Serat yang digunakan biasanya adalah alami, dan mengandung selulosa dan hemiselulosa

Kertas pertama kali diciptakan oleh bangsa Cina. Tsai Lun adalah orang yang menemukan kertas yang dibuat dari bahan bambu yang mudah didapatkan di Cina pada tahun 101 Masehi. Penemuan ini kemudian menyebar ke Jepang dan Korea seiring dengan menyebarnya bangsa Cina ke timur dan berkembangnya peradaban di kawasan itu, walaupun sebenarnya cara pembuatan kertas pada awalnya merupakan hal yang sangat dirahasiakan.

Peradaban China merupakan peradaban yang tercatat dalam sejarah yang menyumbangkan kertas bagi dunia. Pada tahun 101 Masehi, Tsai Lun menemukan kertas yang terbuat dari bahan bambu yang mudah didapat di China. Ts’ai Lun merupakan seorang pegawai negeri pada pengadilan kerajaan yang di tahun 105 M mempersembahkan contoh kertas kepada Kaisar Ho Ti. Catatan China tentang penemuan Ts’ai Lun ini (terdapat dalam penulisan sejarah resmi dinasti Han. Orang-orang China senantiasa menghubungkan nama Ts’ai Lun dengan penemu kertas dan namanya tersohor di seluruh Cina.

Penggunaan kertas meluas di seluruh Cina pada abad ke-2, dan dalam beberapa abad saja China sudah sanggup mengekspor kertas ke negara-negara Asia. Di tahun 751, beberapa tenaga ahli pembuat kertas tertawan oleh orang-orang Arab sehingga dalam tempo singkat kertas sudah diproduksi di Bagdad dan Sarmarkand. Teknik pembuatan kertas menyebar ke seluruh Arab dan baru di abad ke-12 orang-orang Eropa belajar teknik ini. Sesudah itulah pemakaian kertas mulai berkembang luas dan sesudah Gutenberg menemukan mesin cetak modern, kertas menggantikan kedudukan kulit kambing sebagai sarana tulis-menulis di Barat. Kini penggunaan kertas begitu umumnya sehingga tak seorang pun sanggup membayangkan bagaimana bentuk dunia tanpa kertas.

Di China sebelum penemuan Ts’ai Lun umumnya buku dibuat dari bambu. Tidak heran jika buku seperti itu terlampau berat dan kikuk. Memang ada juga buku yang dibuat dari sutera tetapi harganya sangat mahal buat umum. Sedangkan di Eropa (sebelum ada kertas) buku ditulis di atas kulit kambing atau lembu. Material ini sebagai pengganti papyrus yang digemari oleh orang-orang Yunani, Romawi dan Mesir. Baik kulit maupun papyrus bukan saja termasuk barang langka tetapi juga harganya yang sulit terjangkau.

Teknik pembuatan kertas jatuh ke tangan orang-orang Arab pada masa Abbasiyah setelah kalahnya pasukan Dinasti Tang dalam Pertempuran Sungai Talas pada tahun 751 Masehi. Para tawanan perang mengajarkan cara pembuatan kertas kepada orang-orang arab, sehingga kemudian muncullah industri-industri kertas disana.

Teknik pembuatan kertas kemudian juga menyebar ke Italia dan India lalu Eropa khususnya setelah Perang Salib dan jatuhnya Grenada dari bangsa Moor ke tangan Spanyol dan ke seluruh dunia.

Major label signing and Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2003–early 2006)

In 2003, the band signed a deal with Reprise Records. Following a tour with Avenged Sevenfold, the band began working on their second album, entitled Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. Released in 2004, the album went platinum in just over a year.The band released four singles from the album: "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)", "Thank You for the Venom", "Helena" and "The Ghost of You". After returning from a tour of Japan in July 2004, the band replaced Matt Pelissier with Bob Bryar.
At the beginning of 2005, the band was featured on the first ever Taste of Chaos tour, and was also the opening act for Green Day on their American Idiot tour. They then co-headlined Warped Tour 2005 with Fall Out Boy and co-headlined a tour with Alkaline Trio and Reggie and the Full Effect around the US. That same year, My Chemical Romance collaborated with The Used for a cover of the Queen and David Bowie classic, "Under Pressure", which was released as a benefit single on iTunes and other Internet outlets.
In March 2006, the album Life on the Murder Scene was released, incorporating a CD and two DVDs. It included one documentary DVD chronicling the band's history, and a second DVD with music videos, the making of their videos and live performances. An unauthorized biography DVD Things That Make You Go MMM! was also released in June 2006. The DVD does not actually feature any My Chemical Romance music clips or performances, but contains interviews with those who knew the band before much of their fame.A biography titled Something Incredible This Way Comes was also released, written by Paul Stenning and published in 2006. It features information on their beginnings right through to their third album, The Black Parade.

  The Black Parade (2006–2008)

Main article: The Black Parade 

My Chemical Romance started recording their third studio album on April 10, 2006 with Rob Cavallo, producer of many of Green Day's albums.It was originally thought to be titled The Rise and Fall of My Chemical Romance (in reference to "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" by David Bowie), but in an interview with Kerrang! magazine, Gerard Way suggested this was just the album's working title, stating "It was never the title of the album, more a spoof, or joke."

 On August 3, 2006, the band completed shooting the videos for their first two singles from the album, "Welcome to the Black Parade" and although not released until January 2007, "Famous Last Words".The "Famous Last Words" video was directed by Sam Bayer, director of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and Green Day's American Idiot videos. During filming for the second video, band members Gerard Way and Bob Bryar were injured. Way suffered torn ligaments in his ankle, and Bryar a burn to the leg which caused a severe staph infection that needed constant monitoring in hospital.^{[citation needed]} Consequently, the band was forced to cancel a few tour dates. While these injuries were reported by several news agencies to have been the result of a car accident, a statement released by the band on their website and MySpace page confirmed that these injuries occurred on the set of the video.
On August 22, 2006, the band played a special one-off show at the 1800-capacity London Hammersmith Palais. The show sold out in 15 minutes, prompting tickets to be re-sold on eBay well over the tickets' face value. The name of the album was announced and 20 people dressed in black capes with their faces obscured paraded around the Hammersmith, followed by a large group of fans and street team members with signs saying "The Black Parade". Later during the show, the album title and the UK release date were confirmed. Before the band took the stage, it was announced that My Chemical Romance were unable to play, but they would be replaced by The Black Parade. After initial crowd hostility it became clear the band were simply performing under a pseudonym in keeping with the theme of the album.

 "Welcome to the Black Parade" was released as a single on September 11, 2006. On September 26, 2006, the music video for "Welcome to the Black Parade" was released in the UK, and on September 27 in the US.The single became the band's first number one on the UK Singles Chart in October 2006. The Black Parade was released on October 23, 2006 in the United Kingdom and on October 24, 2006 in the United States.
The Black Parade World Tour commenced on February 22, 2007, with the eventuating 133 shows featuring Rise Against, Thursday and Muse as support acts. Reggie and the Full Effect frontman James Dewees played keyboards and synthesizer on the tour. In April 2007, it was announced that Mikey Way would temporarily leave the tour to spend time with his new wife, Alicia Simmons-Way. Way's temporary replacement was Matt Cortez, a friend of the band. During the third leg of the tour, as a support act for Muse, members of My Chemical Romance and their crew, along with members of Muse's crew, suffered food poisoning, and consequently had to cancel six shows. The band later featured on Linkin Park's Projekt Revolution tour in 2007, along with Placebo, Mindless Self Indulgence, Saosin, Taking Back Sunday and HIM.
My Chemical Romance received mixed accolades for The Black Parade. Kerrang! rated The Black Parade as the fourth-greatest album of 2006.In Rolling Stone magazine's ranking of the top 50 albums of 2006, The Black Parade was voted the 20th best album of the year. My Chemical Romance went on to win the award for Best International Band at the 2007 NME Awards, and Gerard Way also won the Hero of the Year award. My Chemical Romance was also nominated for Best Alternative Group at the 2007 American Music Awards.

The band announced in a blog on their website that they would be going on a final tour in the United States before taking a break. At the same time, they announced they will be releasing a live DVD/CD collection titled The Black Parade Is Dead!, which includes two concerts from October 2007, the final Black Parade concert in Mexico, and a small show at Maxwell's in New Jersey. The DVD/CD was meant to be released on June 24 in the United States and June 30 in the UK, but was postponed to July 1 because of a technical fault with the Mexico concert.

In 2009, My Chemical Romance released a new single entitled "Desolation Row" (a cover of the Bob Dylan song) on February 1, 2009. It was recorded to feature as the end credit track for the 2009 film Watchmen, an adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name. The band then announced that they would be releasing "a collection of nine never-before-seen live videos, straight from the encore set of the Mexico City show from October 2007", entitled ¡Venganza!. The release came on a bullet-shaped flash drive and also contained exclusive photos of the band from the show. It was released on April 29, 2009.

Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (2009–present)

Main article: Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

On May 27, 2009, My Chemical Romance's web designer, Jeff Watson, announced via the band's website that the band was headed to the studio to record their fourth full-length album. The recording took place over the following few weeks with producer Brendan O'Brien, who has worked with AC/DC, Mastodon, and Pearl Jam.
In an interview with NME, Gerard Way said the band's next record would be a rock album, saying, "I think (the next album) will definitely be stripped down. I think the band misses being a rock band. In a separate interview with Idiomag, Way commented that the next release would be less theatrical in scope, stating that "it's not going to be hiding behind a veil of fiction or uniforms and makeup anymore." In an interview with PopEater, Way also stated that the next album will be "full of hate." He also said "over the years that we've been hearing ourselves live and hearing us on records, we kind of prefer the live. There's more of a garage feel and more energy. I'd like to capture some of that, finally. That's the goal for the next one."

On July 31 and August 1, 2009, My Chemical Romance played two "secret" shows at The Roxy Theater in Los Angeles. The shows were the first concerts the band had played since Madison Square Garden in May 2008. The band also premiered several new songs said to be from their upcoming fourth album during the shows, one reportedly titled "Death Before Disco", a song that Way said he was particularly excited about.The song was since renamed "Party Poison" and was included on the new album. Way explained further in a Rolling Stone interview that "it's a completely different sound for the band — it's like an anti-party song that you can party to. I can't wait for people to hear it. It brings back, lyrically, some of that wonderful fiction from the first album.
Gerard Way also said in a November 2009 interview with Rock Sound that the fourth album would be their defining work. "A friend who heard the record recently said he now had no interest in listening to our older work anymore, that we had made all our old material redundant. I took it as a compliment, the next thing you should always make the last thing seem unimportant and I think that will happen when we finally release this album."

 

On March 3, 2010, Iero announced on their official website that Bob Bryar had left the band, writing:

"As of 4 weeks ago, My Chemical Romance and Bob Bryar parted ways. This was a painful decision for all of us to make and was not taken lightly. We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors and expect you all to do the same."

The band did not state reasons on why he left.
In a March 2010 MTV interview about the new album, Way explained, "There's no title yet...I'm actually kind of excited about that. It's kind of 'anything goes' at this point, but I'm so happy with the songs." Though the band since decided on the title of their fourth album, it continued to go unannounced, with various rumors circulating and the band stating on their website that it will be revealed "all in due time"and in Way's words, "a special way this time. Maybe some sort of event, something fun, something soon."
During the San Diego Comic-Con 2010, Way announced that the band had finished recording the fourth studio album. This was later confirmed by Iero on the band's website, announcing that the album was "done, finished, kaput, in the proverbial can, and being played loudly as we drive way too fast in our respective cars."
In September, a trailer video was uploaded to My Chemical Romance's official YouTube page entitled Art is a Weapon, which announced the title of the album: Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys. The video featured the band wearing strangely coloured outfits and battling unusual characters in a desert surrounding, and featuring a sample of music from the song "Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)". Notable comic book author and the band's personal friend, Grant Morrison, makes a special appearance, in the role of an enemy and leader of a band of masked characters. On September 22, 2010, the band premiered their song "Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)" on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show, and Los Angeles-based radio station KROQ-FM.The album was released on November 22, 2010.

Rock Sound had a preview of the album and gave a positive review, commenting "the way they’ve used everything they learned on ‘The Black Parade’ and tightened up in certain places feels natural and confident" and that it sees "the creativity of the band taking flight musically, graphically and literally."^[39]
Michael Pedicone joined the band as a touring drummer late in 2010, replacing Bryar.^[40] During a performance at Wembley Arena on February 12, 2011, Way announced that the band will be appearing at a UK festival later in the year,later confirmed as the Reading and Leeds Festivals, which they headlined. They also performed at Radio 1's Big Weekend in Carlisle, England on May 15, 2011.
On September 2, 2011, Frank Iero posted a blog on the band's site stating, "The relationship between My Chemical Romance and Michael Pedicone is over" and explaining Pedicone was sacked because "he was caught red handed stealing from the band and confessed to police after our show last night in Auburn, Washington." He also mentioned his hope of getting a new drummer in time for their next show and avoiding having to cancel any performances in the process.
On September 4, 2011, it was revealed through various sources that Jarrod Alexander will be the new touring drummer for the remainder of the Honda Civic tour. He also performed with them in late October at Voodoo Experience and will be playing at their Australian + New Zealand shows at Big Day Out in early 2012.

Musical style and influences

My Chemical Romance's general style has been categorized as "alternative rock", "post-hardcore", "punk revival", "pop punk" and, most controversially, "emo".The band's official website describes their music as simply "rock" or "violent, dangerous pop". Gerard Way has publicly rejected the term "emo", describing the genre as "fucking garbage". However, Way has reportedly also described the band's style as "What-else-ya-got-emo".

Way said to Rolling Stone, "we love bands like Queen, where it's huge and majestic, but also bands like Black Flag and the Misfits, who would go absolutely crazy." Way has stated that the band is heavily influenced by Queen, Misfits, Black Flag, Iron Maiden, The Cure, Joy Division, Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and The Smiths/Morrisey.Way has also said that his band patterns their career after that of The Smashing Pumpkins, another band they admire.

Controversy

"Emo" label

Singer-songwriter Gerard Way has previously stated that he strongly disagrees with the band's frequent classification of "emo", saying:

"Basically, it's never been accurate to describe us. Emo bands were being booked while we were touring with Christian metal bands because no one would book us on tours. I think emo is F–ing garbage, it's bulls–. I think there's bands that unfortunately we get lumped in with that are considered emo and by default that starts to make us emo."

 

UK tabloid incident

On May 8, 2008, British tabloid The Sun published an article entitled "Suicide of Hannah, the Secret emo", which reported the death of a thirteen year-old British girl named Hannah Bond, who had hanged herself supposedly because of her involvement with a reported "self-harming 'emo' cult", which the newspaper directly associated with My Chemical Romance, and their then-current album The Black Parade, which was said to be linked to her suicide. In the article, coroner Roger Sykes expressed concern that Bond's "emo" lifestyle glamorized suicide, and suggested that her obsession with My Chemical Romance was linked to her death.Regardless, The Sun's article, and an article in NME about The Sun's article, had linked My Chemical Romance to the suicide. Supporters of emo music contacted NME to defend the genre against accusations that it promotes suicide.

A group of British fans eventually planned a march across London in protest against the depiction of the band in the media. The march was expected to be held on May 31, beginning at Hyde Park's West Pond and ending outside the offices of tabloid newspaper the Daily Mail, which widely criticized My Chemical Romance and had published general pieces about the dangers of "suicide cults". The march was expected to attract 500–1000 protesters, according to the organizers.After concerns by police, the march was called off and instead about 100 fans congregated at Marble Arch and the band repeated the statement "fuck the Daily Mail" during their gigs in the United Kingdom.
The Daily Mail defended its position saying its coverage was "balanced, and restrained" and "in the public interest" and they were reporting genuine concerns raised by the coroner at the inquest and claim that their coverage of the incident has been misrepresented and confused with rumor. They state that their coverage of the coroner's remarks and the parents' comments was in common with that of other newspapers, and point to their publishing of readers letters defending the band and positive reviews of the band's albums and tours.

 

Accusations of "propaganda"

On April 28, 2011, US broadcaster Glenn Beck labelled the My Chemical Romance song "Sing" as "propaganda" after it was featured and covered on the US musical drama TV series Glee in February 2011. Beck stated "It's an anthem saying 'Join us'. How can you and I possibly win against that?" The lyrics that Beck pointed out were: "Cleaned up corporation progress, dying in the process / Children that can talk about it living on the railways / People moving sideways / Sell it till your last days / Buy yourself the motivation / Generation nothing / Nothing but a dead scene / Product of a white dream". Many have stated that Beck has taken the song literally,^{[citation needed]} despite it being set in a fictional, futuristic California. Way responded to the accusation on the band's official website, writing, "I think the word Glenn Beck was looking for was 'subversion' not 'propaganda', because I don't know what it would be considered propaganda for—truth? Sentiment?" He also said that he was "shocked that no actual fact-checking was done on the lyrics".

Tours

My Chemical Romance played in many major tours in 2005. The band toured with Green Day in 2005 on the "Green Day Presents American Idiot Tour". They were also part of the Warped Tour in the same year. "For a lot of kids, it's the one thing they look forward to all year," said Gerard Way of the Warped Tour. "They save up for it. They get to see all the bands they like in one shot."Their set list included mostly songs from Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge.

My Chemical Romance co-headlined the main stage with The Used on the Taste of Chaos tour, before starting their first headlining tour, simply named the "My Chemical Romance Tour". The tour launched September 15 in Ohio, stopping at 30 locations in the United States, to promote their album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. Supporting were Alkaline Trio and Reggie & The Full Effect. This tour marked the beginning of the heavy theatrics later showcased in many of their live shows. Way expressed his plans for the tour in an interview with MTV, saying, "we'd talked about bringing out dancers for our headlining tour in the fall, but it's a big undertaking; you have to have a bus full of dancers. We've always wanted to do a big theatrical tour. But you have to do it in steps".The use of theatrics was evident during The Black Parade World Tour, which supported their album of the same name. The tour featured 133 performances worldwide, featuring three legs in North America, one in Europe, Asia, and South America, and one internationally. 

See also: The Black Parade World Tour and The World Contamination Tour

The band joined headliners Linkin Park on Projekt Revolution 2007, starting on July 25 and ending on September 3, 2007. The band played a one-hour set on center stage, opening with "This Is How I Disappear", as flames burst behind the band. The set ended with "Cancer", occasionally with falling confetti, and fireworks. A stream of controversial events occurred over the kiss Way and Iero shared during a performance of "You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison" in San Bernardino on July 28.^{[citation needed]} Following the Projekt Revolution tour, they opened for Bon Jovi in October, and then departed for a European Tour with Mindless Self Indulgence.
On September 19, 2010, the band announced "The World Contamination Tour", which took place in parts of the UK, France, Amsterdam and Germany.

 

My Chemical Romance

My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock. Shortly after forming, the band signed to Eyeball Records and released their debut album I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love in 2002. They signed with Reprise Records the next year and released their major label debut Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge in 2004; the album was a commercial success, and was awarded platinum status a little over a year later. The band eclipsed their previous success with their 2006 concept album, The Black Parade, which gained generally favorable reviews among music critics. Their fourth studio album, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, was released on November 22, 2010, to positive reviews.

Early career (2001–2002)

The band was formed by front-man Gerard Way and drummer Matt Pelissier approximately one week after the September 11 attacks. Witnessing the planes crash into the World Trade Center influenced Way's life to the extent that he decided to start a band. Way wrote the song "Skylines and Turnstiles" to express his feelings about September 11 and shortly thereafter, Ray Toro was recruited because at the time Way couldn't sing and play the guitar at the same time. The name of the band was suggested by bass guitarist Mikey Way, younger brother of Gerard, who was working in a Barnes & Noble when he was struck by the title of a book by Irvine Welsh named Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance. The first recording sessions were undertaken in Pelissier's attic, where the songs "Our Lady of Sorrows" (formerly called "Bring More Knives") and "Cubicles" were recorded. The band refers to those sessions as The Attic Demos.^{[citation needed]} After hearing the demo and dropping out of college, Mikey Way decided to join the band.

 While with Eyeball Records, the band met Frank Iero, the lead vocalist and guitarist for Pencey Prep. Following Pencey Prep's split in 2002, Iero became a member of My Chemical Romance, just days prior to the recording of the band's debut album.They recorded their debut album, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love, just three months after the formation of the band and released it in 2002 through Eyeball Records. The album was produced by Thursday frontman Geoff Rickley after the band became friends with him while playing shows in New Jersey. Iero played guitar on two of the tracks, one of which was "Early Sunsets Over Monroeville." During this time, the band was booked at the infamous venue, Big Daddy's, where they began to receive more attention.
My Chemical Romance offered free downloads through PureVolume and the social networking website MySpace, where they gained an initial fan base.

Pertengahan karir dan penurunan popularitas (1997–2002)

Setelah masa istirahat pada 1996, Green Day mulai bekerja untuk album baru mereka pada 1997. Dari segi outset, baik Green Day maupun Cavallo setuju untuk membuat album yang berbeda dari album sebelumnya. Hasilnya adalah Nimrod, sebuah album eksperimental dengan deviasi dari ciri khas punk-rock mereka. Album tersebut dirilis pada Oktober 1997. Terdapat variasi materi dalam album ini, antara lain [pop punk], surf rock, ska, hingga ballad akustik. Nimrod hanya dapat memasuki posisi 10 di chart. Sukses dari "Good Riddance" membawa Green Day memenangkan MTV Video Award untuk kategori Best Alternative Video. Singel lain yang dirilis dari Nimrod adalah "Nice Guys Finish Last", "Hitchin' a Ride" dan "Redundant". Green Day melakukan tour promo Nimrod mulai dari akhir 1997 hingga sepanjang 1998.

Pada tahun 2000, Green Day merilis album keenam mereka, Warning, dengan gaya yang bahkan semakin menjauhi sesuatu yang ada dalam Nimrod. Untuk promo album tersebut, Green Day berpartisipasi di Warped Tour tahun 2000. Mereka juga melakukan tour indepnden pada tahun 2001. Sementara itu, penilaian yang diterima Warning cukup beragam.Walaupun berhasil menghasilkan hits "Minority" dan "Warning", beberapa pengamat berani menarik kesimpulan bahwa Green Day terlah kehi;angan relevansi,dan akibatnya adalah penurunan popularitas yang drastis. Sementara semua album Green Day sebelumnya setidaknya mendapatkan platinum, Warning hanya mendapat sertifikasi emas. Meski begitu, pada California Music Awards tahun 2001, Green Day memenangkan keseluruhan delapan penghargaan yang dinominasikan untuk mereka. Green Day memenangkan penghargaan untuk kategori Outstanding Album (Warning), Outstanding Punk Rock/Ska Album (Warning), Outstanding Group, Outstanding Male Vocalist, Outstanding Bassist, Outstanding Drummer, Outstanding Songwriter, dan Outstanding Artist.

Green Day merilis dua album kompilasi secara berturut-turut, yaitu International Superhits! pada 2001 dan Shenanigans pada 2002. International Superhits dan International Supervideos!, yang dikemas sebagai satu paket, berhasil mendapat sertifikasi platinum di Amerika Serikat United States. Sementara itu, Shenanigans mengikutsertakan beberapa lagu b-side mereka, termasuk lagu "Espionage" yang menjadi salah satu soundtrack film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me dan menjadi nominasi Grammy Award untuk Best Rock Instrumental Performance. Pada musim semi 2002, Green Day mengikuti Pop Disaster Tour bersama Blink-182 yang saat itu meraih sukses lebih besar. Tour tersebut didokumentasikan dalam DVD Riding in Vans with Boys.

American Idiot dan sukses kembali (2003–2006)

Pada musim panas 2003, Green Day kembali ke studio utnuk menulis dan merekam materi untuk album baru yang memiliki judul sementara Cigarettes and Valentines. Setelah menyelesaikan 20 lagu, master rekaman mereka dicuri dari studion oleh oknum tidak dikenal. Daripada merekam ulang lagu-lagu yang dicuri, Green Day justru memutuskan untuk membatalkan album tersebut dan memulai ulang, dengan pertimbangan bahwa materi tersebut tidak cukup mewakilkan karya terbaik mereka.

Sementara itu Green Day sembapt berkolaborasi dengan Iggy Pop dalam dua lagu untuk albumnya, Skull Ring, pada November 2003. Pada 1 Februari 2004, lagu cover dari "I Fought the Law" dirilis sebagai singel dan memulai debut komersial untuk iTunes selama NFL Super Bowl XXXVIII.Pada September 2004, Green Day merilis album ketujuh mereka, American Idiot, yang langsung berhasil menduduki posisi satu di chart Billboard, dibantu oleh sukses dari singel pertama album, "American Idiot". Album ini merupakan album konsep berkomposisi punk rock opera" dengan kisah tokoh fiksi "Jesus of Suburbia". American Idiot memenangkan Grammy Awards tahun 2005 untuk kategori Best Rock Album dan juga nyaris menyapu bersih MTV Music Awards tahun 2005 dengan memenangkan tujuh dari delapan penghargaan yang dinominasikan untuk mereka, termasuk Viewer's Choice Award.

Selama tahun 2005, mereka melakukan tour untuk promo album dengan nyaris 150 penampilan mayor di Amerika Serikat, Eropa, Jepang, Australia, dan Amerika Selatan. Selama tour untuk American Idiot, mereka merekam 2 konser mereka di Milton Keynes National Bowl di Inggris, yang dipilih sebagai The Best Show On Earth di polling majalah Kerrang!. Rekaman penampilan tersebut dirilis sebagai album live berjudul Bullet in a Bible pada 15 November 2005. Di dalam DVD tersebut juga terdapat behind-the-scenes footage mereka di Milton Keynes dan menunjukkan bagaimana merka bersiap untuk penampilan tersebut. Tour dunia mereka pada 2005 berakhir di Melbourne, Australia pada 17 Desember. Pada 10 Januari 2006, Green Day dianugerahi People's Choice Award untuk kategori Favorite Group.

Pada 1 Agustus 2005, Green Day mengumumkan bahwa mereka telah menghentikan hak legal master materi album pra-Dookie dari pihak Lookout! Records menyangkut royalti yang tidak dibayarkan.Materi album pra-Dookie, yang tidak lagi diproduksi selama satu tahun, kembali diproduksi oleh pihak label Green Day saat ini, Reprise Records, pada 9 Januari 2007.

  

21^st Century Breakdown dan American Idiot: Musical (2007–2010)

Green Day sempat melakukan beberapa proyek kecil lain setelah kesuksesan American Idiot. Mereka merilis album dibawah nama band Foxboro Hot Tubs berjudul Stop Drop and Roll!!!. Pada 2008, Foxboro Hot Tubs melakukan tour kecil untuk promo album di daerah Tiny Bay Area.

Dalam sebuah wawancara dengan Carson Daly, vokalis Garbage Shirley Manson mengungkapkan bahwa Butch Vig akan menjadi produser album baru Green Day. Rentang 5 tahun antara American Idiot dan 21^st Century Breakdown adalah yang terlama sepanjang karir Green Day. Mereka mulai mengerjakan materi baru sejak Januari 2006. Pada Oktober 2007, Armstrong telah menulis 45 lagu, namun mereka tidak menunjukkan tanda-tanda pengerjaan lebih jauh hingga Oktober 2008, ketika dua video yang menampilakn mereka sedang melakukan rekaman dengan produser Butch Vig diunggah ke YouTube.Proses rekaman selama tiga tahun di empat studio rekaman akhirnya selesai pada bulan April 2009.

21st Century Breakdown dirilis pada 15 Mei 2009 dengan menerima resepsi positif secara umum, mendapatkan rata-rata 3 hingga 4 bintang.Pasca rilis, album tersebut menduduki posisi pertama di 14 negara dengan sertifikasi emas maupun platinum di masing-masing negara tersebut. 21st Century Breakdown melakukan performa chart terbaik Green Day hingga saat ini. Mereka mulai tampil di California pada April dan awal Mei. Penampilan tersebut menjadi penampilan pertama mereka dalam tiga tahun. Green Day kemudian melakukan tour dunia yang dimulai di Amerika Utara pada Juli 2009 dan berlanjut ke seluruh dunia selama sisa 2009 dan awal 2010.

Wal-Mart menolak untuk menjual album dengan label Parental Advisory dan meminta Green Day untuk merilis censored edition. Para anggota Green Day tidak mau untuk mengubah lirik apapun dari album tersebut dan merespon dengan mengatakan, “Tidak ada yang kotor dengan album kami […] Mereka menginginkan artis untuk menyensor album mereka hanya agar bisa dijual disana. Kami bilang tidak. Kami tidak pernah melakukan hal itu sebelumnya. Kau pikir ini tahun 1953 atau apa.”

Pada tahun 2009, mereka menemui dengan sutradara Michael Mayer dan beberapa pemeran dan kru acara musikal Spring Awakening untuk membuat versi panggung dari album American Idiot. American Idiot: The Musical dibuka di Berkeley Repertory Theatre pada akhir tahun 2009. Pertunjukan tersebut menceritakan kisah yang telah dikembangkan dari versi asli album, dengan karakter baru seperti Will, Extraordinary Girl, dan Favorite Son.

Pada 20 April 2010, American Idiot: The Musical dibuka di Broadway dan Green Day merilis album soundtrack dengan lagu tambahan baru berjudul "When It's Time". Singel "When It's Time" baru dijual oleh UK iTunes Store pada Juni 2010.

Pada acara Spike TV Video Game Awards 2009, diumumkan bahwa Green Day direncanakan untuk memiliki video-game Rock Band versi mereka sendiri, Green Day: Rock Band, sebagai rilis lanjutan dari seri band spesifik sebelumnya, The Beatles: Rock Band. Permainan tersebut dirilis pada 8 Juni 2010. Permainan tersebut menggunakan seluruh lagu dari album Dookie, American Idiot, dan 21st Century Breakdown ditambah beberapa lagu pilihan dari diskografi Grren Day yang lain.

Album kesembilan (2011–present)

Pada leg kedua 21st Century Breakdown World Tour, Green Day mengatakan bahwa mereka sedang dalam proses menulis materi baru. Dalam wawancara dengan majalah Kerrang!, Armstrong berkata tentang kemungkinan album baru: “Kami membuat beberapa demo di Berlin, di Stockholm, beberapa lagi di dekat Glasgow, dan juga di Amsterdam. Kami ingin mengetahui [lagu-lagu tersebut] dalam bentuk awalnya.”Pada 24 Agustus 2010, mereka menulis di akun Twitter mereka bahwa ada kemungkinan sebuah album live baru akan dirilis, dengan menyatakan: “Kami telah merekam penampilan live kami sejak awal tour. Kemungkinan album live menyusul. Banyak sekali! Dan kami di texas!” Pada 28 Agustus, merekamenyebutkan album live lagi di tengah penampilan mereka di Denver, Colorado. Armstrong berseru kepada para penonton mereka, “Hey, aku ingin memberitahu kalian sesuat sekarang. Kami sedang merekam live f***ing album saat ini”, sebelum memainkan lagu "Cigarettes and Valentines". Mereka juga mengatakan bahwa mereka sedang merekam album live pada tour terakhir mereka di Mountain View, California, juga sebelum memainkan lagu "Cigarettes and Valentines".

Pada Oktober 2010, Dirnt, dalam wawancara dengan Radio W, menyebutkan bahwa mereka telah menyelesaikan proses menulis lagu untuk album esembilan mereka dengan menyatakan, “We are always working on songs, when it's time and when the music is right we will put it out. I like to think that we have enough material right now to put out a great record, but we want to go back home and make sure that it's perfect for everybody before we put it out.” Dalam wawancara tersebut, Dirnt juga menyebutkan bahwa album leve baru mereka "sepertinya akan" dirilis dengan film live.

Tidak lama berselang, terdapat siaran Ustream live dengan anggota band, dimana mereka mengumumkan bahwa mereka telah menulis 30 lagu untuk album kesembilan dan bahwa mereka telah merekam setiap pertunjukan (audio dan video) untuk rencana album live. Album live berjudul Awesome as Fuck dirilis pada 22 Maret 2011.

Pada 13 April 2011, versi film dari American Idiot telah ditetapkan. Michael Mayer, sutradara dari American Idiot: Broadway Musical, akan menjadi sutradara film tersebut. Film tersebut juga akan diproduseri oleh Green Day, Pat Magnarella (manajer Green Day, juga produser Bullet in a Bible, Awesome as Fuck, dan Heart Like a Hand Grenade), Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, dan Tom Hulce.