About 21 Guns

"21 Guns" is a song by American rock band Green Day. It was released as the second single from their eighth studio album, 21st Century Breakdown (2009), and serves as the sixteenth track from the album. The single was released through Reprise Records on May 25, 2009 as a digital download and July 14, 2009 as a CD single. The song has been a commercial success on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 22, becoming their highest charting single since 2005; however, it is one of their last to chart, "Oh Love" from ¡Uno! in 2012 being the last one to chart so far. It is also their last top 40 hit in the United States. The song is also featured on the soundtrack of the film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and is featured as one of the songs during the end credits. It was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Rock Song in 2010.

"21 Guns" addresses the topic of patriotism. Frontman and chief songwriter Billie Joe Armstrong told Q, in May 2009: "It brings up 21st Century Breakdown in a lot of ways, and the 21-gun salute for someone that's fallen, but done in an arena rock 'n' roll sort of way." According to Q, the song is "a mammoth power ballad with a chorus like Mott the Hoople's All the Young Dudes." William Goodman from Spin agreed, also comparing the song to All The Young Dudes. Entertainment Weekly's Simon Vozick-Levinson described it as a "sensitive arena rock cut that made us think of Toto's 'Africa'. While the chorus sounded more like ELO's 'Telephone Line.' A Rolling Stone article commented that it "has a dash of 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' to it." Spin's Goodman agreed, writing: "This track covers a lot of territory in its five minutes, from a solo acoustic guitar (reminiscent of "Boulevard of Broken Dreams") to Brian May-worthy electric riffage. But the chorus holds the killer hook, as Armstrong hits highs with his voice in a thrilling moment."