American Boys is the twenty-second studio album by the American musician Don McLean, self-released on May 17, 2024.
Don McLean has stated there are many inspirations for the album which include but are not limited to Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. As McLean told Music TImes: "It's an inspiration to see Mick Jagger running around at 80 years old. He refuses to pay any heed to anything. He's just going to do what he wants to do. I love that about him..
The first track, which is also the title track, is reportedly about "the boys who invented rock and roll". The album's ninth track, "The Ballad of George Floyd", centers around the murder of George Floyd, a man who was murdered by police on May 25, 2020, as McLean wrote "And months later, when Tyre Nichols was murderedâÂÂa young, beautiful black boy, 29 years oldâÂÂby five black police officers, that theory went out the window. This is about bad actors in power, and it can happen to any American. ItâÂÂs an American tragedy, and thatâÂÂs why I wrote it.".
The writers of Spill Magazine stated that "the album is almost as varied as it is long. While it does not adhere to genre description, it is essentially a retro rock RnB country project. Or is it? There are plenty of musical nods to works of the past, but McLean also takes some interesting detours", they note that "there are some outstanding tracks on American Boys, including the albumâÂÂs latest single, âÂÂThe Gypsy RoadâÂÂ, and the reggae and gospel-tinged âÂÂI Shall Find My WayâÂÂ. With its memorable chorus and strong message, the latter song is classic McLean", they conclude that "Long-time fans will want to know what Don McLean has been up to. Still, despite some high points, this album is a trifle uneven."
According to the liner notes: