Green Day’s ‘The American Dream Is Killing Me’ Tops Rock & Alternative Airplay Chart

Kevin Rutherford
·2 min read

Green Day lands its seventh leader on Billboard’s Rock & Alternative Airplay chart thanks to “The American Dream Is Killing Me,” which rises from No. 2 to No. 1 on the Nov. 18-dated list.

The song reigns in just its third week on the tally via 9.5 million audience impressions, up 10%, Nov. 3-9, according to Luminate.

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The song completes the quickest rise to No. 1 on Rock & Alternative Airplay since Linkin Park’s “Lost” debuted atop the Feb. 25-dated ranking. It’s Green Day’s fastest since “Oh Love” launched at No. 1 in August 2012.

With seven No. 1s, Green Day breaks out of a tie for the most rulers in the history of Rock & Alternative Airplay, which began in 2009 (with Green Day’s “Know Your Enemy” the inaugural leader). Foo Fighters lead all acts with 11 No. 1s.

Most No. 1s, Rock & Alternative Airplay:
11, Foo Fighters
7, Green Day
6, Cage the Elephant
6, twenty one pilots
5, The Black Keys
5, Imagine Dragons
4, Linkin Park
4, Red Hot Chili Peppers
3, Weezer

Green Day had last led Rock & Alternative Airplay with “Oh Yeah!,” a two-week No. 1 in April 2020.

Concurrently, “The American Dream Is Killing Me” rises 3-2 on Alternative Airplay and 5-3 on Mainstream Rock Airplay, the Greatest Gainer award winner on both charts. It also zooms 34-21 on Adult Alternative Airplay.

The song debuted at No. 22 on the most recently published multi-metric Hot Rock & Alternative Songs survey (dated Nov. 11); in addition to its radio airplay, it earned 1.1 million official U.S. streams and sold 1,000 downloads Oct. 27-Nov. 2, its first full week of tracking following its Oct. 24 release.

“The American Dream Is Killing Me” is the lead single from Saviors, Green Day’s 14th studio album, due Jan. 19, 2024. Another song from the set, “Look Ma, No Brains!,” arrived Nov. 2.

All Billboard charts dated Nov. 18 will update on Billboard.com on Tuesday, Nov. 14.

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