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Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsC, G, F, Am, G#
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow. Using the Transpose tool, switch to D,A,G keys to play this song with easier chords.

  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
  • Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
  • Guitar G# | A♭ chord diagram Fingering: 4-3-1-1-1-x Barre at fret 1.Guitar G# | A♭ chord diagram

[Opening]
[C]Born into Nixon I [G]was raised [F]in hell.
[C]A welfare child where [G]the [F]teamsters dwelled.
[C]The last one born and [G]the first one [F]to run.
[C]My town was blind from [G][F]refinery sun.

[chorus]
[Am]My generation [F]is zero,
[Am]I never made it as [F]a working [G]class hero.

[chorus]
[C] [G]21st [F]century breakdown, I [C]once was lost.
But [G] [F]never was found, I [C]think I’m losing.
[G]What’s left [F]of my mind to the [C] [G]20th [F]century deadline.

[verse 2]
[C]I was made [G]of poison [F]and blood
[C]Combination [G]is what I [F]understood
[C]From Mexico to [G]the [F]Berlin Wall
[C]Homeland security [G]could kill [F]us all

[chorus]
[Am]My generation [F]is zero,
[Am]I never made it as [F]a working [G]class hero.

[chorus]
[C] [G]21st [F]century breakdown, I [C]once was lost.
But [G] [F]never was found, I [C]think I’m losing.
[G]What’s left [F]of my mind to the [C] [G]20th [F]century deadline.

[verse 3]
[G]We are the cries of the class of [C]’13.
[G]Born in the year of [C]humility.
[G]We are the desperate in the [C]decline.
[G]Raised by the bastards of [C]1969.

[verse 4]
[C]My name is ‘No one’, your [F] [G]long [C]lost son.
[C]Born on the 4th of [G]July.
[C]Raised in the barnyards, of [F] [G]heroes [C]and cons.
[C]Left me for dead or [G]alive.

[verse 5]
[C]There is a war that’s in[F]side[G]m[C]y head.
That [C]questions the results and [G]lies.
I’m [C]breaking my back, till I’m [F] [G]better [C]off dead.
We are [C]not payed, enough to [G]survive.

[verse 6]
[C]I am an engine [F] [G] [C] [G#] [G#]
My [C]debt to the [G]status quo.
The [C]scars on my hands and a [F] [G]means to [C]an end.
It’s [C]all that I have [G]to show.

[verse 7]
I’m [C]taking a loan on my [F][G]sani[C]ty.
For the [C]redemption of [G]my soul.
Well [C]I am exempt from this [F]tr[G]age[C]dy.
And the [C]21st [G]century fall.

[verse 8]
I [F]praise [G]liberty [C][F]the freedom [G]to [C]obey.
It’s a [F]song that [G]strangles [C]me.
Well [F]don’t [C]cross [G]the line.

[Closing]
Oh, [C]dream, [G] [Am]American dream.
I [G]can’t even [F]sleep from [G]rainstorms [C]till dawn.
Oh, [C]bleed, [G] [Am]America bleed.
[G]Believe what [F]you read from [G]heroes and cons.

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SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on guitar.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master guitar today with the most repeated high-impact chord transitions.
ArtistGreen Day
Album21st Century Breakdown
GenresAlternative, Indie, Punk, Rock
Year2009
KeyC

How to play 21st Century Breakdown on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown on guitar requires 5 chords and 6 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

21st Century Breakdown uses these transitions most often: C → G (30), G → C (26), and G → F (19). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with C - G chord transition.

1. C → G chord transition

Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram

To move from C to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.
C to G

2. G → F chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram

To move from G to F;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on D string fret 3.
G to F

3. F → C chord transition

Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram

To move from F to C;

  1. While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
  4. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
F to C

4. F → Am chord transition

Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram

To move from F to Am;

  1. While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
  4. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
F to Am

5. C → G# chord transition

To move from C to G#;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 4.

6. G → Am chord transition

To move from G to Am;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.

21st Century Breakdown chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in 21st Century Breakdown.

  • 21st Century Breakdown includes 130 chord transitions, 6 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • 21st Century Breakdown contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how 21st Century Breakdown connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
    • C → F: 16%
    After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → C: 25%
    • G → Am: 13%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains from real songs. See which songs use each chain and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.